Chapter 1 Her Son Wants Her Dead

"I made you a cake. Hope you get well soon."

After five years in a vegetative state, Stella Windsor saw her son for the first time.

She reached out, her fingertips pausing at his hair, then trembling as she pulled him into her arms. "Noah..."

But the little body in her embrace recoiled as if burned, jumping back and snapping impatiently, "I'm not Noah. My name is Zane Howard."

Zane's rejection left Stella's arms frozen in mid-air, her body feeling like it was being squeezed by an icy hand, the pain suffocating her.

Five years ago, when Zane was just a month old, she had wanted to buy him a gift. On the way, she saw a runaway car heading straight for a little girl on the street.

Perhaps it was her new motherhood—she didn't think twice before rushing over.

As a result, she became a vegetable.

For five years, she hadn't fulfilled her duties as a mother. Zane's reaction was understandable.

She forced her lips into a smile, as if that could convince herself to accept all this.

"Zane..."

Though she didn't know why Richard Howard hadn't named their child Noah Howard as she had wanted.

Still, seeing him again, she felt lucky.

The five-year gap—she would make it up to him slowly from now on.

At this thought, Stella smiled. "What a nice name."

"Of course it's nice. Lillian picked it."

Unlike his earlier coldness, Zane lifted his little head proudly, looking quite pleased with himself.

Stella froze, taking a long moment to find her voice. "The Lillian you're talking about—is her name Lillian Garcia?"

"Yes!"

A chill shot up Stella's spine, instantly freezing her entire body.

Before she could think further, Zane had already opened the cake box and held it out to her. "Try it. I made it myself."

"Okay."

Unable to refuse, Stella took the cake and bit into it, suddenly realizing it contained hazelnuts.

She was allergic to hazelnuts—even touching them made her uncomfortable.

Before Stella could spit it out, she felt her chest tighten, unable to catch her breath.

"Zane, quick, help me call the doctor..." Stella's throat constricted, each breath becoming incredibly difficult.

Zane didn't move.

Watching Stella's face twist in pain from suffocation, he snorted coldly. "If it weren't for you, Lillian could have been my mom. Why did you have to wake up?"

Stella went rigid, even the suffocating pain seeming to freeze for a moment.

But she had no time to think. Survival instinct made her struggle to reach the call button.

Suddenly everything spun.

Stella crashed heavily to the floor.

Her consciousness rapidly fading, but just before she lost consciousness, she heard Zane's childish voice in her ear.

"Lillian, I did what you said and put hazelnuts in the cake. Does this mean you can marry my dad and be my mom forever?"

In that instant, Stella felt a sharp pain in her heart, far more desperate than when the car wheels had crushed her body five years ago...

The son she had risked her life to give birth to actually wished her dead...

When she woke again, Stella found a tall figure beside her.

Her husband—Richard.

"Richard..."

Stella called out, about to say something when an ice-cold voice sounded in her ear: "You know you're allergic to hazelnuts. Why did you eat it? Wasn't tormenting me for five years enough?"

Stella pressed her lips together, shaking her head with difficulty. "No, it was Zane..."

"Dad, I made the cake, but I didn't know she was allergic to hazelnuts..." The small body cowered behind Richard like a frightened deer.

Stella looked at Zane, suddenly becoming agitated. "Zane, why are you lying? I heard your conversation with Lillian. She told you to put hazelnuts in my cake, didn't she? Speak!"

Zane's eyes instantly reddened, large tears streaming down. "I didn't... it wasn't me... Dad... I'm so scared..."

"Enough! Stella!"

Richard shielded Zane behind him, looking at Stella with bone-chilling disgust. "Your own problem—why are you blaming Zane and Lillian?"

"Do you know that during the five years you were unconscious, Lillian treated Zane like her own son? And you repay her with such malicious assumptions. Absolutely unreasonable!"

Facing Richard's rebuke, Zane's crying grew louder. "Mommy is so mean. I don't want her as my mommy. I want Lillian. Dad, I want Lillian..."

The crying was sharp and piercing, each word like a poisoned needle stabbing Stella's most vulnerable spot.

Richard quickly crouched down to comfort Zane. "Don't cry, Zane. I'll have Lillian come get you right now."

Soon, Lillian arrived.

As soon as she entered, Zane rushed into her arms like he'd found his savior. "Lillian, take me away, please? Mommy is so scary..."

Lillian held him tightly, stroking his face tenderly. "She's your mother. How could she be scary..."

"She's not my mommy... I don't want her as my mommy..."

Lillian covered Zane's little mouth, saying softly, "Zane, don't talk nonsense..."

She looked up at the pale-faced Stella. "Stella, I heard you woke up. I'm really happy for you..."

Stella stared hard at Lillian's face, her nails digging deep into her palms. "Lillian, how did I never notice what a good actress you are?"

Lillian's brow furrowed, instinctively looking at Richard with a pitiful expression. "Stella, what are you saying? I don't understand..."

Stella snorted coldly, about to speak when Richard instinctively stepped in front of Lillian. "Stella, shut up. This has nothing to do with Lillian. If you say one more word, don't blame me for being rude."

As he finished speaking, a metallic sweetness surged up her throat.

Richard was the boy she had loved most in her youth, but back then his heart belonged only to Lillian.

If not for that accidental night, he probably never would have married her.

In the past, she had naively believed that if she kept giving, one day he would see her.

But reality had slapped her hard in the face.

Stella suddenly laughed. "Richard, since you don't have me in your heart, let's get divorced."