Chapter 1
Five years ago, a sudden fall down the stairs sent me into early labor.
Though my son survived, I lost my uterus to a severe hemorrhage.
Knowing I'd never have another child, I poured everything into my only son.
He never called me "Mom," a pain I quietly accepted with understanding and guilt.
But one evening, I overheard a conversation between him and my husband.
"Daddy, when are you going to divorce that woman?
"All my other friends live with their moms. Why can’t I?"
My husband patted his head.
"Be good, Easton. To keep you with me, I already made sure Ariana lost her baby and can never get pregnant again.
"Good boy. Don’t ask for too much, okay?"
The child I had cherished for five years was actually my husband’s lover’s child.
Tears started falling before I could stop them.
My mind went completely blank.
I stumbled to the kitchen and slid to the floor.
So my baby... the one I was about to have... Jonathan killed them.
No wonder Easton wouldn't call me Mom.
All this time, I'd been blaming myself, thinking his health problems were my fault for falling.
When he was cold to me, I just tried harder to earn his forgiveness.
Five years... raising his mistress's child.
How pathetic.
I covered my face, sobbing.
"Ariana? Why are you on the floor?" Jonathan's gentle voice came from above.
He pulled me up, noticing my puffy eyes.
"Let me guess, watching sad movies while baking again?
"You're a mom now, still crying over silly films? What will Easton think?"
He chuckled, booping my nose.
But in his arms, I just felt cold.
Ding!
The oven chimed, signaling the cookies were done.
Jonathan let go. "Cookies are done! Go get them."
I nodded numbly and turned to the oven.
Easton loved crispy cookies. I never trusted store-bought ones, never fresh enough.
So I learned to bake, though I'd never cooked before.
Burnt my hands more times than I can count.
Easton never cared.
"Ow!"
The burn made me flinch, and I realized I'd forgotten to wear oven mitts.
Easton had appeared behind me at some point, his face full of disdain. "So stupid!"
My eyes stung.
After all, I'd cared for him for five years. How could I not have developed any feelings?
Clutching at a sliver of hope, I asked, "Easton, I burned my hand. Can you help me apply the ointment later?"
He frowned, looking conflicted.
After a glance at the cookies, he finally agreed. "Fine, just this once."
Tears turned to a smile as I put the mitts back on and took out the baking tray.
After carefully arranging the cookies on a plate, I brought them to the table, then returned to the kitchen to rinse my hand under cold water.
Mid-rinse, the doorbell rang.
Jonathan and Easton both rushed to answer it.
"Mr. Jensen, Easton, I'm here!"
Standing outside was Jonathan's assistant, Anna Arnold.
Easton's eyes immediately lit up with a radiant smile I'd never seen before. "Mommy!"
"Mommy!"
Jonathan instantly turned to look toward the kitchen, meeting my eyes.
He explained guiltily, "Ariana, you know... after your premature delivery, your health was poor. You were in and out of the hospital those first two years, so I had to bring the child to the office.
"Assistant Anna helped take care of Easton, so he just..."
"I understand," I cut him off, my heart aching.
How foolish I'd been.
When I heard Easton say he spent his days with his "mom," I should've guessed it was Anna.
During those two years of poor health, I'd indeed caused Anna much trouble.
I'd personally thanked her with gifts multiple times and had Jonathan give her raises.
It never hit me that she was doing nothing more than her duty as a mother.
"Ariana, you are the best! I knew you wouldn't be angry," Anna said sweetly, her words dripping with false charm.
I had no energy to argue, turning back to rinse my hand.
When I finished and brought out the ointment, the family of three was already happily building LEGOs in the living room.
"I'm going to build a huge castle!"
Easton quickly assembled the framework.
Anna asked, "Will anyone live in this castle?"
Easton nodded matter-of-factly. "Of course!"
He picked up a mini-figure.