Chapter 1

I married Sebastian White in my sister Isabelle's place seven years ago.

The day Isabelle returned to the country, she smiled at me and said, "Give me back my position as Mrs. White."

My parents knelt and begged me to step aside.

I thought the most painful thing was being discarded like trash by my own parents.

Then Sebastian coldly said to me, "She's your sister. What's wrong with making a sacrifice for her?"

It turned out that after seven years of marriage, the woman in his heart had always been my sister.

So I chose to let him go.

But when the divorce papers were signed, Sebastian knelt on broken glass, his eyes red, begging,

"Do you really not love me anymore?"

Claire's POV

"Claire, I've had my fun abroad. Thank you for taking care of Sebastian these seven years. Now that I'm back, you can give me back my position as Mrs. White."

This was the first thing Isabelle said to me after disappearing for seven years.

I stood in the foyer, still holding the supplements I'd just bought for my mother, Margaret.

"Had your fun and now you want to come home?"

I asked with a cold laugh, my gaze sweeping over my parents standing nearby.

My father, Victor, kept his head down, smoking, playing deaf and dumb.

My mother, Margaret, had red-rimmed eyes but didn't dare look at me.

Isabelle stood up, walked over to me, and reached out to take my hand. I dodged to the side.

She didn't get angry. She withdrew her hand, smoothed her skirt, and smiled with innocent cruelty.

"Yes, abroad wasn't all that great after all."

"Connor is my biological son, and Sebastian loves me. Claire, you've occupied the position of Mrs. White long enough. It's time to let our family of three reunite."

I couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Isabelle, are you still asleep?"

"Sebastian and I are legally married. You think one sentence from you can make me step aside? You think this is a game?"

"Claire!"

Victor, who had been silent, suddenly slammed the table.

The cups rattled loudly.

His face was full of displeasure.

"Is that how you talk to your sister? You can't be too greedy! If Isabelle hadn't left back then, would this wealth have been yours?"

My mother Margaret burst into tears and rushed over to grab my hand.

"Claire, just do it for the family. Your sister suffered abroad. Now it's time to give her man back."

Seven years ago, Isabelle got pregnant by some random man and fled the country overnight with the family's cash.

The White family was furious, and the family business faced a broken capital chain.

They knelt before me, begging me to marry in her place.

Victor held a shard of porcelain to his throat to force me. Margaret knelt on the ground crying.

Back then, they said, "Claire, you're this family's savior."

Now that their beloved eldest daughter Isabelle was back, I had become an unimportant villain.

I shook off Margaret's hand.

"Mom, don't go too far."

"These seven years, I've been in the White family, helping the family secure how many projects, filling how many holes. Don't you know that in your hearts?"

"Now you want me to step aside? Fine."

I looked around at these bloodsuckers.

"Have Sebastian come talk to me himself. Besides the law and him personally, no one can make me leave."

With that, I turned and walked away.

Behind me came Isabelle's aggrieved crying and Victor's furious cursing.

"Bitch! Ungrateful bitch!"

Walking out of the villa, I realized my whole body was trembling.

I took a deep breath of cold air to suppress the nausea rising in my chest.

I wasn't afraid of the family making trouble. Their current wealth and glory all came from me. Cut off the supply and they'd naturally quiet down.

What I really couldn't predict was Sebastian White.

What if he also thought that now the original had returned, I, the substitute, should exit?

When I drove back to the White family estate, the villa's lights were blazing.

I'd just pushed open the front door when a small figure rushed out from the living room and dove into my arms.

"Mom! Why are you only coming back now?"

The seven-year-old boy had already grown quite tall, but in front of me he was still like a clingy kitten.

He hugged my waist, his tone full of grievance.

"I finished all my math problems and wanted you to check them, but I've been waiting until now."

Looking at this face that vaguely resembled Isabelle in some features, my heart ached, yet instantly softened.

To run away with her lover, Isabelle gave birth and abandoned the baby at the hospital without even nursing him once.

I was the one who brought his wrinkled little body home, fed him his first bottle, watched him learn to walk, stayed up with him through his first fever, attended his first parent-teacher conference.

These seven years, all his joys and sorrows were connected to me.

Now Isabelle wanted to erase all of this with one sentence about being his biological mother?

Dream on.

I crouched down and smoothed his messy hair, speaking gently.

"Sorry, I had something that delayed me. Go to sleep now, and tomorrow morning I will make you something delicious."

"Really?"

Connor's eyes lit up. He leaned over and planted a loud kiss on my cheek.

"Mom's the best! Then I'll go to sleep first. Good night, Mom!"

Watching the child's happy figure run upstairs, I took a deep breath.

This was my son.

Regardless of blood relation, no one could take away the child I raised.