Chapter 1

Maxwell forbade me from attending Ethan's parent-teacher conference.

He said coldly, "You've worked as a mortuary makeup artist for so long, you reek of death. Ethan needs a respectable mother."

After the conference ended, my son brought Maxwell's first love, Sophia Clarke, home with him.

"Miss Clarke, I really wish you were my mom."

When he saw me, Ethan's face hardened.

"Why are you here? My parent-teacher conference is already over."

I twisted the strap of my purse, only managing to squeeze out: "Why don't you want your mom..."

Ethan frowned. "Because you're really embarrassing. You always smell weird..."

My heart went cold in that instant.

Looking at the identical disgust on father and son's faces, exhaustion finally washed over me.

My son shoved me. "Leave! I don't want you in my house!"

I looked at his contemptuous eyes, feeling a sharp pain in my chest.

A tear fell as I said softly, "Fine. I'll leave your house."

I thought, it's time to return to my own home.

Maxwell didn't know that the daughter of the Sinclair family who'd once helped his company go public with a single word---that was me.