Five years ago, Madeline Monroe was seven months pregnant and dreaming of a future that never existed. In one cruel moment, her husband Lucius Whitman’s "eternal flame," Liliana Lansbury, shattered her world with a single, brutal kick. The loss of her baby was unbearable, but Lucius’as reaction was the ultimate betrayal. "Liliana didn't mean it, Madeline. She can't go to prison." With those cold words, he forced her to sign a waiver, protecting the murderer of their unborn child. Five years later, the nightmare returns. Liliana is back, and even the son they adopted, Leo Whitman, points his finger at Madeline: "You're a bad mommy! You're always mean to Auntie Liliana!" That was the moment Madeline finally woke up. She realized there was never a place for her in this house. This wasn’t a family; it was a cage. Fuelled by a decade of wasted love and frozen grief, Madeline decides to burn it all down. She will reclaim her pride, strip Lucius of his power, and watch his perfect world crumble piece by piece. But she won't be doing it alone. Stepping out of the shadows is the one man Lucius always feared—the mysterious tycoon who has been her silent guardian for years. A whirlwind marriage and a new life later, Madeline finds herself protected by a love she never dared to imagine. When the truth behind Liliana’s mask is finally stripped away, Lucius crawls back on his knees, begging for a second chance. "Madeline, I was wrong. Please, come back to me!" Madeline only offers a faint, cold smile. She touches her growing belly—a new life, a new beginning, and a man who has never left her side. "It’s too late, Lucius. You didn’t just lose me. You lost everything."

Chapter 1"Sir, Madam is back."The man upstairs heard the voice and glanced out the floor-to-ceiling window, watching the curvy woman step out of a car and enter the villa.By the time Madeline Monroe came upstairs, a strong hand gripped her tightly. She turned her head—it was Lucius Whitman.Lucius rarely liked to talk when they were intimate.She was trapped in his burning embrace.Melting under his searing body heat.A while later, the lingering warmth faded.Madeline looked at the tangled sheets and the messy aftermath of their frantic encounter before calmly getting out of bed and taking a birth control pill.The man's deep voice sounded, "Didn't you want a child of your own? It's not like I won't give you one."Madeline swallowed the pill and replied."You seem to have forgotten. Back when your childhood sweetheart kicked my baby away, I told you that if you dared to sign that settlement and forgive her, I would never have your child!"Madeline's eyes grew red.Painful memories flooded her mind.Five years ago, when she married Lucius, she truly believed the rest of her life would be spent happily under this man's protection and love.She never imagined that when she was seven months pregnant, Liliana Lansbury would show up and ruthlessly kick her in the stomach, causing a miscarriage that cost her the baby.But the most agonizing part was her own husband, Lucius, demanding that she be magnanimous and forgive the woman.She would never forget Lucius's detached words, devoid of any clear emotion or empathy."Liliana didn't mean it. We can always have another baby, but Liliana absolutely cannot go to jail."Liliana? He said her name with such affection.Yet, this woman was the murderer of the child in her womb.Madeline cried for three days, swearing, "I will never forgive her in this lifetime. I will not sign a settlement for the person who kicked my baby to death. I hate her too much."But in the end, no matter how hysterically she swore her oaths right to his face, Lucius signed the settlement on her behalf anyway.Lucius's voice suddenly echoed near her ear, pulling her back. "It's all in the past, and we adopted one anyway. Why keep bringing it up? You're just asking for trouble."He brushed it off with such casual indifference.The man's hand touched her face comfortingly. "If you don't want a child, then fine. Suit yourself."With that, he got out of bed and headed to the bathroom to take a shower.Madeline had wanted to see her child immediately upon arriving, but after being delayed by him, she quickly made herself presentable and hurried to the nursery.She ran into the nanny in the hallway."Where is Leo?" Madeline asked."He's sleeping."Madeline entered the nursery, finding that the boy was indeed in his pajamas, but he wasn't asleep.He was sitting attentively at his little desk, holding a phone, engaged in a very serious video chat.He didn't even notice someone had entered the room."Leo?"Hearing her, Leo Whitman immediately reached out and hung up the video call, not even bothering to turn his head.Madeline walked over and pulled the boy into her arms. Just as she kissed his cheek, he burst into tears. "I don't want you! I don't want a fake mommy!"Madeline froze, an inexplicable wave of sadness washing over her.It was true that this child wasn't her biological son, but Madeline had always raised him as if he were her own and had never told him he was adopted.Why was it that after she was away for only half a month, he was suddenly calling her a fake? Why was he resisting her so aggressively, screaming that he didn't want her?Madeline let go of him. "Mommy hasn't seen you in so long, I really missed you."But no matter how much she tried to explain, Leo Whitman just kept crying and throwing a tantrum, only settling down after Madeline finally left the room.She took the phone away, knowing that screen time was a terrible habit for a five-year-old.Flipping through the device, Madeline saw that the person Leo had been video chatting with was saved under the contact name "Auntie Lily."Her heart skipped a beat, but she quickly rationalized that it might just be a new teacher at his kindergarten. It couldn't possibly be that woman...Just as she closed the nursery door,Madeline suddenly thought of something and asked the nanny, "Has a new female teacher started at Leo's kindergarten recently?"The nanny shook her head.Back in her bedroom, Madeline's heart sank even further. How could the name of the person she despised and hated the most suddenly appear in her child's phone?Who exactly was this Auntie Lily?Madeline abruptly grabbed a different phone.It was Lucius's phone, and right in the center of the screen sat an unread message.[Liliana Lansbury: Lucius, I'm so happy I can keep Leo company with you.]Madeline's throat tightened.Her knuckles turned white from gripping the phone.She tapped on the message.In the chat window between Lucius and Liliana Lansbury, an endless stream of messages appeared.They talked almost every single day.She never expected that Liliana kicking away their unborn child five years ago hadn't made Lucius despise her in the slightest; instead, it had only driven them closer together.But what she expected even less was Liliana's affectionate tone in the chat logs when discussing Leo, talking as if Leo were her and Lucius's own illegitimate son!Madeline's tears instantly began to fall like rain.They splashed onto the screen she was clutching so tightly.Her entire body trembled.Anger, humiliation, and agony flooded her chest like a tidal wave.So, five years ago, the loss of her baby was a premeditated plot? Did Liliana and Lucius make a sickening agreement just to plant this out-of-wedlock child in their home?And Madeline, in her extreme vulnerability after losing her own baby, had poured all her love into this boy—only to realize she was being played for an absolute fool, manipulated by them the entire time?Just as she was about to record the evidence, the sound of the shower stopped.Lucius stepped out of the bathroom.Madeline had already put his phone down, but she looked like a wreck. Her hair was disheveled, her face streaked with tears, and her whole body shook with sobs.Lucius cast his gaze down at her, the mood for a second round instantly vanishing."Do you even remember the anniversary of our baby's death?" Madeline asked.Lucius replied coldly, "You're getting overly emotional. Take a moment to calm yourself down, and we'll talk tomorrow."With that, he grabbed his phone and the pajamas off the bed, turned around, and left the bedroom.Married for so many years, yet outside of the bedroom, he had always been cold, perfunctory, distant, and impatient with her.He couldn't even remember the anniversary of their only child's death.Yet, he had endless patience for Liliana, answering her every message with boundless tolerance.She should have been used to it by now.But suddenly, she didn't want to do this anymore.It was time for a divorce!Madeline sat blankly on the bed all night.She felt both empty and lost.Her life was an absolute joke.Madeline laughed bitterly.Including their five years of marriage, she had loved Lucius for eight years.She fell for him at first sight in college, but she knew deep down she wasn't worthy of him.The Whitman Group was the city's top powerhouse, while she was just an orphan whose parents had passed away.Madeline worked relentlessly, chasing him like a distant dream, until finally, she was noticed.She displayed a massive talent for computer science in college, developing an indie game that became highly sought after by everyone on campus. Before she even graduated, major corporations were offering millions of dollars to buy the patent.She could have made her first fortune, but instead, she chose to hand the patent over to Lucius for free.At that time, Lucius had just joined the gaming division of the Whitman Group. If it wasn't for the fact that he needed a major success to secure his inheritance over his relatives, he never would have married her.But after marrying her, Lucius never planned to love her.In the past, Madeline naively believed that as long as she worked hard enough, the day would come when he would finally cherish her.Reality, however, delivered slap after brutal slap.It was time to wake up. She was going to divorce Lucius!Madeline tried to get up to shower, but her legs were so stiff from sitting all night that she nearly collapsed, eventually fainting onto the bed from dizziness.When she woke up again, it was already five in the afternoon.Even though she was home all day, it was eerily quiet. No one bothered her. It was as if neither her husband nor her child even acknowledged her existence—as if nobody needed her.She picked up the phone. "Tessa, help me draft a divorce settlement."Tessa Thatcher was Madeline's best friend and an elite divorce attorney."I've drafted it according to your terms. Want me to send it over for you to review?""Thanks, Counsel Thatcher," Madeline said, then immediately added, "No need to send it for review. Just arrange a same-day courier.""You're in that much of a rush? Are you really sure about this?"Tessa didn't actually oppose the divorce.Long ago, when Liliana deliberately caused Madeline's miscarriage,She had advocated for no settlement and pushing for jail time, but how could her small law firm possibly withstand the crushing weight of corporate billionaires at the time?Even defeated by corporate power, Tessa knew clearly that Madeline and Lucius's marriage had been fractured beyond repair by that incident.Where in the real world did broken relationships flawlessly piece back together? Tessa only believed that a cracked mirror would just keep shattering.After that incident, Tessa assumed Madeline wouldn't last long before filing for divorce. She never expected her to endure it for so many years.The most despicable part was Lucius taking the initiative to adopt a child for her, a sick move to distract from the agonizing grief of losing her biological baby.Tessa thought Madeline had pushed through it all, completely caught off guard by her sudden decision to finally take action.But having handled countless cases, Tessa feared she was acting purely on a temporary emotional spike. "Lucius might not be a good husband, but in some ways..."Madeline turned on the light and sat up, her thoughts sharper than ever. "I'm sure. Tessa, do you know? Leo is likely Lucius and Liliana's illegitimate child.""What?"Tessa was stunned.She completely didn't expect that the heir of the Whitman Group, a dignified billionaire executive, could pull off something so shameless just to torment someone.Tessa cursed him out, "He's a complete bastard!""Forget the courier, and I'm not working overtime today either. I'm delivering this to you myself."Hanging up the phone, Madeline's tears fell again. Ever since her breakdown the night before, something heavy had been blocking her chest.It clogged her heart and soul, making everything feel wrong. Her chest felt so tight she could barely breathe. It was only when she said those words out loud to Tessa that she finally realized what was suffocating her—it was resentment, hatred, and the suffocating injustice of being utterly trampled on.Liliana literally kicked her baby away, yet managed to have a child with Lucius while they were still married. Worse still, they used that very child to steal years of Madeline's meticulous care and maternal love, tricking her into raising their bastard.If Madeline hadn't found out, how long would this sacrifice have lasted? Was she supposed to slave away for the rest of her life, propping up a husband who didn't love her and a child who wasn't hers?Chapter 2"Sir, Madam is back."The man upstairs heard the voice and glanced out the floor-to-ceiling window, watching the curvy woman step out of a car and enter the villa.By the time Madeline Monroe came upstairs, a strong hand gripped her tightly. She turned her head—it was Lucius Whitman.Lucius rarely liked to talk when they were intimate.She was trapped in his burning embrace.Melting under his searing body heat.A while later, the lingering warmth faded.Madeline looked at the tangled sheets and the messy aftermath of their frantic encounter before calmly getting out of bed and taking a birth control pill.The man's deep voice sounded, "Didn't you want a child of your own? It's not like I won't give you one."Madeline swallowed the pill and replied."You seem to have forgotten. Back when your childhood sweetheart kicked my baby away, I told you that if you dared to sign that settlement and forgive her, I would never have your child!"Madeline's eyes grew red.Painful memories flooded her mind.Five years ago, when she married Lucius, she truly believed the rest of her life would be spent happily under this man's protection and love.She never imagined that when she was seven months pregnant, Liliana Lansbury would show up and ruthlessly kick her in the stomach, causing a miscarriage that cost her the baby.But the most agonizing part was her own husband, Lucius, demanding that she be magnanimous and forgive the woman.She would never forget Lucius's detached words, devoid of any clear emotion or empathy."Liliana didn't mean it. We can always have another baby, but Liliana absolutely cannot go to jail."Liliana? He said her name with such affection.Yet, this woman was the murderer of the child in her womb.Madeline cried for three days, swearing, "I will never forgive her in this lifetime. I will not sign a settlement for the person who kicked my baby to death. I hate her too much."But in the end, no matter how hysterically she swore her oaths right to his face, Lucius signed the settlement on her behalf anyway.Lucius's voice suddenly echoed near her ear, pulling her back. "It's all in the past, and we adopted one anyway. Why keep bringing it up? You're just asking for trouble."He brushed it off with such casual indifference.The man's hand touched her face comfortingly. "If you don't want a child, then fine. Suit yourself."With that, he got out of bed and headed to the bathroom to take a shower.Madeline had wanted to see her child immediately upon arriving, but after being delayed by him, she quickly made herself presentable and hurried to the nursery.She ran into the nanny in the hallway."Where is Leo?" Madeline asked."He's sleeping."Madeline entered the nursery, finding that the boy was indeed in his pajamas, but he wasn't asleep.He was sitting attentively at his little desk, holding a phone, engaged in a very serious video chat.He didn't even notice someone had entered the room."Leo?"Hearing her, Leo Whitman immediately reached out and hung up the video call, not even bothering to turn his head.Madeline walked over and pulled the boy into her arms. Just as she kissed his cheek, he burst into tears. "I don't want you! I don't want a fake mommy!"Madeline froze, an inexplicable wave of sadness washing over her.It was true that this child wasn't her biological son, but Madeline had always raised him as if he were her own and had never told him he was adopted.Why was it that after she was away for only half a month, he was suddenly calling her a fake? Why was he resisting her so aggressively, screaming that he didn't want her?Madeline let go of him. "Mommy hasn't seen you in so long, I really missed you."But no matter how much she tried to explain, Leo Whitman just kept crying and throwing a tantrum, only settling down after Madeline finally left the room.She took the phone away, knowing that screen time was a terrible habit for a five-year-old.Flipping through the device, Madeline saw that the person Leo had been video chatting with was saved under the contact name "Auntie Lily."Her heart skipped a beat, but she quickly rationalized that it might just be a new teacher at his kindergarten. It couldn't possibly be that woman...Just as she closed the nursery door,Madeline suddenly thought of something and asked the nanny, "Has a new female teacher started at Leo's kindergarten recently?"The nanny shook her head.Back in her bedroom, Madeline's heart sank even further. How could the name of the person she despised and hated the most suddenly appear in her child's phone?Who exactly was this Auntie Lily?Madeline abruptly grabbed a different phone.It was Lucius's phone, and right in the center of the screen sat an unread message.[Liliana Lansbury: Lucius, I'm so happy I can keep Leo company with you.]Madeline's throat tightened.Her knuckles turned white from gripping the phone.She tapped on the message.In the chat window between Lucius and Liliana Lansbury, an endless stream of messages appeared.They talked almost every single day.She never expected that Liliana kicking away their unborn child five years ago hadn't made Lucius despise her in the slightest; instead, it had only driven them closer together.But what she expected even less was Liliana's affectionate tone in the chat logs when discussing Leo, talking as if Leo were her and Lucius's own illegitimate son!Madeline's tears instantly began to fall like rain.They splashed onto the screen she was clutching so tightly.Her entire body trembled.Anger, humiliation, and agony flooded her chest like a tidal wave.So, five years ago, the loss of her baby was a premeditated plot? Did Liliana and Lucius make a sickening agreement just to plant this out-of-wedlock child in their home?And Madeline, in her extreme vulnerability after losing her own baby, had poured all her love into this boy—only to realize she was being played for an absolute fool, manipulated by them the entire time?Just as she was about to record the evidence, the sound of the shower stopped.Lucius stepped out of the bathroom.Madeline had already put his phone down, but she looked like a wreck. Her hair was disheveled, her face streaked with tears, and her whole body shook with sobs.Lucius cast his gaze down at her, the mood for a second round instantly vanishing."Do you even remember the anniversary of our baby's death?" Madeline asked.Lucius replied coldly, "You're getting overly emotional. Take a moment to calm yourself down, and we'll talk tomorrow."With that, he grabbed his phone and the pajamas off the bed, turned around, and left the bedroom.Married for so many years, yet outside of the bedroom, he had always been cold, perfunctory, distant, and impatient with her.He couldn't even remember the anniversary of their only child's death.Yet, he had endless patience for Liliana, answering her every message with boundless tolerance.She should have been used to it by now.But suddenly, she didn't want to do this anymore.It was time for a divorce!Madeline sat blankly on the bed all night.She felt both empty and lost.Her life was an absolute joke.Madeline laughed bitterly.Including their five years of marriage, she had loved Lucius for eight years.She fell for him at first sight in college, but she knew deep down she wasn't worthy of him.The Whitman Group was the city's top powerhouse, while she was just an orphan whose parents had passed away.Madeline worked relentlessly, chasing him like a distant dream, until finally, she was noticed.She displayed a massive talent for computer science in college, developing an indie game that became highly sought after by everyone on campus. Before she even graduated, major corporations were offering millions of dollars to buy the patent.She could have made her first fortune, but instead, she chose to hand the patent over to Lucius for free.At that time, Lucius had just joined the gaming division of the Whitman Group. If it wasn't for the fact that he needed a major success to secure his inheritance over his relatives, he never would have married her.But after marrying her, Lucius never planned to love her.In the past, Madeline naively believed that as long as she worked hard enough, the day would come when he would finally cherish her.Reality, however, delivered slap after brutal slap.It was time to wake up. She was going to divorce Lucius!Madeline tried to get up to shower, but her legs were so stiff from sitting all night that she nearly collapsed, eventually fainting onto the bed from dizziness.When she woke up again, it was already five in the afternoon.Even though she was home all day, it was eerily quiet. No one bothered her. It was as if neither her husband nor her child even acknowledged her existence—as if nobody needed her.She picked up the phone. "Tessa, help me draft a divorce settlement."Tessa Thatcher was Madeline's best friend and an elite divorce attorney."I've drafted it according to your terms. Want me to send it over for you to review?""Thanks, Counsel Thatcher," Madeline said, then immediately added, "No need to send it for review. Just arrange a same-day courier.""You're in that much of a rush? Are you really sure about this?"Tessa didn't actually oppose the divorce.Long ago, when Liliana deliberately caused Madeline's miscarriage,She had advocated for no settlement and pushing for jail time, but how could her small law firm possibly withstand the crushing weight of corporate billionaires at the time?Even defeated by corporate power, Tessa knew clearly that Madeline and Lucius's marriage had been fractured beyond repair by that incident.Where in the real world did broken relationships flawlessly piece back together? Tessa only believed that a cracked mirror would just keep shattering.After that incident, Tessa assumed Madeline wouldn't last long before filing for divorce. She never expected her to endure it for so many years.The most despicable part was Lucius taking the initiative to adopt a child for her, a sick move to distract from the agonizing grief of losing her biological baby.Tessa thought Madeline had pushed through it all, completely caught off guard by her sudden decision to finally take action.But having handled countless cases, Tessa feared she was acting purely on a temporary emotional spike. "Lucius might not be a good husband, but in some ways..."Madeline turned on the light and sat up, her thoughts sharper than ever. "I'm sure. Tessa, do you know? Leo is likely Lucius and Liliana's illegitimate child.""What?"Tessa was stunned.She completely didn't expect that the heir of the Whitman Group, a dignified billionaire executive, could pull off something so shameless just to torment someone.Tessa cursed him out, "He's a complete bastard!""Forget the courier, and I'm not working overtime today either. I'm delivering this to you myself."Hanging up the phone, Madeline's tears fell again. Ever since her breakdown the night before, something heavy had been blocking her chest.It clogged her heart and soul, making everything feel wrong. Her chest felt so tight she could barely breathe. It was only when she said those words out loud to Tessa that she finally realized what was suffocating her—it was resentment, hatred, and the suffocating injustice of being utterly trampled on.Liliana literally kicked her baby away, yet managed to have a child with Lucius while they were still married. Worse still, they used that very child to steal years of Madeline's meticulous care and maternal love, tricking her into raising their bastard.If Madeline hadn't found out, how long would this sacrifice have lasted? Was she supposed to slave away for the rest of her life, propping up a husband who didn't love her and a child who wasn't hers?Chapter 3"Sir, Madam is back."The man upstairs heard the voice and glanced out the floor-to-ceiling window, watching the curvy woman step out of a car and enter the villa.By the time Madeline Monroe came upstairs, a strong hand gripped her tightly. She turned her head—it was Lucius Whitman.Lucius rarely liked to talk when they were intimate.She was trapped in his burning embrace.Melting under his searing body heat.A while later, the lingering warmth faded.Madeline looked at the tangled sheets and the messy aftermath of their frantic encounter before calmly getting out of bed and taking a birth control pill.The man's deep voice sounded, "Didn't you want a child of your own? It's not like I won't give you one."Madeline swallowed the pill and replied."You seem to have forgotten. Back when your childhood sweetheart kicked my baby away, I told you that if you dared to sign that settlement and forgive her, I would never have your child!"Madeline's eyes grew red.Painful memories flooded her mind.Five years ago, when she married Lucius, she truly believed the rest of her life would be spent happily under this man's protection and love.She never imagined that when she was seven months pregnant, Liliana Lansbury would show up and ruthlessly kick her in the stomach, causing a miscarriage that cost her the baby.But the most agonizing part was her own husband, Lucius, demanding that she be magnanimous and forgive the woman.She would never forget Lucius's detached words, devoid of any clear emotion or empathy."Liliana didn't mean it. We can always have another baby, but Liliana absolutely cannot go to jail."Liliana? He said her name with such affection.Yet, this woman was the murderer of the child in her womb.Madeline cried for three days, swearing, "I will never forgive her in this lifetime. I will not sign a settlement for the person who kicked my baby to death. I hate her too much."But in the end, no matter how hysterically she swore her oaths right to his face, Lucius signed the settlement on her behalf anyway.Lucius's voice suddenly echoed near her ear, pulling her back. "It's all in the past, and we adopted one anyway. Why keep bringing it up? You're just asking for trouble."He brushed it off with such casual indifference.The man's hand touched her face comfortingly. "If you don't want a child, then fine. Suit yourself."With that, he got out of bed and headed to the bathroom to take a shower.Madeline had wanted to see her child immediately upon arriving, but after being delayed by him, she quickly made herself presentable and hurried to the nursery.She ran into the nanny in the hallway."Where is Leo?" Madeline asked."He's sleeping."Madeline entered the nursery, finding that the boy was indeed in his pajamas, but he wasn't asleep.He was sitting attentively at his little desk, holding a phone, engaged in a very serious video chat.He didn't even notice someone had entered the room."Leo?"Hearing her, Leo Whitman immediately reached out and hung up the video call, not even bothering to turn his head.Madeline walked over and pulled the boy into her arms. Just as she kissed his cheek, he burst into tears. "I don't want you! I don't want a fake mommy!"Madeline froze, an inexplicable wave of sadness washing over her.It was true that this child wasn't her biological son, but Madeline had always raised him as if he were her own and had never told him he was adopted.Why was it that after she was away for only half a month, he was suddenly calling her a fake? Why was he resisting her so aggressively, screaming that he didn't want her?Madeline let go of him. "Mommy hasn't seen you in so long, I really missed you."But no matter how much she tried to explain, Leo Whitman just kept crying and throwing a tantrum, only settling down after Madeline finally left the room.She took the phone away, knowing that screen time was a terrible habit for a five-year-old.Flipping through the device, Madeline saw that the person Leo had been video chatting with was saved under the contact name "Auntie Lily."Her heart skipped a beat, but she quickly rationalized that it might just be a new teacher at his kindergarten. It couldn't possibly be that woman...Just as she closed the nursery door,Madeline suddenly thought of something and asked the nanny, "Has a new female teacher started at Leo's kindergarten recently?"The nanny shook her head.Back in her bedroom, Madeline's heart sank even further. How could the name of the person she despised and hated the most suddenly appear in her child's phone?Who exactly was this Auntie Lily?Madeline abruptly grabbed a different phone.It was Lucius's phone, and right in the center of the screen sat an unread message.[Liliana Lansbury: Lucius, I'm so happy I can keep Leo company with you.]Madeline's throat tightened.Her knuckles turned white from gripping the phone.She tapped on the message.In the chat window between Lucius and Liliana Lansbury, an endless stream of messages appeared.They talked almost every single day.She never expected that Liliana kicking away their unborn child five years ago hadn't made Lucius despise her in the slightest; instead, it had only driven them closer together.But what she expected even less was Liliana's affectionate tone in the chat logs when discussing Leo, talking as if Leo were her and Lucius's own illegitimate son!Madeline's tears instantly began to fall like rain.They splashed onto the screen she was clutching so tightly.Her entire body trembled.Anger, humiliation, and agony flooded her chest like a tidal wave.So, five years ago, the loss of her baby was a premeditated plot? Did Liliana and Lucius make a sickening agreement just to plant this out-of-wedlock child in their home?And Madeline, in her extreme vulnerability after losing her own baby, had poured all her love into this boy—only to realize she was being played for an absolute fool, manipulated by them the entire time?Just as she was about to record the evidence, the sound of the shower stopped.Lucius stepped out of the bathroom.Madeline had already put his phone down, but she looked like a wreck. Her hair was disheveled, her face streaked with tears, and her whole body shook with sobs.Lucius cast his gaze down at her, the mood for a second round instantly vanishing."Do you even remember the anniversary of our baby's death?" Madeline asked.Lucius replied coldly, "You're getting overly emotional. Take a moment to calm yourself down, and we'll talk tomorrow."With that, he grabbed his phone and the pajamas off the bed, turned around, and left the bedroom.Married for so many years, yet outside of the bedroom, he had always been cold, perfunctory, distant, and impatient with her.He couldn't even remember the anniversary of their only child's death.Yet, he had endless patience for Liliana, answering her every message with boundless tolerance.She should have been used to it by now.But suddenly, she didn't want to do this anymore.It was time for a divorce!Madeline sat blankly on the bed all night.She felt both empty and lost.Her life was an absolute joke.Madeline laughed bitterly.Including their five years of marriage, she had loved Lucius for eight years.She fell for him at first sight in college, but she knew deep down she wasn't worthy of him.The Whitman Group was the city's top powerhouse, while she was just an orphan whose parents had passed away.Madeline worked relentlessly, chasing him like a distant dream, until finally, she was noticed.She displayed a massive talent for computer science in college, developing an indie game that became highly sought after by everyone on campus. Before she even graduated, major corporations were offering millions of dollars to buy the patent.She could have made her first fortune, but instead, she chose to hand the patent over to Lucius for free.At that time, Lucius had just joined the gaming division of the Whitman Group. If it wasn't for the fact that he needed a major success to secure his inheritance over his relatives, he never would have married her.But after marrying her, Lucius never planned to love her.In the past, Madeline naively believed that as long as she worked hard enough, the day would come when he would finally cherish her.Reality, however, delivered slap after brutal slap.It was time to wake up. She was going to divorce Lucius!Madeline tried to get up to shower, but her legs were so stiff from sitting all night that she nearly collapsed, eventually fainting onto the bed from dizziness.When she woke up again, it was already five in the afternoon.Even though she was home all day, it was eerily quiet. No one bothered her. It was as if neither her husband nor her child even acknowledged her existence—as if nobody needed her.She picked up the phone. "Tessa, help me draft a divorce settlement."Tessa Thatcher was Madeline's best friend and an elite divorce attorney."I've drafted it according to your terms. Want me to send it over for you to review?""Thanks, Counsel Thatcher," Madeline said, then immediately added, "No need to send it for review. Just arrange a same-day courier.""You're in that much of a rush? Are you really sure about this?"Tessa didn't actually oppose the divorce.Long ago, when Liliana deliberately caused Madeline's miscarriage,She had advocated for no settlement and pushing for jail time, but how could her small law firm possibly withstand the crushing weight of corporate billionaires at the time?Even defeated by corporate power, Tessa knew clearly that Madeline and Lucius's marriage had been fractured beyond repair by that incident.Where in the real world did broken relationships flawlessly piece back together? Tessa only believed that a cracked mirror would just keep shattering.After that incident, Tessa assumed Madeline wouldn't last long before filing for divorce. She never expected her to endure it for so many years.The most despicable part was Lucius taking the initiative to adopt a child for her, a sick move to distract from the agonizing grief of losing her biological baby.Tessa thought Madeline had pushed through it all, completely caught off guard by her sudden decision to finally take action.But having handled countless cases, Tessa feared she was acting purely on a temporary emotional spike. "Lucius might not be a good husband, but in some ways..."Madeline turned on the light and sat up, her thoughts sharper than ever. "I'm sure. Tessa, do you know? Leo is likely Lucius and Liliana's illegitimate child.""What?"Tessa was stunned.She completely didn't expect that the heir of the Whitman Group, a dignified billionaire executive, could pull off something so shameless just to torment someone.Tessa cursed him out, "He's a complete bastard!""Forget the courier, and I'm not working overtime today either. I'm delivering this to you myself."Hanging up the phone, Madeline's tears fell again. Ever since her breakdown the night before, something heavy had been blocking her chest.It clogged her heart and soul, making everything feel wrong. Her chest felt so tight she could barely breathe. It was only when she said those words out loud to Tessa that she finally realized what was suffocating her—it was resentment, hatred, and the suffocating injustice of being utterly trampled on.Liliana literally kicked her baby away, yet managed to have a child with Lucius while they were still married. Worse still, they used that very child to steal years of Madeline's meticulous care and maternal love, tricking her into raising their bastard.If Madeline hadn't found out, how long would this sacrifice have lasted? Was she supposed to slave away for the rest of her life, propping up a husband who didn't love her and a child who wasn't hers?