Chapter 1

My husband took our six-year-old son to meet his first love, using him as a cover. At some point, he sent our son to buy burn cream. My sweet boy then encountered a lunatic who stabbed him to death.

The pain in my heart was unbearable. When I saw the burn cream still in my son's hand, I broke down in tears.

Then my husband called. Instead of any concern or remorse, he yelled at me, "Look at the son you've raised, Shayla Joy! He burned Claire and didn't even apologize. Get him back here right now!"

…

When my son, Aiden Chappell, died in my arms, he was still clutching the tube of medicine. I sobbed uncontrollably as blood spilled from his mouth and he struggled to speak. At that moment, I dropped to my knees, begging the heavens to take my life instead of his.

My plea wasn't heard. They took Aiden away from me, and my world fell apart. I passed out from the grief. When I woke up, I was alone. Logan Chappell, my husband, called. He still didn't know what had happened to Aiden.

"Logan, Aiden… He—" I started to say, but Logan cut me off before I could finish.

"Shayla, look at the son you've raised! He burned Claire and didn't even apologize. Get him back here right now!" he demanded.

My heart sank. So it was them!

"Logan! Aiden is only six years old! You sent him out on his own to get burn cream, didn't you?" I questioned.

"And why shouldn't I? He deliberately spilled hot water on Claire. I just told him to go to the nearby pharmacy, and he ran off," Logan complained. "Shayla, this is the son you've raised. Tell him to come back and apologize to Claire."

I could hear Claire's voice in the background. "It's okay, Logan. I know Aiden doesn't like me. He's just a child. I can handle a little bit of pain."

"Don't defend him," Logan snapped. "Shayla, did you hear me? Bring Aiden over now!"

I was so furious that my vision went black for a second. Then I said, "Aiden won't be going back. If you want to blame someone, go find him yourself." I hung up and blocked Logan's number, my chest tightening in pain.

Ever since Claire Wheaton came back, Logan had been acting like a fool, abandoning even his own son. I knew I had to leave Logan. But before I did, I would make sure he and Claire paid the price for what they'd done.

I stayed with Aiden and contacted an agent to arrange his burial. "Don't worry, my son," I whispered, "Mommy won't let you die in vain."

After burying him, I returned home, exhausted. The moment I walked in, I came face-to-face with Logan and Claire.

"Where's Aiden, Shayla? Just look at what he did to Claire." Logan immediately started demanding answers.

Claire, standing next to him, her hand wrapped in bandages, said in her soft, manipulative voice, "Don't be mad, Shayla. Logan is just standing up for me. I—"

Smack!

I couldn't hold back any longer and slapped Claire across the face.

"You homewrecker!" I shouted.

"What're you doing, Shayla?!" Logan shoved me aside, and I fell hard, pain shooting through me. "Aiden turned out the way he did because he had a mother like you," he accused. "You still have the nerve to hit someone? Get Aiden out here right now!"

I looked up at Logan, pain searing through my body. I got up and charged at him with all the strength I had left, cursing, "You monster! You killed my son, and now you want him to apologize?! You two are the ones who should burn in hell!" I continued to yell, "You're no father, Logan. You're not even human!" I lunged at him, scratching and hitting.

Logan was momentarily stunned but then screamed, "Hold her down! She's crazy!"

Two bodyguards rushed in and pinned me to the floor. I struggled, but I couldn't break free.

Holding his face, Logan said angrily, "If I had known you'd turn out like this, I never would have married you."

"Yeah, but the one you wanted dumped you for someone richer and moved abroad. And now that you have money, she comes crawling back. You're pathetic, Logan!" I cried.

I exposed Logan's deepest insecurity, and he turned livid. He was about to explode when Claire conveniently stepped in. "Logan, don't... I never meant to leave like that. It wasn't on purpose. I didn't know that's how you felt about me," she sobbed, tears welling up in her eyes.

Instantly, Logan's anger evaporated, and he rushed to comfort Claire. "I've never thought of you that way. You've always been perfect to me."

Perfect? I laughed, hard, until my chest hurt. It was all too ridiculous.

Logan looked at me with nothing but disgust.