The night I was kicked out of my marriage with nothing, I wandered the streets alone. By chance, I saw a small flyer on a lamppost: [Wanted: Stepmother for a child. Age and appearance not an issue; must be patient with children. Room and board included.] The "room and board included" part caught my eye. That very night, I dragged my suitcase to the address. And walked into the home of the city's richest man. Later, my ex-husband asked me with a condescending tone: "Chloe, do you realize your mistake now?" The four-year-old little tyrant roared: "What mistake?! My mom is the best in the world!!!" The billionaire put his arm around my shoulder: "My wife, even if she is wrong, she is right." 1 I never expected that the flyer posted on a telephone pole belonged to the richest man in the city. Right now, I was standing at the entrance of a grand villa. Beside me was a haughty butler. "Our employer is looking for a stepmother for his child, not a wife for himself. You must remember that." "Our employer is very wealthy; do not entertain any inappropriate thoughts." I kept my head slightly bowed, my gaze fixed straight ahead. I deeply sighed; this job was absolutely perfect for me. To put it bluntly, isn't this just hiring a high-end nanny for the child? I just got divorced this morning. If you asked me to remarry right now, I honestly wouldn't have the energy for it. But taking care of a child meant I had a place to stay, and I wouldn't have to spend money renting an apartment. For someone as destitute as I was right now, this was like receiving a delivery of coal in the middle of a snowstorm. I nodded respectfully. "I understand. I will absolutely not entertain any inappropriate thoughts." The butler nodded and led me into the dining room. Next to a massive, long dining table, a young father was engaged in a tug-of-war. The intense-looking man held a bowl and a spoon, his expression displeased. A melancholic little boy bit his lip, refusing to open his mouth, not backing down an inch. Time seemed to stand still. After a long while, the man sighed, the first to concede defeat. He put down the bowl in frustration. His knuckles, sharp and defined, pinched the bridge of his nose. He lowered his voice: "Just one bite, just a tiny bite, okay?" The butler stepped forward: "Sir, another applicant has arrived. This one seems quite grounded today." The man slowly turned around. He was wearing simple black trousers and a white dress shirt, with the top button undone, faintly revealing the shadow of his collarbone. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing strong, pale forearms. I had seen this face on the financial news. He was striking and excessively handsome, the kind of face you'd never forget after seeing it once. Earlier, I had secretly worried if this might be a scam. Now, seeing his face, I completely relaxed. A man of his status had absolutely no reason to spend effort scamming a destitute, divorced woman like me. The man's deep gaze swept lightly over me. His voice carried a trace of exhaustion. "What's your name?" I guessed he had probably just finished a busy day at work and hadn't even had time to change his clothes before coming to feed the child. Only to suffer a heavy blow. Feeding a child was probably harder for him than signing a billion-dollar contract. "Chloe Hastings," I said. He gave a barely perceptible nod and handed the bowl to me: "You try." After the man finished speaking, he stood up, moved to the sofa, and crossed his arms, watching me with a relaxed posture. This must be the job interview. I had to perform well. If I could stay, at least I wouldn't have to sleep under a bridge tonight. Holding the bowl, I curved my lips into what I considered a motherly smile and walked toward the boy. But before I could take two steps, the boy darted under the table with a whoosh. Only a pair of large, dark eyes, like black grapes, peeked out. He yelled angrily at the man: "I don't want to! Tell her to get out! I won't let her feed me! They are all bad women!" It seemed that before me, the boy had already dealt with who knows how many "stepmothers." Then I really needed to show what I could do. I glanced around and noticed Ultraman toys scattered everywhere in the room, and an idea popped into my head. I grabbed a few Ultraman figures and placed them on the floor next to the boy under the table. I smiled and said: "Don't worry, I'm not feeding you. I'm feeding Tiga and Seven. You don't need to worry." With that, I pretended to feed the Ultraman figures: "Eat up. You need to be full to save the world." "Kids who don't like to eat have skinny arms and legs. If you can't even protect yourself, how can you protect humanity?" "Oh, you want vegetables? Good boy, eating spinach gives you strength." The boy lay pitifully to the side, looking like he had been forgotten. He smacked his lips a few times, but I pretended not to notice. It wasn't until his nose turned red with anxiety and he was about to cry that I acted as if I had just discovered him: "Oh my! Why is there a baby Ultraman here? Tiga, can you share some of your leftover food with him? He needs to eat to grow strong like you." Tiga: "Yes." I smiled: "Alright, since Tiga said so, I'll share a little with you. But you can't eat too much, or you'll grow bigger than Tiga, and he'll be sad." The boy nodded vigorously. Before my spoon even reached him, he opened his mouth and took a big bite. After eating several large mouthfuls, he even accused me with his eyes: "Why aren't you giving me vegetables? Are you afraid I'll surpass Tiga? Bad woman!" I turned to look at the man. His brow had relaxed, and he gave me a look of approval. 2 That night, I moved into the villa. The villa had three floors. I lived on the second floor with four-year-old Leo Vance, while Ethan Vance lived on the third floor by himself. The butler repeatedly instructed me: "You are absolutely not allowed to go up to the third floor. Before, there was a woman who didn't know her place and sneaked up in the middle of the night to climb into Sir's bed, and she was thrown out the window by Sir." I nodded repeatedly, promising not to cross the line. Like father, like son; the billionaire's son could sleep by himself at four years old, which saved me a lot of trouble. The next afternoon, when Ethan came home from work, I was at the front door feeding Leo. Leo had a dog leash around his neck, sitting side-by-side on the ground with a large Golden Retriever. One bite for the Golden Retriever, one bite for Leo. They were having a grand old time. Ethan's face darkened on the spot. "Chloe, what do you think my son is!" His voice was fierce and cold, startling me. "Woof!" Leo spoke first, "Dad, Chloe and I are playing a role-playing game. Look, I'm eating way more than the Golden Retriever! Woof! Woof woof! Woof woof woof woof woof!" Ethan's frown deepened, and he slowly turned to the butler. The butler's expression was complicated. He hesitated before speaking: "Sir, although Miss Chloe's method is a bit peculiar, the results are obvious! Before, we had to chase him to feed him, and the young master still wouldn't eat. But this afternoon, the young master has already eaten two bowls of rice, swearing he must eat more than the Golden Retriever." Ethan's face was a mask of dark lines, his thin lips pressed tightly together. He coldly watched his son take big bites of rice, vegetables, and meat, and slurp down soup. He let out a breath: "Um, people and dogs still need to use separate utensils." I immediately replied: "Don't worry, Sir. Your dog is very clean; he hasn't even touched the young master's spoon." Ethan was stunned, his face darkened further, and he turned and walked into the villa. Leo inhaled two and a half bowls of rice in one go. His stomach was bloated like a balloon, and he kept stretching his neck, hiccuping continuously. I had no choice but to take him and the Golden Retriever for a half-hour walk in the downstairs garden to help him digest before heading upstairs. What I didn't know was that Ethan was standing at the second-floor window, watching us. Watching his son happily race the Golden Retriever, barking "woof woof woof," the corners of his tightly pressed lips curled into a long-absent smile. The butler sighed repeatedly: "This Miss Chloe is truly unorthodox! The young master, who usually doesn't like to eat, doesn't like to talk, and doesn't like to exercise, has changed so much in just one day. Sir, it seems we've found the right person this time." When I went upstairs, Ethan was sitting on the sofa on the first floor, his long legs crossed, exuding an outstanding aura. I took the dog leash off Leo. Just as I was about to take him upstairs for a bath, Ethan called out to me: "Chloe, let's talk." "Oh, okay, Mr. Vance." I handed the child over to the butler and sat properly across from Ethan. "You're very good at interacting with children. Have you had children before?" "I haven't had children, but I helped take care of my ex-husband's sister's child for two years." At that time, my ex-husband's family felt I was earning too little and ordered me to quit my job. After I quit, they felt I was lazy, so they fired his sister's nanny and made me take care of the child. Ethan nodded: "Your profile says you are divorced?" "Yes." "What was the reason?" "We were from different social classes." Ethan gave me a deep look: "You saw the job posting yesterday. I want to find a mother for Leo. The child lacks a sense of security and only wants to stay at home. He refuses to go out, let alone go to kindergarten. I'm very busy with work, so I want to find a patient woman to be his mother." "I will sign a prenuptial agreement with you and have our assets notarized." I nodded: "I understand." 3 That's how these wealthy families operate. Although my previous marriage was based on free will and love. But because of the huge difference in status, we also signed a prenuptial agreement. So when the feelings faded and we divorced, I was left with nothing, even my wedding ring was taken back. For a top-tier wealthy family like Ethan's, marriage was treated with even more caution. "Actually, just having a place to stay is enough for me. We don't need to get the marriage certificate," I said. Ethan insisted: "Getting the certificate is for Leo. I want to find him a long-term mother, and marriage is the most solid contract." I nodded submissively: "Then we'll do as you say." "Don't worry, I will give you an allowance of a hundred thousand a month for your expenses." This was the issue I cared about the most, having been burned in this area before. "Mr. Vance, I'd like to ask, if we get divorced in the future, can I take the allowance you give me?" "Naturally, that money is given to you." "That works." "Regarding marital intimacy, I currently have no such needs. Therefore, you will still sleep on the second floor." "Okay, I don't have any either." And just like that, on the third day after my divorce, I was married again. Just like my first marriage, there was no wedding ceremony. At dinner, the butler specially added a few more dishes. Ethan handed me a diamond ring. I waved my hand and said: "There's no need." Ethan said: "It's for Leo." "Oh, okay, thank you for the expense." That night, just as I lay down, Leo pushed open my bedroom door and stood there, looking extremely conflicted. "What's wrong?" I asked. He twisted his fingers, speaking awkwardly: "Chloe, can you read me a bedtime story?" "What?" I thought I heard wrong. Leo bit his lip: "I'll ask my dad to give you a raise. Of course, if you don't want to, forget it." "Come here." I beckoned to him. I lifted the covers, and the little boy happily crawled in. That night, after finishing the book, Leo fell asleep in my bed. Early the next morning, Ethan was very shocked to hear about it, and admiration appeared on his face once again. "Chloe, thank you for your hard work. I'll add another fifty thousand to your monthly allowance." "Mr. Vance, that's too much!" It really was too much. After all, I contributed much more in my previous marriage, yet when we divorced, I was so poor I couldn't even afford a motel. During the day, I took care of my ex-husband's sister's child. At night, I cooked for my ex-husband, fulfilled his physical needs, and then had to get up in the middle of the night to clean the house. Because my mother-in-law said: "Even though we don't lack the money to hire a nanny, it doesn't look right for Chloe to just sit around the house every day doing nothing." Even so, during the divorce, the Davis family claimed I had enjoyed three years of luxury. "Mr. Vance, you're giving me too much. I actually really like Leo; he's cold on the outside but warm on the inside, and very kind. I'm just reading him a book, it's no trouble at all." As we were talking, I suddenly felt something warm grab my right hand. I looked down and saw Leo holding my hand, looking up at me. His little face was serious, but his large, black, grape-like eyes were watery and cute. I didn't expect him to be moved so easily. Ethan said: "The women who came before only cared about pleasing me and ignored Leo's feelings. Adding the fifty thousand is settled." Unable to decline, I could only say thank you. From that day on, Leo and I were inseparable. Ethan was very busy, so most of the time, it was just the two of us at home. Until the day I needed to go to the hospital for a follow-up and to get my medication. The butler had explicitly told me that Leo couldn't go out the main gate of the villa, or he would have a stress reaction. So I discussed it with him, asking him to wait for me at home and promising I'd be back as soon as possible. I didn't expect Leo to hold onto my hand tightly, refusing to let go. He didn't speak, just looked at me with those beautiful, melancholy eyes. The butler sighed: "He's afraid you'll leave and not want him anymore." I patted his head: "I'm not leaving. I'll come back and read with you as soon as I see the doctor. You play by yourself for a bit, okay?" While I was trying to explain to him, he took the lead and climbed into the car. The butler asked anxiously: "Young Master, are you also going to the hospital with Auntie Chloe?" Leo nodded silently. The butler instantly burst into tears: "The heavens have eyes! God bless the Vance family!" 4 The doctor said my depression had improved recently and encouraged me to continue staying positive and relaxed. Before I left, he prescribed a bunch of medication for me. Coming out of the consultation room, Leo asked awkwardly: "Chloe, are you sick?" "Yeah, Auntie didn't eat properly, so she got sick. Leo, you must absolutely not be like Auntie!" "Will it hurt?" His large eyes were full of worry. "If it hurts, I can give you candy." Saying that, he pulled a piece of chocolate from his pocket and placed it in my hand. "Eating candy makes you forget the pain. My dad told me that." Looking at his innocent and concerned little face, my tears fell without warning. During my three years with the Davis family, whenever I cried, they said I was being dramatic, that my lower-class background made me unfit for the life of a young madam. When I said I had depression, Mark said I was being melodramatic, intentionally trying to annoy him and cause trouble. Even the little nephew I had carefully looked after for over two years called me an ugly monster who caused trouble during the divorce. But this cold-faced child was willing to give me his favorite candy to comfort me. Unable to hold back, I pulled Leo into my arms. He curled up quietly in my arms, a tiny little bundle, and patted my back with his chubby little hands. "Chloe, I will definitely eat well. When I grow up, I can protect you." I broke into a smile through my tears: "Then you need to grow up fast!" When the two of us came out of the hospital with red eyes, a low-profile Maybach was parked at the entrance, and Ethan was leaning against it. His tall, straight figure and cold, noble face immediately attracted a lot of attention. I took Leo's hand and walked over. "Mr. Vance, why are you here?" Ethan picked up his son, looking at his calm demeanor, his eyes reddened slightly, and his voice was a bit hoarse. "I heard from the butler that Leo went out with you. I was worried, so I came to check." Leo leaned against Ethan's chest, holding my hand. "Dad, as long as I'm with Chloe, you don't need to worry." Ethan gave me a deep look and nodded. "Dad knows." That night, Ethan wanted to increase my allowance again. I was so terrified I repeatedly refused. He asked again: "Chloe, if you have any requests, you can mention them." I hesitated for a long time before saying: "Could you help me find a used car? Something around five thousand dollars total, so it's easier for me to get around." Ethan said: "You can go to my garage and pick any car you want." "The cheapest car in your garage is over two hundred thousand, I wouldn't dare drive it." Ethan nodded: "Okay." Early the next morning, a five-thousand-dollar minivan was parked next to Ethan's luxury cars. He also invited a psychologist, supposedly globally renowned, to the house. The diagnosis was the same as the hospital's. Except the medication prescribed to me was entirely replaced with imported drugs I couldn't bear to spend money on before. Before leaving, the doctor advised Ethan: "Mr. Vance, your wife needs her family's companionship, don't put too much pressure on her." Ethan nodded: "I'll remember that." The next day, I drove Leo out to play. He lacked a sense of security before, and even a slight scare outside could make him hysterical, so he had been to very few places. Now, I wanted to show him more of the outside world. We went to the amusement park first, then to the wet market. The little tyke followed behind me, helping me carry a lively, flopping fish, his handsome little face drawn into a tight line. "Chloe! I don't want to carry this!" "But my hands are too full, can you please help me?" I acted pitiful. Leo gritted his teeth, holding the fish as far away as possible, looking incredibly disgusted, but said: "Fine! I'll only help you this one time!" "Don't buy fish next time!" I chuckled secretly. But when we got to the parking lot, I heard a familiar voice. "Chloe?" 5 It was Mark, my ex-husband. He wore a crisp suit, his hair perfectly styled, looking very handsome and suave. Hearing this voice again after over a month, my heart involuntarily clenched. Mark and I got together in college, and after graduation, he overcame all obstacles to marry me. I had received a lot of neglect in my family of origin, and Mark swore at our wedding to protect me for life. But later, after he took over his family's business, he increasingly felt that I was holding him back and couldn't help his career. He started finding fault with everything. He made me quit my job, made me take care of the entire Davis family, made me babysit his sister's child, and made me walk on eggshells around his family. I could endure all of this. After all, we married for love. I didn't receive much love from my original family either. Now it was just a change of environment. But later, I caught Mark kissing a glamorous woman at a high-end club. I could no longer suppress my emotions. I cried, I made a scene, I demanded he swear he would never do it again. The entire Davis family thought I was making a mountain out of a molehill. They thought I didn't appreciate what I had. "What successful man doesn't have a woman on each arm?" Mark even said that the way I was acting was because he had spoiled me. From that day on, our cold war began. He stopped coming home and blocked all my contact information. My condition worsened. The doctor warned me not to endure any more stress. In utter despair, I asked for a divorce. Mark thought I was using marriage to threaten him. The Davis family told him not to let me get my way, otherwise, I would just push my luck. He immediately had a lawyer draft a divorce agreement, demanding I leave with nothing. I signed it without hesitation. Four years of dating, three years of marriage, abruptly ended. At this moment, while I was still immersed in the sorrow of the past, Mark had already walked towards me. He glanced at the groceries in my hand, then at Leo beside me, his gaze finally landing on the minivan next to me. A trace of contempt showed in his eyes. He smiled mockingly: "Chloe, a graduate of a top university like you running off to be someone's nanny, what were you thinking?" "None of your business." "Chloe, why don't you understand? From the day you married into the Davis family, you no longer represented just yourself; you represented the face of the Davis family." "Mark, we're already divorced. I have absolutely nothing to do with your Davis family now." The mockery in Mark's eyes deepened: "Chloe, after a divorce, you're my ex-wife. When people mention you, they will still bring me up. Can you please stop embarrassing me? Can you think before you act? Stop letting your emotions dictate your actions all the time." I didn't want to hear his words anymore. Even less did I want to let these words pollute Leo's ears. I immediately took Leo's hand to get in the car. Mark grabbed my hand: "Chloe, you've been out for so many days, it must have been tough, right? Are you missing the life of a young madam at the Davis family?" "If you admit your mistake and genuinely reform, I can consider remarrying you." "Those women outside are just flings. The position of my wife, I haven't considered anyone else for now, I've saved it for you." "As long as you change your terrible temper and bow your head to apologize to my family, I—" I forcefully shook off his hand: "No need to save it. President Davis can give that prestigious position to someone else, I don't want it!" 6 On the way back, another number called me. It was Mark's little nephew, the child I had carefully looked after for two years. Although I blocked the Davis family, I only kept his number, feeling that the child himself wasn't at fault, but rather the adults guiding him. Besides, after taking care of him for two years, I felt we had formed a bond. "Hello, Kevin." I adjusted my emotions, making my voice sound as gentle as possible. "Chloe! Abandoned woman! My mom wants to talk to you!" Kevin yelled viciously. All my tenderness was choked in my throat. Then, Mark's older sister took the phone: "Chloe, I heard from Mark that you went to be someone's nanny?" "Can't you look at the bigger picture? By doing this, aren't you directly slapping Mark in the face, slapping the Davis family in the face? What will people say about our Davis family behind our backs?" "Chloe, no wonder I looked down on you. You really are, as always, degrading yourself, unfit for high society!" I hung up and blocked the number. Pulling the car over to the side of the road, I finally couldn't control my emotions, leaned on the steering wheel, and sobbed out loud. I don't know how much time passed, but the pent-up frustration I had accumulated for so long finally dissipated somewhat, and I wearily sat up straight. Yet I still felt a deep sense of powerlessness. "Chloe, here's a tissue, wipe your face." Leo suddenly spoke. I then remembered Leo was still sitting in his car seat in the back, and right now he was looking at me eagerly. A small hand offered a tissue. "I'm sorry, did I scare you?" I tried my best to curl the corners of my lips upwards. The butler had repeatedly told me Leo couldn't handle stress, and I was afraid that scene just now would leave him with childhood trauma. But Leo slowly shook his head. "Chloe, I'm not scared. You can cry slowly, I'll wait for you." "It's not embarrassing for adults to cry, I won't laugh at you." I was amused by his childish words. "Thank you, you little sweetie. Auntie has cried enough, and won't cry again. Let's go home!" That night, because I wasn't in a good state, I returned to my room early. A knock sounded on the door. "Chloe, may I come in?" Ethan asked. I had just finished showering and my hair wasn't dry yet. I carefully pulled my bathrobe tight, confirming nothing was exposed that shouldn't be, before speaking: "Come in." Ethan was wearing light gray loungewear, his dark hair falling loosely over his forehead, his tall figure looking somewhat more refined. He sat on the chair by my bed, glanced at my damp hair, unnaturally turned his head, and began to survey the guest room. "The clothes in the walk-in closet, how come I haven't seen you wear them?" he asked. "Those clothes are too expensive, I'm not used to them." Being married into the Davis family taught me a lesson. If it's not your circle, don't force your way in. Otherwise, when you get kicked out, you'll look pathetic. Although I got a marriage certificate with Ethan, in essence, I was just a high-end nanny. What nanny wears limited-edition dresses? What's the difference between that and putting lipstick on a pig? Ethan didn't understand: "Are the styles not to your liking? If you don't like them, I'll have the designer come to the house to custom-make some for you." I hurriedly waved my hand: "No need, no need. Mr. Vance, besides taking care of Leo every day, I have no occasion to wear clothes like that, I really don't need them." He fell silent for a few seconds, then asked: "I heard you ran into your ex-husband today. Your ex-husband's last name is Davis? Is it the Davis family in medical devices?" I froze. I guessed Leo had told him. I pursed my lips and nodded: "It's that Davis family, but it's all in the past." He saw I was unwilling to talk more about the Davis family, so he changed the subject: "Chloe, since you came to the house, Leo has been much happier. Thank you." His thanks were very sincere, his dark eyes looking closely at me. I felt a bit uncomfortable: "You've given me so much money, this is what I should do." "Chloe, you can make requests of me, I should be able to satisfy them all." He added. "Mr. Vance, I really don't need anything." Ethan was silent for a moment again, his fingers subconsciously clenching, before he nodded and left. 7 Lately, Ethan had been coming home from work very early. Every night he would have dinner with Leo and me. After dinner, he even played family games with us for a while. As the richest man, this unusual behavior worried me. He wasn't going bankrupt, was he? I wasn't actually worried about him going bankrupt. I was worried my monthly salary of a hundred and fifty thousand would be gone. "Mr. Vance, why are you coming home so early lately? If you have business, go attend to it, I'm here for Leo." Ethan picked up a red building block, his expression natural: "The doctor said you need the companionship of your family. Right now, Leo and I are your family, we have to shoulder this responsibility." What kind of family are we? I thought to myself. But I didn't dare say it. "Actually, having Leo accompany me is enough. The doctor said my condition is improving largely because of Leo." Ethan looked up at me, that one glance containing an indescribable emotion. I didn't think much of it, taking Leo's hand: "Come on, Auntie will read with you, Dad still has to work." Leo obediently let me lead him away, but his dark eyes glared at Ethan. I don't know if it was my illusion, but in that glance, there seemed to be a bit of disappointment in his father's lack of progress. "Chloe!" Ethan suddenly called out to me. "What's wrong?" The tips of Ethan's ears were actually a bit red, he coughed lightly: "Tomorrow night, I have to attend a banquet, and it's required to bring a female companion. Can you go with me?" "Me?" I blinked. "Yes, you. Because time is tight, it's a bit too late to find someone else. I can pay you an appearance fee," he said. There's still a whole day left, and with his status, he can't find a female companion? But I didn't probe further. After all, there was an appearance fee to be earned, and I'm not stupid. I nodded: "Of course. It's just that I don't really understand your social etiquette, will I embarrass you?" Although the Davis family was also wealthy, Mark never took me to high-end events like this. Because his mom said I was an empty vase unfit for public display: "You reek of a petty background, don't go out and embarrass us!" Ethan's brow relaxed: "You just need to stay by my side, don't worry about the rest." The butler chuckled: "Miss Chloe, you don't need to understand social etiquette; our Sir is the social etiquette." Okay, I had no objections to that. After all, Ethan was the man with the most authority in this city. The next afternoon, a styling team arrived at the house. I say "team" because there were five or six people, mostly foreigners. Some were responsible for clothes, some for makeup, some for hair. They gathered together discussing for a long time, looking very professional. It showed how big of a deal the billionaire's household was, and I instantly became a bit nervous. Ethan came home from work to pick me up. The moment he saw me, a flash of amazement crossed his eyes. Leo held my hand, asking proudly: "Dad, look how pretty Chloe is!" Ethan corrected him: "Call her Auntie." Leo turned his head with a "hmph," ignoring him. I patted his head: "It's okay, call me Chloe, it makes me feel young."
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