Chapter 1

My mother-in-law, Helen, dragged a four-year-old boy in front of me and claimed he was my husband’s love child.

She sobbed hysterically: "My son made a mistake, but the child is innocent. Just accept him, Chloe."

The mistress stood beside her, cradling her pregnant belly, wiping away tears.

"Chloe, I don't want to steal your husband. But a child needs a father..."

I remained silent, looking at my husband.

Ethan’s face was pale with anger. "No way! I don't even know her!"

The mistress sobbed and threw a paternity test on the table. It showed a 99.99% match.

Overnight, the internet branded me as the "evil, barren wife holding onto a marriage that isn't hers."

In court, the judge asked me if I had anything to say.

I smiled, pulled out a medical file, and tossed it on the table.

"Your Honor, take a look at this, and then tell me if this child could possibly belong to my husband."

The entire courtroom gasped.

"That’s impossible!"

……

"Chloe, look who’s here."

I turned around. My mother-in-law, Helen, stood there with a young woman holding a little boy.

Helen’s eyes were red, and her voice trembled. "This is Ethan's child."

The kitchen knife slipped from my hand, clattering loudly against the floor tiles.

"Helen, what did you just say?"

I stared at the boy, my mind going completely blank.

Helen gently pushed the boy forward. "His name is Leo."

Leo. He shared my husband's family name, Carter.

My heart sank.

I stood up. "You can't just claim things like this. Ethan has been home every single day. How could he have a secret child?"

"Why not?" Helen’s voice rose. "Five years ago, right after you two got married, Ethan had a business dinner and drank too much. He ended up with Vanessa... just that one time."

Tears began to stream down her face. "I didn't know either. I only found out two days ago. Vanessa raised this boy all by herself. Do you have any idea how hard it has been for her?"

The woman she called "Vanessa" stepped out from behind her.

She looked to be about twenty-five, with swollen, teary eyes.

She spoke in a voice so quiet it was barely a whisper.

"Mrs. Carter, I’m so sorry. I didn't mean to disrupt your life. But my boy... he needs a father."

I stared at her for a few seconds. "You claim he’s my husband’s. Do you have proof?"

Helen immediately pulled a sheet of paper from her purse and slapped it onto the coffee table.

"This is a DNA paternity test! Black and white!"

I picked it up and scanned it.

It was issued by the state general hospital. The "alleged father" was listed as Ethan Carter, and the child was Leo Carter.

The conclusion: Paternity probability 99.99%.

My hands shook slightly.

This was absurd.

"Does Ethan know?" I asked.

Helen’s expression flickered. "Not yet. I was afraid he wouldn't be able to handle it..."

"So you came to me first?"

Helen wiped her tears.

"You’re his wife. Of course I had to talk to you first."

"Chloe, I know this is hard for you. But what's done is done. The child is already here. You have to take a stand."

I looked at the little boy.

He hadn't cried once. He just stared at the adults with big, confused eyes.

He didn't even realize he was being used as a weapon.

Vanessa spoke up again, her voice soft as cotton.

"Mrs. Carter, I’m not here to take anything from you. I just want Leo to have a father. He gets bullied at preschool. The other kids laugh at him because he doesn't have a dad..."

She wiped her nose, sniffing miserably.

"I don't want your family's money, I swear. I'm just an ordinary girl with no college degree and no skills. Raising a child alone is just too hard..."

Hearing this, Helen cried even harder.

"Look at how hard she has it! Chloe, do you have a heart? Where is your sympathy?"