Chapter 1

Because I couldn't give birth to an heir to his family, my ex-husband dumped me for his secretary.

My ex-mother-in-law handed me 100 million dollars as severance, telling me to disappear with dignity. "Fiona gave birth to a chubby baby boy. Don't be an eyesore here anymore."

I took the money without a word and left, heading straight for a new life abroad.

Back then, no one knew I'd just found out I was pregnant. The doctor said I was expecting quadruplets and asked me to think it over. I didn't hesitate and decided to have them.

Two years later, I saw my ex-husband's wedding livestream. The bride was still that secretary, Fiona Lane.

I sent a special gift to the wedding: four paternity test reports and photos of the quadruplets.

My ex-husband's hands were shaking as he held the test results.

The whole wedding was in chaos.

*****

The cold check drifted down onto the gleaming marble floor. It landed like a leaf tossed aside.

Margaret Grant, my ex-mother-in-law, glared at me as if I were nothing but trash.

Her voice was as sharp as ever, laced with undisguised contempt. "100 million dollars. That's what the Grant family is paying to buy out your youth these past few years. We've been more than fair to you.

"Take the money and disappear. The farther, the better. Fiona gave birth to a chubby baby boy. There is no place for you here anymore. Stop being an eyesore."

I lowered my gaze, staring at that thin check lying on the floor.

All my years of marriage and heartfelt devotion amounted to 100 million dollars. It was a number to put a price on me and then kick me out.

The crystal chandelier in the living room cast a cold light, falling on the man beside me. James Grant, my ex-husband, was hunched over his phone, completely absorbed. His profile looked so aloof in the light.

I could almost picture it. On the other end of that screen, Fiona, his secretary, was holding their newborn son, trying to show off and take credit from him.

James didn't spare me a glance. From the moment Margaret started talking, his eyes never once landed on me.

He treated me as if I were air or something to be swept away. All those years of love, promises, and vows were nothing but a joke.

They blamed me for not giving birth to an heir to their family.

My heart had already broken after countless days of hope and disappointment. Now, even the last trace of warmth was drained away.

I slowly bent down and picked up the check. My fingertips brushed the cold paper. It felt unreal.

I straightened up and calmly looked at the divorce papers they'd prepared.

The document was laid out on the coffee table, with an expensive pen beside it. They'd thought of everything.

I didn't say a word, demand answers, cry, or make a scene. I only walked over, grabbed the pen, and signed my name, Olivia Lane, on the last page. My signature was unusually steady.

After signing, I put the pen back, folded the 100-million-dollar check, and slipped it into my pocket.

Then I turned and walked toward the suitcase by the door. The maid had packed it long before. The whole time, I didn't make a single extra sound. I was silent as a puppet, going through the motions of my final act.

It wasn't until I grabbed my suitcase and opened the heavy front door that James finally looked up.

His voice came from behind me, laced with impatience and a hint of favor. "Do you need me to have the driver take you?"

I didn't turn around. "No need."

My voice was soft, but it rang out clearly. "Mr. Grant, I wish the three of you a happy life together."

The door closed behind me, shutting out the place I used to call home.

*****

Outside, it had started to rain. The cold rain, carried by the wind, lashed at my face.

I dragged my suitcase down the empty street. The rain blurred my vision, washing away the last bit of my pathetic dignity.

The whole world seemed swallowed by the downpour, so heavy it was suffocating.

I'd been abandoned by my husband, his family, and the love I once thought I could spend my life with.

A sharp, colic pain shot through my belly. My legs gave out, and I collapsed forward, unable to stop myself.

Before everything went black, there was only one thought in my mind. Maybe this was for the best. It was all over.

*****

I woke up to a blinding white light. The smell of disinfectant filled my nose. A lady doctor in a white coat was standing at my bedside, reading a report.

When she saw me wake up, she said with a complicated expression, "Ms. Lane, you're awake. You fainted because your blood sugar was low and your emotions were all over the place."

I tried to sit up, gripping the edge of the bed, but another sharp cramp twisted through my stomach.

The doctor quickly reached out to steady me. "Don't move. You're not alone anymore."

I froze. "What do you mean?"