Chapter 1

A message popped up on the screen.

"How does it feel to be the mistress, Ms. Bradford? You'll spend the rest of your life living in my shadow as the legal wife."

Danielle Bradford's heart tightened in a suffocating grip. With trembling fingers, she looked at the clerk and whispered, "Could you please… check Matthew's marriage record as well?"

The printer spat out a sheet of paper. It looked so light, yet holding it in her palm felt unbearably heavy. The record clearly listed Meghan Landry as Matthew's spouse, with a marriage date from seven years ago.

"Ma'am, do you still want to proceed with the birth certificate registration?"

The clerk's voice felt distant, barely registering as Danielle struggled to process what she had just seen.

She gazed down at her daughter's sleeping face and forced a bitter smile. "I'd like to change both her first name and last name. She'll be taking my last name."

…

When Danielle walked out of the county clerk's office, her steps felt unsteady, as if she were treading on clouds.

Her phone buzzed with a message from Matthew. "Honey, I'm in a meeting at the office. I'll be home later to see you and the baby."

Danielle found it ridiculous that he called her honey.

Throughout their years together, Matthew had used that pet name every day. He would always let her know whenever he went out and demand a hug the moment he walked through the door. All those little moments of tenderness now felt like nothing but a cruel joke.

She got into the car, her hands shaking so violently she could barely fit the key into the ignition.

Danielle understood the unspoken rules of high society. Wealthy couples often lived separate lives, but Matthew had once been the exception.

Once, at a gala, a socialite insulted her publicly. By the next day, Matthew had dismantled that woman's family business, forcing them into bankruptcy and out of the city in disgrace.

If she casually mentioned wanting a limited-edition item, he would fly halfway across the globe overnight just to get it and see her smile.

What stood out most in her mind was a scare during a medical checkup. A nurse mixed up the reports and told them that she was suffering from kidney failure.

Matthew's eyes welled with tears. He clutched the doctor's coat and shouted, "Give her my kidney! Take both if you have to! If I lose her, I don't want to live anymore!"

Once they realized it was a mistake, the man who ruled the boardroom with a cold heart crouched in the hospital hallway, sobbing like a child. "Thank God, Danielle. I'm so glad you're okay."

People around her often warned that as Matthew's empire grew, he would inevitably attract countless admirers. Yet he treated her so well that she couldn't muster even a trace of suspicion.

Danielle couldn't understand why Matthew chose Meghan, especially since he had once regarded her with utter contempt.

Meghan used to work as a housekeeper for the Bradford family. One day, she deliberately wore a low-cut dress while bringing Matthew his coffee.

He smashed the cup on the spot and snapped at her, "Don't pull these cheap tricks in front of me! Don't bother coming back tomorrow!"

He then pulled Danielle into a tight embrace, his gaze burning with intensity. "Honey, you're the only one for me. I'll kick out anyone who tries those shameless stunts."

Meghan had dropped to her knees, sobbing and begging for mercy, but Matthew hadn't even spared her a glance.

"I only love Dani," he had said. "I can't stand anyone else in my eyes. Don't you dare show yourself in front of me again, you filthy thing!"

Meghan had scrambled to her feet, her face drained of color. She had packed her things and left that same day.

When Matthew eventually hired her as his personal assistant, he offered Danielle a logical explanation.

"Danielle, after she lost her job, her family tried to marry her off to some old widower. She was in such despair, talking about ending it all every day. I'm afraid she'd run her mouth about us, so I keep her right under my watch."

Danielle believed him at the time. She never imagined that they had been together right under her nose for so long, and that their child was already six years old.

She clenched her teeth, fighting back the tears welling in her eyes, and contacted a private investigator.

Half an hour later, a video arrived along with a GPS location. She drove straight to the coordinates provided.

Matthew wasn't at the office. He had just finished attending Taylor Gardner's kindergarten parent-teacher meeting.

He held Meghan's hand while carrying Taylor in his other arm. As the three of them crossed the street together, the genuine warmth in his smile surpassed any expression Danielle had ever seen in their own family photos. The sight struck her like a blow to the chest.

Danielle sped after them, following their car all the way to an upscale neighborhood on the outskirts of the city. They stopped in front of a villa.

She watched Matthew step out of the car first and retrieve a massive box of toys from the trunk. Taylor cheered as he ran off, clutching the toys.

Meghan leaned into Matthew's chest and said, "You spoil him too much."

"He's my son. Who else am I supposed to spoil?" Matthew replied.

He leaned down to kiss her. "Besides, he earned the most gold stars today, and it made me proud."

Meghan looked up at him with misty eyes. "Matt, thank you for getting Taylor into the most prestigious private elementary school.

"Honestly… his birth was an accident. I never meant to intrude on your life. Just seeing you from afar was enough. We never wanted to get between you and Ms. Bradford."

"Don't be ridiculous," Matthew said, pinching her cheek.

His voice was soft, yet every word came through clearly. "She'll never find out. Besides, you're the woman I'm legally married to. It's only right that I take care of my wife and son."

Meghan smiled through her tears. Matthew leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Since we are husband and wife, isn't it time we attended to certain marital duties?"

Meghan's face flushed crimson as he swept her off her feet and carried her into the villa.

Danielle remained in the car, her heart aching, then drove home in a daze.

…

When Matthew walked through the front door that evening, he acted perfectly normal, opening his arms for a hug.

"Did you wait long, honey? Was it a long day with the baby?" he asked.

Danielle subtly stepped aside. "About our daughter's birth certificate—"

"I'll handle the paperwork another day. Stop worrying about it!" Matthew's tone suddenly turned sharp.

However, upon seeing her pale face, he quickly softened his voice and coaxed her. "The bureaucracy is a nightmare right now. You just finished your postpartum recovery, so stay home and rest. I'll take care of everything."

Danielle lowered her eyes and nodded, never mentioning that she had already changed their daughter's last name to her own. She also didn't mention the phone call she had made to Matthew's most hated rival, Stefan Weaver, on her way home.

She had gripped her phone, speaking with calm resolve. "Legally, I'm still single. If you're still interested, I'll marry you in seven days."