Chapter 1

My casual remark broke the silence in my office.

Edgar Anderson was still immersed in the joy of Lana John’s pregnancy. He looked up when he heard that.

He frowned.

“What contract? Are you trying to pick a fight in a new way?”

He had forgotten about it.

When I realized that, my grip tightened on the edge of my desk.

Even breathing felt painful.

“I’m not picking a fight. You’re right. I won’t try to control you anymore. It doesn’t matter to me if you settle down.”

I had just finished speaking when I saw Edgar rubbing his temple.

He shrugged and leaned back against the chair, looking impatient.

“It’s common in the industry for us to have mistresses and lovers.

“Mr. Albert’s and Mr. Johnson’s wives aren’t jealous like you. Did I deprive you of money?

“If you’re a little like Lana, and you know your place, I wouldn’t find you this annoying.”

I heard the same phrase many times in the past five years.

Five years ago, everyone knew how passionately he pursued me.

I rejected him many times because of my mother’s illness.

It was when my mother’s condition became critical that he gave me five million dollars to make me sign a prenup.

The special medicine would be supplied to my mother first.

However, despite that, within a year of our marriage, my mother passed away.

At the same time, Edgar cheated on me with Lana.

I caught them at home. Our wedding decorations were still hanging in our bedroom when I saw fingerprints on our wedding photo.

There were also countless marks all around the bedroom.

That day, I smashed everything I could at home.

He found me boring and uptight.

In the end, he just said, “Know your place. Don’t forget who saved your mother’s life.”

I sighed. Just when I wanted to say something else, someone suddenly opened my office door.

My son, Charlie Anderson, walked in happily as he held Lana’s hand.

“Daddy!”

When Charlie saw me, his smile faded.

“Oh, Mommy’s here too.”

I reached out as I wanted to pat his head. Before I touched him, he dodged my hand with a disgusted look on his face.

My hand froze mid-air before I retracted it.

“Edgar, how’s my report?”

Lana pressed her palm lightly against her lower abdomen.

A smile immediately broke out on his tense face.

“It’s good. The baby’s very healthy.”

I stood aside as I looked at Edgar.

I tried to recall, but after being married for years, I could not remember a single time he had smiled at me like that.

Despite being the one who pursued me, he was also the one who said that he no longer loved me.

“Dr. Reid, I didn’t know you worked here. What a coincidence! I’m more at ease knowing that you’re here.”

Lana saw me standing behind my desk.

She smiled meaningfully and hooked her finger around Edgar’s pinky, as if she were taunting me.

Charlie cheered. “Is it Daddy and Lana’s baby? Will I have a baby sister soon?”

Lana pinched Charlie’s cheek lovingly.

“It may be a baby brother, too.”

I was hurt by how close they were, and I quickly diverted my gaze.

Ever since Lana appeared in our lives, Charlie had distanced himself from me.

I had asked why before.

However, he just glared at me in hatred.

“All my friends have a few mothers. Isn’t it a good thing for me to have one more mother?

“Besides, Lana buys anything that I want. You only discipline me. I hate you.”

I took a deep breath to pull myself back to the present.

Edgar no longer looked displeased as he had a moment earlier.

Before he left, he said cheerily to me, “Be home early.”

Then, they shut the door.

I turned to look at the black-and-white photo of my mother on my desk.

Tears blurred my vision.

Maybe I had lost my home five years ago.