My husband’s first love became pregnant after an assault. At the same time, I was also pregnant. On the day I delivered our son, Derek served me with divorce papers. “Seraphina can’t have a scandal. I’m marrying her!” I refused the divorce. Instead, I took my newborn son and went live, exposing everything. I ended Seraphina’s future with my own words. She ended up slitting her wrists. Derek gave her a quiet, dignified funeral. Then he stood back and let her fans hunt me and our child down. When I opened my eyes again, I was back in that hospital room, the divorce papers just placed in my hands. This time, I signed it right away. Because he was premature, my son, Leo, went straight into the NICU the moment he was born. Derek handed me the divorce papers right there. “You know Seraphina Hayes was a principal dancer. If another scandal breaks about her assault and child, her career will be ruined.” I had just come from surgery. Even a slight movement pulled at my stitches. I took the divorce papers. “I’ll divorce you, but I want compensation.” Derek breathed a sigh of relief. “Fine. Two million. Is that enough?” Derek was the heir to the Caldwell Group, yet he offered me only two million. I scoffed, knowing it was useless to argue further. I just nodded. With the papers signed, Derek was eager to find Seraphina. He didn’t even spare a thought for our child. Two days later, Leo was out of the NICU. I wrapped my baby in a soft blanket, ready to leave the hospital. Back at the mansion, I asked our housekeeper Mrs. Gable to turn up the AC, but no one answered. As I walked towards the nursery, holding Leo, I heard them whispering in the kitchen. “No shame, bringing back a child born from an affair. Mr. Caldwell was soft-hearted enough not to press charges, but instead of being grateful, she still wants a share of the family fortune!” My steps faltered. Under my thick loungewear, cold sweat drenched my back. “What are you talking about!” I pushed open the kitchen door. The staff looked up, their eyes full of disdain. One of them mumbled, “Who’s talking nonsense? Mr. Caldwell already made a statement. You cheated, and we can’t even talk about it?” I rushed back to my room, charged my phone, and opened Ins. The top trending topic was “Caldwell Heir Announces Divorce.” “Due to Ms. Anya Williams’s infidelity, Mr. Derek Caldwell has terminated their marriage. This statement is hereby issued.” My mind went blank. A sharp, violent throbbing started at my templesy. For Seraphina’s sake, Derek was willing to destroy my name completely! Just as I thought about defending myself online, my phone suddenly vibrated. It was Officer Davis, the detective helping me search for my birth parents. “Ms. Williams, we have a major breakthrough!” His voice was urgent. “You were taken from Evergreen City as a child. We’re now working with their police to cross-reference missing persons files. You need to come in for a DNA test immediately.”
My shattered heart suddenly found a flicker of hope. Since I was abducted at six and brought to Veridia City, I had never truly felt the warmth of a family. I thought marrying Derek would be a new beginning, but it turned out to be another calamity. But now, I might find my birth parents, and my child could have a family who truly loved her! After hanging up, I quickly packed a small bag and turned to the nursery to grab a few essentials for Leo. As my hand touched the doorknob, the front door of the mansion was suddenly flung open. “Anya, who said you could touch anything in there?” Derek frowned, his expression displeased. “I just wanted to get some change of clothes for Leo.” “Those are for Seraphina’s baby. If you need anything, buy it yourself.” Every single item in that nursery had been carefully chosen by me during my pregnancy. Now, he intended to give them all to Seraphina’s child. Even though that child bore no blood relation to him. I swallowed the bitterness in my heart, choosing not to argue at that moment. But Mrs. Gable suddenly grabbed me with a stern face and dragged me outside. “Mr. Caldwell ordered us to go to the rehabilitation center to take care of Ms. Hayes.” The pulling made my incision hurt, and I cried out, “I just gave birth! I need to rest!” Derek didn’t even look back. “Which means you have experience.” “Don’t whine. You’re strong, you don’t need rest.” He got into his car, and I was pushed into a minivan heading for the rehabilitation center. When we arrived, Seraphina was lounging in a recliner, surrounded by five or six caregivers. Seeing me, she feigned an attempt to stand. “Anya, you’re here! Please, sit down. Giving birth is hard work…” Derek gently pressed her back down, then shot me a glance. “She used to manage even with a fever, this is nothing. Anya, if you take good care of Seraphina, I’ll add another half a million. Pretty good deal, right?” Another half a million. It was indeed tempting. I bit my lip. “No. My baby is home alone with no one to watch him.” A flicker of impatience crossed his eyes, but Seraphina softly tugged his hand. “Derek, if Anya doesn’t want to take care of me, please don’t force her. I don’t want to be a burden to you.” Derek squeezed her hand, his gaze shifting to me with pure contempt. “Letting you care for Seraphina is an opportunity for you,” he said, his tone icy. “You came into this marriage with nothing. You’ve contributed nothing. If you can’t even manage this simple task, then understand this: taking proper care of her is the only worth you have left.” He habitually belittled me, completely ignoring my pale face. He waved Mrs. Gable back to take care of Leo. But Mrs. Gable always disrespected me; how could she genuinely look after my child? Derek ignored me, ordering me to feed Seraphina her nutritional meal. I looked back at the closed door, realizing I couldn’t leave for now. I dragged my weak body to prepare Seraphina’s meal. Just as I brought a spoonful of stew to her lips, she suddenly leaned back, crying out in pain. “Hot!” Derek snatched the bowl and threw it at my feet, the broth splashing on my pants. “What are you throwing a tantrum for?! You scalded Seraphina, you won’t eat today!” Seraphina nestled against his shoulder, her eyes brimming with tears. “Derek, don’t be angry, she didn’t mean it…” “We’ll finalize the divorce papers tomorrow!” I was left standing there, covered in stains, ignored by everyone.
The next day, Derek took me from the rehabilitation center to finalize the divorce. Stepping out of the registry office, he got straight into his car. “I need to go get Seraphina’s performance outfit custom-made. You can go back on your own.” His face was grim. “Anya, if you’re not at the rehabilitation center within forty minutes, you’ll face the consequences.” The car sped away, leaving me to flag down a taxi back to the mansion. As soon as I entered the front door, I heard a baby crying from the storage room in the backyard. That was where the gardening tools were kept! I rushed in and saw Leo carelessly placed on a cold stone slab. There was formula and diapers ready nearby, yet his little face was purple, and his cries were weak. He probably hadn’t eaten since yesterday! Nor had his diaper been changed! No time to confront Mrs. Gable, I picked up Leo, fed him, and changed his clothes. As I burped him, Leo gave me a blurry smile. My eyes welled up, and tears fell onto his tiny clothes. Seraphina’s child was cherished by everyone, while mine was forgotten, even struggling for basic needs. “Don’t be scared, Leo. Mommy will take you away.” Suddenly, there was a pounding on the door outside. As I opened it, Derek’s slap landed on my face. “Anya! How dare you bring shady people into my home!” I shielded Leo as Derek pushed me into the living room. Seraphina, wrapped in a shawl, followed him, surrounded by caregivers. The scene inside shocked me. Several unfamiliar men lay sprawled on the carpet, reeking of alcohol. The house was a mess, like it had just hosted a wild party. People were asleep in the bedrooms and study, and even three people lay in the master bed, their clothes disheveled. I frantically shook my head. “It wasn’t me!” But Mrs. Gable stepped forward, looking heartbroken. “Mr. Caldwell, a group of people broke in last night. They said Ms. Williams gave them the keycard and invited them to party. They complained the baby’s crying was too loud, so they moved him to the storage room…” I trembled, quickly trying to explain. “I don’t know them! I was at the rehab center all day yesterday. How could I have given anyone a keycard?” “That’s right… Anya was with me yesterday, Derek. Why don’t you ask these people?” Seraphina lightly tugged Derek’s sleeve. His stern expression softened slightly. He ordered someone to wake the nearest man. “Who let you in?!” The man, still drunk, slurred, “Some woman named Anya gave us a keycard, said the house was empty and invited us to party… Get another bottle!” In his swinging hand was my keycard. Still attached was the small, hand-stitched leather keychain I’d made myself! I instinctively touched my pocket. it was empty. “No, I lost my keycard. It wasn’t me!” “Still trying to lie?! If Seraphina hadn’t worried about you and insisted on coming back to stay, I wouldn’t have known you harbored such disgusting intentions!” “You clearly wanted to fool around with these people here!” Derek grew increasingly impatient, ordering Mrs. Gable to lock me in the storage room. Behind me, I heard Seraphina’s soft voice trying to mediate. “Derek, Anya was just being playful, don’t get so angry.” “She won’t learn her lesson without punishment! This house is defiled; we’re going to the downtown apartment!” The storage room door was locked. Through the window, I watched them drive away. Seraphina turned back in the crowd and shot me a triumphant smile. Late that night, after I’d finally managed to lull Leo to sleep, the lights abruptly cut out. Assuming the wiring in the storage room was old, I checked train tickets on my phone. A sharp click cut the silence. The lock turned. The door opened, and Seraphina stood there, etched in the cold moonlight. With no one else around, her eyes blazed with pure malice. “You’re divorced and still dare to ask for money? Anya, you have no shame!” I shoved Leo behind me, retreating until my back hit the wall. Trapped. Seraphina looked ready to end me. “Seraphina, I never did anything to you! Why set me up like this?” “Nothing? If it weren’t for you, I would be the one married to Derek!”
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