Ariana wasn't surprised to find out that the person knocking on the door was Gerald. She tried to act normally. When she asked him to use the bathroom quickly, he instead sat casually on the bed without saying much. Consequently, Ariana grabbed her clothes from the wardrobe and went back into the bathroom to change. After dressing, Ariana sat down on the toilet. Her stomach suddenly felt queasy and painful, and her head throbbed intensely. Her body started shaking uncontrollably. She leaned her head against the toilet wall, trying to take slow breaths to alleviate the sudden pain and tightness attacking her chest. She felt weak all of a sudden and couldn't even support herself on her own feet. She knew Gerald was out there, and he would help her if she asked. But she was reluctant to do so. The cold ceramic floor touched the soles of her feet, sending a shiver up her spine. She was still trying to keep herself conscious when she heard the bathroom door open, and Gerald walked toward

Vivan arrived at six in the morning, carrying two paper bags in his right hand and Gerald's suit still hanging on a hanger, wrapped in clear plastic, in his left hand. He looked more like a laundry worker than Gerald's assistant. "Your breakfast, Madam," he said to Ariana after Gerald took his suit and went into the bathroom with one of the large paper bags in his hand. "Thank you," murmured Ariana. Vivan helped Ariana by raising the table next to the bed and arranging all the food he brought. Warm white rice. Sautéed beef. Steamed broccoli, green beans, and carrots. Fresh fruits were arranged in front of her. He also opened a thermos containing warm green tea. "Mrs. Rosaline prepared all of this specifically for you. She said she would come here after dropping Axel off at school," Vivan explained again. Ariana didn't respond to anything. The food in front of her was far more interesting than Vivan's words. Ariana devoured all the food in front of her eagerly. She didn't intend t

Since then, Gerald no longer relied on his father. Even though my son supported him financially, Gerald tried to make his own way from his teenage years. His life abroad was truly independent. He even forgot the teachings of his grandfather, my husband, about worship. And I couldn't make him change. I could only hope that someday, the old Gerald would return. Years passed. Darrel, a teenager at the time, started to look up to Gerald. Gerald loved him dearly. Even though he knew they didn't share the same blood, they came from the same lineage. Darrel always considered Gerald his role model. Then one day, Darrel fell in love with a girl from California. She seemed like a good girl to me. Axel's mother was very polite and cheerful, despite her ordinary background. Axel wanted to introduce the girl to his mother, but even before anything happened, Isidora rejected her. Apparently, Isidora had already decided on a match for Axel—a daughter of a wealthy businessman. She thought that by

Amber remained silent. Ariana didn't speak much either. She just let Amber immerse herself in her thoughts. "Do you really want recognition from this marriage?" Amber asked later. Ariana shook her head. "If you mean recognition that he loves me, I don't need that. What I need is to know who I am here. As a legitimate wife, I am not acknowledged by anyone except those closest to me. Doesn't that mean he still leaves the possibility open for people out there that my position might not be permanent? Am I wrong?" Ariana asked, wanting to know. "My role here from the beginning was just a scheme for them. Mrs. Caitlyn needed me as a replacement for Karenina to save her family from disgrace. While Gerald only needed my physical presence so that he and his family could have custody of Axel. Fine, I don't mind. I can help them, even though their initial approach was wrong and I felt forced back then. But my concern is Axel and his custody. But do you know what happened next? Mrs. Caitlyn, wit

"Karen?" Amber and Ariana looked at their guest with considerable surprise. Meanwhile, Adel, as the messenger, now stared back at the woman behind her in amazement. She had indeed seen the person referred to as Karenina yesterday. But she hadn't seen her clearly because the woman had already entered the car and left the restaurant just like that. And now, seeing the woman up close, she was undeniably shocked, fascinated, and also envious. Karenina's appearance was undoubtedly something every girl desired. Tall and slender, fair skin, perfectly groomed face and hair. And again, the clothes she wore. Adel really wanted to whistle if she didn't remember that Amber and Ariana were in the room. How could she not, the girl who looked so much like Ariana looked beautiful in a pricey Zimmermann dress that Adel estimated to cost more than ten million. Not to mention the shoulder bag she wore, a Roger Vivier creation that surely valued in the tens of millions. Her shoes? Although they appeare