Chapter 1

For the eighth time at a parent-teacher conference, Vivienne watched her six-year-old son recite his essay , in front of the entire class.

The pain in her chest had long since gone numb.

The child's innocent voice cut through the classroom:

"My mom, Vivienne Hartley, the most popular porn star, the town's most notorious homewrecker."

"She used the tricks of a seductress to lure my daddy into abandoning his billion-dollar fortune and his perfectly matched fiancée, running away with her."

"Even though she used her wicked ways to trick Daddy into marrying her, every time I have to look at her, I feel disgusted."

Little Jasper Caldwell's childlike voice carried unmistakable contempt -- each word a curse, each sentence a blade driving straight into Vivienne's heart.

The teacher awkwardly ushered the boy off the stage, but the mocking whispers of the other parents refused to be contained.

"God, porn star-- even after she cleaned up her act, a woman like that can never wash off the stain. Even her own son thinks she's filthy!"

"Oh, come on -- you didn't hear? No matter what everyone else thinks of her, the Caldwell heir, Sebastian Caldwell, is absolutely mad for her!"

"For her sake, he gave up his inheritance and ran away with her."

"Even after she abandoned their newborn on the very day they eloped, took five hundred thousand dollars from the Caldwell family and vanished -- even after she left Sebastian wandering like a ghost for five years -- the moment he found her again, he dragged her straight to the courthouse and married her on the spot!"

Hearing those words, the raw ache in Vivienne's chest began, ever so slightly, to ease.

Even if the entire world misunderstood her, looked down on her -- Sebastian loved her without reservation.

Again, Jasper declared she was unworthy of knowing anything about him, finished his essay, and had her escorted out of the school.

That evening, out of deep concern for the boy, she found herself outside Sebastian's study, hoping to hear from his assistant what Jasper's day at school had been like.

Just as she reached for the door handle, Vivienne froze.

"Mr. Caldwell, as you instructed, this week's "whore mother" theme essay worked perfectly again. Only..."

The assistant's voice wavered. "...only, is it really good for the young master's mental health to have him resent the madam this way?"

Through the heavy oak door, Sebastian let out a quiet, unhurried laugh -- his voice calm as frost.

"Has Jasper said a single thing that isn't true? Besides -- Jasper is Diana's child. You already know that, don't you?"

Standing outside the door, Vivienne felt every drop of blood in her body turn to ice. She could not believe what she was hearing.

Diana? The woman Sebastian had married as a political match after Vivienne disappeared -- the woman Jasper had called Mom for five years?

But hadn't he told her he only married Diana so Jasper could have a complete family?

He had said the very sight of Diana bothered him.

And Jasper -- the child she had carried for ten months and brought into the world -- how had he become Diana's?

Sebastian's cool, measured voice betrayed no emotion. "When I first brought Vivienne back, I was afraid she couldn't bear the shock of learning the baby had died. So I passed off the child Diana and I had together as hers. Diana was forced to be separated from Jasper -- I owe her that."

The world exploded inside Vivienne's skull.

"Has the video of Jasper reading the essay been sent to Diana?"

"Every clip has been forwarded to Miss Diana -- recorded in high definition, with a close-up of the madam's face the moment she heard it."

"Miss Diana was extremely pleased. She said she'd send back your favorite cufflinks as a thank-you gift..."

Sebastian's voice finally warmed with what sounded like genuine amusement.

"Diana is still so easy to please. All it takes is humiliating Vivienne, and she cooperates with everything."

"Unlike Vivienne -- completely used up by the world, and she still plays the trauma card with me. Won't even let me turn on a light. Makes me sick."

The assistant, baffled, asked: "Mr. Caldwell, do you feel Vivienne isn't worthy of being your wife? Then why -- after five years of searching -- did you divorce Diana on the spot and marry Vivienne the moment you found her? Who is it you actually love?"

Sebastian's amused voice had once reached down into the depths of hell to pull Vivienne back to the living.

Now, it pushed her back in -- without so much as a second glance.

"I love Vivienne. I believe she had her reasons for leaving me. The title of Mrs. Caldwell will always be hers. But... she has been tainted."

"Diana loves me, asks nothing in return, keeps things interesting, and Jasper is closer to her anyway. Having a wife without a title suits me fine -- Jasper gets to be with his birth mother, and nothing is disturbed."

Vivienne could not recall how she made it from outside the study back to the bedroom.

She only knew that shame and shattering grief were tearing her apart from the inside -- her whole body cold as stone -- yet she could not shed a single tear.

So -- on the very night they had planned to elope, Diana had already been carrying Sebastian's child.

Everything Jasper had ever said was true: she was not his mother. She was the third party who had destroyed his parents' love.

Sebastian's love had been adulterated from the very start. And now, it was nothing but a web of lies.

That night, Sebastian held her from behind as usual, murmuring softly that Jasper had had a good day at school.

She reached for one last thread of hope, tentatively pressing her hand to his chest.

He held her hand still. "Tired tonight."

Vivienne lay awake into the small hours. The sound of running water drifted from the bathroom -- and beneath it, the low, muffled sounds of a man's labored breathing.

She had always assumed it was him managing his own needs out of consideration for her trauma. But tonight, when she drew closer, she heard clearly -- a woman's voice coming from his phone.

"Even better over the phone, isn't it? Aren't you afraid of waking your current wife, Sebastian..."

"Please. She's a block of wood. Even if she hears, she'll just think I'm thinking of her..."

Breathless murmurs flooded the silence.

The last strand of hope Vivienne had been holding snapped clean.

She swallowed the churning agony in her gut and sent a message to a saved number.

"The plan you proposed -- the fake death. I accept."