Chapter 4

Serena pulled a thermos from her handbag. In a blind spot, hidden from most eyes, she suddenly grabbed Mia’s wrist.

“Good girl,” she cooed, covering the child’s eyes. “Mommy’s going to do a magic trick for you.”

“No!”

I lunged forward to stop her, but she shoved me away.

The next second, a piercing scream echoed through the grand hall.

Mia’s fair arm instantly swelled and blistered. Serena, quick as a flash, shoved the thermos into my hand.

“Help me!”

Serena knelt, clutching a wailing, heartbroken Mia.

“Aurora, if you have a problem with me, come at me! Why would you scald Mia with boiling water?! She’s just a child!”

I froze, stunned. I couldn’t believe she would do something so twisted and heartless just to frame me, even hurting her own child!

Julian rushed over, saw Mia’s injuries, and without a second thought, kicked me to the ground. He roared,

“How could you lay a hand on such a small child?! Are you even human?!”

Julian called the family doctor to treat Mia’s burns. Leo suddenly burst into tears.

I lay on the ground, struggling to push myself up. My trembling hand reached out to Leo.

“Leo, baby, don’t be scared… tell Daddy… who it was just now…”

Before I could finish, Leo recoiled in terror, hiding behind Julian, sobbing.

“It was Mommy! She threw hot water on Mia! I’m so scared!”

I instantly froze, my outstretched hand falling limply.

“Just because I brought Serena to one party, you’re jealous to this extent? They’re the children you raised with your own hands!”

I opened my mouth, a metallic taste of blood growing stronger in my throat. It finally coalesced into a barely audible, bitter laugh.

I looked into Julian’s furious eyes.

“Julian, do you really believe that?”

“He’s only six! Can he lie?!”

The surrounding guests buzzed with chatter.

Someone pointed at me, calling me “vicious.”

Someone else whispered, “No wonder she can’t have children, her heart is so cruel.”

The tide of accusations washed over me, drowning me. What hurt more was Julian’s hateful gaze, like a knife twisting in my heart. In his mind, I was just a jealous, wicked woman.

Serena nestled against Julian, her eyes red.

“Aurora, if you’re sick, you need help. How could you do something so cruel?”

Leo’s crying grew louder, saying he was scared of me.

Julian pointed at me, roaring,

“Aurora, get out! Get out of our sight!”

I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth, shakily stood up, and pulled the divorce papers, which had never left my bag, from my purse. I offered a desolate smile.

“Yes, I should go… Sign the papers, and I’ll obediently disappear.”

Julian’s anger flared. He stood up abruptly, ripped the divorce papers to shreds, and threw them in my face.

“Without a billion dollars, don’t even *think* about divorce! You, Aurora Reynolds, will be my wife for life!”

Outside, the rain poured down. I stumbled into the deluge, the cold raindrops mixing with my tears, washing over me.

Ten years of marriage, of genuine love and unspoken endurance. Tomorrow, when I got that money, it would all be over, right?

The next second, my vision went black, and I tumbled down the stairs.

I braced for impact, expecting to hit the bottom, but instead, I fell into a warm, strong embrace.

“Just a little late, and you’ve already managed to get yourself into such a mess, hmm?”

When I next woke, I was in a hospital bed.

The man before me had handsome, striking features. He was Caspian Thorne, the current head of the powerful Monarch Group.

I was about to speak when I noticed a familiar diamond cufflink on his suit sleeve.

It was the gift I’d given a lifesaver on my eighteenth birthday.

“Finally recognized me? My unrequited love for you for over a decade hasn’t been in vain.”

Caspian leaned closer, his voice deep and magnetic.

Memories flooded back.

When I was eighteen, I was kidnapped. A boy risked his life to save me.

As he left, I pressed my most precious birthday gift into his hand…

“It’s… you…”

My voice trembled. I instinctively tried to sit up.

He quickly held me, his expression suddenly tense. “Careful. The doctor said you’re pregnant. Eight weeks.”

My entire body stiffened.

The timing was exactly when Julian last touched me. He’d been completely drunk that night, mistaking me for Serena.

Caspian sneered.

“Interesting. Julian Grayson kicks you out, but has no idea his wife is carrying his child.”

Then he smirked, his gaze burning as he stared at me.

“But not for long.”

I was so overwhelmed by the rapid succession of news, I couldn't process it.

“What?”

Caspian chuckled.

“The billion dollars has already been transferred. He’ll sign whether he wants to or not.”

At that moment, Julian was sitting in the villa garden, watching Serena and the two children play on the lawn.

“Aurora didn’t come back all night. How can she be so stubborn with you, darling? The baby cried all night, it broke my heart.”

Julian was about to respond with a cold laugh when his phone vibrated. He casually checked the message, still thinking about how he’d teach me a lesson when I returned.

But the message on his screen made his smile freeze instantly—

[Your account has received a transfer of $1,000,000,000.00. Memo: Divorce Redemption]