My husband was a no-show for our seventh anniversary, but his gift arrived: a baby, still wet with amniotic fluid.

I ignored the crying outside and dumped the cold food in the trash.

Just then, my husband, Preston Harlette, called. "You got the baby, right? Leave Jess alone. She even gave her own child to you. What else do you want?

"Be more understanding. If you could have kids, I wouldn't have had to cheat on you.

"Our family has only ever had one heir per generation. That kid, Eric Harlette, is important. If you take good care of him, I'll arrange our wedding when I get back from abroad with Jess."

I said evenly, "Alright."

Then I reached out to a couple in an African township. "I heard you're looking to adopt a child, right?"

Just then, a new text popped up. "Tamara Corlia, if you don't marry me, I'll end it all."

I glanced around the empty house and replied, "I'll marry you."

He called, excited. "I'll come pick you up!"

***

Three years later, as my business grew, I returned to Los Angeles with my son, Kenneth Gordon.

At the airport, I ran into Preston and Jessica Alma, who had just returned from overseas.

Preston handed me his suitcase without hesitation. "That's surprisingly thoughtful of you. How did you even know Jessica and I were flying back today?"

Before I could say a word, his brow furrowed in annoyance. "Why are your messages always so disjointed? Yet you're incredibly logical when asking for money!"

I raised an eyebrow. When I left back then, I'd tossed my phone to a homeless guy on the street. I had no idea who'd been replying to Preston's messages.

Impatient and indifferent, I shoved the suitcase back at him.

"You've got the wrong person."

I turned to leave, but Jessica's eyes landed on the sleeping Kenneth inside the stroller. Tears streamed down her face as she rushed over.

"Eric, Mommy's back. I'm sorry I couldn't be there with you the way I should have been. I met your daddy too late."

Before I could stop her, she yanked Kenneth into her arms.

Kenneth—just like his father—woke up cranky. He thrashed and wailed, kicking her hard in the face. Then he called out to me, "Mommy!"

Panic and hatred flickered in Jessica's eyes.

I hurried forward, ready to pull my son back. "He's not your—"

But Jessica suddenly stepped back, weeping harder. "Tami, you promised me you'd take good care of Eric. How is he three years old and still so small, so skinny?"

She looked at Kenneth. "Sweetie, I'm so sorry for all the suffering you had to endure for three years. I should have stayed by your side."

I almost rolled my eyes. "You've got it wrong. He's only two—"

I was cut off by a slap across my cheek. I stared in disbelief at Preston, my face burning.

"How could you be so cruel, Tamara?" he snarled, his voice tight with rage. "You promised to care for Eric! Instead, you abused him for three years!

"I've wired you hundreds of thousands, and you couldn't even feed him properly?

"Look at him—skin and bones. Is this what the Harlette heir is supposed to look like?"

By then, a crowd had gathered, whispering and sneering.

Someone even started a live stream. "Look here, folks! Evil nanny caught abusing a rich family's heir!"

Frowning, I pulled the crying Kenneth back into my arms, heart aching.

I was busy calming Kenneth, too distracted to argue with the crowd, when Jessica suddenly let out a shriek. "Tami, how could you give him a goose down pillow? Don't you know I'm allergic to feathers?

"No wonder he's so frail. He must've inherited my allergy. You never even noticed?

She sobbed louder, clutching the boy tighter. "Poor thing. He couldn't even speak up for himself, suffering for three years. Of course, you'd never understand—you're not his real mother."

Then she dropped to her knees in front of me, all tragic and broken. "Please, give me back my son. I nearly died bringing him into this world!"

Bitter laughter echoed in my head. That same child had been dumped on my doorstep the night he was born, umbilical cord barely cut, like some unwanted gift.

While they flaunted their honeymoon photos on Instagram—playing the perfect couple—I became the laughingstock of everyone we knew.

If I hadn't heard his cries that night, he would've frozen to death outside.

They couldn't be bothered to feed their own baby then, and now she wanted to play the doting mother?

I set my jaw and put Kenneth back in the stroller.

Preston's face twisted with anger. "Tamara, hand Eric over to Jess. You can't even take care of him. You're not fit to be my wife."

I gave him a cold smile. "As if I care. I remarried a long time ago."

He kept rambling, "Jess has a master's degree from Cambridge University. She's more qualified to be the lady of the Harlette family. If it weren't for me considering you—"

He froze mid-rant, then blinked. "Wait... What did you just say?"

Jessica quickly stepped in, pretending to soothe. "Tami, don't say things you don't mean. I'm not here to fight with you. I just want to stay by Pres's side and be near Eric. That's enough for me."

Preston was touched, squeezing her hand. "You've always been the thoughtful one."

Then he turned his gaze on me, sneering. "Look at you, covered in designer clothes and jewelry. Tell me, which of those wasn't bought with my money?

"Who else could've given you this kind of life? Without me, you're nothing.

"The Harlette family isn't what it used to be, Tamara. If you don't want to lose your lifestyle, you'd better start treating Jess with respect.

"From now on, she'll be living in the house, raising Eric herself.

"Since you can't do it, his real mother will."

Jessica's eyes glimmered with smug triumph, but I didn't bother wasting breath. I looked down at my phone instead. A new text from Matthew Gordon lit up the screen. "Darling, I've got another deal to close in Europe. Thanks for holding things down with Kenneth. I'll make it up to you when I get back."

A bank notification followed—15 million dollars wired in.

"Treat yourself and our boy to something nice."

He even added a goofy emoji begging for praise.

My chest loosened; the frustration melted away. I smiled and typed back, "Focus on work. We'll be here when you're home."

When I looked up again, Jessica was shoving chocolate into Kenneth's hands.

"Here, sweetheart. I brought this all the way from overseas. Try it. It's delicious."

I lunged forward, knocking it away. "He can't have chocolate!"

Jessica suddenly threw herself backward with a scream. "Ah! Pres, help me!"

Preston shoved me aside to catch her.

I stumbled, hitting the ground hard.

The crowd's murmurs swelled into open jeers. "What kind of nanny won't even let the real mom hold her own child?"

"Look at her—dressed like royalty. She's obviously been milking her employers for years!"

***

Out of nowhere, a bratty kid splashed coffee all over me, yelling, "Hit her!"

In the chaos, my phone got knocked away, and that same kid picked it up, tossing it around like a toy.

My face darkened. I'd rushed back this time without bringing bodyguards, and I hadn't expected to get caught up in something like this.

I forced my voice steady and told the crowd, "I'm not the nanny. This is my child with my new husband."

But my words were drowned out by their accusations.

Struggling to my feet, I tried to take Kenneth and leave, only to be shoved back down.

A pair of polished shoes appeared in front of me—Preston. Looking down on me with cold disdain, he ordered, "Apologize to Jess."

I fought to break free, but his hand cracked across my face. "Tamara, Jess is carrying my baby. She's the one who deserves respect in this family.

"Keeping you in the role of Mrs. Harlette is already more courtesy than you deserve. If you think you can use that title to bully her, remember—everything you have now, I can take back in an instant."

And just like that, my mind flashed back to that night three years ago, when I had waited so eagerly for Preston to come home... only to be greeted by him and Jessica's newborn instead.

Before he left home, he'd promised me it was just a mistake with Jessica—that he'd cut ties with her and come back to our family.

I had already been heartbroken, but I gave him one last chance for the sake of his mother, who once saved my life.

What I never expected was that Preston would toss his own newborn into my arms, treating me like a nanny, just so he could accompany Jessica overseas for her studies.

The memory burned through me, fueling my rage as I fought harder to break free.

That was when Jessica put on her false kindness, helping me up as she murmured, "Pres, let her go. I don't blame her."

Then, with a smug pat on her belly, she added, "After all, I've already been accepted by the Gordon Group. Once work gets busy, Tami will still have to stay home and help me."

My eyes darkened. "Which Gordon Group?"

Her smirk only grew. "Tami, have you really gone dull from raising kids all these years? In this whole city, is there any other Gordon Group worth mentioning?

"My boss is none other than Matthew Gordon, the wealthiest man in Los Angeles.

"All I need to do is sweet-talk him a little, and ten-billion-dollar contracts will fall right into Harlette Group's lap. Pres's company will skyrocket."

Preston hugged her close, kissing her proudly. "Jess, you really are the Harlette family's lucky star."

Then he shot me a contemptuous look. "You heard her. Apologize!"

I curved my lips into a cold smile. "She's not setting foot in the Gordon Group."

After all, Matthew had once wanted nothing more than to crush these two. If I hadn't stopped him for the Harlette family's sake, the Harlette Group would've been long buried by now.

Her boss?

Please. How could Matthew ever allow the people who hurt me to enter his company?

Their faces froze, and Jessica snapped, "And who are you to say that?"

I glanced at them coolly. "Because I'm Matthew's wife."

The words had barely fallen before Preston's face twisted with fury. He barked an order, and bodyguards dragged me out of the airport and shoved me into a car. "You're my woman. Who permitted you to dream of someone else?"

His voice was low and vicious. "I've been far too lenient with you!"

I was hauled back to the Harlette's mansion and forced to my knees in the living room.

Preston pulled out a whip lined with barbs and lashed it across my back.

"My mother saved your life, pitied you, and made me marry you into the Harlette family.

"Have I ever treated you poorly? I only went to Jess to secure the Harlette bloodline. And yet you dare call yourself another man's wife?"

"Do you even see me as your husband?!"

My eyes burned. He'd chased me for three years before I said yes. I poured the inheritance my parents left me into the Harlette family.

I stayed loyal, ran the house, and backed him up.

Even knowing I couldn't give him children easily, he swore he would only ever have me.

But he broke that vow, forced me to sign divorce papers, and married Jessica on paper—just so she could get a dependent visa and study abroad.

Pain seared through the wounds on my back, but I still glared at Preston. "We're already divorced."

Preston blinked, confused for a second, then softened. "It was just a legal split. We'll redo the wedding after everything's settled."

Jessica's face twisted with malice. She scooped Kenneth up and sighed theatrically. "Pres, maybe I shouldn't live with you anymore. I don't want to mess up your relationship with Tami."

Kenneth, seeing me hurt, bit down hard on Jessica's arm.

She screamed, then flung him aside.

I lunged, but I was too late. He hit the floor and started wailing.

I scooped him up, tears falling, whispering, "Where does it hurt? Tell me."

Preston checked Jessica's arm, enraged. He grabbed Kenneth. "What have you taught him? He dares bite people? Today I'll teach him who his real mother is.

"Tie him to the post outside," he ordered. "Leave him there until he knows who his real mom is."

My stomach dropped. "Preston, you can't do that to my son—it's snowing out. He'll freeze!"

He dragged me into a side room and tore at my clothes.

His eyes were full of fury. "It's because I haven't been claiming my rights as your husband that you've gotten out of line."

Then he began assaulting me.

I slapped him hard across the face, my vision blurred with tears. "Preston, you'll regret this."

He wiped his mouth and laughed. "Regret?

"Once Jess gets into the Gordon Group and I partner with Matthew, the Harlette family will rise a level. You won't be serving me properly now; you'll be the one regretting it."

I ground my teeth. "He's Matthew's son. If you hurt me and him like this, he won't let you get away with it."

Preston ripped my pants as if he were a wild animal. "You've lost your mind," he snarled. "If I don't break you now, you'll run around causing trouble and hurting Jess."

He was about to move when a cry and another shout came from outside—Kenneth.

Preston zipped up and went to see.

"Pres, I only wanted him to call me 'Mommy.' He kicked my belly, and I hit him accidentally."

I snapped. Seeing Kenneth's swollen face, I grabbed a brick and swung it at Jessica. "Touch my son and I'll kill you!"

Preston shoved his boot into my stomach and clutched Jessica, panic in his voice. "Jess, are you okay?"

She clutched her stomach, weak and theatrical. "It hurts so much, Pres. What if I lose the baby—or die myself?

"I guess that's good. Then I won't have to follow you around in secret anymore. Pres, if I die, you better treat Eric right, even if he doesn't recognize me as his real mother..."

Preston went mad, pulling Jessica into a fierce hug. "I won't let anything happen to you. The family doctor's on the way."

Then he turned toward me with the look of someone staring at a corpse, cold and cruel. "How dare you teach Eric to hurt Jess?"

His gaze slid to Kenneth, tied to the post and wailing. My heart dropped.

His voice dropped even lower, icier. "Bring the whip."

I lunged and grabbed Preston's arm. "Preston! Don't—don't hurt my son. If you want to punish someone, punish me."

One look from him, and the guards held me down like iron.

Swish!

Kenneth's screams nearly split my skull. I wrenched free and clung to Preston's leg, begging, "No! Please don't hit him. It's my fault. Please, don't hurt him!"

Preston kicked me away and struck Kenneth again with the whip. He pressed his head down and demanded, "Say it—who's your mother?"

Kenneth trembled in pain but still looked up at me with tear-streaked eyes and croaked, "Mommy."

My heart shattered into a thousand pieces. I dropped to my knees and slammed my forehead against the floor.

"Please—spare him. Do whatever you want to me, just not him."

Preston pointed at the theatrically fainting Jessica. "You disfigured her. What do you want to do to make it right?"

Without hesitation, I grabbed a brick and smashed it against my own head again and again.

My vision blurred with blood, then everything went black. As I fainted, I heard Preston murmuring to Jessica, "Feel better now, Jess?

"Not enough? Throw her into the back mountain for the wolves—see if that satisfies you."

I woke shivering. Kenneth beside me whimpered; his breathing was shallow.

Wolves circled us.

I bolted up and ran with him in my arms, but the pack closed in.

As they lunged, I crushed him to my chest and shut my eyes, certain this was the end...

Then, the helicopter rotors thundered overhead, drowning out the pack.

A week later, Jessica stood in front of Preston at the Harlette's mansion in a sleek business suit, turning slowly. "Pres, how do I look?

"If I'm going to the Gordon Group, shouldn't I dress even more polished?"

Preston seemed distracted. He kept seeing the memory of my eyes—bloodshot and furious—when I'd been pushed into the mountain.

Guilt stabbed at him; for three years, he'd let himself stay away from me because of Jessica, and now he realized how cruel he'd been to me when he returned.

He decided to call off the punishment—he had people secretly watching over me and my son, and once I returned, he planned to remarry me and redo the wedding.

"That should calm things down," he thought.

Jessica, chirping beside him, didn't notice his mood. He frowned. "You're his biological mother. Aren't you worried at all? And you're fussing about outfits?"

Jessica froze, about to explain, when Preston's assistant rushed in. "Mr. Harlette, three years ago—Mrs. Harlette arranged to have a boy sent to Africa for adoption..."

The door slammed open mid-sentence. A dark, swaggering group surged in.

The man leading them had eyes like a viper and a smile that looked pleased to see a corpse. Preston's face went pale.

A black barrel pressed against his forehead as the leader snarled, "Where's my wife and my son?"