Chapter 1

Rosalyn's POV

I came home from my prenatal checkup and happened to hear my husband's sister Valentina's voice.

"Zander, if Rosalyn finds out that Leon is the stillborn baby she gave birth to, will she fight me for custody?"

I froze in place.

Four years ago, my husband Lysander and I had a baby through IVF, but it died shortly after birth.

I cried my heart out over it, and Lysander held me, comforting me over and over, saying:

"Don't be sad, we'll have children in the future."

Four years have passed, and I've finally welcomed my second child.

But then I heard Valentina say that my first child didn't actually die, and had become her son Leon.

I couldn't believe this was true. Just as I was about to push the door open, I heard my husband Lysander's voice.

"Don't worry, there's no way Rosalyn will know that I secretly switched her eggs with yours, including the child in her belly now—that's also the product of our love."

Hearing my husband, who had always been gentle and patient with me, now casually admitting to his affair.

My heart felt like it was pierced by a blade, the pain making me break out in cold sweat all over.

I remembered that just a few days after my first child died, Valentina, who had been getting treatment in Switzerland, suddenly came back with a baby in her arms..

She said it was her illegitimate child with some Swiss tycoon.

He refused to acknowledge it, so she could only bring the baby back to raise herself.

I felt sorry for her at the time and told Lysander to take good care of her.

Lysander was the adopted son of the Montfort family, while Valentina was the Montfort family's biological daughter.

I always thought they were just simple siblings.

But I never imagined they had been plotting behind my back all along, making me have children for them.

My hands started shaking, and I had to lean against the wall to barely stay standing.

The conversation in the study continued.

"Are you sure Rosalyn won't find out?" Valentina's voice carried a hint of unease.

"She went for a prenatal checkup today. What if the doctor tells her about blood type or genetic issues..."

"I've arranged everything." Lysander's voice was calm.

"The doctor doing her checkup is my person. She won't know anything she shouldn't know."

"What about after the baby is born?"

"After the baby is born, I'll have her sign a document."

Lysander paused, "We'll say she has postpartum depression and is voluntarily giving up custody."

"Can you bear to do that?" Valentina asked with a laugh.

"What's there to feel bad about?" Lysander's voice carried no emotion.

"When she went to great lengths to please my parents and forced me to marry her, she should have known this day would come."

I pushed the door open hard.

Both people in the study looked at me at the same time.

Lysander sat behind the desk, Valentina stood beside him, one hand resting on his shoulder in an intimate pose.

The moment they saw me, Lysander's expression showed a flash of panic, but he quickly regained his composure.

Valentina showed no fear at all, instead smiling smugly.

"Looks like we don't need to hide it anymore."

I ignored her, my eyes fixed straight on Lysander.

"Lysander, I'm asking you..." My voice was shaking, "Is Leon the child I gave birth to four years ago?"

Lysander looked at me, silent for a long time, then nodded.

"That's right."

"He didn't die?" My tears started falling, my voice getting sharper and sharper.

"You lied to me and said he died? You gave him to Valentina?"

"You were the one who insisted on marrying into this family." Lysander stood up, walked in front of me, and looked down at me from above. "If it weren't for you, Tina wouldn't have lost her ability to have children. Everything you're doing is to atone for what you did to Tina!"

I stood there, feeling the whole world spinning.

"So you used my body to have children for her?" I laughed coldly, my voice trembling. "You said it so emotionally, but you just want to use Valentina to strengthen your position in the Montfort family, you despicable, shameless bastard!"

Hearing "bastard," Lysander completely lost it and raised his hand to slap me.

I covered my burning face, my heart completely shattered.

This man who once made vows of eternal love to me was now getting physical with me.

Valentina, standing nearby, covered her mouth, unable to hide the smugness in her eyes.

"Zander, don't do this. What if you hurt my second child?"

Lysander looked at me, his eyes cold: "Don't say I'm not taking care of you. You help Valentina have two children, and I'll give you money as compensation. If you know what's good for you, shut up!"

My head buzzed, and I couldn't hear anything anymore.

Valentina slowly walked to Lysander's side, looking at me with contempt.

She wore a rose-red dress with perfect makeup, looking more beautiful than ever.

And more disgusting than ever.

"Rosalyn, what more could you want?" Her voice was soft. "You're Mrs. Montfort now, living in a mansion, driving luxury cars, wearing diamond rings worth millions of dollars. We gave you all of this. As long as you give birth to the child, you'll continue to have a good life. Tearing everything apart won't do anyone any good."

"Why should I?!" I screamed hysterically. "Leon is the child I carried for ten months and gave birth to. What gives you the right to take him away?"

"Stop dreaming! Leon has my blood running through his veins!" Valentina interrupted me. "Besides giving birth to him, you're nothing."

I opened my mouth but couldn't speak.

She was right.

Leon was taken away by her as soon as he was born. I only helped take care of him for a few days when she first came back, then Lysander wouldn't let me near him anymore. He said Valentina needed to bond with her own child, and outsiders shouldn't interfere.

Blood rushed to my head, and I lunged at Valentina like a madwoman.

But before I could touch her, a small figure rushed out from the corner of the study.

Leon had somehow come in and pushed me to the ground, his little face flushed red, shouting at me: "Don't bully my Mommy! You bad woman!"

The back of my head hit the edge of the bookshelf, the pain buzzing through my skull, but what hurt even more was the look in Leon's eyes—full of anger and hostility.

"Leon..." I reached out my hand, my voice hoarse. "I'm your Mommy..."

"You're not my Mommy!" Leon glared at me, then turned and threw himself into Valentina's arms, acting cute. "Mommy, Leon protected you."

Valentina crouched down and hugged him, gently patting his back, saying tenderly: "It's okay, baby. Mommy's fine. The bad person won't dare bully Mommy anymore."

Lysander just stood to the side, watching all this expressionlessly.

I looked at all this in despair. As I tried to get up, a sharp pain shot through my lower abdomen, and cold sweat instantly soaked my back.

I looked down to see a pool of blood flowing down my thighs.