On Valentine's Day, Tiana Morgan knelt at The Potala Palace for a day and a night, the three thousand steps stained with blood from her knees.

This was all because her husband, Nathaniel Gray, and her son, Timothy Gray, weren't feeling well. They had playfully begged her to come here and pray for them, so they would get better.

After she was done, Tiana rushed to catch a red-eye flight home. On the way, she got a text from an unknown number: [Your husband is getting married to his stepsister, and your son is the ring bearer.]

Tiana, of course, didn't believe the ridiculous prank. She replied: [Impossible. My husband and son love me very much.]

But in the estate, the scene that greeted her was Nathaniel—in a suit, not a sickbed—sliding a ring onto the finger of his stepsister, clad in her wedding gown.

Her own son was holding flowers and clapping, "Aunt Cecilia Hayes, you're going to be my mommy now!

I finally don't have to sleep with that petty woman anymore!"

Tiana felt like she'd been struck by lightning. The lucky dip in her hand fell to the ground.

"You said you could take me away, make me disappear, if I was willing. Now, I'm willing to go with you."

"Tiana, you can't go back on your word. Are you sure you don't want your husband Nathaniel and your son anymore?"

"Yes, I don't want them anymore."

Tiana hung up the phone. Not far away, Nathaniel and Cecilia were just finishing a long, passionate French kiss.

Seeing the scene in front of her, Tiana's first instinct was to hide.

So she frantically ducked behind a nearby wall of roses, digging her nails into the flesh between her thumb and forefinger.

So, while she was nearly destroying her knees praying for the well-being of the man she loved and her son, they were behind her back, holding a grand wedding with Cecilia.

The whole "not feeling well" thing was just an excuse. They were playing her for a fool.

Most of the guests around were Nathaniel's good friends. Thunderous applause erupted.

"Our boy Nathaniel is so devoted. After being separated from Cecilia for seven or eight years, they can have a reconciliation after a breakup. I'm so moved I'm crying."

"Tell me about it. He and Cecilia aren't even blood-related. It’s so unfair they had to be forced apart. My heart breaks for poor Cecilia. It's a good thing Nathaniel was willing to get rid of Tiana for her, throw a wedding, on Valentine's Day no less. So romantic!"

"Yeah, even though Nathaniel doted on Tiana, Tiana could never replace Cecilia. Besides, she's so cheap and her face is ruined. Her own husband and son despise her, but she still clings to him. She's such a schemer!"

Tiana heard every single word clearly, and the blood in her veins felt like it had turned to ice.

The wedding march played on a loop. Nathaniel was holding a tearful Cecilia, his eyes filled with a tenderness Tiana had never seen before.

"Cecilia, it's been eight years. I've finally made my dream a reality, having a dreamy, romantic wedding with you."

Cecilia choked up, burying her face in his shoulder and sobbing, "I never thought I'd be able to be with you again in this lifetime, Nathaniel. I can forget all the suffering I went through in the past."

Nathaniel's eyes filled with heartache for her. "Don't worry. From now on, I'll protect you. I'll protect you for the rest of my life."

Timothy grinned and hugged Cecilia's leg. "Aunt Cecilia, can I call you Mommy now?

You're married to Daddy now."

The woman smiled gently. "Of course, but remember to keep it a secret from your mom. You can't let her know, or I might get kicked out."

Timothy's eyes turned fierce. "Hmph, if she dares to bully you, I'll make her pay. I'll send her to a mental hospital!"

Two streams of tears ran down Tiana's face. She couldn't believe that the son she had raised with her own hands would want to send his own mother to a mental hospital for Cecilia.

Nathaniel held the microphone and instructed the crowd, "I hope you can all keep this a secret from Tiana for me. She's always been petty and holds a grudge, and I'm afraid she'll do something to hurt Cecilia."

"Don't worry, Nathaniel. We all support you and Cecilia!

Our lips are sealed!"

Cecilia looked at him apologetically. "Tiana will definitely come after me if she finds out."

Nathaniel comforted the woman, "I'm the one who's wronged you, only being able to give you a wedding but not put your name on my marriage certificate. I'll protect you. Tiana won't dare to do anything to you."

"That's right! Dad and I will be Cecilia's knights. We won't let anyone make you sad!"

After that, a crowd surrounded the new couple, entered the manor's hall, and began the opening dance.

Tiana's limbs felt weak, and she collapsed onto the lawn.

The man she first met was lost, dependent on alcohol and tobacco, battling suicidal urges that nearly drove him into the river on numerous occasions.

Tiana took him to a therapist, stayed with him through two years of treatment, and took care of his every need, finally bringing some life back into him.

She also knew Nathaniel had someone else in his heart, so once her job was done, she left without saying goodbye.

Nathaniel searched the world for her, even kneeling outside the inn where she was staying for three days and three nights, begging her to be with him.

He confessed with deep emotion, "Tiana, you gave me a second chance at life. Let's get married."

Tiana was moved by his sincerity, believing he would love her unconditionally.

They were married for six years, their love unwavering, and they even had a son, Timothy.

Tiana never expected that after Cecilia returned, Nathaniel, who acted indifferent on the surface, had actually already given his heart to his first love.

Even her own son wanted Cecilia to be his mother instead.

Her deep love seemed to have become a joke, or perhaps like disgusting kitchen scraps everyone throws away.

Tiana's eyes were too dry to cry. She looked at the sky full of pink heart-shaped balloons with a bitter smile. Nathaniel's brazen romance for Cecilia sent a chill of sorrow through her heart.

Fortunately, in five days, she would disappear completely from this city and no longer be an eyesore to this father and son.

Chapter 2

Tiana was about to go home when someone called out to her.

"You, go run a bath for the madam. After she's done, she has her wedding night with the young master. Don't mess it up!"

The speaker was a servant at the manor who mistook Tiana for a new hire.

Tiana had come from the highlands, and the weather had chapped her face. To avoid being seen, she had bundled herself up tightly, so no one recognized her as Nathaniel's wife.

She wanted to refuse, but the person was already muttering and cursing as they pushed her up to the second floor.

Tiana looked at the candid photos of Cecilia posted all along the way, and everywhere she looked were the camellias that Cecilia loved. Only then did she realize that Nathaniel knew how to love someone far better than she had ever imagined.

This wedding was so well-planned that no woman wouldn't be envious.

In the bathroom, she mechanically ran the hot water. Tears streamed down her face as she thought of the big red wedding bed just outside the door.

On the huge wedding portrait, Nathaniel and Cecilia were locked in a passionate kiss.

Come to think of it, while she was violently ill from altitude sickness, her husband was taking wedding photos with his stepsister.

While she was praying for her husband's lifelong happiness, he was smiling and writing cheesy, heartfelt wedding vows for another woman.

Just then, Nathaniel burst through the door carrying Cecilia. They couldn't even wait to get to the bed, starting to French kiss right there in the entryway, frantically tearing at each other's clothes.

Hearing the wet, suggestive sounds, Tiana's hand holding the showerhead trembled.

Nathaniel's voice was deep, laced with desire: "Cecilia, I've waited so long for this day."

But Cecilia sounded a little dejected: "But you still married Tiana and had a child with her. I'm not blaming you, I'm just a little sad that our first time wasn't with each other."

The man laughed, his voice soft and tender: "You know, I missed you so much back then. Tiana just happened to show up. She's not as pretty as you, not as charming, and her voice isn't as sweet. But she was good to me and never complained, so I figured I had nothing to lose by giving her a shot."

"And our first time... it wasn't gentle. I was drunk. I pretended she was you.

You're irreplaceable to me."

Cecilia's face lit up, and she pulled the man in for a kiss.

Tiana watched their entangled silhouettes through the frosted glass, her heart twisting in agony.

She gave a bitter, silent laugh. Back then, Nathaniel had treated her like a precious treasure. He'd called her the lover he couldn't resist, his saving angel.

But now, in front of Cecilia, she was just some shameless fool who'd thrown herself at him.

Their first time, he'd turned off the lights. His movements were so gentle, yet felt like a caged animal unleashing its desire. His hot breath ghosted over her ear as he whispered, "I love you so much. I want to have you for the rest of my life."

Only now did Tiana realize that all along, he'd been thinking of Cecilia, who was overseas.

Tiana wiped her tears, walked out with her head bowed, and said in a hushed voice, "Mr. Gray, the bath is ready. I'll be going now."

She couldn't bear to watch them get into bed.

By now, they were both down to their last scraps of clothing.

Nathaniel's voice was stern. "You have no manners. From now on, you will address Cecilia as Mrs. Gray."

Tiana flinched. She closed her eyes and, as if accepting her fate, said, "Yes, Mr. Gray. Mrs. Gray. Congratulations on your marriage."

Cecilia giggled, draping herself seductively over the bridal trousseau. "Nathaniel, don't be so harsh. In a way, she's a witness to our wedding night. You should give her a tip."

Standing to the side, Tiana was in utter agony. Nathaniel casually tossed a wristwatch at her.

"Take this and leave. And from now on, serve Mrs. Gray properly."

Cecilia cried out, "Isn't that the gift Tiana designed for you herself?

And you just gave it away to the help like that?"

The man laughed. "It's a celebration. It's fine to give the staff something valuable. I'll just tell her I lost it later. Tiana won't make a fuss.

She's always giving me all sorts of junk. I can't be expected to treasure every little thing, can I?"

Tiana clutched the watch in her hand, her heart completely shattered, and ran out of the room.

For their second Valentine's Day together, she spent three months with a watchmaker, designing and creating this unique watch for Nathaniel.

After Nathaniel got it, he wore it everywhere. He even pinned a picture of it to his moments. His friends teased him for being so cheesy, but he loved it.

But now, on Valentine's Day, he'd tossed the watch to her like he was tipping a servant, and slept with another woman.

Tiana walked down the street, completely devastated, and threw the watch into a trash can on the curb.

She threw away her naive, foolish self along with it.

Chapter 3

When Tiana got home, she was soaked from the storm and burning up with a fever.

Timothy was in the living room playing video games on the new console Cecilia had bought him.

"Why are you back so soon?"

Her son looked annoyed. He wasn't worried about her; he was just surprised she was back early, afraid she might interrupt his dad and his new mom on their wedding night.

Tiana replied in a daze, "Yeah, I just got back. I'm going to my room to rest."

Timothy was a little surprised. His mom never let him play games this late, but today she didn't even take his console away.

So he got even more comfortable on the floor, getting right back into his game.

Tiana put the two lucky bags on the coffee table and headed upstairs.

"You went all that way and only brought back this? Is this supposed to make me and Dad better?

It looks cheap. Not as good as the whole gaming system Aunt Cecilia bought me."

Even though Timothy's voice was quiet, Tiana still heard him.

This time, she didn't say anything back. She just got into bed and pulled the covers over her cold body.

She had nightmares all night. Tiana almost thought she wasn't going to wake up.

She opened her eyes to see Nathaniel's handsome, worried face hovering over her. "Honey, you're finally awake. You scared me to death."

"Why did you come back from the highlands so early? You didn't even call me to pick you up. And now look at you, with a 104-degree fever. My knees went weak when I heard."

Hearing his concerned words, Tiana only felt the irony.

Now, she could see past Nathaniel's fake mask to the rotten person underneath.

Her voice was calm, without a ripple of emotion. "I thought I'd be fine after some sleep. It's nothing serious."

"Nothing serious? If something happened to you, what would our son and I do?"

"I'll take good care of you for the next few days. Don't even think about getting out of bed."

His tone was a mix of doting and gentle scolding, making it impossible to tell if he was sincere.

A lucky bag dropped from his hand. "I saw this on the coffee table. You got it for me and our son, right?

I heard these are the most powerful kind of lucky bag, but also the hardest to get. You went through a lot for this. I love you."

"I'll make our son carry his everywhere he goes, and I'll do the same. We'll never lose them. This is a piece of your heart."

Tiana asked coldly, "Where's the watch I gave you?"

Nathaniel was caught off guard, but he lied without missing a beat, "It's at the office. I had my secretary keep it safe for me."

Tiana's long lashes fluttered. She didn't probe any further. Asking a question when you already knew the answer was just stupid.

The man lowered his head to kiss her forehead. Tiana turned her head away in disgust, the image of Nathaniel kissing Cecilia that day flashing in her mind.

Nathaniel kissed empty air, stunned for a moment.

"What's wrong? Are you not feeling well? I'll call a doctor for you."

Tiana answered calmly, "I'm fine, just a little dizzy. I want to go to sleep."

She closed her eyes, clearly not wanting to talk anymore.

Nathaniel just assumed she was sick and didn't think anything more of it.

Then, the phone rang. It was his son's voice on the other end: "Dad, Mom fainted! You have to come quick!"

"What happened!

I'm coming right now, tell Mom not to be scared!"

Nathaniel took off running, not realizing Tiana had heard every single word of their conversation.

Chapter 4

In the afternoon, Tiana got out of bed to check out of the hospital.

The doctor, however, gave her some completely unexpected news.

"Ms. Morgan, you're over three weeks pregnant. I recommend you stay in the hospital for a few more days to rest, especially since there are signs of a threatened miscarriage."

Tiana held the report in a daze, unable to believe she'd found out she was pregnant at a time like this.

As she reached the corner, she heard a familiar voice.

"Mommy Cecilia, you're having a baby, right?

That's great! I'm going to be the most loving big brother to my little brother or sister!"

"Dad, are you so happy you're acting silly!"

Cecilia gently pinched Nathaniel's cheek. "Did you hear that?

The doctor said you're going to be a father."

Nathaniel's eyes reddened, and he quickly pulled Cecilia into his arms.

"Cecilia, I love you. Thank you for carrying our child. I will love you both with everything I have."

The report in Tiana's hand slowly drifted to the floor.

She and Cecilia were pregnant at the same time. How ridiculous.

Perhaps she didn't need to ask Nathaniel's opinion at all. She couldn't keep this child.

She was even more afraid that the child, like Timothy, would hate her and only want another woman to be their mother.

Tiana turned back the way she came and scheduled the procedure with the doctor for a few days later.

That evening, Nathaniel finally came home, his face covered in sweat.

He knelt on one knee, taking Tiana's cold hand. "I had to handle something urgent at the office. When I went back to the hospital, I found you'd already checked out. I rushed straight home. Your cold isn't completely gone yet. Don't make me worry, okay?"

Tiana stared blankly at the floor. "I'm mostly better. It was uncomfortable at the hospital, so I came back."

Nathaniel's unease lessened slightly, but he still asked tentatively, "Did something happen on your way home?

You've seemed down lately."

"No, you're overthinking it."

Nathaniel wanted to say more, but Tiana was already absorbed in her phone.

"Honey, let me make you a pot of Broccoli Cheddar Soup. You probably don't have much of an appetite with your cold, so this will be perfect."

So the man rolled up his sleeves and went into the kitchen, skillfully prepping the ingredients and turning on the stove.

Tiana remembered when Nathaniel used to only drink wine and not eat. She would try all sorts of different recipes to make him food, and this soup was one of them.

Nathaniel loved it and even pestered her to teach him how to make it. After he learned, he would make it for her whenever he had time.

Tiana used to think they could stay in love like this until they were a hundred.

The resignation letter was sent from her phone as Timothy led a "reluctant" Cecilia into the house.

"Timothy, don't do this. Your mother is sick, and it's right for your father to take care of her. I can't be here, your mother will be upset."

"Why should she be upset?

I want you here, so you can be here. Dad and I will protect you, she won't dare to kick you out!"

Normally, Cecilia wouldn't dare to show up so openly at Tiana and Nathaniel's place.

This time, her confidence came from the baby in her belly.

Timothy had Cecilia sit on the sofa, then stuck his tongue out at Tiana defiantly. "I want Aunt Cecilia to play with me, you're not allowed to make her leave!"

He was full of fighting spirit, like a knight protecting someone he cared about.

Cecilia smiled ambiguously. "I'm sorry, Tiana. I'll just stay with Timothy for a little while and leave soon. I wouldn't want to spoil the kid's fun."

Tiana retorted bluntly, "If you really didn't want to come, how could you not pull your hand away from my son?

Cecilia, you've been waiting for this day for a long time, haven't you?

You're not tired of pretending, but I'm tired of watching."

Cecilia didn't expect Tiana to be so direct and was left speechless.

Then, she leaned back lazily. "Tiana, the bathwater was just right. We even enjoyed a long lovers' bath afterward."

Tiana's smile froze on her lips as she realized Cecilia knew she was the maid on the wedding night, and had deliberately made Nathaniel tip her to humiliate her.

Nathaniel came out with the soup, saw the tense situation, and immediately defended Cecilia.

"Honey, our son likes Cecilia, that's why she came over to play with him. Don't overthink it."

"Besides, Cecilia also wanted to see if you've recovered from your cold and to talk with you."

Tiana wasn't interested in his clumsy attempt to cover things up and turned to go upstairs. "It's fine. You two do as you please. I need to rest."

Nathaniel paid no more attention to her mood; all his focus was on Cecilia.

The sounds of laughter from downstairs drifted up, and Tiana stared blankly into the distance, calculating the time of her departure.

Chapter 5

The next day, Tiana arrived at the office.

The HR manager looked at her, hesitating to speak. "Director Morgan, are you sure you want to resign?

The president doesn't know about this yet. He didn't look closely when he signed it. I can still—"

"It's fine. I want to resign. As long as he signed it, that's all that matters."

After that, she handed over her work and started packing up her things in the office.

The office was filled with small gifts from Nathaniel: matching couple's mugs, a soft back cushion, a keyboard in a matching couple's color, and their family portrait...

The happy memories slowly turned to dust.

The HR manager rushed over, face full of anxiety, and stammered, "Director Morgan, quick, look at the company's official website! Something's happened..."

Tiana opened the company's website. An article about Cecilia's nude photo scandal was pinned to the top.

In the photos, Cecilia was disheveled, being held down and forced to drink by a group of people. They were punching and kicking her, tearing at her clothes.

Below that was a video, all showing scenes of Cecilia being bullied and humiliated.

"Who released these photos?"

This was clearly what Cecilia had gone through while living abroad.

She would never do something like this herself.

Tiana was about to move when Nathaniel rushed over with a sobbing Cecilia.

The first thing he said upon seeing her was a pained accusation, "Tiana, you did this, didn't you?"

Tiana felt the blood drain from her face and struggled to speak, "Nathaniel, you suspect I did this?"

His gaze was like a sharp blade, cutting into her aching heart.

"You just came to the office today, and this happened. Tiana, how am I supposed to believe you?"

He had someone bring over a security video, which showed her going to see her assistant, Holly Lynn.

Tiana explained, "I was just giving Holly some follow-up work instructions."

Right after, Holly walked in with her head down and faced Nathaniel, "Director Tiana came to me and told me to release these photos and videos, saying she wanted to make Cecilia a trollop everyone would condemn."

Tiana shouted, "Holly, I never told you to do such a thing!"

She couldn't believe that the person she trusted most at the company had betrayed her.

Nathaniel grabbed the family portrait from the desk and smashed it on the floor.

He was fuming, "Tiana, you're both women, how could you be so ruthless to Cecilia!

You know my biggest regret is her living abroad, that I wasn't there to save her from hell when she was being bullied!"

"And now, you've ruined her again!"

Cecilia was crying so hard she was about to faint, collapsing into Nathaniel's arms.

"Nathaniel, I'm clean, I didn't let those men touch me, but now, the whole country will think I was assaulted. How can I go on living..."

"Tiana, why do you hate me so much? I can barely go on. Are you satisfied now?"

Tiana looked at the obvious trap set for her and gave a bitter smile.

In Nathaniel's eyes, her innocence was worthless compared to Cecilia's tears.

Just then, Timothy ran in furiously, righteously accusing her, "Why are you so mean!

Why did you post Aunt Cecilia's pictures!

You're a bad woman!"

"You bullied Aunt Cecilia, and you have to face the consequences!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Timothy grabbed a vase from the table and smashed it directly on Tiana's head.

"I want you to apologize to Aunt Cecilia!"

Tiana couldn't dodge in time and was hit squarely on the forehead by the vase. Blinding blood streamed down past her eyes.

"Director Tiana!"

The manager watched in shock but didn't dare to go forward and check on her.

Nathaniel was also stunned for a moment, but thinking of the innocent Cecilia in his arms, his eyes turned cold again.

This was what Tiana deserved. He couldn't be soft. He had to make her learn her lesson.

"Apologize. You owe Cecilia a sincere apology."

Tiana felt dizzy. The moment before she collapsed, she saw Nathaniel's triumphant sneer, as if she got what she deserved, and her son looking up obediently at Cecilia, waiting to be praised for sacrificing family for justice.

Chapter 6

Tiana woke up in darkness.

The blood on her forehead had dried. It seemed someone had sloppily bandaged it as an afterthought.

Nathaniel's voice came from outside the door.

"Cecilia, you've been wronged. I didn't expect Tiana to treat you this way, leaking your photos. But she's still my wife, I can't just send her to prison."

"So you're just going to starve her for a few days as punishment?

I'm fine, really. I'm so used to being bullied, I'm almost immune to it."

"Nonsense. No one is going to bully you again, not even Tiana."

Timothy started scheming, "How about we lock her up from now on? Chain her up?

That'll stop her from hurting people."

Tiana's heart went cold. She stared blankly at the ceiling. Her own son wanted to chain her up, and his words felt like a knife twisting in her flesh.

Nathaniel scolded him sternly, "Timothy, that's your mother. What are you talking about?"

Then, he turned and gently soothed Cecilia, "If Tiana still doesn't behave, I'll send her to a vacant apartment outside the city and have someone watch her, so you can have the baby in peace."

"To keep her from running away, I'll have a doctor give her injections to make her sleep most of the time. That way, she can't get out and hurt anyone."

Cecilia was deeply moved. "Okay, thank you, honey."

Timothy clapped his hands. "Great! That way I won't have to see her every day. Yay!"

And so, Tiana became a walking corpse. After days without food or water, she could barely stand.

Nathaniel put her in the car. Cecilia sat in the passenger seat as they drove out of the city.

The man's voice was cold. "Tiana, when you've reflected on what you've done, I'll come bring you home. You went too far this time. Cecilia isn't pressing charges, so you should be grateful."

Tiana paid him no mind, her eyes closed as she slept.

Cecilia said with false sympathy, "Tiana, we'll come visit you often."

Nathaniel laughed. "Tiana, you should learn from Cecilia and be more forgiving."

"Hah, Nathaniel, you two make me sick."

As she spoke, a large truck came hurtling toward them. The man didn't have time to react and desperately spun the steering wheel.

A second before the crash, he threw himself over to shield Cecilia without a second thought.

A deafening roar filled her ears as the car flipped onto its side. Tiana felt a sharp pain in her lower abdomen, sensing her life quietly slipping away.

Passersby stopped to stare, and the wail of an ambulance siren filled the air.

In a daze, she saw Nathaniel holding an unconscious Cecilia, screaming for help.

"Help my wife! She's pregnant!"

Soon, all three of them were loaded into the ambulance. The entire way, Nathaniel never once looked at Tiana.

At the hospital, a nurse's voice reached Tiana's ears, "There's only one operating room available. Who do we save first?"

Nathaniel yelled, "My wife! She's pregnant!"

The nurse shouted again, "The other injured woman is also pregnant! What do we do?"

Nathaniel's head snapped toward the pale-faced Tiana. Only then did he realize she was pregnant too.

After thinking for less than a second, he rushed into the only operating room holding Cecilia. "Save her first! We'll deal with the rest later!"

Tiana watched helplessly as the operating room doors closed, leaving her with the final, resolute image of Nathaniel's back.

She weakly closed her eyes. She didn't know how much time had passed before she was finally wheeled away.

When she woke up again, the doctor told her the baby was gone.

She felt neither sad nor happy, insisted on getting out of bed, and wanted to leave the hospital.

Passing a room, she saw Nathaniel carefully wiping Cecilia's body.

Timothy held Cecilia's hand, crying out, "Cecilia, please wake up soon."

After one last look, she took the elevator downstairs.

Tiana made a call, "I'm ready. Come and get me."

Half an hour later, she got into a limited-edition stretch Lincoln and disappeared from the hospital entrance.

Tiana would never appear in Nathaniel and Timothy's world again.

That night, Nathaniel was smoking in the lounge when he got a call.

"Mr. Gray, we're from the Aurora Capital Police Department. This afternoon, your wife, Tiana, drove her car into the river. We haven't recovered the body yet. Can you come to the scene?"

At the same time, a doctor with a serious expression pushed the door open. "Mr. Gray, Tiana is your wife, right?

She was just in a car accident and lost her baby. How could she just check herself out?

Get her back to the hospital to rest. Otherwise, if she damages her body permanently, she might never be able to get pregnant again."

The cigarette in Nathaniel's hand dropped, and his mind went blank with a roar.