Chapter 1

Six years after divorcing Hugh Shaw, I ran into him again at the corporation's charity gala.

The moment our eyes met, shock flashed across Hugh Shaw's face:

"Claire Winston, what are you doing here? You're not Mrs. Shaw anymore. This isn't where you belong."

I couldn't be bothered to argue with him and turned to leave, but unexpectedly, he reached out to grab me.

"Fine, considering you gave me a son, just stand quietly behind me and no one will give you trouble."

I stepped aside to avoid him and refused flatly: "No, thank you."

But he stared in shock at the child beside me, his voice trembling: "This filthy child---is she my daughter?"

I nearly laughed in disbelief. Had he lost his mind?

Nora was only three and a half years old. I'd been divorced from him for six years. There was no way she could be his.

I pulled Nora behind me, my tone icy: "Hugh Shaw, this is my daughter. She has nothing to do with you!"

With that, I grabbed Nora's hand and turned to leave, but Hugh Shaw blocked my way, his brows furrowed as he looked me over.

"Claire Winston, you snuck in here with a child to mooch food and drink. You must have had it rough all these years, haven't you?"

He let out a cold laugh, his gaze falling on Nora with undisguised disgust: "Little beggar, how old are you?"

Nora put her hands on her hips, glaring at him indignantly: "I'm three and a half, and I'm not a little beggar!"

Beggar? I looked down at my and Nora's clothes.

We'd just been helping disaster victims outside the city. Covered in dust with no time to change, we did look rather disheveled.

Hugh Shaw's expression instantly turned cold. "Nonsense! You lie just like your mother! With your height, how could you possibly be three years old?"

I glanced down at Nora. She was indeed much taller and sturdier than children her age.

It was all her father's fault, spoiling her endlessly.

I pulled Nora protectively behind me, a frosty look crossing my face: "Hugh Shaw, I'll say this one more time---Nora is not your child!"

But Hugh Shaw acted like he'd heard the world's funniest joke, scoffing:

"Claire Winston, you're lying again. If she's not mine, whose could she be? Besides me, who would want a divorced woman?"

"Come on, stop pretending. You deliberately snuck into this gala just to see me, didn't you?"

I rolled my eyes. Six years later, and he was still this arrogant.

"Get out of my way!"

But Hugh Shaw didn't budge. Instead, he adopted a condescending tone:

"Seeing you in such a pitiful state, I can't help but feel sorry for you. Tell you what---come back home with me and work as a household assistant. Rowena is kind-hearted. She definitely won't make things difficult for you."

With that, he waved to someone behind him.

"Ethan, take your sister away. Find a lounge for her to wait in. Don't let her embarrass us here and offend the important guests!"

Only then did I notice Ethan Shaw standing behind him.

The son I'd carried for ten months and nearly died giving birth to.

Six years had passed. He'd grown into a handsome young man, but his eyes held a coldness that didn't match his age.

Ethan had a stony expression, his brows furrowed: "I don't want some little beggar as my sister! My only sister is Chloe!"

My grip on Nora's hand tightened. The Chloe he mentioned must be Rowena's daughter.

Years ago, I'd caught Hugh Shaw and Rowena having an affair. Before I could confront them, Rowena struck first, accusing me of drugging her to ruin her reputation.

Hugh Shaw had also blamed me, and even my own biological son Ethan had taken Rowena's side.

Heartbroken and disillusioned, I'd signed the divorce papers on the spot.

When I left the Shaw household, Rowena had stroked her belly and told me she was already pregnant with Hugh Shaw's child.

And that day---she'd let me see them together on purpose.

Past humiliations and betrayals churned in my heart, my fingers unconsciously digging into my palms.

Nora tugged at my clothes, her voice indignant:

"Mom, I don't want this ugly guy as my brother either! He's nowhere near as good as Asher!"

Hearing this, Ethan's expression darkened further. He sneered: "An ordinary person like that dares to compare himself to me?"

Looking at the father and son's identical faces, my heart gradually turned cold. Fine. I'd just pretend I never had this son.

I took Nora's hand and moved to walk around them when a sweet voice suddenly called from behind: "Claire?"