Chapter 1

To help my "destitute" husband pay off his debts, I scavenged for scraps for five years. My son and I survived on expired canned food.

That changed on my son's birthday. I saw him in a bespoke suit, spending millions to celebrate the birthday of the woman he truly loved. That was the moment I realized he was actually the most powerful billionaire on Wall Street.

To please the love of his life, he let our child be injected with unknown drugs, leaving him on the brink of death. He even forced me to drain my own blood to save her son.

Later, I became someone he could no longer reach. I linked arms with a man far more powerful than him and walked away.

That once arrogant man ended up kneeling in the Arctic snow, clutching a photo I had burned, weeping like a stray dog.

Chapter 1

On the day Caspian and I got our marriage certificate, he dropped a bombshell: as the illegitimate son of the Thorne family, he hadn't inherited a penny. Instead, he was saddled with a massive gambling debt left behind by the family.

I didn't despise him for it. For the past five years, I lived with him in a moldy basement, working three jobs to support him, while our son, Alaric, survived on discounted canned food that was nearing its expiration date.

Today was Alaric's fifth birthday.

To earn enough overtime pay to buy him a decent cake, we were braving the hundred-degree heat in New York City, stuffed inside heavy, filthy mascot costumes, handing out flyers in front of the Hilton.

However, just as I tried to adjust my helmet, my vision went black.

But as I fell backward, an extremely handsome man caught me: "Be careful."

It was Valerius Sterling.

The ruler of a media empire; I had seen him in financial magazines.

He looked at me intently, his gaze suddenly fixing on the necklace that had slipped out from under my collar—the only memento my mother had left me.

"If you want to leave, call me. I’ll help you." he said, handing me a business card.

I was a little confused. Leave? What did he mean?

But before I could ask, the hotel manager's voice interrupted me.

"Hey! You two in the ragged suits!" The manager walked over and kicked my knee in disgust. "You got lucky today. Mr. Thorne is throwing a birthday party for the young master here, and the kid loves these stupid dolls. Go in there, dance, make the little master laugh, and this hundred thousand dollars is yours."

One hundred thousand dollars?!

Alaric was thrilled; opportunities like this were rare.

That was, until I walked in and saw my "bankrupt" husband sitting in the luxurious seat of honor, wearing an expensive handmade suit.

He didn't look a thing like the shabby man who needed me to mend his torn shirts.

The guests around were gasping in awe: "Mr. Thorne is so generous! He actually gave his stepson a yacht worth tens of millions as a birthday gift!"

"Exactly. Not only is he the richest man on Wall Street, but he's also so devoted. He treats his lover's child like his own. Where can you find a good man like that?"

Richest man? A multi-million dollar yacht?

I stared dead at the woman next to Caspian—Isolde. Her red haute couture gown was worth more than my wages for the next ten years.

Caspian was looking down at Isolde's son, Julian, his eyes filled with the doting affection of a loving father. If he had given even a fraction of that tenderness to Alaric, my son wouldn't be crying out for his daddy in his sleep.

But now, he was giving all his love to someone else's child, a child who didn't even share his blood!

"Caspian..." Isolde giggled, pressing her body against his. "You threw such a grand party for Julian, but today is also your son's birthday. Don't you need to go see him?"

She pretended to be kind, but her eyes glinted with malice.

Caspian took a careless sip of his champagne, not even lifting his eyelids.

"There's no need," he said indifferently. "I told you, my wealth and my love are for you alone. Isolde, I never break my word."

I felt like I had been struck by lightning, like someone had slapped me hard across the face.

Beside me, Alaric froze. He was terrifyingly smart; even through the mascot head, he recognized that voice. It was the father he waited for every day and night.

"Mommy, look! These two beggars are so funny!"

Isolde's son, Julian, suddenly burst into laughter. He grabbed a handful of cash and smashed it into our faces like he was feeding dogs. "Catch! This is your reward!"

Green bills rained down on us like snow. Caspian and Isolde exchanged a smile, their eyes full of indulgence, as if we really were just two stray dogs there for their amusement.

In that moment, my heart shattered completely.

Five years. Five whole years.

So, he pretended to be poor, letting my son and me scavenge for scraps, just to keep his promise to the love of his life—that his money would only ever be spent on Isolde?

It turned out he had never forgotten her.

Memories cut through my heart like a rusty, dull knife.

I grew up in an orphanage. I knew from a young age that Caspian was a star far out of my reach, while I was just a shadow hiding in the dark corners, peeking at him.

I never asked for anything. I just watched as he put his childhood sweetheart, Isolde, on a pedestal.

When she was eighteen, Isolde mentioned she wanted to see a meteor shower. He rented a private island and set off fireworks all night to simulate it.

Isolde, wrapped in fur, threw herself into his arms and pouted, "That was so expensive!"

He hugged her tight, his voice dripping with tenderness. "You deserve the best of everything in this world. I have money, and from now on, my money is only for my little princess."

Later, they fought. Isolde broke up with him in a fit of pique and went to Paris. He chased her to the airport like a madman, only to be crushed by her words: "Stop pestering me. I’m marrying a duke."

He married me only to use me to forget Isolde. While I was working myself to death just to survive, he was throwing away millions for another woman.

The moment the party ended, I tremblingly pulled off Alaric’s headgear. My son’s face was covered in tears, flushed red from the heat and crying.

"Mommy, Daddy lied to us, didn’t he?" he sobbed. "He isn't poor. He just doesn't love us."

The pain was suffocating. I hugged my son tight and finally made up my mind. "Alaric, we don't want this Daddy anymore. Mommy will take you away, okay?"

"Okay!" Alaric clutched my collar tightly. "Let's go far away!"

I took Alaric straight to a roadside law firm and printed a divorce agreement.

Late that night, Caspian returned to our moldy basement.

He had already taken off the expensive haute couture suit and changed back into his cheap clothes with frayed cuffs. He massaged his temples, putting on an act of exhaustion. "Work at the construction site was crazy today. I'm dead tired. Is there anything to eat?"

Looking at his hypocritical face, I felt nothing but disgust.

I didn't say a word. I just slammed the document onto the table.

"Sign this."

Caspian paused, confused. "What is this?"

Just then, the phone in his pocket rang. Isolde’s charming voice drifted out clearly. "Caspian, Julian is crying and won't sleep until you tell him a bedtime story. Come over, please?"

Caspian’s expression instantly turned as soft as water. "Okay, I'll be right there."

He didn't even glance at the document. He scribbled his signature in a rush, grabbed his coat, and headed for the door. "I can't breathe in this house. I'm going out for some air."

As the door clicked shut, I looked at the signed divorce agreement and laughed coldly into the empty room.

"Caspian, those were the divorce papers."

Chapter 2

For the entire following week, Caspian didn't step foot in our home, nor did he offer a single explanation.

"Mommy, with this paper, do we not have to live like this anymore?"

Alaric sat atop a pile of old newspapers, clutching the photocopy of the divorce papers tightly.

I crouched down, looking into his longing eyes. "Yes, baby. We’re going to leave this place and go somewhere with no lies and no deception."

Alaric nodded vigorously.

I watched their lives unfold through Isolde’s Instagram.

In the photos, Caspian was rowing a boat with Julian in Central Park, cutting Isolde’s steak at a Michelin-starred restaurant, and swiping his black card without hesitation at luxury boutiques on Fifth Avenue.

That fatherly smile he showed Julian... if he had given even a fraction of it to Alaric, my son wouldn't be crying out for his daddy in his sleep.

But now, he was giving all his love and money to someone else!

I scrolled through the screen, my heart bleeding.

Five years ago, we didn't even have a decent wedding; we just ate hot dogs at a roadside stand for our reception.

To help pay off his so-called "gambling debts," I worked three jobs a day, too afraid to go to the hospital even when I fainted from exhaustion.

Five-year-old Alaric had to walk to school every day because we couldn't afford the bus fare, and he was constantly bullied there.

We gave everything for this family, while he was busy pleasing another woman!

How ironic.

Caspian finally returned early in the morning on the tenth day.

The rusty iron gate was pushed open. He stood in the doorway, ordering self-righteously, "Get Alaric changed into something decent. I’m taking him out."

I froze, my hand pausing mid-scrub over the dishes.

He had never taken Alaric out before.

Why the sudden change of heart?

"No need," I refused coldly without thinking. "We don't need your fake charity."

Caspian’s face darkened, filled with impatience. "What do you know? I pulled strings to get him an interview spot at a top-tier private boarding school. It comes with a scholarship, so we don't have to pay tuition. Don't let your ignorance ruin our son's future!"

I was about to argue when a heavy knock sounded at the door.

It was Mrs. Moretti, the landlady from upstairs, here to discuss the move-out inspection.

Caspian frowned, glancing at the door. "Don't let petty trivialities get in the way of the child's future."

I didn't want him to know about my plan to leave for good with our son, so I just brushed it off. "It's just a routine check."

Caspian checked his watch and urged, "You go deal with her. I'll fix Alaric's bowtie."

I hesitated for a moment, watching him squat down and clumsily adjust our son’s collar. He was still Alaric’s biological father, after all. Leaving him alone with the child for a few minutes surely couldn't lead to any disaster.

So, I dried my hands and walked out.

I wasn't in the mood to chat with the landlady, so after rushing through a few pleasantries, I pushed open the door and returned to the basement.

However, I was greeted by a deathly silence.

Caspian and Alaric were gone.

An ominous feeling instantly gripped my throat. I rushed out of the basement and ran down the street like a madwoman.

Someone at the corner told me they saw a black luxury car pick them up, saying something about going to a "genius school."

A school?

I didn't believe for a second that Caspian would be that kind.

Trembling, I opened the GPS app on my phone—I had saved up three months of bonuses to buy Alaric a smartwatch with a tracker to prevent him from getting lost.

The red dot on the screen was moving toward the wealthy neighborhoods of Long Island's North Shore, finally coming to a stop at a remote private villa.

That wasn't a school at all!

I hailed a taxi, practically screaming at the driver to floor it.

An hour later, I stumbled into the high-walled villa.

I followed the sound up to the second floor. Outside a room that had been converted into a laboratory, I heard Caspian on the phone.

"Is this the entrance IQ test you were talking about? Why are you injecting him with that stuff?"

Then came Isolde's voice from the phone, "Caspian, I had to pull so many strings to get this brain development serum from the lab. But I heard it's incredibly potent and still in clinical trials... Alaric grew up in the slums, so he's tough. Why don't we let him try it first?"

Isolde paused for a moment before continuing, "After all, Alaric is your son. I can't bear to see him remain so mediocre."

Caspian hesitated, his voice laced with doubt. "Still in trials? Is it dangerous?"

"Oh, honey, don't you trust me?" Isolde's voice was sugary sweet, dripping with manipulation. "This single shot is worth five million dollars! I see how dull and slow Alaric is; he's simply unfit to be your heir. This is the only way his IQ can catch up to Julian's, the only way he'll get into that elite school. I'm doing this to help you save face with your family. If... and I mean *if*... there are any side effects, well, it's all in the name of science. Besides, what could possibly go wrong?"

Caspian fell silent for a moment. He glanced at Alaric, who was strapped to the bed, eyes wide with terror. In the end, he agreed to the injection.

His voice was low as he spoke. "Okay. Isolde, you always think of everything. I'll transfer you double the five million. If it makes him smarter, it's worth the risk. I'm his father; I'm making this decision for him."

Chapter 3

The needle, thick as a finger, was about to plunge into Alaric's body.

I finally saw the truth. Caspian didn't come home for me or Alaric.

It was Isolde, that venomous snake! She was too terrified of the side effects to use it on her own son, Julian, so she snatched my Alaric to be her damned lab rat!

And Caspian, his own biological father, just to make him "smarter" and not to let down his "true love's" kindness, actually condoned this potentially lethal human experiment!

I charged forward, shoving the doctor aside as he prepared to inject another dose. "Caspian! Are you insane? Isolde is using Alaric to test poison! I don't consent to this! What gives you the right to use it on him?!"

Caspian turned around. Seeing it was me, his brow furrowed, his eyes filled with nothing but impatience at the interruption. "Ivy? What kind of fit are you throwing now? Control yourself! Isolde pulled every string she had and spent millions to get this 'smart drug.' People beg for this and can't get it, so stop being so ungrateful!"

He continued, sneering, "If you hadn't raised Alaric to be so mediocre and clumsy, we wouldn't have to trouble Isolde. You should be thanking her. When did you become so unreasonable?"

"Beg for it?" I pointed at my son, whose face was pale as he convulsed in pain, tears streaming down my face. "Open your eyes and look! She explicitly said on the phone that it’s a trial drug! She was afraid something would happen to Julian, so she used Alaric as a shield! In five years, you never took him to a theme park or bought him a single toy. Now, the moment you show up, you’re using his life to pave the way for that woman’s son?!"

I tried to stop them again, but Caspian shoved me aside violently. "Stop it! You ignorant shrew!"

His eyes were cold, looking at me like I was garbage. "Isolde said the drug is intense, but the results are miraculous! She gave this incredible opportunity to Alaric! The Thorne family heir must be exceptional. Why can't you get that through your thick skull?"

"I don't want your 'exceptional'!" I screamed hysterically, lunging forward to undo the restraints. "We're going home! Don't touch my son!"

Just then, the monitoring equipment nearby let out a piercing alarm.

The doctor operating it turned pale and shouted in panic, "Mr. Thorne! Something's wrong! The reaction is too violent! The subject's nervous system is collapsing! This is a severe toxic rejection reaction!"

Foam began to spill from the corners of Alaric's mouth. His small face, already twisted in pain, instantly turned a deathly grey, and his body began to convulse violently.

Only then did panic finally seize Caspian. He snatched up the phone and dialed. "Isolde! What's going on? Alaric is having a seizure!"

After a quick diagnosis, the doctor said anxiously, "The drug is too potent; a child's body can't handle it. We must perform blood purification immediately, or the toxins will attack his heart! We need to transfuse a large amount of O-negative blood to neutralize it! But this is a private lab; we don't have enough in stock..."

Caspian's gaze instantly locked onto me. He knew. I had the rare O-negative blood type.

"Ivy," he strode over, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Save our son. Now."

I didn't even think. To save Alaric, I rolled up my sleeve without a second thought. "Hurry! Take mine! Take as much as you need, just save him!"

The blood bag slowly filled up. It was Alaric's lifeline.

However, before the blood could even be transfused into Alaric, a shrill scream from Isolde pierced the air from the VIP suite next door. "Help! Caspian! Someone help! Julian fainted!"

Caspian's face changed instantly. He abandoned us and rushed out.

Seconds later, he returned, his expression terrifyingly dark.

"Take the blood." He pointed at the bag of warm blood that had just been drained from my body, his voice cold and hard. "Send it next door for Julian."

I felt like I'd been struck by lightning. I couldn't believe my ears.

"What did you say?" I clutched the blood bag tightly, dizzy from blood loss. "This is for Alaric! He's going into shock!"

"Julian's congenital heart condition acted up; he needs a transfusion too!" Caspian avoided my eyes, gritting his teeth. "His condition is more critical; one second later and his heart will stop. Alaric is just having a rejection reaction. Isolde said a shot of adrenaline will be enough for him!"

I screamed like a madwoman, "Caspian, Alaric is your own flesh and blood! You're going to kill him!"

"Isn't that kid a life too?! I can't just watch him die! When did you become so cold-blooded?" Caspian roared at the bodyguards. "What are you waiting for? Grab it!"

"No! Caspian! You bastard!"

I struggled desperately, but the bodyguards roughly pinned me to the chair. I watched helplessly as the blood was taken away.

After the blood draw, everyone left, and only my Alaric remained, alone on the cold machine, trembling as his vital signs faded little by little.

Just when I was utterly desperate, I suddenly remembered Valerius, the man I'd seen at the hotel entrance that day.

He was so rich; he was probably the only one who could bring the best doctors to save Alaric.

I didn't know why he was helping me, but I couldn't care less.

I pulled out his business card and typed a text message to the number on it: I need your help.

But before I could send the message, "Mommy..." a weak, raspy voice interrupted me.

It was Alaric.

His small body was curled up under the blanket, his face pale as paper. There was no one else around to care for him, but he was alive.

Ignoring the IV drip still in my arm, I stumbled over and hugged him, tears bursting forth instantly. "I'm sorry... Alaric, I'm sorry... Mommy is useless. Mommy couldn't protect you..."

Alaric lifted his small hand with great effort and wiped away my tears. Even though he was in pain, he tried to be strong and comfort me. "Mommy, it doesn't hurt anymore. Really."

The more sensible he was, the more it felt like my heart was being sliced into pieces.

"Once this IV is done, we're leaving." I gritted my teeth. "We're leaving immediately."

Alaric nodded vigorously, burying his face in my chest, his voice muffled. "Okay. Mommy, I don't want Daddy anymore."

"In three days," my eyes were filled with a resolve like never before, "as long as we can leave this place, anywhere is fine."

Before I could finish, the door was shoved open.

Caspian stood in the doorway, his face full of impatience. "Leave? Where do you think you're going?"

Chapter 4

As soon as Alaric saw Caspian, he couldn't stop shivering.

Seeing Alaric like this made Caspian even more dissatisfied. "How can a man be so spineless? You're nothing compared to Julian. How do you even deserve to be my son acting like this?"

My heart felt like it was being twisted by a knife. I shielded my trembling son behind me. "Why are you here? I absolutely will not let you hurt Alaric again."

Caspian's brow instantly furrowed into a tight knot.

In the past, my son and I fawned over him like dogs, revolving our entire world around him. Now that we dared to give him attitude, his high-and-mighty ego felt gravely offended.

This was the first time he had been treated with such disgust by us, and a wave of irritability and discomfort he had never felt before welled up in his chest.

"Isolde is a single mother who just returned to the country; she's struggling to adjust. As a friend, what's wrong with me helping her out?" He adjusted his cuffs—which were worth a fortune—his tone so self-righteous it made me want to vomit. "Besides, Alaric didn't die, did he? Stop playing the victim and blowing things out of proportion. If you want money, just ask. Don't be so petty; it makes you look like a joke."

"Want money?" I laughed out of extreme anger, my fingernails digging deep into my palms. "Caspian, has a dog eaten your conscience? To save Isolde's bastard, you stole my blood and nearly killed your own son! Do you realize Alaric almost died on that operating table just now?! And now you want to talk to me about money? Can your money buy back his life?!"

Caspian's eyes turned cold. A cruel, mocking sneer curled at the corner of his mouth as he stepped closer to me. "Ivy, stop making yourself sound so noble. When I went 'bankrupt' and told you to get lost, you were the one who shamelessly insisted on staying in the basement with me. You were the one who insisted on giving birth to this burden, Alaric."

He looked down at me, every word piercing my heart like a poisoned needle. "For the past five years, I didn't hold a gun to your head forcing you to suffer. You did it all voluntarily, didn't you? Since it was voluntary, don't stand here acting pitiful to gain sympathy."

My ears buzzed, and it felt like all the blood in my body was flowing in reverse.

Yes, I was pathetic.

I thought sincerity could warm a stone. I thought eating chaff and vegetables with him would earn his gratitude. In the end, all I got was a dismissive "voluntary." In his eyes, the suffering my son and I endured was something we deserved!

I stared dead at him, gritting my teeth. "You're right, Caspian. The pathetic Ivy from before is dead. Now, take your stinking money and get the hell out!"

Caspian was stung by the resolve in my eyes. The feeling of losing control made him incredibly irritable. He swept a cold glance over us, as if looking at us for one more second would dirty his eyes, then turned and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

For the next few days, we recovered in a cramped, noisy, disinfectant-smelling ordinary ward, while right next door was Isolde's VIP presidential suite.

When the nurses came to change the dressings, they whispered enviously:

"Did you hear? To calm Miss Isolde's nerves, Mr. Thorne gifted her a pink diamond jewelry set worth twenty million! The main stone alone is the size of a pigeon egg!"

"And that kid, Julian. He just mentioned he wanted to play with Legos, and Mr. Thorne bought out the entire limited edition stock from the toy store and had it sent over! The boxes are piled up so high you can't even walk! Same species, different fates, huh?"

Twenty million in jewelry. Buying out a toy store.

That money was enough for Alaric and me to live in that basement for centuries, enough to buy countless cans of nearly expired discounted food.

Listening to this, my heart felt as calm as a pool of stagnant water.

When pain reaches its limit, it becomes numbness.

On the day of discharge, I pushed Alaric in his wheelchair to Central Park.

I gritted my teeth and bought him a balloon I would never have borne to buy before—it cost what used to be our food budget for a whole day.

Holding the balloon, a hint of color finally returned to Alaric's pale face.

"Mommy," he suddenly looked up, his sensibility breaking my heart, "as long as you're here, I don't envy anyone."

I held back my tears and pointed ahead. "Alaric, let's go see the carousel."

That was his fifth birthday wish—he wanted his daddy to take him on the carousel once.

However, when we arrived at the carousel, we saw that nauseating figure.

Caspian, wearing a casual suit worth more than my life, was patiently lifting Julian onto a golden horse.

"Uncle Caspian, I want to ride the highest one! And I want to go faster! I want to leave everyone behind!" Julian commanded arrogantly, like a spoiled little emperor.

"Okay, I'll listen to you." Caspian gently fastened the safety belt for him, even leaning down to kiss Julian's forehead. "Hold on tight, my little knight. The whole playground is yours."

That kind of patience and doting, treating someone like a treasure—he had never given even a fraction of it to Alaric.

Alaric sat in his wheelchair, clutching the hem of his clothes tightly, watching his father give all his love and patience to another child who shared no blood relation with him.

Soon, the carousel stopped. Julian hopped off, wanting more, and immediately spotted Alaric in the wheelchair.

"Oh, isn't it the sicko?"

Julian licked the imported ice cream in his hand that cost dozens of dollars, his eyes full of malicious provocation.

He swaggered over, pointing at Alaric's wheelchair and laughing loudly. "Mommy said you're a useless broke loser! Uncle Caspian likes me best because he's going to be my new daddy! You're a jinx, and I'm a lucky star! I have a big castle to live in, and you can only live in a sewer!"

Isolde stood not far away, frowning with fake concern. "Julian, don't talk like that." But the smile in the corners of her eyes couldn't be hidden.

Julian ignored her completely. He made a face like a little demon at Alaric, then suddenly charged forward...

"Bang—!"

Chapter 5

Before I could even react, Julian had already hopped into a high-powered go-kart.

He floored the accelerator and drove straight at Alaric's wheelchair!

"Bang—!"

The massive impact shattered the wheelchair instantly.

Alaric was sent flying along with the wreckage, smashing heavily onto the hard concrete.

Blood gushed out immediately, staining his small, pale face crimson.

Julian jumped out of the kart, threw the imported ice cream—worth enough to feed my son and me for a week—onto the ground, and started wailing, playing the victim before anyone could accuse him. "Waa! That cripple tried to hit me! I swerved to avoid him and crashed! I was so scared!"

I had just gathered Alaric, who was covered in blood, into my arms when Caspian rushed over, drawn by the commotion.

Suddenly, Isolde let out a shriek. She threw her body back in an exaggerated motion, falling onto the soft grass.

"Ah! My ankle!" She clutched her foot, pointing at me while weeping beautifully, like a pear blossom bathed in rain. "Caspian... Ivy pushed me! She was angry that Julian accidentally bumped into Alaric, so she took advantage of the chaos to push me! It hurts so much!"

Caspian's face instantly turned pitch black.

He didn't even spare a glance at our dying biological son. Instead, he nervously helped Isolde up.

"Where does it hurt? Is it bad?" He asked gently, then turned his head to glare at me, his eyes filled with nothing but disgust and rage. "Ivy! Are you crazy? Julian is just a child; so what if he accidentally bumped him? Unlike you, Isolde is delicate and fragile. How dare you touch her? When did you become so venomous?"

I desperately pressed my hands against Alaric's wound, but I couldn't stop the blood from flowing.

"I'm venomous?" I screamed hysterically. "Open your eyes and look! Julian drove that car and hit the wheelchair on purpose! Isolde faked that fall! Alaric is bleeding! His head is broken! Are you blind?!"

Isolde sobbed even harder, burying her face in Caspian's chest. "Boohoo... Caspian, I didn't... Ivy must be jealous that you treat Julian so well, so she's taking it out on me. If my foot is broken, how can I dance with you in the future..."

Caspian roared at me, "Isolde wouldn't even hurt a fly, how could she fake a fall? Look at you, reeking of poverty. Over these past five years, you've become completely unreasonable! Jealousy has twisted you beyond recognition!"

Alaric was fading in and out of consciousness from the pain. His small hand weakly grasped my collar, his voice faint. "Mommy... it hurts... I can't see... why won't Daddy save me..."

I didn't want to argue anymore. I picked Alaric up, desperate to get to the hospital. "Move! I need to take my child to the hospital!"

"Stand down."

Caspian spoke coldly, blocking my path.

"Caspian!" I screamed in despair, looking at my son whose breathing was getting weaker. "Alaric needs a doctor! He's bleeding! You're going to kill him!"

"Apologize." He looked down at me from his height, pointing at Isolde, his tone leaving no room for negotiation. "Apologize to Isolde for your barbaric behavior just now. Otherwise, don't even think about taking a step out of here."

"I did nothing wrong!" I glared at him with red eyes. "We didn't do anything wrong! Why should I apologize?!"

"Unrepentant." Caspian's voice was cold enough to make one's blood curdle. "Ivy, it seems five years of slum life hasn't taught you humility; instead, it's turned you into an ungrateful shrew."

He pointed at the crocodile skin high heels on Isolde's feet and spoke every word with deliberate slowness:

"Kneel down. Lick the tip of Isolde's shoe to apologize. Lick the dust off until it's clean. Otherwise, I will call the insurance company right now and cancel all of Alaric's medical insurance."

I trembled all over, feeling like I had been struck by lightning.

In this country, without expensive commercial health insurance, the costs for an ambulance, surgery, and hospitalization were astronomical. The savings Alaric and I had wouldn't even cover the registration fee.

He was using our son's life to break me.

"Caspian..." I looked at him in disbelief. "He is your biological son... are you the devil?"

"You have three seconds to decide. Three, two..."

Alaric's body in my arms was growing colder, his breathing fainter.

I crumbled.

"...Fine." I gritted my teeth so hard I could taste blood. "I apologize."

Holding my child, my legs shook as I bent them. Under the gaze of the crowd, I fell heavily onto the hard, cold tiles.

I lowered my head, forcing back tears of humiliation, and moved my lips close to Isolde's expensive shoe.

"I'm sorry..." My voice was hoarse and broken, every word feeling like I was swallowing glass. "I shouldn't have... pushed you."

Isolde looked down at me. Just as my lips were about to touch the surface of her shoe, she pulled her foot back with feigned magnanimity, even wiping it on the grass in disgust.

"Oh my, Ivy, what are you doing? We're all friends here; just don't be so impulsive next time. I'm not one to hold grudges, so let's just forget about it this time."

Caspian looked at me kneeling on the ground, his brow furrowing slightly as if he felt a momentary flash of reluctance. "Enough. Since Isolde has forgiven you, get the hell to the hospital with the kid. Don't be an eyesore here; you've ruined my mood."

I picked up Alaric and fled.

Behind me, I could hear Julian's cheerful laughter and Caspian's gentle voice coaxing Isolde.

At the hospital, Alaric received eight stitches on his brow bone.

Because he was allergic to anesthesia, he had to be stitched up without any numbing.

He convulsed in pain, crying until his voice was hoarse. "Mommy... I didn't do anything bad... why is Daddy treating me like this... did I do something wrong..."

My heart felt like it was being twisted by a knife. I could only kiss his cold forehead over and over, my tears wetting his cheeks. "It's not Alaric's fault... it's Mommy's fault... Mommy is useless, I couldn't protect you..."

After hours of torment, Alaric finally fell asleep from sheer exhaustion.

I went to get a change of clothes for him.

When I passed the VIP lounge, the door was ajar. Familiar voices drifted out from inside.

"Caspian, about what happened in the square today... was it too much for Ivy?" Isolde's voice sounded affected and probing. "Making her kneel and kiss my shoe in public... she must hate me to death. What if she gets angry and leaves you with the child? After all, she really did love you."

"Leave?"

Caspian scoffed nonchalantly. "She can't leave me. Isolde, you don't know her."

I watched as he turned around and gently scraped Isolde's nose, his tone tender yet cruel to the extreme:

"She loves me to the point of madness. Even if I told her to die, she wouldn't hesitate. For the past five years, I made her live in a basement and eat garbage, and I still couldn't drive her away. Today was just a little kneeling. As long as I crook my finger, she'll come crawling back like a dog."

"So, don't worry. In this lifetime, she will never escape the palm of my hand."

Chapter 6

Standing outside the VIP lounge, I heard everything.

So he knew. He knew I loved him to the point of losing all dignity. He knew Alaric craved even the smallest scrap of fatherly love. That was why he dared to trample on us like trash, using us as tools to show off his control in front of Isolde!

Caspian, you're too confident.

This time, I will take Alaric and disappear completely. Since you think we'll crawl back like dogs, I'll show you that even a "dog" has a backbone.

As soon as Alaric's wound was bandaged, I rushed him out of the hospital as if we were fleeing for our lives.

"Mommy, where are we going?" Alaric looked up, his eyes still glazed from the anesthesia.

"Home to get our passports. We're leaving," I said, pulling him quickly toward the curb. "We're going to a place where there is no daddy."

Just as we reached the intersection, a black van with no license plates mounted the sidewalk like a mad beast and cut us off!

The door slid open violently. Two men in ski masks jumped out. Without a word, a pungent, wet cloth was clamped over my nose and mouth.

The smell of ether shot straight to my brain.

I forced myself to calm down, quietly fumbled for my phone, and sent the text message I had previously drafted but hadn't sent to Valerius: I need your help.

...

When I woke up, it was from a bucket of freezing water being splashed on me.

I choked, coughing violently, and realized Alaric and I were tied to a concrete pillar in an unfinished building.

"Awake?" The leader of the kidnappers sat on a pile of broken crates, playing with a gleaming dagger. "Call your billionaire husband. Fifty million dollars, or I'll make you wish you were dead."

I spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva, looking at Alaric, who was trembling with fear. Despair washed over me. "You grabbed the wrong people. In his eyes, we aren't even worth five bucks."

"Bullshit!" The kidnapper kicked me in the stomach. "You're the Mrs. Thorne, and this kid is the eldest son. He has to pay! Don't play games with me!"

"No... don't hit Mommy..." Alaric cried out.

Impatient, the kidnapper yanked Alaric over and pulled out a syringe filled with a grotesque green liquid. The needle pressed against Alaric's tender neck. "Won't pay, huh? See this? It's the latest poison from the black market. Once injected, his whole body will fester, his insides will feel like they're burning, and he'll scream for three days and nights before dying."

"No!" I screamed like a madwoman, struggling against the ropes. "I'll call! I'll call right now! Don't hurt my son!"

"Beep—beep—"

Finally, the call connected.

In the background, I could hear elegant orchestral music and the laughter of guests toasting.

I suddenly remembered—today was Isolde's birthday.

"Who is this?" Caspian's voice came through, sounding slightly drunk and lazy.

"Mr. Thorne," the kidnapper spoke grimly. "I have your wife and son. If you want them alive, get fifty million dollars in old bills ready. You have half an hour to bring it to the West Harbor pier."

There was a pause on the other end.

Before Caspian could speak, Isolde's voice suddenly cut in. "Oh my, fifty million? Caspian, this must be a birthday surprise from Ivy, right? She knows it's my birthday, so she staged this scene to trick you into leaving and ruining my party. After all, she probably doesn't want you to be with me."

Caspian let out a cold, mocking laugh. "Ivy, your methods are getting more and more disgusting. For a little money, for that pathetic jealousy of yours, you actually hired people to stage a kidnapping? Do you think I'm an idiot?"

I screamed into the phone, "It's not an act! Caspian, I beg you! These are real criminals! They have poison! They will really kill Alaric! Please save him! As long as you pay, I swear I will never disturb you and Isolde again!"

"Enough!" Caspian's voice held zero warmth. "I don't want to hear the same thing twice. This clumsy trick only makes me sick. You want money? Keep dreaming."

The kidnapper was enraged. He roared into the phone, "Caspian, if you don't pay, I'm injecting your son with poison right now! Don't you regret this!"

On the other end, Caspian swirled his wine glass nonchalantly, his voice cold enough to induce despair:

"Go ahead, then. And while you're at it, throw that lying crazy woman into the Atlantic to feed the fish. Fifty million? I'd rather spend it on fireworks for Isolde than save them. Don't disturb us while we cut the cake."

"Click—"

The call was hung up decisively.

The kidnapper stared at the phone in disbelief, then exploded into a furious rage. "F*ck! I've been played! This guy is heartless; he doesn't even care about his own son! Since I can't get the money, I'll take it out on this brat!"

He spun around, his face twisted, and stabbed the syringe viciously into Alaric's thin arm!

"No—! Take me! Please, take me instead!"

My eyes nearly split open. I struggled desperately to break the ropes, my wrists rubbed raw and bloody, but I could only watch helplessly as the green liquid was pushed into Alaric's body bit by bit.

"Ah—! Mommy, save me! It hurts! My veins are burning!"

Alaric let out a blood-curdling scream. His small body convulsed violently on the ground, foam spilling from his mouth, his eyes rolling back. It looked like countless worms were wriggling frantically under his skin.

"Alaric!"

I cried out in despair.

In the split second before the call had disconnected, what came faintly from the other end was Isolde's girlish laughter and the crowd cheering, "Happy Birthday!"

It was their carnival, but it was our doomsday.

Chapter 7

"Bang—!"

Before the kidnapper could push the plunger all the way down, his head exploded!

A dozen fully armed mercenaries kicked through every window in the warehouse.

Amidst the smoke and gunpowder, a tall figure walked in, backlit by the light. He wore a black tactical trench coat, the tight fit accentuating his muscular build. His face was cold as a demon's. It was Valerius Sterling.

He kicked the kidnapper leader, who was trying to crawl away, sending him flying. Then he rushed to me. "I'm sorry, I'm late." His voice was low and raspy, carrying a tremor that was hard to detect.

Looking at Valerius's determined profile, my tightly wound nerves suddenly snapped. My vision went black, and I completely lost consciousness.

"Alaric..." I sat up abruptly, my heart pounding wildly.

Valerius, who was guarding my bedside, gently held my shoulders. "Don't move, Ivy. Alaric is fine. The antivenom was administered in time. Although there are residual toxins that need to metabolize, he is out of danger."

He continued, "Your body is very weak due to long-term overwork and excessive blood loss. You need rest."

This warmth broke down my defenses. I covered my face, tears sliding down silently.

On the day of my discharge, I refused Valerius's offer to take me to a hotel and insisted on going back to that basement in Brooklyn.

Valerius didn't stop me; he just silently supported me.

Back in that Brooklyn basement, I dragged a huge black trash bag out from under the bed and started frantically stuffing things into it.

I dug out every "gift" Caspian had bestowed upon me over the past five years, counting his disgusting behavior item by item:

This coat—Isolde threw it away because she thought the color was tacky. He picked it up and gave it to me, claiming it was "vintage."

This scarf—a freebie he got for filling up his gas tank. He turned around and gave it to me as my twenty-fourth birthday present.

And this pile of three-for-ten-dollars cheap T-shirts that started pilling after one wash. He lied to me, saying they were from a niche designer brand.

Looking at this room full of junk, I felt that my last five years had simply been a joke.

"Trash belongs in the trash can."

After doing all this, I took Alaric and our only identification documents and left the cage that had trapped me for five years without looking back.

Late that night.

Caspian returned to the basement reeking of alcohol. He seemed to be in a good mood, carrying an exquisite cake box in his hand.

Inside was a piece of cake with a corner scooped out—leftovers Isolde had eaten at the banquet.

"Ivy? Alaric?" He called out, his tone filled with the arrogance of charity. "You guys are lucky. Isolde said this cake was too sweet and she was afraid of getting fat, so she specifically asked me to bring it back for Alaric to taste. This is a Michelin three-star cake; people like you would never see this in your lives."

However, what greeted him was an empty, deathly silent room.

The closet was empty, the washstand was empty, and even those broken toys Alaric usually treated like treasures were gone.

The only thing left on the table was the divorce agreement I had already signed.

Caspian froze for a moment, then let out a dismissive sneer. He tossed the leftover cake onto the table casually, smashing it into a mess.

"The same old trick."

He kicked the chair next to him, his face full of impatience. "The kidnapping act didn't get you any money, so now you're playing the runaway game? Ivy, your methods are getting lower and lower. Do you think that by running away with a sick child, I'll beg you to come back?"

He was certain I couldn't leave him. In New York, where every inch of land costs a fortune, a woman like me with no money, no background, and a weak child would hit a dead end without him.

He took out his phone and carelessly typed a text message, a mocking curve hanging on his lips:

"Where are you wandering off to with that burden? Don't expect me to search the world for you. When you run out of money, crawl back yourself. Don't expect me to pick you up. Also, remember to apologize to Isolde; you almost ruined her birthday party."

However, the message failed to send.

I had already deleted all his contact information.

Caspian dialed my number in disbelief.

"Sorry, the user you are calling is busy..."

He called again.

"Sorry, the user you are calling..."

A panic he had never felt before finally rose like a delayed tide, slowly drowning his consistently arrogant heart.

He slammed his phone violently against the wall, his roar echoing in the empty basement:

"Ivy! You have some nerve! How dare you block me?!"

Unfortunately, he didn't know.

This time, I really didn't want him anymore.

Chapter 8

Valerius's private Gulfstream G650 pierced through the clouds, heading toward the other side of the ocean.

Alaric was curled up in the leather seat, clutching the brand-new drawing board Valerius had just given him. He didn't cry or make a fuss, but his eyes still held the lingering panic of a survivor.

"Mommy, where exactly are we going?" He lifted his small head, a patch of gauze still taped to it, and looked out at the endless sea of clouds with confusion.

I squeezed his cold little hand, my voice gentle but firm. "Alaric, Uncle Valerius is taking us to Sicily. There is sunshine, vineyards, and a new home just for us."

"Sicily?" Alaric lowered his head, his long lashes trembling. "Can Daddy still find us there? If he can't find us, will he be mad?"

Hearing the child mention "Daddy," my heart felt like it was being crushed by an invisible hand, releasing a sour wave of guilt.

I pulled him into my arms and wiped the tear stains from the corners of his eyes. "Alaric, forget him. From today on, you don't need to try to please anyone. Mommy will make sure you get the finest gentleman's education. You will grow up to be a real man, not a hypocritical coward like him."

After a flight of over ten hours, we landed at a private airport in Palermo.

A black Rolls-Royce drove us along the winding coastline, finally pulling into an ancient manor hidden deep within olive groves.

I carried the sleeping Alaric out of the car. The evening breeze of Sicily, carrying the scent of sea salt, brushed against my face, stirring up memories I had sealed away long ago.

"Do you remember this scent?" Valerius walked up to me and handed me an exquisitely crafted paintbrush. "Ivy, this is where your dreams began. Five years ago, you clipped your own wings for that man and stopped painting. Now, it's time to pick them up again."

I took the brush, my fingertips trembling slightly.

Yes, five years ago.

Back then, as the most talented student at the art academy, I gave up a full scholarship to study in Paris just to be with Caspian. I even cut ties with the foster parents who had adopted me, willing to become a lowly housekeeper by his side.

My foster mother had cried and cursed me over the phone. "Ivy, are you crazy? That man doesn't care about you at all. You're giving up a bright future for him. You'll regret this sooner or later!"

But I was stubborn, thinking that as long as I stayed by Caspian's side, I could eventually warm his heart of stone.

Who knew that aside from Isolde, Caspian wouldn't love anyone? He was even willing to send his own flesh and blood to a lab for Isolde's child!

"Caspian..." I hugged Alaric tighter, the last bit of warmth in my eyes completely extinguished. I would never forgive him!

Valerius saw the hatred in my eyes and sighed softly. But what he said next was like a thunderclap exploding in my ears.

"Ivy, there are things you need to know. You always thought you were abandoned, but you weren't."

He pointed to the massive family crest on the manor gates—it was identical to the pattern on the rusty brooch my mother had left me!

"You are the only lost bloodline of the Magnus family, a reclusive European financial dynasty on par with the Rothschilds," Valerius said, his voice deep and powerful. "Decades ago, enemies of the Magnus family kidnapped you during the chaos. And your mother... she was the love of Mr. Magnus's life."

I was too shocked to speak.

"Go in," Valerius pushed open the heavy oak doors. "He's waiting for you."

Walking through the corridor lined with masterpieces, I saw an old man in a wheelchair in the study at the end of the hall.

Although his hair was silver, his eyes were still as sharp as a hawk's—the kind of imposing presence developed from years of sitting in a high position.

"My child..." When that familiar yet strange voice reached me, I couldn't hold back anymore. Tears burst from my eyes.

"Father."

Magnus looked at my tear-stained face, and then at Alaric in my arms, who was frowning even in his sleep, covered in wounds.

"..." Alaric was woken by the noise. He rubbed his sleepy eyes and looked at the majestic old man in front of him.

"Is this... my grandson?" Magnus reached out a trembling hand, stroking the shocking needle marks and bruises on Alaric's arm—traces left by the kidnappers, and proof of Caspian's cold-bloodedness.

The old man's hand shook violently, and the kindness in his eyes instantly turned into a monstrous rage.

"Bastard!" He slammed his hand on the armrest, his voice echoing in the empty study. "That piece of trash named Caspian dared to torture my daughter and grandson like this!"

"Father, I..." I choked up, overcome with shame. "I was a poor judge of character..."

"No, this isn't your fault." Magnus pulled my hand over, looking at my rough knuckles and the rope burns on my wrists, his eyes reddening. "We let you suffer out there. But from today on, no one will dare to bully you again."

He turned his head and issued a cold order to the butler behind him, his tone carrying an unquestionable dominance.

"Mobilize our global resources. Immediately erase every trace of Ivy and Alaric in New York from the last few years. I want that man to turn the world upside down and not be able to find a single hair on their heads!"

"Also," the old man's eyes turned dark and dangerous, "get everything ready. Since that scumbag likes to play games with power and money, I'll show him what real capital looks like."

I looked at my father's angry profile, and a long-lost warmth surged in my heart.

It turned out I wasn't an unwanted weed after all.

I lowered my head and gently kissed Alaric's forehead. "Baby, don't be afraid. From now on, no one can ever hurt us again."