The year my son turned three, I overheard a conversation between my down-on-his-luck husband and my secretary. "Ethan, honey, if Seraphina ever found out you're spoiling the kid rotten on purpose, just to ruin him, she'd probably have a heart attack, right?" "A heart attack? You underestimate her. If she discovered the truth, she'd kick me to the curb without a second thought." "We need to keep this completely under wraps. Once she realizes her son is a lost cause, our little Mason can be 'adopted' by her, inherit everything!" I glanced at my own son, Daniel. Only three, yet they'd already fattened him up to sixty pounds. Pretending I hadn't heard, I pushed another bite of cake into the little chubby boy's mouth as he threw a tantrum on the floor. Twenty years later, my son Daniel was proficient in every vice – drinking, gambling, womanizing. He died violently in a street brawl. I let my husband rant about our son's lack of filial piety, watched numbly as Ethan personally scattered Daniel's ashes into the fish tank. Shortly after, he transferred all my company shares and assets to our 'adopted' son, Mason. At the share transfer meeting, Nicole, my secretary, clung to Ethan’s arm, holding a paternity test report. She presented it to me. "Seraphina, Mason is Ethan’s and my biological son. You've had him long enough. Now, it's time to give him back." I raised an eyebrow. "As you wish." 1 "Honey, aren't you flying to France for that project meeting today? Why haven't you left yet?" Ethan Cole pushed the suitcase he’d meticulously packed for me, his voice laced with the usual concern. I looked at Daniel, already plump as a little piglet, and sighed. "Ethan, you've certainly made him… sturdy. But… being this overweight, won't it stunt his growth?" Ethan gently draped my coat over my shoulders. "Don't worry. I take Danny for check-ups every month. The doctor says he's way ahead of his peers, strong as an ox. He’ll definitely hit six feet." "You're so busy, don't stress about Daniel. I'd hate for you to get worn out," he added, his eyes full of care. I met his gaze, smiled faintly, and said nothing. Ethan and I were childhood sweethearts. When his family lost their fortune, I married him without hesitation, ignoring everyone's objections. Twenty-seven years, side-by-side. He knew my every like and dislike. He’d wait in line all day for a slice of cake I loved. He meticulously prepared gifts for every important occasion. He even bravely pushed me out of the way of a speeding car once. If I hadn't come home early that one day and overheard his conversation with Nicole Ryan, his secretary… I would never have imagined, not in a million years, that the man sleeping beside me was plotting to steal my fortune and harm my child. "Auntie Nikki, you're here! I want lots and lots of strawberry cake today! And I wanna watch JOJO!" The door opened, and Daniel bounced up excitedly, half-tumbling, half-crawling towards Nicole. Nicole scooped him up, expertly stuffing a large piece of cream-dripping cake into his mouth. "Eat up, little Danny, eat lots!" Then, Nicole suddenly noticed I was still home. Her smile froze instantly, a flash of panic crossing her face. Before she could speak, Ethan jumped in. "Honey, sometimes it's just too much for me to handle Daniel alone. Besides you, there's no one I trust. So, I asked Nicole to lend a hand occasionally." Nicole quickly put Daniel down, nervously explaining, "Ms. Vance, I promise it doesn't interfere with work. As soon as I help Mr. Cole out, I head straight back to the office." Seeing her pale, pretty face, I couldn't help but remember the day Daniel was born. Nicole had come to visit, held the baby, but in her 'excitement,' she dropped him. If not for the soft mat on the floor cushioning the fall, Daniel might have suffered brain damage. Back then, Nicole’s face had been just as pale. Seeing me silent now, Nicole looked about ready to cry. "Ms. Vance, please don't be upset. I'll head back to the office right now." I chuckled, stopping her. "Don't be silly. I'm too busy with work to manage him properly. If Daniel likes you, I should be thanking you." "How about this: forget the office for now. Starting today, why don't you stay here and help me take care of Daniel?" I paused, seeing the barely concealed excitement and joy flicker in both their eyes. "I know you're highly educated, and being a nanny might feel beneath you. Tell you what, besides your regular salary, I'll add an extra five thousand dollars a month." Nicole’s smile nearly split her face, yet she managed a demure reply. "Ms. Vance, I'm happy to do anything for you. I... I'm just worried I won't be a good enough caregiver for the young master." I squeezed Daniel's chubby arm. "Danny, do you like Auntie Nikki? Do you want her to take care of you?" Daniel nodded vigorously. "Yes, yes, yes! I love Auntie Nikki the most!" As if afraid Daniel might say something revealing, Ethan quickly stuffed another piece of cake into his mouth. "Honey, thank you so much! With Nicole's help, I'm sure Daniel will be even better taken care of." Nicole quickly added her assurances: "Ms. Vance, please rest assured. I'll treat Daniel like my own son, spoil him rotten." Hearing this, Daniel beamed, pulling both of them towards the TV for cartoons. I glanced at the 'family' snuggled on the sofa. A knowing smile touched my lips as I wheeled my suitcase out the door. 2 2 Perhaps thinking I was too consumed by work to ever notice anything amiss with Daniel, Ethan and Nicole grew bolder. Before, Nicole could only sneak time with Ethan when things were slow at the office. Now, with the convenient arrangement of her living under my roof, sparks flew constantly between them. The living room, the kitchen, the balcony, even my bedroom—nearly every corner of that house bore traces of their liaisons. Their carelessness only snapped back into focus when Daniel, whom they'd started to ignore, let out a piercing shriek after being scalded by hot water. Only then did they scramble, pulling on clothes and dialing 911. Daniel spent a month in the hospital. Guilt-ridden, they became even more indulgent, catering to his every whim, feeding him endless fried chicken and cake. They even got him his own smartphone. I timed my return home perfectly one day to find a child, layers of fat jiggling, spewing curses at a game on his phone while sprawled on the sofa. Seeing my disappointed expression, Ethan rushed to placate me. "Honey, don't worry. All kids get hooked on phone games these days. Once he matures a bit, understands things better, he'll naturally grow out of it." I snorted coldly. "My son is not comparable to children from ordinary families. He's supposed to take over my company someday. This behavior is unacceptable!" At this, Nicole produced a pre-prepared video. "Ms. Vance, look, this is research I did. Ninety percent of families struggle with kids playing mobile games. But experts say it actually helps develop their intelligence!" "Look at Danny's progress! He can even do some basic coding himself now!" I glanced at the screen, showing a simple program easily replicated by typing a few letters from a template someone else had clearly made. I nodded with feigned satisfaction. "It seems times really have changed. All I know is how to make money. Educating children… I suppose I'll have to leave that to you two." Seeing my smile, they exchanged a knowing glance, smirking inwardly. They laughed because they thought I was easy to fool. I laughed because they were utter fools. 3 3 Daniel's college entrance exam results came back – a disaster. His scores were abysmal, barely enough to break triple digits if you added them all together. Playing my part, I staged a furious outburst at home. "Daniel! Did you take these exams with your backside? You could score higher just by randomly guessing C on everything!" Daniel, barely five feet tall but weighing nearly two hundred pounds, just kept his head down, engrossed in his game, ignoring me completely. "Mom, chill. We're loaded, right? You can just buy me a degree somewhere." "Besides," he sneered, "only losers need diplomas. I'm gonna be the CEO. Who'd dare look down on me then?" Ethan shot me a look, then turned to Daniel with a pained expression. "Danny! How dare you speak to your mother like that? Apologize! And put the phone away when you're talking to adults, understand?" Seeing Daniel still glued to his screen, I snatched the phone and threw it down the stairs. "Starting today, no more phone. I'm arranging for you to be sent abroad to study properly. Until then, you stay home, grounded. You're not going anywhere." To my surprise, Daniel exploded, shoving me hard. "You old witch! I don't want you controlling me! The first thing I do when I take over the company is lock you up in a mental hospital!" Caught off guard, I stumbled back, hitting the corner of a cabinet sharply. I cried out in pain. Daniel just scoffed, "Stop faking it, Mom. It'd be better if you actually died." With that, he stormed out. Nicole could barely contain her glee, quickly schooling her features into a concerned frown as she chased after him. "Ms. Vance, don't worry, I'll bring Danny back and make him apologize." I stared sadly in the direction Daniel had run, murmuring, "Ethan, how did our sweet boy turn into this?" Ethan looked pained, hesitating before finally speaking. "Honey, it seems Daniel… might be a lost cause. Actually, for years, I've been quietly sponsoring a young man. He just got into Stanford this year. A very promising, good kid." Meeting my questioning gaze, he continued, "He's an orphan. Why don't we adopt him as our son? Let him manage the company for Daniel in the future. That way, your years of hard work won't go to waste." Seeing the nervous anticipation on Ethan's face, I pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded. "Alright. Maybe having some competition will give Daniel a sense of urgency, motivate him to shape up." Mason Cole was soon brought before me and formally adopted, becoming Mason Vance. He was indeed brilliant, hardworking, and crucially, knew how to be respectful and navigate social situations. During his four years at Stanford, I diligently mentored him, familiarizing him with the company's operations. Daniel, on the other hand, refused to repeat his exams or go abroad. He fell in with a rough crowd, spending his days drinking, fighting, and causing trouble. Eventually, I stopped even answering the frequent calls from the police station asking me to bail him out. I left all matters concerning Daniel for Ethan to handle. I focused instead on preparing a graduation gift for Mason. Ethan massaged my shoulders, his voice full of sympathy. "Honey, you've worked so hard all these years. Thankfully, Mason is about to graduate. He'll be able to help you soon." I leaned back tiredly in my chair. "Yes, finally. I can take a proper rest." Ethan’s smile was strange, hinting at something more. "Yes, soon. Our family of three can finally, truly rest." 4 4 On the day of Mason's graduation from Stanford, Ethan dressed sharply and insisted I accompany him to celebrate. As we were leaving, Nicole fussed over us, repeatedly reminding Ethan, "Make sure to take lots of pictures for me!" Then, dabbing at non-existent tears, she explained to me, "I just want to see what a university graduation looks like… hoping one day our Danny will have such a proud moment too." I frowned, annoyed. "Is Daniel out carousing again?" "Nicole, find him and bring him back. Tell him he's grounded, confined to his room to think about his actions." Later, as Mason stood on stage delivering his valedictorian speech, Ethan suddenly thrust his phone in front of me, trembling. "Honey, bad news! Daniel got into a fight, he's been stabbed! They're rushing him to the hospital now, we need to go!" I looked at the photo – a blurry image of an obese figure, a bloody mess. Disgust churned in my stomach. I placed a hand on Ethan’s arm, stopping him from rising. "Hmph. It's probably just another scheme cooked up with his lowlife friends to scam money out of us. Ignore him." "Mason's speech is quite impressive," I added coolly. "He has my flair from back in the day." Ethan gave me a suspicious look, but seeing only genuine disdain for Daniel and admiration for Mason in my eyes, he seemed reassured and started clapping along with the audience. By the time Mason, Ethan, and I arrived home, laughing and talking, Daniel had been reduced to an urn of ashes on the coffee table. Nicole was sobbing uncontrollably. "Ms. Vance! Danny… he didn't make it through surgery. He's gone!" "After he died," she wailed, "those thugs were threatening to desecrate his body! I had no choice, I was so scared, I had him cremated immediately!" Mason quickly steadied me as I pretended to swoon. Trembling, I asked, "How could this happen? What kind of trouble did he get into?" Nicole cried, "The police said he was trying to stage a fight to scam money from home, but they argued over the split, and things got violent… and then… then this happened." I feigned fury, pointing at the urn. "Idiot! He was always an idiot!" Ethan looked at me with 'concern'. "Honey, please don't let this degenerate upset you so much. It's not worth your health." "Daniel was ungrateful! I'll feed his ashes to the fish right now to vent your anger!" Seeing my cold indifference, my lack of objection, Nicole lunged forward as if to stop him. But somehow, perhaps intentionally, she stumbled as she got up, shoving Ethan hard from behind. Ethan lost his balance. The lid of the urn popped open, and the ashes scattered entirely into the large fish tank. The fish swarmed eagerly. Nicole, a manic glint of triumph in her eyes, turned to me. "Honey, are you satisfied now?" My gaze swept over Ethan, Nicole, and Mason, my eyes dark and deep. "Watching the son I despised being fed to the fish? Naturally, I'm extremely satisfied." I sank onto the sofa, feigning weakness. "Mason, Mom only has you now. Thank goodness you're so capable." "Mom is tired. I've decided… I'm transferring all my company shares to you, right now." Nicole covered her face, seemingly overwhelmed, and ran out. I ignored her, forcing myself to contact my legal team, instructing them to expedite the share transfer process. After the share transfer meeting concluded, while people were still lingering, Nicole made a grand entrance, dressed in a designer gown. Amidst the confused and surprised murmurs, she held up a paternity test report and announced loudly to me: "Seraphina Vance! Mason is actually Ethan's and my biological son! You've kept them apart for so many years. Now, it's time you returned him to me!" The room erupted in gasps and whispers. "Isn't that Nicole Ryan? Ms. Vance valued her so much years ago, even moved her into her home… Talk about letting a wolf into the sheepfold!" "Showing up now to claim the son? It's obviously about Ms. Vance's money!" Amidst the condemnations, Ethan wrapped an arm around Nicole, speaking defiantly. "Most of you here are men. Ask yourselves honestly, could you accept your wife being away on business constantly, never home to take care of you?" "For years, it's just been me, Nicole, and the boy in that house. We were already a family." I remained silent, merely looking towards Mason who stood nearby. He walked over to stand beside Ethan and Nicole, then addressed me calmly. "Mom, if you just sign the divorce papers and let our family finally be together, I promise I'll take care of you in the future." "How about… you stay on as our housekeeper?" His words ignited outrage among the onlookers. "What kind of disgusting people are these? Ungrateful snakes! She just transferred billions to him, and he immediately turns around and insults her, offering her a job as a maid?" "I can't watch this! Ms. Vance, don't be afraid! We old-timers support you! Without us, Mason won't find it easy to establish himself in this company!" People were defending me, indignant on my behalf, yet Ethan and Nicole looked calm, almost smug. As if they could handle any fallout. However, amidst the rising anger of the crowd, I offered a gentle smile. "Fine. I'll sign." Then, under everyone's astonished gaze, I signed the divorce agreement. The trio – Ethan, Nicole, and Mason – looked at each other, eyebrows raised in disbelief, seemingly shocked I'd agreed so readily. They carefully inspected the documents, and confirming everything was in order, they smiled, relieved. Seeing their triumphant, smug expressions, the look of having won it all. I smiled too. "It's rude not to return a gift. And I have a rather significant one for you."
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