Chapter1

Ten years ago, I went to prison for Alaric.

In that dark cell, his promise of our future together was my only reason to live.

After I got out, Alaric married me immediately.

I thought I was the happiest woman in the world.

Until four years ago, when our son, Jude, was born.

That day dealt me a heavy blow.

I woke up to find the bassinet empty. There was only a thick stack of cash inside.

I stared blankly, panicking. "Who left this money? Where is my baby?"

Alaric’s young, infertile stepmother, Odessa, appeared with a cold smile.

"Romy, I gave it to you. Your son was born with a severe heart defect. It must be a curse from your criminal past. From today on, I am his only mother."

I looked at Alaric in absolute disbelief.

He avoided my eyes, but his voice was firm. "Romy, as an ex-con, you really aren't suited to raise him. Let her take over."

This was the way he loved me.

Humiliating me, and handing my fragile baby to his stepmother to keep the family peace.

Trembling with rage, I slammed the stack of cash hard against his chest.

From then on, he strictly restricted me from seeing our son, claiming my presence would stress the boy's weak heart.

For the next four years, he kept Jude hidden behind the estate's high walls, while I fought desperately to see him.

Until tonight.

A fire broke out in the estate's east wing. The thick smoke and terror triggered a deadly fever in Jude.

I kicked open the burning doors, rushed into the flames, and hurriedly got him to the hospital for emergency treatment.

My right hand was severely burned, but I didn't care.

Now, four-year-old Jude woke up, taking a frail breath.

He stared at my burned hand.

For a split second, his huge eyes softened with a child's natural instinct.

But then, he pulled his hand back fast, looking at me with fearful disgust.

"Why did you take me away?" his tiny voice trembled, repeating the words he had been taught. "You're not my mommy. We were already a happy family. Mommy Odessa says you are dirty."

He shrank into the corner of the bed, as far away from me as possible.

"Get out! Just leave!"

I stood rooted to the spot. My heart hurt so much it almost stopped.

After a long silence, I whispered, "If I leave... will you call me 'Mom' just one last time?"

Jude sniffled, "If I say it, will you go away?"

I gave a bitter smile and nodded. "I will leave, and I will never come back again."

"Mom." He turned his head away immediately, like avoiding a plague.

Then, Jude began to cry and scream, demanding to find his Mommy Odessa.

Fearing the crying would damage his fragile heart, I drove him back to the Thorn estate.

I arrived to find that Alaric had gone crazy looking for him.

Seeing us, a flash of relief crossed Alaric's face, but it quickly turned to anger.

My son ran straight into Odessa's embrace.

"Mommy! That bad woman touched me! She is dirty!" he cried out loud.

Alaric took heavy steps toward me with blaming eyes. "Romy! You know his heart can't take this panic! Why did you steal him away like that?"

Odessa frantically checked Jude's condition. When she saw the blood my injured hand had left on his shirt, she screamed.

"Oh my God! Romy, his clothes are too dirty! The jail bacteria will get into his skin!"

Odessa pulled out a wet wipe and scrubbed hard where I had held him.

She scrubbed so hard that her sharp nails scratched Jude's frail arm, drawing blood.

I clenched my fists. I subconsciously stepped forward to stop her.

But I remembered Jude's disgusted look in the hospital, and I froze in place.

Alaric noticed my bandaged, bleeding hand. A flicker of guilt passed through his eyes, but it vanished quickly.

"Romy, Odessa is right to be careful. You shouldn't have touched him."

Then, he grabbed my uninjured wrist. "Come upstairs with me. Stop embarrassing yourself down here."

In the master bedroom, Alaric locked the door. He chose not to look at the severe burn on my hand.

"Stay away from him from now on. Odessa is his mother," he spoke impatiently.

I sat on the sofa, looking at him numbly.

"I saved his life. If I had gotten him to the ER ten minutes later, he would have died!"

"That is none of your business! Stop pestering us!" Alaric raised his voice, defensive.

I stared at him fiercely.

"His mother?" My voice shook. "Four years ago, you thought my prison record was a disgrace. Do you think I am dirty too?!"

He pinched the bridge of his nose, full of extreme annoyance.

"I don't think you are dirty! I am protecting you! Odessa can give him the best life. You don't need to worry about this. Just be a good wife, okay?"

I stared at this man in utter disappointment.

This was the man I went to prison to protect. It was so ridiculous.

"Alaric," I took a deep, steadying breath. "Let's get a divorce."

I thought he would be furiously angry.

But he wasn't. He laughed coldly and looked down at me.

"Odessa saw right through you. You really used this trick."

I froze. "What?"

He took out his phone. He transferred $500,000 without blinking. He sent a voice message:

"I lose. Half a million is sent to you."

Then, he pulled a limitless black card from his wallet and threw it into my lap.

"Odessa made a half-million dollar bet with me. She said you would act pitiful tonight and threaten a divorce just to make me raise your monthly allowance."

He leaned in, casually touching my pale cheek. "You just made me lose half a million, babe."

My heart was stomped on.

Smack!

I slapped his hand away and struck him hard across the face. "I am not joking!"

A red mark surfaced on his cheek.

He didn't hit back. He just rubbed his jaw and sighed softly.

"Stop making a fuss, okay? Crying, causing a scene, using divorce to beg for money. This is too embarrassing, Romy."

He stood up straight, his gaze turning entirely cold.

"You are a woman with a criminal record. Who else would stand by you without me?"

I stood still. I couldn't breathe. My whole body shook with agonizing pain.

Smack!

I slapped him again, harder. I lunged forward, grabbing his collar tightly.

"Where is he?!" I screamed. "Where is the Alaric who dared to kill my stepfather to protect me?!"

My voice tore through the quiet room.