Chapter 1

Seven years into her marriage, Natania Wendell found out her husband, Stephen Fost, had a six-year-old son—and she wasn't the mother. Natania was hiding behind the kindergarten slide, watching as Stephen leaned over to pick up a young boy. The young boy complained, "Daddy, it's been so long since you've come to see me." Stephen patted the boy's head. "Be a good boy, Andy. I've been busy with work, so you have to listen to your mommy, alright?" Natania stood rooted to the spot in shock, her mind going blank. Daddy? Mommy? Stephen and the boy shared several similar features. This told Natania that the man who'd claimed that he would love her for the rest of his life had long since cheated on her! She and Stephen were childhood sweethearts, and they had been in love with each other for several years. One time, Natania was stabbed in the abdomen while saving him. This not only resulted in her losing her baby, but she was also rendered infertile. After that incident, Stephen had knelt beside her with reddened eyes, declaring, "I don't care about having children. All I care about is you. It's enough as long as I have you!" She thought she could hear his trembling voice from back then echoing in her ears again now. But in this moment, it sounded more like mockery as the sight before her crushed all his promises to dust. Stumbling back a few steps, Natania felt as though her heart was being sliced into a million pieces. She didn't dare look over again, fearing that she would rush over to confront Stephen. That would only make her seem like a joke, and she didn't want to be scorned for crying. Instead, she spun on her heels and fled. At the kindergarten entrance, her best friend, Sophia Lark, had been waiting for her for a while now. Upon noticing Natania's pale face, she hurriedly got out of the car. "Tania, what's wrong? Benjamin said you dropped something and went back to retrieve it. What exactly happened?" Benjamin Truman was Sophia's son. The only reason Natania had come to the kindergarten that day was that Sophia had pestered her into attending the parent-teacher conference with her. With a deathly pale complexion and tears shimmering in her eyes, Natania said, "Sophia, help me look into someone." "Who?" "Stephen…" Natania's throat bobbed as she swallowed before continuing in a raspy voice, "He has a son." … "Babe, I still have one week before I can return. Do you miss me?" Natania stared at the message Stephen had sent her, tears spilling down her cheeks relentlessly. Every year in July, he would have to go on a two-week business trip that he claimed was to inspect the overseas branch company. For six entire years, she had never once suspected a thing. Yet now, reality had given her a harsh slap in the face while mocking her for her stupidity. Stephen wasn't going on business trips. He was going off to spend time with his mistress and illegitimate child! If it weren't for her accidentally stumbling upon that scene in the kindergarten that day, she would've still been kept in the dark. In a masochistic move, she continuously flipped through the photos in her phone. Outside the window, a torrential downpour raged, with occasional flashes of lightning illuminating her pallid complexion. Perhaps she should've guessed this would be her outcome. After all, the Fost family had always been more traditional and conservative. How could they possibly accept an infertile woman as Mrs. Fost? Could they have arranged everything from the get-go? But then, what role was Stephen, who had appeared to love her deeply, supposed to play? Natania's heart felt like it was shattering. She had grown up together with Stephen, and everyone had always said that they should be together forever. When she was eight, a burst of mischievousness had her climbing a tree, but then she slipped and fell to the ground. Stephen disregarded all danger to cushion her fall. In the end, he broke his arm, yet he still smiled and insisted it didn't hurt one bit. When she was 12, she suddenly started her period, resulting in her staining her skirt. Even though he knew what it meant, he was still so shocked that he burst into tears and declared that he would die alongside her. When she was 18, he sneakily participated in an underground car racing competition. He risked his life to win, all so he could get a ring to propose to her. At the time, he had promised, "Tania, I'll love you for the rest of my life." As a young adult, his love was pure and intense, easily winning over Natania's heart. On the eve of their wedding, she was abducted by one of his enemies and imprisoned for three whole days. By the time she was found, she was barely clinging to life. In his attempt to save her, Stephen had three ribs broken. It was also during that incident that she took a stab wound meant for him and lost her ability to become a mother. After his mother, Marissa Thorne, learned of this, she tried to separate the couple. However, Stephen, ignoring his injuries, knelt there for three whole days and starved himself in protest. "I would rather lose the Fost family than break up with Tania." In the end, Marissa had no choice but to give in. After they recovered from their injuries, they quickly got married, letting the whole of Jarlton to bear witness to their touching love story. Yet, at the end of the day, he had still let her down. At that moment, Natania's phone rang. The caller ID showed that it was a call from "Honey", and the endearing nickname itself seemed to mock her. Natania numbly answered the call, and immediately, Stephen's gentle voice came over the line. "Babe, have you been eating well even though you're all alone? Did you miss me?" If this had been the past, she would've indeed been basking in his sweet love and eager to reply to him. But now… She was worried that the moment she opened her mouth, she wouldn't be able to stop herself from sobbing. "Babe? Did something happen? Don't be scared. I'll head back right away to keep you company!" Stephen anxiously said. It sounded like he was getting ready to return to her. But Natania didn't want to see him at that moment. "I'm fine." She tried her best to keep her composure, but her voice still sounded raspy. "I'm fine. Your work is more important, so there's no need for you to come back. I just have a minor cold." This was the first time she had ever lied to Stephen. Stephen didn't seem to notice that anything was wrong. In fact, he appeared distracted by something else. Still, he didn't let go of his concern completely and reminded, "Then you should rest early. Remember to call me to keep me updated. Don't make me worry, okay?" Natania hummed softly in agreement. Just as she was about to hang up, she heard a woman's voice calling out flirtatiously, "Stephen, Andy's asleep now. We can—" Her sensitive hearing caught the way Stephen's breathing grew heavier before he abruptly ended the call. Natania gripped her phone so tightly that her knuckles turned white. She couldn't stop the cold feeling from spreading through her body. At that moment, Stephen and that woman were… She couldn't bring herself to continue that thought. Raw sobs tore from her lips before she could stop herself, but she was already doing her best to muffle them. It felt like a giant hand was squeezing her heart in a vice grip, the pain so agonizing that she thought it might kill her. At first, she had tried to convince herself that Stephen was only in this situation because of the child, leaving him with no other option. But now? It seemed like he was the one taking the initiative! Sophia acutely sensed something was off and immediately pushed the door open. Upon entering and seeing the dead look in Natania's eyes, the usually bold woman suddenly didn't dare to take a step forward. She advised, "Tania, a man isn't worth all this." Natania's tears fell onto the photos, with soft, rhythmic patters. Utterly heartbroken at the sight, Sophia pulled Natania into a tight hug. She cursed through gritted teeth, "Tania, that Stephen is truly such a bastard! Back when he proposed to you, he spewed all sorts of sweet nothings and promises. Now, he actually dared to go behind your back to keep a mistress and even have a child?" Closing her eyes, Natania let her sorrow flow freely, even as she made a decision in her heart.