Anton Ryder took three bullets for me. Each one should have been fatal. He practically offered his life to my father in exchange for my hand in marriage. Seeing his raw desperation, my father finally relented, offering the Syndicate’s Patriarch's Seal—the ultimate symbol of power—as my dowry. But the day before our wedding, war broke out on our borders. Anton had to lead the charge. Before he left, he kissed me hard. "Wait for me, my love," he whispered. "When I come back, I promise you won't be leaving our bed." Three years later, he returned. I took our two-year-old son deep into the desert territories to welcome him home. But when his convoy arrived, he stepped out carrying a frail, beautiful woman in a white dress. One of his men asked what was to be done with me. Anton took a long drag from his cigarette, a lazy smile playing on his lips. "Her old man's dead. Who else does she have to rely on but me? Besides, the Patriarch's Seal is in my hands now. I can marry whomever I please. And anyway," he added with a chuckle, "she's already given me a healthy son. She’ll be begging me for a proper title soon enough." The men around him erupted in laughter. He seemed to have forgotten one crucial detail. The Seal was merely a symbol. I am the one and only heir to the Vance family. And my son can live without a father. 1. The jeering laughter continued, only to be cut short by the woman's soft cough. Anton's voice was instantly laced with concern. "Sera, my love, what is it? Are you feeling unwell again? Don't worry, I'll have a doctor see you right away…" Seraphina shook her head. "I'm fine. It's just… the air here. I'm not used to it yet." "I'm so sorry, Sera. That's my fault," Anton said, his tone apologetic. "The air in your room is too dry, it won't help your recovery. Don't worry, Elara's room is the best in the entire compound, it gets the morning sun. I'll have her switch with you." Seraphina demurred softly, "Wouldn't that upset your wife?" Anton's voice was laced with a pained tenderness. "I told you, don't call her that in private. You've been my woman for a long time now." At this, the men in the room broke into another round of lewd, knowing chuckles. Seraphina, blushing, buried her face in Anton's chest. When Anton had carefully carried her from the vehicle, his story to me had been different. He’d claimed she was a sister he’d adopted on the road. "Elara, her entire family was captured and executed by the enemy," he’d explained. "If she hadn't risked her life to bring us intel, you'd be waiting for my corpse right now. She's been frail since she was a child and suffered with me on the front lines for three years. With her family gone, I took her in as my sworn sister. You don't mind, do you?" If she were truly just a sister, of course I wouldn't have minded. But it was clear now. It wasn't a sister he'd adopted, but a wife he'd already taken. Suddenly, one of the men voiced a concern. "The First Lady has always had a fiery temper, boss. She loves you so much. If she finds out, all hell is going to break loose." Another chimed in. "Yeah, she waited three years for you. What are you going to do if she demands her title?" Seraphina's tone was laced with worry. "He's right, Anton. Please don't fight with the First Lady over me. I couldn't live with the guilt." But Anton just laughed, completely at ease. "Don't worry, my love. I've already thought of everything. She's used to being the princess. She'll definitely throw a fit when she finds out, and I don't want her taking it out on you. So, here's the plan: I'm marrying you, that's set in stone. On the day of the wedding, I'll announce that we're throwing a big birthday party for our son." "She'll never refuse that," he continued, a smug look on his face. "By the time the party's over, you and I will be officially married, the papers signed. It'll be too late for her to do anything. With a two-year-old son, she'll have no choice but to swallow her pride and stay by my side, without a title, for the rest of her life." His words were met with murmurs of admiration. "Brilliant, boss! Only you could think of something like that!" "No wonder you had the boss's daughter wrapped around your finger, willing to give you a son and wait faithfully for three years!" The room exploded with laughter once more. And through it all, Seraphina's playful voice. "Oh, Anton, you're terrible! You had me worried for nothing!" Anton stroked her hair. "Then let me make it up to you right now." With that, he cupped the back of her neck and crushed his lips to hers. I turned away in silence. The old me would have kicked down the door, smashed everything in sight, and put a gun to Seraphina's head, forcing her to kneel, apologize, and get the hell out. But motherhood had changed me. The sand you can't hold, you let fall. The people by your side are what matter most. As the Vance heiress, my life has always been shadowed by danger. Anton had saved me countless times, taking bullets to his waist, his chest, even the back of his head. Each time, covered in his own blood, he would hold me tight and soothe me. "Don't be afraid, Elara. I'm here. Anyone who wants to touch you will have to step over my dead body." He loved me more than his own life. Or so I believed. But not all truths are meant to last forever. As I turned to leave, the door behind me creaked open. Anton's voice, sharp with panic. "Elara?" "When did you get here?" 2. I didn't turn around. My own voice was unnervingly calm. "Just now." Anton let out a quiet sigh of relief. He stepped forward, pulling me into his arms, his voice a low whisper in my ear. "Elara, I'll come to you tonight. I've thought of you every single night for these past three years." I didn't move, didn't respond. He must have sensed my coldness, because his voice became cautious. "Elara, what's wrong? Aren't you happy I'm back?" I was about to push him away when a delicate female voice cut through the air. Seraphina coughed into her hand. "Oh, sister-in-law, you're here. My health is so poor, that's the only reason my brother came to check on me. Please, don't get the wrong idea." At the sound of her voice, Anton immediately released me. The concern in his eyes was unmistakable. "The wind is strong out here. What are you doing outside?" Seraphina stepped toward us. "I heard your wife's voice, so I wanted to come and say hello. Please don't mind him, sister-in-law. He's always been a worrier. He took care of me personally for the last three years, it's just instinct now." She wore a mask of sincerity. I looked at her pale face. "The Vance family can afford to feed another mouth. But we don't shelter vipers." Her smile froze. Anton's brow furrowed, his voice a low growl. "Elara! She's my sister, which makes her your sister too. Watch your mouth." I gave him a cool glance. "I've always been abrasive, haven't I?" His jaw worked, but before he could retort, Seraphina leaned weakly against the doorframe, her voice trembling with hurt. "Sister-in-law, I know you hate me, but I never wanted to take anything from you… I'm just… I'm so weak, I need my brother to look after me…" "He's been by my side day and night. I understand why you're angry. If you don't like me here… I'll just leave." With that, she turned and staggered away. Anton shot me a furious glare and immediately chased after her. "Sera, don't run! Your body can't take the strain! I'm in charge of the Vance family now, you don't have to listen to a word she says! Sera!" The two of them disappeared around the corner of the courtyard. Just as Seraphina turned the corner, my son, Leo, came toddling out, running right into her legs. Seraphina cried out, her foot slipped, and she crumpled to the ground. Anton knelt and swept her into his arms. "Sera, are you alright?" She lifted the hem of her skirt. A gash on her shin was bleeding freely. Rage contorted Anton's face. He whirled on Leo. "Who told you to run around like that! Get out of my sight!" Leo burst into tears. "Mama… I want my mama…" I rushed forward, pulling him into my arms and kneeling to soothe him. "It's okay, Leo, Mommy's here. Don't cry, it wasn't your fault. Don't be scared, Mommy's got you." The nanny who had been chasing him finally caught up, breathless. "First Lady, the young master was crying for you, I couldn't stop him…" My voice was ice. "It's fine. It's not your fault. The staff in this house usually know how to watch where they're going." Anton's voice was a cold accusation. "Is this how you raise our son? No wonder he's so unruly!" Seraphina leaned against Anton, her voice faint. "Brother, Leo is just a child, don't scare him… I only fell and bled a little. I'm used to being hurt." Then she looked up at me, her eyes filled with a tragic sorrow. "Sister-in-law, it was my fault. You were right to scold me. I wasn't looking where I was going and ran into the young master. I'll apologize to him." She struggled to get up from Anton's arms, crying out in pain at the slightest movement. Anton's face filled with anguish. He scooped her up. "What are you apologizing for? If anyone's to blame, it's me. I'm his father, and I failed to teach him properly." He looked at me and Leo with cold eyes. "Leo, I wasn't here to raise you. But Elara, as his mother, you bear the most responsibility! I can't trust you to raise him alone. You'll only teach him your bad habits. Now that Sera is here, she can help. She's well-mannered, gentle, and kind. She can teach Leo to be a good man." My voice was dangerously low. "What are you saying?" Anton's expression was grim. "I'm saying Leo will be raised by Sera from now on. You can go back to being the First Lady of the Vance Syndicate." "In your dreams!" I spat. Anton's tone was absolute. "I am the head of this family. I have that right. More importantly, Leo is my son. As his father, my right is absolute." He set Seraphina down and roughly grabbed Leo. "A man takes responsibility for his actions. He must be punished." "Now, you will kneel and apologize to your Aunt Sera!" He pressed down on Leo's small shoulders, trying to force him to his knees… 3. Leo screamed, struggling wildly. "No! I want Mommy! I want Mommy!" My fists clenched. I couldn't hold back any longer. I yelled for the house steward, snatched the pistol from his holster, and pressed the cold barrel against Anton's forehead. My hand was perfectly steady. "Anton, you lay another finger on my son, and I swear I will kill you." He sneered. "You're pointing a gun at me with the skills I taught you?" He grabbed my hand, forcing the muzzle of the gun harder against his own temple. "Right here. Do it. Don't go soft on me now. My body has room for another bullet for you." I stared into his blazing eyes, my finger tightening on the trigger. "Fine. Then I'll grant you your wish…" Before I could finish, Seraphina threw herself between us, shoving me hard. She crumpled to the ground, sobbing. "No! First Lady, please, don't hurt him! Whatever he's done wrong, take it out on me!" "My life is worthless," she cried, "but Anton has to lead the entire Syndicate! His life is more important!" Anton ignored me and Leo completely, rushing to Seraphina's side. The fall had split her lip, and blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. He lifted her into his arms and started for the door. "Sera, stop talking. Nothing is more important than your life. If she dares to touch you, I will never forgive her." As he carried her away, Seraphina looked back over his shoulder, a triumphant smirk twisting her lips. The nanny took Leo from my arms, her teeth clenched in anger. "First Lady, the master has gone too far! If you hadn't defied your sick father back then, if you hadn't personally led a relief team to support his flank, he never would have made it out of that ambush alive. You nearly died for him, First Lady! Why won't you let us tell him the truth? If he knew…" I raised a hand, cutting her off. "It doesn't matter anymore." Leo was still terrified, his little arms reaching for me. I took him and held him close. After I got him back to his room and he'd fallen asleep, I summoned the steward. "Take my token. Send a message to the Prince of the West Side. Tell him… I accept his offer." The steward was one of our oldest retainers. He hesitated. "First Lady, that man's temperament is… volatile. You must think this through. Everyone knows he was trying to seize Vance territory even when your father was alive. If you agree now, he might…" "I have my own plans," I interrupted. "Just go." The steward had no choice but to obey. Late that night, a commotion in the courtyard woke Leo. It was Anton, returning from the hospital with Seraphina. I quickly sat up, pulling Leo into my arms. "Shh, it's okay. Mommy's here." Leo was wide awake now. He burrowed into my chest, his big eyes looking up at me. "Mama, does Daddy not want us anymore?" A pain lanced through my heart. I looked into my son's eyes and gently kissed his forehead. "You have me. That's all that matters." He snuggled closer, his small hands clutching my shirt. My son. Elara Vance's son. I was all he needed. The next day, Anton came to apologize. "I know you're still angry," he began, "but it was just an act. Sera saved my life. She was almost eaten by wolves for me. I have to show her I'm on her side." "I've been thinking," he continued, "our son's birthday is coming up. Let's throw him a huge party. We can announce to everyone that I, Anton Ryder, have a son!" A cold smile touched my lips. So, it begins. 4. The man from the West Side replied quickly. "I return in five days. The bride price is already prepared." Five days. The same day as Leo's birthday party. Anton went all out for the party, a grand affair. But I noticed that his closest men looked at me with strange, pitying expressions whenever they saw me. The night before the party, Seraphina burst into the dining room, wearing a wedding gown. "Oh, sister-in-law, I'm so sorry! I got lost. I didn't mean to come here. I was just trying on my dress, and Anton told me to take a walk to clear my head, and I must have taken a wrong turn." I gave her a flat look. "If you're lost, then get out. My aim won't be off a second time." Her face went pale. She gathered the massive skirt of her gown to turn, and in doing so, knocked a vase off a display shelf. She screamed. Just then, Anton's anxious voice came from the doorway. "Sera, what are you doing in here? Come back with me." He rushed in, shot a quick glance at me and Leo, and grabbed Seraphina's hand to pull her away. I stared at the shattered porcelain on the floor, a cold rage building inside me. "Stop. Who said you could leave?" The steward immediately stepped forward. "Miss Seraphina, you have just broken an heirloom left by the late Mrs. Vance. It was the First Lady's most cherished possession." Seraphina's face turned ashen. "I… I didn't mean to… I didn't know it was some unlucky thing from a dead person…" Anton pulled her behind him. "Elara, what is this? Are you trying to settle scores?" My voice was frigid. "Yes. That's exactly what I'm doing." Anton snorted. "Well, I say no. And I'd like to see anyone here try to touch her." The steward's hand went to his gun, but Anton was faster. He drew his own pistol and fired, the bullet tearing through the steward's wrist. As the steward's gun clattered to the floor, Anton's was already aimed at me. "Elara," he said, his voice dangerously low, "want to try me, too?" So this is what it felt like to have a gun pointed at you by the man you loved. The steward knelt on the floor, clutching his wrist, his face white with pain as blood seeped through his fingers. "First Lady…" I said nothing more. Seeing my surrender, Anton turned and left with Seraphina. Five days later, a grand procession from the West Side, bearing wedding gifts, entered the gates of the Vance compound. At the same time, Leo's birthday party was in full swing. And another set of gifts was being brought in—Anton's wedding gifts for Seraphina. With all the commotion, no one paid any attention to the men from the West. Holding Leo, I stood at the top of the grand staircase. I walked down the red carpet that had been laid out, and straight into the bridal car waiting to take me to the West Side. Before I left, I gave an order to the still-recovering steward. "Tell our men to move out. They follow me. Now." At the party, Seraphina, in her wedding dress, toasted with Anton. The hours passed. The party wound down. I never appeared. Anton finally grew restless. He sent a man to my private quarters to find me. The man returned in a panic. "Boss, the First Lady is gone!" Anton didn't believe it. "How is that possible!"
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