Chapter 1

I raised Kael Draven for ten years.

With my own hands, I helped him rise from a poor student to the chief executive of a top corporation.

Just before the New Year, I found out I was pregnant.

I wrapped a bouquet of red roses myself and hid the ultrasound report inside, planning to surprise him that night.

But I never expected to witness him cheating with my own eyes.

The girl curled up in Kael’s arms, crying pitifully. “I don’t want to sneak around in a secret relationship. I want a proper status. That old woman is not worthy of you.”

Kael was amused by her innocence. He gently scraped her nose and said indulgently, “As you wish, my darling.”

The bouquet slipped from my hands and crashed to the floor with a sharp, grating sound.

Kael turned around and saw me, my eyes blurred with tears.

——

I covered my face and ran away. Tears poured out through my fingers.

When I got back to the apartment, acid rose in my stomach. I bent over the trash can, retching in misery.

Cold spread through my limbs when a pair of black leather shoes came into view.

Kael gently patted my back and skillfully took out my stomach medicine. “Your stomach hurts again?”

On the table was the candlelight dinner I had carefully prepared. By now, it had gone completely cold.

I avoided Kael’s hand and stood up, walking into the bathroom.

On the tiles were childish photo stickers—snapshots of ten years of me and Kael.

He was once shy, then gradually grew mature. I was once youthful, then gradually grew tired.

I turned on the faucet to drown out my fragile sobbing. After a long while, I pulled myself together. The man was busy in the kitchen and the warm, comforting aroma of food filled the room.

Adult infidelity was a silent understanding—there was no need for hysterics.

A steaming bowl of noodles was pushed in front of me.

There was no guilt in his eyes, only the composed calm of someone accustomed to being in control. The air fell into an awkward stalemate.

I instinctively avoided him, stood up and headed back to the bedroom.

Kael reached out first, catching my hand and let out a helpless sigh.

“She’s innocent and adorable—just like how you once made me feel. I promise I’m just playing around with her. I won’t forget the help and kindness you’ve given me.”

At the end of the day, the one who once promised me, red-eyed in the dead of night, that he would love me forever, no longer existed.

The cold war we both tacitly accepted dragged on endlessly.

During that time, the doctor called to inform me that my health was poor and that I likely would not be able to bear the hardship of carrying a child.

Yet when we were younger, Kael had always wanted me to give him a child.

That child might have been the turning point in our relationship.

Restless and agitated, I decided to go to the company to inspect work— and, incidentally, look for a chance to talk to Kael.

The moment I stepped inside, the employees who had been chatting animatedly fell silent.

The junior assistant was handing out coffee. When she saw me, she curled her lips into a faintly disdainful smile. “Miss Veyran, would you like a cup?”

The cup sleeve was glaring to the eye—printed on it was a photo of her standing shoulder to shoulder with Kael.

My nails dug into my palm. I smiled sweetly and spoke, “Sure.”

She lifted the last cup of coffee, frowning as if troubled. “But Miss Veyran, at your age, you probably are not lacking sleep, right? Maybe you should leave the coffee to the younger people who actually need it.”

Suppressed laughter rippled through the room.

Before I could react, Kael appeared and scolded her coldly. “Elara, stop messing around.”

It sounded like a scolding, but I did not miss the indulgence hidden in Kael’s eyes.

She pouted, stuck out her tongue defiantly and trotted behind Kael.

Kael strode toward me and took the bag from my hand. “What brings you to the office today?”

I casually picked up the coffee on the table and gave it a light shake, putting on an air of indifference. “I just came to give notice. Elara has been fired.”

Behind me came the girl’s furious, piercing scream.