Semua Bab Web of Deceit: Bab 1 - Bab 10

For five years, Serena and Silas had been married in secret. Though they did everything a married couple did, there was no love involved. Though, perhaps it was more accurate to say that Serena's love for her husband was hidden without a trace.On New Year's Eve, the city was covered in a thick blanket of snow, and each household was filled with holiday cheer.In Southbrook Manor, however, Serena sat there all alone. She had cooked herself a bowl of vegetarian noodles, yet she hadn't even taken a single bite. Her full attention was on a social media post.In the video attached, a man's hand, elegant and slender, slipped a massive diamond ring onto a woman's delicate ring finger.As he did, the woman, with a soft and coy tone, said, "I'll be in your care, Mr. Ford."Serena stared at the watch the man was wearing—a limited-edition global release, a sure sign of his identity.Bitterness flooded her heart as she replayed the video again and again, as if the act of confirming itself

Serena took a deep breath, forcing herself to remain calm, if only just on the surface. Turning to look at Dawn, she asked, "Ms. Zeller, are you Shawn's biological mother?"Dawn met Serena's gaze and smiled gracefully. "Five years ago, I had to hide the fact that I had a child because of my career and my contract with the company."Serena's breath hitched. "Then his father…""Silas and I are his true parents."Dawn's voice was gentle, yet each word stabbed into Serena's heart like merciless daggers.Serena couldn't breathe—the suffocating pain in her chest making all the blood drain from her face in an instant.The son she had raised as her own for five whole years, the boy she had poured her heart and soul into…was in truth Silas and Dawn's son!From the very beginning, Silas had tricked her.He didn't cheat on her after getting married, no—she was nothing more than a pawn from the very start!"Sorry for hiding this from you, Ms. Vale. In my opinion, you should have been in

Dawn let go of Shawn and grabbed a lot of gifts from beside the sofa."These gifts are all for you, sweetie. Do you like any of them?"Shawn's eyes lit up. "It's Iron Man!""Do you like him?" Dawn patted his head. "This is a limited edition, and I asked many friends to help me track it down.""Thanks, Mom!" Shawn accepted the figurine, his voice echoing clearly throughout the villa. "You're the best!"Dawn broke into a teary smile. "You finally called me mom!""Dad told me that you went through a lot to have me…" Shawn put down the figurine and grabbed a few tissues, reaching up to wipe Dawn's tears. "I'm sorry… I shouldn't have been so mean… I won't be like that again!"Hearing that, Dawn started crying even more, looking even more pitiful. "You didn't do anything wrong, sweetie. It's my fault. I'll do my best to be a good mother from now on, alright?""It's not your fault!" Shawn hugged her closely. "Dad said that you've always loved me, so I'll love you too!"Dawn turned to

Serena didn't look at the papers on the spot, only taking them and looking at Dawn. "Tell Silas that my lawyer will contact him about the divorce."After that, she turned to leave.Dawn stood up. "Ms. Vale, Shawn's with you, right?"Serena slowed down, turning back to look at her.Dawn's voice was gentle, tinged with pleading. "I haven't seen him for days… Can I go and see him?"Honestly, Serena didn't want Dawn setting a single foot inside of her studio.However, Shawn was Dawn's son. After the divorce, Serena knew she wouldn't even be qualified as his adoptive mother.Thinking of this, she was about to respond when a young voice chirped, "Mom!"Serena turned towards the entrance, and Shawn ran towards her. She caught him gently, rubbing his head out of habit. "Why did you come down here?""I came down here with Hannah! She went away once she saw me come in."Shawn held Serena close, his tiny face rubbing against her again and again. "What's taking you so long, Mom? I mi

Earlier this year, Serena had bought an apartment in the Dolphin Bay complex next to her studio. It was a spacious 1400-square-foot unit with three bedrooms. She and her mother each had their own room, while the third, smaller one had been converted into a study.The apartment had come fully furnished, but Serena had hired a design company for the interior decoration. The renovations were completed three months ago. It was ready to move in anytime.After settling her luggage in the new place, Serena returned to the studio. She worked in the restoration room late into the night, pushing herself to the limit before finally dragging her exhausted body to the lounge.After washing up, she got into her bed. The moment she closed her eyes, she sank into a deep sleep.However, she had a restless night. She kept dreaming throughout the night, but she couldn't remember a single one when she woke up. Serene rubbed her aching head and stepped into the bathroom to freshen up. When she