On the eve of her wedding to Daniel Reed, he paid a fortune to save Karen Sullivan, an orphaned girl who was nearly trafficked, and arranged for her to take my place as his wife. Daniel said Karen had been wronged, and that the Sullivan family had once helped him, so he was obligated to protect her now. To avoid gossip, Zoey had my son Jacob Reed, who was only a few months old then, call Karen “Mom,” while my identity was publicly stated as merely a servant. “Zoey, once I gather enough evidence to bring those who harmed Karen to justice, I promise I’ll give you the grandest wedding in the world!” Daniel said with an apologetic face, asking me to wait a little longer. I nodded in agreement and kept waiting, until six years later, when I watched Daniel kneel down and solemnly place a new diamond ring on Karen’s finger, watching them make vows of lifelong companionship on New Year’s Day. I stared at the matching wedding ring Daniel had tossed in a corner, and laughed bitterly at myself. Now, I don’t want to wait anymore. ***** “If you keep meddling in my business, you can stop working here!” Orange juice splashed all over me, the sticky liquid soaking my clothes. Flying glass shards cut a wound on my hand. I frowned, but before I could press on the wound, Karen had already pulled Jacob behind her, saying, “Zoey, Jacob was just startled. Don’t be angry. Jacob, apologize to Zoey.” Even though I’ve grown accustomed to being treated as a servant by Jacob all these years, seeing Karen bend down to persuade him to apologize to me still irritated me. Now even in Jacob’s eyes, bringing him a drink was a mistake. “Mom! She’s the one who ignored my orders and barged in! If that huge glass of orange juice had spilled on my piano, she could never afford to replace it!” Jacob complained angrily, holding Karen’s hand. I said nothing, just looked up at the piano behind him. That piano worth millions of dollars was indeed something I couldn’t afford to replace. What Jacob didn’t know was that it had been Daniel’s engagement gift to me. The engagement gift remained, but I would never see the day I married Daniel. The bitter irony wasn’t lost on me. I recalled the night before the wedding, when Daniel held my hand tightly and carefully pleaded, “Zoey, the Sullivan family is in trouble, and Karen has no one to rely on. Without the Reed family’s support, debt collectors will drive her to her death.” But now my son was holding her hand tightly, promising Karen, “Mom, by your wedding anniversary with Dad, I’ll definitely master that piano piece! Only the most difficult piece is worthy of your perfect love!” Remembering what Daniel said six years ago, I smiled mockingly at myself. “Thank you…” Karen said happily, looking at me with some resignation. She said, “Don’t take it to heart. You should join us at our wedding anniversary dinner in a few days.” Before I could answer, I saw Jacob frown and say disdainfully, “She’s nothing but a servant. Having her at the banquet would only make people laugh at our family. That would be embarrassing!” Karen showed an awkward expression, but her reprimand was clearly just for show, with no real intention to discipline him. “Jacob, you can’t be so rude.” Then she gave me an apologetic smile, took Jacob’s hand, and walked out of the music room, turning back at the door to instruct me, “The glass shards are dangerous. Be careful when you clean up. Don’t let the glass hurt Jacob.” I stood there without responding, staring at the messy floor. I faintly heard Jacob complaining, “She’s just someone who knows how to sweep floors. She should be grateful to work in our home.” I looked down at my now somewhat rough hands, remembering how I used to play the piano six years ago. But if Daniel hadn’t begged me back then, it would be Karen being pursued by debt collectors now. Thinking of what Daniel said that year, I smiled through my tears. Daniel had said, “The Sullivan family is an aristocratic family. Once I find the real culprit, Karen will return home and continue to live as a young lady of privilege. “Zoey, please help me, will you?”With my wedding makeup already done, I looked at Karen, who was covered in wounds and shaking violently, and could only nod gently. Six years have now passed, and I don’t know if the real culprit who harmed the Sullivan family was ever found. I only know that in everyone’s eyes, they are the ones who are truly family. Meanwhile, I had been reduced to nothing but a servant.
That evening, Daniel came to see me first after work, which was rare. For the past six years, he had been extremely busy managing the Reed Group while helping Karen search for evidence. The little free time he had was spent with Karen and Jacob. Despite living under the same roof, I couldn’t even remember the last time we spoke. He looked down at my oil-stained hands, frowned, yet still feigned sympathy as he said, “Zoey, thank you for everything these years.” I didn’t respond, finding it ironic. He was the one who had used Jacob’s health as an excuse to make me do housework, and now he was pretending to feel sorry for me. I asked him, “After all these years, haven’t you collected enough evidence about her family?” Daniel was taken aback, then angrily said, “What do you mean? Karen is an orphan. You’ve lived with her for six years now. Don’t tell me you’d have the heart to drive her out?” I didn’t look at him, not even having the energy to argue. Six years of marriage, and if it weren’t for the contract I signed with him back then, I might have forgotten that this was supposed to be my home with Daniel. Seeing my silence, Daniel took my silence as agreement, his expression softening a bit. He changed the subject. “For our wedding anniversary in a few days, shall we hold the reception at the hotel where we got married?” I was moved, inevitably recalling the anticipation I once felt. Unfortunately, whatever expectations I had then were now gone. Daniel said, “Karen hasn’t had experience organizing events, so I’ll have to trouble you with the arrangements. After all, it’s our wedding anniversary, and I’m sure you want the reception to go smoothly, right?” He took out a sapphire bracelet and was about to put it on my wrist. “Just leave it there, I’m cooking,” I coldly refused, watching him relax and casually place the jewelry by the sink. Watching his back as he hurried upstairs to find Karen, I felt increasingly disappointed. If I hadn’t heard Karen mention earlier that she would also attend the banquet, I might have thought Daniel was planning to restore my status. I looked at the sapphire bracelet lying amid the grease, its luster gone. I swept the bracelet into the trash bin, unable to hold back my tears. Once, Daniel had told me, “Zoey, you’ll never need to do housework. Your hands are only meant for playing music.” I wondered in despair, “How could someone who once loved me so much change so completely? Is it because I’m inferior to Karen, or has his heart simply changed?” The next day, the hotel manager arrived on time. I took the tablet he respectfully handed me and reviewed Daniel’s requirements for the venue. The manager said, “Ms. Moore, you’re allergic to lily pollen, right? Why did Mr. Reed specifically request lilies to decorate the venue?” Looking at my face, he tentatively asked, “Should I remind Mr. Reed to change the flowers?” I shook my head and handed the tablet back to him, saying, “No need.” Lilies were Karen’s favorite flowers after all, I knew, and if I asked to change them, Daniel would be displeased. The hotel manager frowned, about to try to persuade me, when Jacob burst into the living room. Jacob snatched the tablet and hurled it at me viciously, cursing, “You still want to be my mother? You don’t deserve it!” A sharp pain shot through my temple, and blood immediately gushed from the wound. Looking at the blood on the floor, I remembered the delivery room where I gave birth to him, also covered in blood. The doctor had shouted “difficult labor” and urgently pushed me toward the operating room. Before I entered surgery, Daniel, the CEO worth billions, knelt before the doctor, crying without regard for his image. Only after Jacob and I were out of danger did he make a tearful promise: “Zoey, I will love you and our child for the rest of my life.” His promise lasted barely three months after Karen appeared. Karen even wanted to take away my only son.
I covered the wound on my forehead, momentarily at a loss for words. The hotel manager exclaimed in shock and reached out to grab Jacob. Karen, who had rushed down from upstairs, shielded Jacob behind her and said, “Zoey, Jacob is still young, don’t be angry!”Then, she spoke to Jacob with extreme patience, “Jacob, please apologize. I’ve told you before, Zoey is your biological mother.” At these words, Jacob angrily pushed Karen away and rushed toward me with his little fists clenched. He shouted, “I don’t want some servant as my mother! You bitch! You’ll never, ever take me away from my mom!”Daniel rushed over to grab Jacob, frowning as he scolded, “Jacob, no hitting!” Karen immediately apologized with tears, “Daniel, I’m sorry I haven’t raised Jacob properly…” Looking at Karen, Daniel said gently, “Don’t blame yourself. You’ve taken care of him for six years and loved him so much. It’s normal that he can’t accept the truth right away.” As he said this, he looked at me, as if waiting for me to compromise. Wincing with pain, I wiped the blood from my face and angrily said, “Their mother-son bond is important, so I’m supposed to give away the child I risked my life to bear?” Daniel was about to say something, but Karen broke down crying first. She lovingly stroked Jacob’s head and sobbed, “I’m sorry, Zoey. I’ve been so selfish! I should have known someone like me doesn’t deserve a family… It’s all my fault!” Perhaps due to her emotional state, as she spoke, she clutched her collar and began breathing heavily. She said, “Jacob is yours now… Zoey… I’m sorry…” Seeing Karen lose consciousness, Daniel immediately picked her up. Before rushing out the door, he turned to me and said fiercely, “Zoey, if anything happens to Karen today, I will never forgive you.” I was so angry I felt cold all over, only aware of the throbbing pain from the wound on my temple. In that moment, I remembered the vows Daniel once made to me: “Zoey, please give me a chance to stay by your side and protect you.” Yet now he was carrying another woman, saying he would never forgive me. The irony was unbearable. I almost lost my balance. The hotel manager caught me just in time and sympathetically said, “Ms. Moore, instead of enduring this humiliation here, why not apologize to Mr. Moore? He’ll forgive you.” I looked at her and smiled bitterly. Indeed, unlike Karen, I wasn’t a helpless orphan. If I hadn’t insisted on marrying Daniel years ago, angering my father Quinn Moore, I wouldn’t have been kicked out of my family. I remained silent, staring at Quinn’s number on my phone. After a moment, I gave up. Early the next morning, Jacob, who had been left at home, banged on my door. “You bitch! Take me to see my mom at the hospital right now!” I looked at his anxious eyes, feeling heartbroken, but didn’t refuse. However, when I brought him to the hospital room, I froze. In the obstetrics ward, Daniel was tenderly kissing Karen’s forehead, gently caressing her abdomen. He said, “Karen, after next week’s court hearing, your father Tom’s false charges will be cleared. Before the baby is born, I’ll find an excuse to divorce Zoey. The four of us will be happy for the rest of our lives.” His words were resolute, even more sincere than the vows he once gave me. I stepped back, lacking even the strength to confront him. The hotel manager called to ask, “Ms. Moore, do you really want to hold your wedding anniversary celebration?” “Of course,” I replied. I remembered the contract Daniel and I signed when we got married with a bitter realization and smiled coldly. This time, I would definitely give them the best anniversary gift. Meanwhile, Jacob had already burst into the hospital room. Looking at the startled Daniel, I said, “Daniel, goodbye.”
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