Elara Jones was carrying her daughter as she rushed to the hotel. At this moment, her son's fifth birthday party had already begun.Meanwhile, Harvey Fisher stood beside their son as the warm glow of the candles illuminated the child's tender face.Beau Fisher clasped his hands together and made a wish. "I wish Ms. Niamh could be my new mom."Elara was shivering from the cold as it was raining heavily outside. She had gotten herself soaked trying to keep her daughter and the birthday cake dry.Her clothes clung to her body like a thin layer of ice, wrapping her in cold discomfort.Niamh Jones burst into hearty laughter. "How many times do I have to tell you? Don't call me Ms. Niamh! Call me Niamh! Your dad and I are more like brothers, so I can only be your second dad or something."Her laughter echoed through the private room. The guests, who were all Niamh's close buddies, joined in the laughter. Only Niamh would dare to tease Harvey this way in front of so many people.Beau b
Niamh turned to Harvey and made a playful face. "Elara misunderstood us again. I'll go explain everything to her.""There's nothing to explain. She's just too sensitive."Harvey's expression remained indifferent as his gaze shifted to the half-eaten birthday cake Elara had left behind. His brows were knit.With Harvey's final word on the matter, the tension in the room eased. Elara storming out wasn't a big deal anyway.The others chimed in agreement. "Elara's just upset. Harvey can calm her down when he gets home.""Exactly. There's no way she'd actually divorce Harvey. Everyone knows Elara almost gave her life to have his kids.""Who knows, she might already regret walking out the door!""Come on, let's eat the cake! By the time Harvey gets home, Elara will probably be standing at the door like a loyal wife waiting for her husband!"Harvey's brows relaxed as he imagined Elara timidly standing by the door, cautiously trying to please him.Meanwhile, Beau savored the cake Niam
Harvey's suggestion to have Scotch eggs was, in truth, a ploy to get Mary to contact Elara. He thought he was already offering her a way back into the fold."Mrs. Fisher said she isn't coming back," said Mary.Harvey choked on his coffee, unable to suppress a coughing fit.Mary sensed something was amiss. "Did you and Mrs. Fisher have an argument, Mr. Fisher?""Mind your own business!" Harvey's sharp tone chilled the air in the dining room.Mary shrank back, not daring to say another word while Harvey tightened his grip on the mug in his hand.How could Elara possibly not come back? By now, she should already be preparing the homemade lunch she always sent to his office.Whenever Elara upset him in the past, she would personally deliver lunch to the office as a reconciliation gesture.…Bambi sat at the dining table, and her eyes lit up when she saw the breakfast. "Wow! Chicken noodle soup!"Bambi loved chicken noodle soup, but Beau would gag at the sight of it. At the Fisher
Harvey had already hung up on the other end of the line.Elara got back into her car, pressed the accelerator, and sped out of the parking space. She didn't notice the black sports car trailing her like a shadow.…The scenery on both sides of the road blurred into streaks as the car raced past. The silver Volvo streaked across the asphalt like lightning.Elara's dark eyes fixed firmly on the road ahead. It had been a long time since she had driven this fast. The rush of adrenaline surged in sync with the speedometer needle climbing to its peak.She overtook three flashy sports cars in quick succession, leaving their drivers shouting in surprise."Whoa! Who the hell was that?"Someone in another car instructed while speaking through a Bluetooth earpiece, "Get me the details on that license plate."The modified sports cars were left far behind one at a time. Elara didn't ease off the accelerator even on the winding curves of the mountain road.The group of young thrill-seekers
Meanwhile, Niamh stepped off her modified motorcycle while carrying a paper bag. The security guard stared wide-eyed at the woman in skintight yoga pants.Niamh casually tossed her loose hair over her shoulder. She then greeted the guard with a carefree smile, and entered the kindergarten.She already knew which class Beau was in, and she walked over with a grin upon spotting Bridget."Hi there, I brought more wax bottle candies for Beau. I heard the ones he brought were a big hit with the other kids."Bridget eyed Niamh critically. "So, you're the one who allowed Beau to bring those candies to school?"Niamh's face lit up with excitement. "Yes! These wax bottle candies were made by a friend of mine using premium beeswax…""So, it was you who nearly caused my son to choke to death!"The furious shout exploded behind Niamh. A resounding slap landed squarely across her face as she turned, leaving her seeing stars."Why the hell are you hitting me?" Niamh yelled."It's because yo
Elara's mind went blank. It was as if a tidal wave had crashed over her, tearing at her body and fueling a storm of anger and humiliation.Her expression remained calm as she reached out and picked up the necklace, while Niamh's eyes lit up with a mocking gleam.Harvey leaned against the sofa, and looked away. He was convinced that Elara was like a dog—neglected one moment but wagging her tail the next the moment he beckoned her.Elara hooked a finger under the necklace around Niamh's neck, pulling it forward. She then held the two necklaces side by side."Niamh, the mother-of-pearl on your necklace is of much better quality. How about we trade?"She didn't call out the fake necklace directly as Niamh would have no shortage of excuses to dodge responsibility. Elara wanted Niamh to silently swallow the loss.The delicate chain tightened against the back of Niamh's neck, and she froze awkwardly. Her earlier anticipation of Elara foolishly wearing the fake necklace out in public and
Elara handed Harvey the pen.Niamh widened her eyes at that moment, unable to hide the glimmer of hope shining within them. When she saw Harvey sign the divorce agreement, a secret sense of triumph lit up her face."Elara, you're being so dramatic! I'd wake up laughing in the middle of the night if I had a husband like Harvey!"Elara shot Niamh a faintly mocking glance. "Do you hear how desperate you sound?"Harvey tossed the signed divorce papers at Elara. "You can throw your tantrum, but don't vent your frustrations at Niamh."Uninterested in arguing further, Harvey lowered his voice and spoke to Bambi. "If you ever want to come home, you can always call Daddy."Bambi tilted her head up and looked at Harvey. She didn't say a word and only tightened her grip on Elara's hand.His gaze toward Elara was cold and indifferent. "Bambi is my daughter, so she's welcome to come back anytime, but you… It won't be so easy for you to return."Harvey seemed like a god perched high above as
Niamh's suggestion was tempting, but Beau hesitated. "But if I turn in such a simple project, I'll never get a star.""I can order tons of stars online and give them to you! Then you'll have plenty of stars!"Beau looked at Niamh as if she were an idiot. "Niamh, do you usually wear fake stuff when you go out?"Niamh immediately denied it. "I never wear fake things!"Beau raised his voice. "If I take those stars you bought to kindergarten, won't I just get laughed at by the other kids? Only the stars the teacher gives out are real stars! Haven't you heard of the story called The Emperor's New Clothes?"He huffed angrily before saying, "You're just fooling yourself!"Being reprimanded by a five-year-old left Niamh's expression a chaotic swirl of embarrassment and frustration. "Fine, fine! I'll help you finish building the space fortress."If Elara could build a space fortress out of plastic straws, there was no way she couldn't.Ten minutes later, Niamh accidentally crushed the n
Paisley stood at the center of the stage and bowed, thanking the audience. Meanwhile, the auditorium erupted in thunderous applause. Several parents who knew Rosalie turned to praise her."Ms. Fisher, you've done such a wonderful job raising her.""Paisley's dancing was beautiful. With her on stage, the whole performance became so pleasing to watch."Parents from the same class chimed in as well. "Rosalie made the right call by having Merida step down from the rehearsals. If Merida had performed, it definitely wouldn't have turned out this well.""Exactly. Rosalie really has great foresight."As they spoke, their glances drifted—intentionally or not—toward Elara.In the microcosm of the school community, parents were sorted by social circles. Even if they acknowledged Elara's competence, to them, she still had no real backing.And without that, she might as well have had nothing. In the world of elite parents at one of Capitol's top schools, Elara stood on shaky ground. Those ho
Rosalie let out a disdainful snort. "Does someone like Elara even deserve to step into the Fisher family's circle?"Her voice turned icy and shrill. "She's only dragging me down!"Luxury brands existed precisely to distinguish those who could afford them from those who couldn't. If commoners could easily buy Louis Vuitton or Hermès, how would the wealthy flaunt their status?Ever since Elara married into the Fisher family, Rosalie felt her own standing had been diminished. Now that Elara had been kicked out, Rosalie wouldn't give her another chance to mingle with high society.Harold lowered his voice. "Put in a good word for me with the Fisher family. Help me become Xavier's tutor."Though Beau had resumed his elite homeschooling, Xavier still attended the same classes—and far outperformed him. Harold had a strong premonition that the Fisher family would focus on cultivating Xavier.Though not Leonard's biological son, Xavier was his sole heir since Leonard had no children of hi
Rosalie took her seat beside Harold and immediately noticed him repeatedly glancing in Elara's direction."What are you looking at?" Her voice turned dangerous.Harold instantly trembled, quickly straightening his posture. "Nothing! I wasn't looking at anything!"Rosalie wouldn't let it go. "You kept staring at Elara! Why were you looking at her?"Flames burned in Rosalie's eyes as Harold hurriedly explained, "I just saw Xavier sitting in her lap and got curious! I never expected that child to be so close with her."He then gossiped with Rosalie, "Do you think if Elara dotes on Xavier like this, she might end up becoming Harvey's aunt?"A mischievous smirk spread across Harold's face."Only vulgar minds would come up with such vulgar thoughts!" Rosalie snapped.As a Fisher family member, her first reaction was utter disgust at such disgraceful speculation. How could she ever hold her head high in Capitol's elite circles if this happened?"How could Leonard possibly do such a t
Xavier eyed his surroundings warily, refusing to let anyone touch him as he walked between bodyguards. The backstage area bustled with people and large props. Some children wore exaggerated stage makeup and brightly colored costumes.Like a kitten caught in traffic, Xavier trembled with fear at the unfamiliar environment."Xavier!" Merida's loud, cheerful voice cut through the noise.Spotting Merida and Elara in the crowd, Xavier's dark eyes immediately lit up. He broke into a run toward them.Merida dashed forward too, leaping to meet Xavier. She scooped him up effortlessly, lifting him high into the air.Xavier soared upward, his face breaking into a smile at Merida's beaming expression.After spinning him around once, Merida carefully set him down—knowing more spins would make him dizzy."Xavier! I'm so happy you're here! Did you come to watch my performance?"Xavier nodded earnestly.His fingers reached out to touch the fringes on Merida's vibrant pink costume, his admirin
Rosalie's lips curled into a mocking smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Of course, you'd get selected no matter what you perform. I mean, having a school board chairman for a father does wonders."Nearby parents exchanged knowing glances.Elara asked calmly, "Ms. Fisher, did Harvey say something to you?""Not at all," Rosalie replied."Then are you just spreading rumors?" Elara continued. "My daughter's performance earned the arts department's approval. What does that have to do with the Fisher family?"Rosalie lifted her chin, her gaze turning condescending. Since Elara's divorce from Harvey, Rosalie had looked at her like royalty observing an ant beneath her feet."The arts teachers only approved it because Harvey's on the board."Elara simply smiled. Rosalie was clearly trying to pick a fight, but Elara wasn't interested in proving herself. She had no intention of arguing over whether her daughter's opportunity to perform was the result of favoritism from Harvey.Instead, sh
Niamh's mouth opened, her voice trembling as she muttered, "Why… Why would Harvey say that?"By pushing all the blame onto her, wasn't Harvey essentially sentencing her to death? It was no wonder Abel wanted to kill her! Niamh shivered violently, feeling as if her heart might split apart.Abel pointed at her face and growled, "After I break your legs, I'll drag you to the Fisher family to beg Harvey's forgiveness!""Dad! No! Harvey's lying! What he's saying isn't true!"She knew with certainty that Abel would truly break her legs. Disaster was coming for her!Benjamin interjected coldly, "What you should consider is why Harvey would say this. Regardless of the truth, when Harvey shifts all the blame to you, it means you've become worthless to him!"To him, you're just a scapegoat now!"Tears welled in Niamh's eyes. Had Harvey forgotten Dawn's dying words? How could he do this to her?"Dad, I've been framed!" Niamh murmured despairingly.Abel refused to listen. "I don't care if
The hospital room door suddenly swung open from the outside. Benjamin entered to find Abel pressing a pillow over Niamh's face.Without hesitation, he charged forward, shoving Abel away with his body. Abel stumbled backward onto the nightstand, still clutching the pillow in both hands."What the hell are you doing?" Abel roared at Benjamin as he looked at him, as if the younger man had interrupted him trying to discipline Nimah.Benjamin saw Niamh's eyes rolling back. Her face had turned blue, mouth gaping but unable to draw breath. He immediately administered chest compressions, reviving Niamh just in time.Abel threw the pillow at Benjamin. "How dare you push me?""You nearly killed her!" Benjamin snapped back.Spittle flew from Abel's mouth. "She's disgraced me personally and ruined our family's standing in Capitol society!"Benjamin retreated a step with a cold laugh. "Then go ahead and kill her!"Saving lives was instinctual, but now he regretted intervening. Had he stayed
"Wah!" Beau burst into loud sobs, his cries weak but desperate."I want Mommy! Daddy! I only want my mommy!"Harvey's handsome face froze over with icy detachment. Without another word to Beau, he turned and left the children's room.When the door closed behind him, Beau's wailing became muffled.…Harvey returned to his bedroom, but even in the quiet emptiness, he still couldn't catch his breath. A cold sensation crept up from his feet.Striding to the walk-in closet, he yanked open every drawer. He pulled out ties, watches, cufflinks, and pins, scattering them across the floor.Did Elara give him this one? Did she buy him that? Frustration crept in as he realized he couldn't remember.The gifts from business associates stood out clearly in his memory, but he couldn't distinguish which items came from Elara versus his stylist. With growing dismay, Harvey realized he'd never properly looked at any present from Elara—not even once.Now he couldn't recall which accessories were
Beau was laying on the bed. His large, pitch-black pupils occupied most of his eye sockets, leaving only tiny whites that emitted a faint blue glow in the dim room.Harvey opened his mouth, only to feel as if someone had stuffed a wad of paper down his throat. His voice caught abruptly. Yet Beau's gaze was still brimming with longing and expectation.The boy tightened his grip on Harvey's sleeve."She already divorced me..." Harvey said slowly.How could he possibly reconcile with Elara? He would never return to what he'd left behind. After all, when they signed the divorce papers, he declared Elara would be the one begging him!When they obtained the divorce certificate, the thought of turning back never crossed his mind! Even if Elara had pleaded with him, it would still be impossible!Yet for Beau's sake, Harvey decided to make his greatest concession."If your mother comes begging for reconciliation, I'll consider it." As he spoke these words, Harvey clenched his fist—the st