Chapter 1

During our five years of marriage, Shawn Hallow cheated on me 52 times. I never said anything. Then, when I was nine months pregnant, his secretary, Melissa Manning, accidentally offended a major client. In order to maintain the partnership, he asked me to take the punishment on her behalf, which was drinking a whole bottle of vodka. I couldn't believe what he had asked of me. "I'm pregnant, and you want me to drink alcohol?" I demanded. "What if something happens—" Before I could finish, he interrupted me impatiently. "It's just a bottle of vodka. It's not going to kill you." Annoyed by my stalling, he had people force the alcohol down my throat. The strong liquor made me go into labor prematurely. That day, while I was fighting for my life in the hospital, Shawn spent the night at a suburban villa with Melissa. When I regained consciousness after giving birth, I looked at my mother-in-law, Brenda Burton. "You promised me that you would let us divorce once I give birth. Can I leave now?" Hearing this, Brenda looked sad and conflicted. "Yvonne, do you really not want to give him one last chance? He—" Before she could finish speaking, the TV in the ward blared with breaking news about Shawn's latest scandal. In the photograph displayed on the screen, Shawn was holding a woman as they got out of the car. His coat was wrapped around her while she leaned against his chest, dazed, her face flushed with an unnatural blush. Though she was well-covered, the camera still captured the red marks on her thigh. It was obvious that they had been intimate in the car just moments before the photo had been taken. "The head of Hallow Group has been caught in an intimate moment with a mysterious woman. Could wedding bells be ringing soon?" Brenda's chest heaved with fury as she watched the news. Her breathing became ragged, and she looked livid. But when she turned back to me, her gaze was filled with pain and guilt, and her eyes glistened with tears. Whatever words of persuasion she had prepared got stuck in her throat. After a while, she choked out, "Alright. I'll help you with the divorce like I promised." My heart felt heavy as I watched her wipe away her tears. The heartache was sharp and relentless, but I didn't waver. "Thank you, Brenda." … I didn't look at my son after he was born. All I knew was that he was a boy and was four pounds and five ounces. Apparently, he looked a lot like me. The nurse came by to persuade me to stay. She told me that the baby had passed all the examinations. He was perfectly healthy and was ready to go home. She encouraged me to go see him, the child I had risked my life to bring into the world. But I shook my head. "No. I'm glad that he's healthy. That's all I need to know." If I never saw him, I would never miss him. I knew—if I laid eyes on him, I would never be able to leave. But I couldn't stay with Shawn anymore. If the child came with me, he would always be on the move, living an unstable life. Leaving him with the Hallows was the best option for him. Lying on the bed, I stared out of the window, wondering where I could go once I left. I had been abandoned when I had been born and had grown up in an orphanage. I didn't have any family or any friends that I could rely on. I was like a lone boat drifting aimlessly on the wide ocean, with nowhere to call home. … Brenda was heartbroken for me, but more than that, she was furious at Shawn's indifference. She kept calling him, hoping that he would come see us. However, no matter how many times she called, the only answer she got was the cold, mechanical voice of an automated response. Finally, on her last attempt, someone picked up—a woman. "Madam Brenda, Mr. Hallow is in a meeting. Please call back later—" Before she could finish, a soft, muffled moan came from the other end. Brenda was no fool. She knew exactly what was happening. Pale with fury, she bellowed, "Tell Shawn Hallow that if he still considers me his mother, he will come to the hospital right now! Otherwise, as far as I'm concerned, he is no son of mine!"