Chapter1

Three years ago, I fell into a coma due to complications during childbirth. When I woke up, my husband, Marcus, told me our baby was a stillborn. He sat by my hospital bed late at night, crying secretly.

For the past three years, he obeyed my every word. However, the progress bar of the True Love Bond System was always stuck at 99%.

On the anniversary of my child's death, I went to the hospital to pick up my antidepressants after visiting the cemetery. Just as I walked to the restroom entrance, a little boy rushed out and bumped into my legs.

I helped him up and asked him, "Sweetheart, where are your mom and dad?"

He shook off my hand and ran away.

I chased after him instinctively and saw an unbelievable scene.

At the door of the pediatric vaccination room, Marcus smiled and caught the boy who threw himself into his arms.

"Daddy!"

And the woman the boy called mom was Chloe, my former college roommate whom I had financially supported. She leaned against his side, holding a children's water bottle in her hand. Marcus's parents stood nearby, smiling and teasing the boy with a toy car.

Old Mr. Sterling sighed. "Serena must have gone to the cemetery again. Sigh, if she knew Leo was..."

"Dad!" Marcus interrupted him, pressing a hat over Leo's ears. "Our whole family owes Chloe this child."

I clenched my jaw and rubbed my eyes in disbelief.

In my mind, the long-absent holographic screen of the System popped up.

"Host, DNA test confirms that this is the child you gave birth to back then..."

"Extreme deception detected. Mission failed. Do you wish to detach from this world?"

---

I stared at the words on the system screen, freezing in place in utter shock.

"Daddy, this is the lady who just helped me up."

Leo walked over, holding Marcus and Chloe's hands. He pointed at me, his tone innocent and naive.

The three of them stopped in their tracks simultaneously.

Marcus's expression changed, and he stepped in front of Leo to shield him. Chloe's smile froze on her face.

I stared at Marcus, my eyes turning red.

"Stop hiding him, Marcus. Aren't you going to explain?"

Marcus took a deep breath. He let go of Leo's hand and took a half-step forward.

"Since you found out, I'll tell you."

His tone was terrifyingly calm.

"Yes, Leo is your child. He wasn't a stillborn. I bribed the nurse back then and lied to you."

My nails dug into my palms.

Chloe stood behind him, her face pale. "Serena! It's all my fault, please don't blame him!"

She suddenly bent down, picked up Leo, and tried to shove the child into my arms.

"Leo, go to your mom."

Leo screamed, his hands tightly wrapping around Chloe's neck.

"No! I don't want this crazy woman! I only love you. I only have one mom! Mommy, please don't abandon me!"

Marcus wrapped his arm around her shoulder, his face filled with heartache. Chloe held Leo, her eyes rimmed with red.

Hearing the commotion, Marcus's mother rushed over, blocked Chloe, and pointed right at my nose.

"Serena, mind your manners! Don't you dare throw a crazy tantrum here to tear them apart. Letting Chloe into the family trust to raise Leo was approved by both me and your father-in-law!"

My voice was trembling.

"So, from the very beginning, I was the only one in the whole family kept in the dark like a fool?"

Marcus's mother scoffed coldly.

"You only have yourself to blame! When you got into that car accident back then, Chloe ruined her health trying to save you. She can never have children for the rest of her life. Letting her raise a child of the Sterling family as compensation is completely justified!"

Justified?

But I remembered clearly that Chloe had cheated in college, and her uterus was destroyed when her drug-addict ex-boyfriend hit her with his car. I was there that day. It had absolutely nothing to do with saving me.

Chloe kept her head down, not daring to look at me.

I remained silent. Marcus's mother thought she had intimidated me, and her tone softened slightly.

"It's been three years, you shouldn't overthink this anymore. Anyway, you can still have another baby with Marcus. You'll have your own child sooner or later."

"Over the years, we've come to see Leo every month. Chloe is smart and capable, while you talk to yourself all day long. She is much better at taking care of Leo!"

Marcus's father also walked over and stood beside her to chime in.

"Chloe is an orphan, but she treats us like her own parents. We have already publicly announced our adoption of her as our daughter. From now on, just treat her as your sister."

He paused, then added another sentence.

"As for Leo, if your heart really aches for him, just dote on him as your nephew."

I looked at them. The four of them stood together, looking like a complete, perfect family portrait. My whole body went cold.

I laughed, tears streaming down my face. "The child I carried for ten months and painstakingly gave birth to is going to be her son. My husband treats her like a wife. And now even you two are taking her in as your daughter."

"What about me? For the past three years, what exactly have I been to you all?"

"Why didn't anyone tell me the truth?"

I pointed at Chloe, my fingers trembling.

"When my depression hit and I prayed frantically to God every night to atone for my sins, were you gloating?"

"Serena, that's enough!" Marcus frowned, looking at the medicine bag in my hand with disgust. "It's your own mind that is too fragile! If you want to blame someone, blame me, but don't terrorize Chloe and the child!"

My entire body went weak. I leaned against the wall and awakened the System.

"Confirm detachment. I don't want to stay here for another second."