Chapter 4

My kids were growing up so fast.

Adam, the oldest, was calm and quiet, always acting like a mature adult.

Peter, my second son, was naughty and active, causing trouble wherever he went at home.

Leo, the third child, was a boy who loved smiling. His eyes crinkled up, and he was very adorable.

Nina, my little girl, was the apple of everyone's eye. She was delicate and sweet, like an angel.

I gave them the last name Grant. It was not for James, but to remind myself where it all started.

I couldn't erase the pain, but I was going to use it to push myself forward. While raising the kids, I never stopped working on myself.

I studied design in college and then picked up finance for James.

The professional knowledge I'd left behind for years finally came in handy again, thanks to Ryan's advice.

I opened a small online shop selling my own designs. I handled everything myself, from picking products to designing and running the shop.

I poured all my love for my kids and my passion for life into every piece I made.

With my unique aesthetics and honest business practices, my little shop slowly built up a reputation, and business kept getting better.

A year went by. The kids could already mumble "Mommy." My business had grown from a tiny online shop into a studio with its own team.

I looked in the mirror and saw a woman with bright eyes and confidence, nothing like the broken, hollow shell I was a year ago.

I'd made it on my own, standing independent, both financially and mentally.

This down-to-earth sense of fulfillment was something I'd never experienced as a housewife in the Grant family. My new life was just beginning.

James's POV

Back home, the Grant family was throwing an extravagant first birthday party for their only heir, Tyler.

The ballroom was packed with socialites, wine glasses clinking and laughter filling the air.

Margaret was holding Tyler, who was dressed in a tiny suit. She was grinning from ear to ear.

She showed off her precious grandson to every guest who came to congratulate them. "Look at Tyler. He is so good-looking. His eyes and brows are very much like James's when he was a kid."

James stood off to the side, holding a glass of wine, making small talk with the guests. He watched Tyler, who was surrounded by the crowd, but an indescribable, strange feeling stirred in his heart.

He thought Tyler didn't look like him at all. He'd had this idea more than once.

But every time, Margaret would shut him down. "What's wrong if the little kid looks like his mom?

"Fiona is young and beautiful. If Tyler takes after her, he'll be a handsome guy when he grows up.

"Don't be paranoid. We finally have an heir. What else do you want?"

Margaret treated Tyler with the utmost care, as if he were a priceless treasure.

Thanks to Tyler, Fiona's status in the Grant family skyrocketed, and she was as secure as ever.

James glanced at Fiona, who was smiling sweetly beside him, holding Tyler and happily accepting everyone's blessings.

He should feel satisfied. He had a successful career, a beautiful wife, and an heir. This should be the perfect life he'd always dreamed of.

Yet for some reason, late at night when everything went quiet, he couldn't stop thinking about someone else.

It was that clean-featured, gentle face that always wore a faint smile. It was Olivia, the ex-wife he'd cast aside himself.

James wondered where she was and how she was doing. The thought flashed through his mind, but he quickly forced it away.

He believed he shouldn't bother thinking about a woman who couldn't give birth to an heir to his family.

After the first birthday party, Fiona cuddled up in his arms, her voice sweet and a little pushy. "James, Tyler is already one. When are we finally going to have our wedding?

"I want Tyler to have a real family, and I want to be by your side as your wife."

James looked at her eager face, paused for a moment, and nodded. "Alright, I'll take care of it."

It would make the company look good and keep the Grant family business strong. That was what he told himself.

The wedding preparations were nothing short of extravagant.

Fiona wanted a wedding of the century that the whole world would watch, and James made it happen.

He wanted this grand ceremony to show everyone that Fiona was the only recognized lady of the Grant family.

And with this, he wanted to wipe out every trace Olivia left behind.

During the wedding dress fitting, James looked at Fiona in the mirror, dressed in white, and for a moment, he was dazed.

James could almost see Olivia, years ago, the first time she wore a wedding dress for him. Back then, her eyes were full of shy love and dreams for the future. His heart gave a sudden, sharp pang.

Margaret noticed his distraction, her face cold as she warned him. "James, I'm reminding you. Stop thinking about that woman who couldn't give you a baby.

"Fiona and Tyler will be with you at present and in the future.

"If you dare mess this up, I'll cut you off from the Grant family."

James pulled himself together, the flicker of emotion in his eyes quickly replaced by cold, hard logic.

He thought his mom was right. People from the past should be left behind for good.