Chapter 1

Today, my husband came home with his mistress and forced me to sign the divorce papers.

Then he threw me out.

Because I had been a housewife and had not earned any money, they refused to let me take even a single suitcase.

My bank cards were frozen.

All I had left was twenty-three dollars from grocery shopping.

Twenty-three dollars was not enough to find a place to stay in Manhattan.

I did not want to sleep on the street, so I stubbornly kept scrolling through job apps.

But every job requires work experience.

I had none.

Then one posting caught my eye.

Wanted: Stepmother for a child. Food and lodging included.

The words "lodging included" instantly caught my attention.

That night, I went there.

Standing outside the gates of a luxury estate, I did not expect the employer to be the Blackwell family—the richest family in the world.

Beside me stood a proud-looking butler.

"Mr. Blackwell is looking for a mother for his son, not a wife for himself. Please keep that in mind. Do not have any inappropriate ideas."

I lowered my head slightly and kept my eyes forward.

In truth, I had only finalized my divorce that morning.

I had no interest in marrying another man right now.

But if I could take care of a child and have a place to stay, I would not have to spend money renting an apartment.

For me, trapped in such a desperate situation, this was a very good chance.

I nodded respectfully.

"I understand. I won’t overstep."

Butler Whitman nodded and led me into the dining room.

Beside the long dining table, a young father and son were locked in a silent battle.

The calm, cold-looking man held a bowl and spoon, his face dark.

The gloomy little boy bit his lip and refused to back down.

After a long while, the man sighed and put down the bowl in defeat.

"Leo, just one bite. Please?"

Butler Whitman brought me forward.

"Mr. Blackwell, another applicant is here."

The man slowly turned around.

He wore simple black trousers and a white shirt. The top button was undone, faintly revealing his collarbone.

I had seen this face before on financial news.

He was too handsome and too striking.

One look was enough to remember him forever.

The moment I saw his face, I finally relaxed.

He was Adrian, the richest man in the world.

There was no reason for a man like him to scheme against a divorced woman as broke as me.

His deep gaze swept over me lightly, his voice carrying a trace of exhaustion.

"What is your name?"

"Nora," I said.

He nodded and handed me the bowl.

"Try feeding Leo. If you succeed, you can stay."