I adopted a boy in the second year of our marriage due to my husband’s erectile dysfunction. When the child was seven years old, I overheard his friend saying: “Damn, Adrian Blackwood is so cold-blooded!” “Leo is actually your child with Valerie Sinclair?” “Won’t your wife divorce you if she finds out?” Adrian Blackwood sneered, “Divorce? She wouldn’t dare leave me.” It turns out he claimed to have erectile dysfunction and never touched me just to stay faithful to his true love. Now, I’ve changed my mind. I turned the tables and pinned his best friend to the bed. ” Marcus Ryder, I want to have a baby…” On our son’s seventh birthday, Adrian Blackwood invited some friends over to celebrate. As it was getting late, I put Leo to bed. When I woke up in the middle of the night, they were still partying downstairs. I got dressed and was about to go down to the kitchen to make some hangover soup for them, to prevent headaches the next day. I don’t know what they were talking about earlier, but at that moment, Adrian Blackwood’s friends seemed shocked: “Damn, Adrian Blackwood, you’re so cold-blooded! As expected of our bro!” “Leo is actually your child with Valerie Sinclair?” “Won’t your wife divorce you if she finds out?” I was thunderstruck, frozen in place. Adrian Blackwood’s expression was dark and unreadable. He lowered his head slightly, his brows furrowed as if troubled by some emotion. His handsome features seemed almost unreal, now covered with a layer of faint sadness. It was as if endless worries were hidden in those deep eyes. He silently drank one glass after another. But he didn’t say a word to refute them. My fingers tightly gripped the hem of my dress. Another person continued: “Adrian Blackwood, are you still thinking about Valerie Sinclair?” “But your wife is pretty nice. Why don’t you forget about Valerie Sinclair and be good to your wife?” “I see that your wife treats Leo even better than his birth mother. After all these years, you must have feelings for her too, right?” Adrian Blackwood’s thin lips were pressed together, with a barely audible sigh. “I don’t know what to do either. I thought I was ready to spend the rest of my life with Zoe Lancaster like this…” “But… Valerie Sinclair is back.” “She’s sick and wants to see the child. She even wants to take him back.” My heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand. Those once sweet memories flashed through my mind, only to be mercilessly torn apart in an instant. Just as I was about to collapse, a large hand caught me. It was Marcus Ryder, Adrian Blackwood’s sworn brother. I happened to be standing outside the room where he was resting. I steadied myself, wanting to pull away from him. At that moment, the people downstairs seemed to be coming up. But that burning hand tightened around my waist. In a panic, Marcus Ryder actually pushed open Leo’s door and pulled me inside. I gasped in shock: ” Marcus Ryder, what are you doing?” Marcus Ryder’s long fingers pressed against my lips as he leaned close to my ear and whispered: “Shh, sis-in-law~ Keep your voice down. Do you want to wake up your husband’s love child?” I immediately covered my mouth and looked at Leo sleeping soundly on the bed. I glared at the troublemaker, who was clearly doing this on purpose. ” Marcus Ryder, get out!” At that moment, footsteps approached in the hallway.
Adrian Blackwood walked in, reeking of alcohol. I lay on Leo’s bed, pretending to be asleep. But the blanket in my hands was almost torn apart from my grip. I felt his warm breath getting closer and closer. My heart was pounding so hard I thought it might explode. Then, I felt a brief warmth on my lips before it quickly moved away. I heard a barely audible sigh. I pinched my thigh, trying to hold back my nausea. He picked up the sleeping Leo and left the room. I vigorously wiped the spot he had touched, only to realize my hair was damp with tears. As if a switch had been flipped, tears began to pour down my face. Through my tear-blurred vision, I remembered the time before marrying Adrian Blackwood. He told me he had erectile dysfunction and asked if I could accept it. I nodded with tears in my eyes, simply because I loved him. I watched him fall in love with Valerie Sinclair, then part ways as they pursued different paths. Their relationship ended completely when Valerie Sinclair went abroad. I accompanied him as he emerged from the depths of heartbreak. Whenever he needed me, I was willing to go through fire and water, overcoming all obstacles to be by his side. Giving my true heart in exchange for his. After years together, he finally agreed to marry me. I was overjoyed, so excited that I couldn’t sleep all night. As long as it was him, I didn’t care about anything else. In the second year of our marriage. I returned home after a month-long business trip. Suddenly, I found an extra child in the house and asked Adrian Blackwood whose child it was. Adrian Blackwood lowered his head to explain. I couldn’t see his expression clearly at the time. “Zoe Lancaster, this is a child I adopted. I know you’ve always loved children, but because of my condition…” “I couldn’t let you become a mother. I’m sorry for that.” “So I decided to adopt one, as a surprise for you.” “Zoe Lancaster, are you upset with me?” Even now, I still remember the guilty look on his face as he carefully raised his head and asked if I would blame him. At that time, I was so moved that I threw myself into his arms, my tears soaking his white shirt. I also forgot about that fleeting sense of oddness. I was worried he would feel sad and insecure about not being able to have children. Actually, as long as I could spend my life with him, what did it matter if we never had children? He was so thoughtful and considerate of me, taking the initiative to make such a decision. It made me more convinced that even though he had never actively said he loved me, his every action showed that I was in his heart. It wasn’t just me putting in all the effort. At that moment, I boldly kissed his soft lips. I was both nervous and ecstatic. “Adrian Blackwood, you’re so good to me~” He was stunned for a second, then aggressively kissed back… Until I pushed him away, gasping for air. He then just held me tightly. He murmured above my head: “Silly girl.” My heart felt as sweet as if I had drunk honey. Every time I thought about it, the sweetness increased. If I hadn’t just overheard Adrian Blackwood’s true feelings, I wouldn’t have known that this honey was laced with poison. Adrian Blackwood was right, I was a fool, a big fool. I was so stupid that I had been raising my husband’s love child for years without knowing it. And that child was born to his true love! Marcus Ryder had somehow appeared beside me. Seeing my tear-stained face, his eyes instantly turned icy cold. He roughly pulled me to the window and turned my head to look outside: “Zoe Lancaster, guess where he’s going so late at night with his love child?” Adrian Blackwood’s usual car was on the driveway outside. In a moment, even the shadow of the car was out of sight. “He’s done all this, and you’re still crying your heart out for him!” “Zoe Lancaster, tell me, what’s so great about Adrian Blackwood?” But when you like someone, you just like them. It can’t be defined by good or bad. At that moment, I was incredibly calm. I begged Marcus Ryder to take me somewhere. “You know where he went, don’t you?”
Marcus Ryder took me to a villa complex. In the dead of night, through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, I saw a cozy family of three inside. But my heart felt like thousand-year-old ice, bone-chillingly cold. I numbly walked closer, reaching the doorway. I gently pushed the door that wasn’t fully closed, making the gap wider. I heard laughter and conversation from inside. “Adrian Blackwood, thank you for bringing Leo to see me, but… won’t Zoe Lancaster mind?” “If necessary, I can explain everything to her. After all, we were drunk that time… It wasn’t until I got pregnant that I remembered we forgot to use protection.” Based on Leo’s age, they must have met after our wedding. Perhaps they had met more than once while I was completely unaware. I should have anticipated all this, but hearing it firsthand was a different matter entirely. That broken heart had now turned to ashes. Valerie Sinclair seemed to remember something else and assured Adrian Blackwood: “But don’t worry, I won’t take Leo away. I just miss him so much. Could you let me see him a few times a month, to satisfy this mother’s heart?” “You know, Leo will be my only child in this life…” “Is that okay, Adrian Blackwood?” Adrian Blackwood had his back to the door. After a long silence, he finally spoke. “You’re his birth mother, of course you can.” “But I have a condition. Leo’s mom can only be Zoe Lancaster. You can never take him away.” Valerie Sinclair’s face turned pale for a moment. “…Alright.” Her body swayed, and Adrian Blackwood quickly caught her. “Are you okay? Are you alright?” His voice couldn’t hide his concern and anxiety. Valerie Sinclair collapsed into Adrian Blackwood’s arms. Her hand clutched his collar, her face pale and pitiful as she spoke weakly: “Adrian Blackwood, can I hear Leo call me mom just once? Just this once.” Leo was happily playing with his new toy when his dad called him over. He asked him to call this strange woman “mom”. He didn’t understand and asked Adrian Blackwood why: “Dad, I have a mom. Mom’s at home. Why should I call someone else mom?” “Because this auntie has a child who looks a lot like you, but her child isn’t with her. So can Leo fulfill this wish for auntie?” Leo timidly called out: “Mom.” Adrian Blackwood then instructed him: “Leo, meeting auntie tonight is our secret. You can’t tell mom about it, okay?” Leo was confused: “But I don’t have any secrets from mom.” After Leo walked away, Valerie Sinclair raised her hand to caress Adrian Blackwood’s face. He looked at her, their eyes meeting, and the atmosphere instantly became intimate. Their bodies, already close together, now ignited with passion. Their breaths intertwined, lips meeting… The deep, heavy breathing grew stronger… When Adrian Blackwood finally pulled away from Valerie Sinclair’s lips, he gently wiped away the glistening moisture on her full, swollen lips. Valerie Sinclair’s gaze followed his every move. She held the large hand that was on her lips and tentatively asked: “Adrian Blackwood, I can feel that you still have feelings for me.” “I’m not asking for status. I just hope that in my final days, you can be with me?” “I won’t ruin your relationship with Zoe Lancaster…” As she spoke, Valerie Sinclair couldn’t help but cough a few times. Adrian Blackwood looked at her, his eyes full of pain and guilt. He held her in his arms like a fragile, priceless treasure. He looked as if he wanted to bear her suffering himself, urgently saying: “Okay, I promise you. I’ll promise you anything. Leo and I will be with you every day, but you have to get better soon.” “Didn’t you want us to be a family of three forever?” “As long as you get better, I’ll marry you…” I pulled my hand away from the door, no longer wanting to watch their loving embrace. I turned to leave. I had lost, completely and utterly.
I had only walked a short distance when my feet stumbled, and darkness engulfed my vision. When I woke up again, I was in the hospital. Marcus Ryder was keeping watch by my bedside. His features were handsome and refined, with slightly upturned phoenix eyes that were long and deep. The corners of his eyes lifted slightly. Usually, his expression held a hint of laziness and mischief between smiles. His phone vibrated, and a message from Adrian Blackwood popped up. [Zoe Lancaster, I’m taking Leo back to my parents’ place this week. They said they miss him.] [Take good care of yourself at home, remember to eat on time, and don’t work too hard. Love you, hubby.] Right, all these years, his parents had always looked down on me, a girl from a humble background. I had foolishly done many stupid things to try and gain their approval. The cake I made myself was criticized, the things I bought were called cheap and tasteless, showing my lack of sophistication. They wouldn’t even let me in the door when I arrived at their house… Thinking about it now, I realized we were incompatible in every way. Adrian Blackwood liked light flavors, while I couldn’t eat without spice. He preferred a minimalist home, while I loved decorating to make it cozy, enjoying collecting quirky items as decorations. He liked me with long hair, but I found short hair easier to manage. He wasn’t used to sleeping together… Or rather, he just wasn’t used to me. I laughed bitterly, realizing it had always been one-sided on my part… Wiping away the tears that had silently fallen from the corners of my eyes. After resting in the hospital for two days, I decided to go back home first. Some things had to be faced eventually. A week passed, then another. Adrian Blackwood finally brought Leo back. Along with Valerie Sinclair. The moment he saw me, he withdrew his hand from her waist. Leo ran over quickly and hugged my legs, sweetly calling out: “Mom, Mom, I missed you so much~” In that instant, tears sprang to my eyes, filled with mixed emotions. I lowered my head, quickly wiping away the tears. “Leo…” Adrian Blackwood also walked over. Before he even got close, I could already smell the unfamiliar women’s perfume on him. He put his arm around my waist and brushed away a few strands of hair that had fallen. As he was about to kiss my forehead, I reflexively turned my head away. My stomach churned, and I pushed both of them away, immediately running to the bathroom to vomit. I kept retching until even the acid water was gone before I finally calmed down. A pair of concerned eyes, one big and one small. “Honey… what’s wrong? Are you okay?” “Mom, Mom, what’s wrong?” I no longer wanted to discern whether the anxiety and concern in their voices were genuine. I went back to the bedroom to rest for a while. Adrian Blackwood pushed open the door to explain: “Honey, Valerie Sinclair is back. She’s sick and has no one to take care of her.” I paused, looking at him, waiting for him to continue. “She’s sick and might not live much longer.” “Given our past friendship, I want to fulfill her last wish.” I tried my best to keep smiling, trying not to look too repulsive. I asked him: “What wish?” He said: “I promised Valerie Sinclair that we would have a wedding ceremony…” Then he quickly clarified: “Honey, but it’s fake.” “Honey, you’re the only one in my heart, and you’ll be the only one for the rest of my life.” Didn’t he realize how absurd and ridiculous his words sounded? My husband wanted to have a wedding ceremony with his dying true love. I laughed wildly, laughing so hard that tears almost came out.
After I calmed down. “What if I don’t agree?” Hearing this, Adrian Blackwood immediately frowned, his tone displeased: “Zoe Lancaster, at a time like this, can you not throw a childish tantrum?” “She doesn’t have many days left. How can you bear to see her leave with regrets?” “Besides, we’re just going through the motions. It’s not real.” This time, I didn’t back down. Because I had nowhere left to retreat. I calmly said: “Adrian Blackwood, let’s get a divorce.” “This way, everyone won’t have to be uncomfortable. What do you think?” The door wasn’t closed, and our voices carried outside. At this moment, Valerie Sinclair walked in, her face pale. Timidly, with a sob in her voice: “Adrian Blackwood, forget it. I’m already a dying person anyway, it doesn’t matter. Don’t argue because of me. I’ll leave now…” Seemingly trying to make amends, but actually adding fuel to the fire. She said she wanted to leave, but her feet didn’t move. She was secretly observing Adrian Blackwood’s expression. Adrian Blackwood first comforted her and made a promise: “Valerie Sinclair, don’t go. I’ll do what I promised you.” Turning his head, his face darkened as he said to me: “You want to divorce me?” I nodded. Adrian Blackwood’s eyes were full of disbelief. He repeatedly confirmed: “Zoe Lancaster, you really want to divorce me? Can you bear to part with me and Leo?” “Adrian Blackwood, are you still trying to deceive me even now? Whose child is Leo?” “I’m doing you a favor by letting your family of three be together. Shouldn’t you be grateful?” I took out the divorce agreement I had prepared in advance and placed it in front of him. Adrian Blackwood’s gaze froze in mid-air as if struck by lightning. Finally, he murmured: “You knew everything?” I knew everything I needed to know. “I…” Adrian Blackwood was about to say something, but was interrupted by Valerie Sinclair accidentally falling to the ground. Adrian Blackwood quickly caught her, anxiously asking: “Valerie Sinclair, are you feeling unwell again?” Valerie Sinclair shook her head, tears coming instantly, as if she had suffered some great injustice. “Adrian Blackwood, let me go back. I don’t want to be the sinner here.” “I shouldn’t have come back. It’s just that I couldn’t bear to part with you…” The next second, Adrian Blackwood immediately took the divorce agreement and signed his name without hesitation. Meanwhile, Valerie Sinclair was persuading him on the side, wiping her tears. “Adrian Blackwood, don’t sign. I’ll leave, I’ll leave right now…” As she spoke, she struggled to break free from Adrian Blackwood’s embrace. Adrian Blackwood pulled her back, cupping her face with both hands. Carefully wiping away the tears on her face. “Valerie Sinclair, don’t worry. I’ll take care of everything, okay?” Finally, Valerie Sinclair buried herself in Adrian Blackwood’s arms, sobbing loudly. Adrian Blackwood threw the signed agreement on the floor. His tone hinted at anger as he said sternly: “This month, Leo and I will accompany Valerie Sinclair.” “Zoe Lancaster, I hope you can calm down and think clearly during this time, rather than acting on impulse.” “Whether you believe it or not, things between Valerie Sinclair and me are innocent.” “If you still want to divorce after that, then so be it.” But what he didn’t know was that I was already very calm. If I had just acted on impulse, I would have exposed their affair on the spot that day. Instead of enduring until today. “Adrian Blackwood, from now on, you and I are strangers, with no connection whatsoever!” I took the signed agreement and walked out the front door with my already packed luggage. Leo still thought I was going on another business trip and obediently saw me off. I forced myself to harden my heart and not look at him again. If only he wasn’t their child… But there are no “if onlys”.
I moved into the apartment I had bought for myself in a different neighborhood. It was a place I had purchased outright with all my savings from years of work. I thought I would never need it, but life is full of unexpected turns. After marrying Adrian Blackwood, he covered most of the household expenses. And the Pei family wasn’t short on money either. Adrian Blackwood never explicitly said that my job was too tiring and didn’t earn much. But he had mentioned a few times that I could just stay at home with the child, and didn’t need to work so hard. But I still persisted. Because I believed that no matter what, a woman should always have a job that can support herself. Having enough financial backing gives you the courage to face difficulties without hesitation. Falling in love wholeheartedly, leaving decisively when necessary. I couldn’t help but recall what Adrian Blackwood had said before I left. When Adrian Blackwood proposed that absurd wish, it once again refreshed my understanding of how low people can go. How could such a request come from the mouth of a normal person? … A month later, I met Adrian Blackwood again at a business banquet. With Valerie Sinclair by his side. At this moment, my heart was as still as water. I was just purely curious about the person who had said she was dying. Now at the banquet, she was full of energy, socializing effortlessly, like a fish in water. She didn’t look like a sick person at all. I wanted to look closer, but suddenly felt a chill down my spine. The hand around my waist tightened. Marcus Ryder’s ominous voice sounded in my ear: “What? Want to reminisce with your ex-lover?” ” Marcus Ryder, what are you being neurotic about now?” Ridiculous. Just because we slept together a few times, this man started to get serious. I glared at him, and he sheepishly rubbed his nose. When I left for a while to get some food, I came back to see Adrian Blackwood with Valerie Sinclair chatting with Marcus Ryder. ” Marcus Ryder, congratulations! Everyone’s curious about what your sister-in-law looks like. She must be very beautiful to catch your eye, right?” Marcus Ryder was facing my direction and openly admitted: “Of course, she’s also the woman I’ve liked for many years.” Adrian Blackwood was stunned for a moment and asked curiously: “Is it the girl you said you had a secret crush on for years?” Marcus Ryder nodded, his gaze turning to Valerie Sinclair beside Adrian Blackwood: “I suppose this is the recently promoted mistress?” With these words, Valerie Sinclair’s face turned extremely ugly. “Oh, I’m sorry, I misspoke. Should I call you Mrs. Pei now?” Adrian Blackwood immediately denied it: ” Marcus Ryder, you misunderstand. It’s not what you think. Valerie Sinclair and I are just good friends.” Marcus Ryder chuckled lightly, his laugh full of disdain and contempt: “So Miss Lin hasn’t succeeded in becoming the official wife yet. Miss Lin, you still need to work harder.” “Adrian Blackwood is already divorced. It won’t be long before Miss Lin becomes Mrs. Pei. I have high hopes for you, Miss Lin.” Now, both their faces were a sight to behold, with various emotions flickering across them. Especially Valerie Sinclair, who was so choked up she couldn’t speak. Marcus Ryder was in high spirits, his face beaming with a smile. “As it happens, my fiancée is also here. Let me introduce her to everyone.” “But, you all know her already.” Marcus Ryder walked past them, heading in my direction.
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