Whenever Manhattan society talked about “the century’s perfect woman,” Anya Reid, they always laughed. “She’s not just stunning, she has the patience of a saint! She’s raised two children from her husband’s affair, for crying out loud!” So when I finally asked Gavin Wells for a divorce, no one took me seriously. Gavin didn’t even blink. He casually tossed a check at me. “Stop the drama, Anya. Go buy yourself a couple of Birkin bags.” My older stepson, Dean, barely glanced up from his console. “Don’t bother Dad. If you’re going to leave, just go. Stop acting.” The younger, Leo, immediately called his mother. “Mom, the old witch looks like she’s finally leaving! Get ready!” Even the household staff shook their heads, silently warning me to stop playing games. But faced with their collective doubt, I felt no sadness, no anger. I simply dialed the number I could recite backward in my sleep. “Mrs. Wells,” I said, my voice steady. “The ten years are up. My debt for saving my sister’s life is repaid.” 1 Mrs. Eleanor Wells was silent for a few seconds before she finally answered. “You can leave three days from now.” It had, after all, been a decade of our lives intertwined. In the end, her voice was thick with emotion. “Anya, it’s been a hard decade. I know you did your best.” I felt a brief wave of confusion. You did your best. So many people had said those words to me over the years. Some with pity, some with sarcasm, and most with pure, delicious anticipation. But I didn’t regret a thing. Because I had done my best, the only thing left now was relief. I hung up and stepped out, immediately colliding with Dean. Seeing me, a flicker of panic crossed his face, quickly replaced by furious indignation. “Watch where you’re going!” he snapped. “You’re supposed to be hosting Dad’s event! What are you doing taking a break here?” I frowned. Both he and Leo usually went out of their way to avoid me at their father’s business functions. This was strange. I walked toward the main living area. The next second, a massive screen dominating the center of the room flashed to life, displaying lewd, heavily photoshopped images of me from my days as an actress. The pictures were designed to look utterly depraved and scandalous. The parents at the event immediately covered their children’s eyes, their expressions heavy with disgust as they looked my way. They didn’t have to say a word. I knew exactly what they were. Years ago, a rival studio had doctored those images and released them online. The resulting digital mob had been horrific. “Such a slut. Wonder how many guys she slept with for a role.” “Anyone can see she’s trash. All that prim and proper act—her face is probably all fillers anyway!” Dean and Leo were almost hysterical with laughter, pointing at my suddenly pale face. “Look how terrified she is!” Dean crowed. “I bet she cries and ruins her makeup in under three minutes!” Just as the words left his mouth, Gavin burst from his study, saw the screen, and slammed the display off. He grabbed both boys and started yelling at them in a furious, low voice. The noise in my ears was a dull roar. Exhausted, I leaned against the wall and lit a cigarette. The nicotine slowly began to bring me back to earth. Before I could take a second drag, a hand snatched the cigarette away. “If you keep smoking, how do you expect to get pregnant?” Gavin irritably crushed the cigarette under his heel, glaring at me with accusation. Pregnant? I gave a hollow, strange laugh. Maybe I’d wanted that once. But did he even remember how we lost our first child? Our son, Robbie, was one year and five months old. While I’d quickly gone to the restroom, Dean had taken him out to the backyard. I only realized Robbie was gone after I came back. I tore through the house looking for him. What I found was his tiny body floating in the backyard pool. My scream tore through the silence of the afternoon. I crawled to the edge and pulled him out. Robbie’s face was shockingly white, his small hand still clutching the little cake I’d baked him that morning. I performed CPR, thousands of times, until Gavin finally had to pull Robbie from my arms. I lunged to get him back. He slapped me across the face, his own expression fractured with grief. “Snap out of it! He’s gone!” I dropped to my knees, my dignity lost in the dust. “Please, just give him back to me! I’ll take him and we’ll leave! We won’t bother you ever again!” But he held my face firmly, forcing me to watch as our son’s body was cremated. I stood there, numb, a wooden doll. As the smoke billowed from the chimney, half of my soul went with it. He died a terrible death. I was afraid to try again. Seeing my distant look, Gavin pulled me into his arms, petting my hair like a small child. “It’s over, Anya. We have to look forward. You said you haven’t had your period in two months, right? Let’s go to the doctor and—” Before he could finish, the door was dramatically flung open. Sierra Lane stood there, her eyes red, the picture of restrained grief and accusation. “How could you hit the children, Gavin?!” Gavin instantly dropped me as if I were scorching hot, his panic making me feel like the mistress he was trying to hide. Dean and Leo rushed to her, clinging to her like fragile nestlings. “Mommy, Mommy, please don’t leave! He was going to kill us!” Sierra held them tight, her voice a heartbreaking plea. “Gavin, you promised me you would never let them suffer! How could you break your word?” Even in her early thirties, Sierra looked fresh-faced and innocent. They were the city’s romantic legend: the wealthy scion and the fiery, headstrong race car queen. Everyone rooted for them, but Sierra had broken up with him to pursue her career. That’s when Gavin married me. When he knelt to propose, his eyes had been filled with a galaxy of stars. “Anya, you taught me what it means to have a home.” I believed him. But years later, when we attended a gala and a gunman raised a weapon toward our table, his instinct was to dive across the room and shield Sierra, who was standing nearby. I fell into a pool of my own blood. Through the crimson haze, I saw him: the lonely, fervent figure of a man protecting his beloved. I lost a lot of blood that day. But I lost even more tears. Gavin was silent for a long moment. When he turned to me, I knew my fate was sealed. “Anya, just apologize.” In the past, I would have fought, argued my case. Now, I just wanted peace and a way out. Without hesitation, I looked at Sierra and spoke calmly. “I’m sorry. This is all my fault. And because it is, I’m giving you your house back.” A heavy silence dropped over the room. Even the notoriously stoic Gavin went pale for the first time. Before he could speak, Sierra’s eyes welled up. “Anya Reid! Are you trying to shame me? I already gave you this life! What is with this pitiful act? Are you trying to punish me?!” Leo, seeing her tears, shoved me viciously. Wearing six-inch heels, my ankle twisted, and I crashed to the marble floor. A bolt of blinding pain shot up my leg. Leo froze for a second, then scoffed. “Stop faking it.” Dean only looked at me for two seconds before rushing to comfort Sierra. “Don’t cry, Mommy. We got back at her for you.” My heart twisted as if pierced by needles. Seeing this, I couldn’t help but remember seven years ago. Sierra had barely glanced at them before speeding off with her lover. The two boys had chased the car, crying hysterically. “Mommy! Mommy! Don’t go! Please don’t go!” My heart broke watching them. I ran after them, my slippers falling off, my bare feet soon bloody and cut. Finally, I collapsed, out of breath. The two boys crawled onto me, sobbing uncontrollably. “Mommy, we won’t chase her anymore. We don’t want her. You’re our mother now.” I’d wept then, believing I had finally earned their genuine love. But three years later, Sierra’s career failed spectacularly, and she came back. One excuse, one tearful explanation about “hard times,” and the two boys instantly accepted her, treating me like the enemy. Ten years of effort, undone by one word: plight. I suddenly felt myself being lifted. Gavin was applying an ice pack to my throbbing ankle. “Anya, why do you have to be so difficult? Couldn’t you just swallow your pride and let it go?” My fingers trembled. I thought, for a fleeting second, that he was concerned about me. The next second, reality crushed that ridiculous hope. “How are we supposed to go to the fundraising gala now? If people see you limping, they’ll think I’m abusing you.” I lowered my eyes and said calmly, “Then I won’t go.” I knew I would only be the object of ridicule there anyway. “Mrs. Wells, you’re so lucky to have two handsome sons!” people would say to my face. And then, behind my back: “Why is that stepmother so proud? She’ll be kicked out eventually.” Sierra, meanwhile, watched me, her secret delight masked by teary eyes. “Is this about me? Anya, I never wanted to replace you. You don’t have to resort to these subtle jabs and hints.” With that, she let go of the boys and turned to walk out. Dean and Leo immediately panicked. The childhood terror of abandonment swept over them again. They rushed to block Sierra, then turned to me, their eyes burning with hatred. “Old witch! You can’t make her leave! She’s our real mom!” Gavin roared at them. “Quiet! Who taught you to speak like that?!” Then he turned to me. “Since you’re hurt, you should rest here at home.” But the look in his eyes wasn’t pity for my pain; it was the naked relief of having an opportunity to spend time with Sierra. I offered no reaction, allowing him to leave. As he walked out, Gavin paused, kissed my cheek as he always did, and whispered in my ear. “I’ll bring you your favorite wontons when I get back, baby.” My eyes suddenly stung. I remembered when the boys were younger. Whenever Gavin secretly brought me wontons, they would swarm him, shouting: “Daddy’s playing favorites! He only buys them for Mommy! I want some too!” Gavin would guard me and laugh. “Your mother favors you two, and I favor your mother. Fair trade!” I would smile, eating my wontons and watching them tussle. We had been happy once. But those moments were like clouds, scattered by the slightest wind. Dean and Leo glanced at me, a flicker of guilt crossing their faces. As they started to walk toward me, Sierra grabbed them from behind, her eyes filled with a predatory jealousy. After they left, I started packing. My gaze fell on the scarf lying on the bedside table. My movements stopped. I gently touched the knitted wool, then handed it to Maria, the housekeeper, who was standing nearby. “Maria, if you don’t mind, please give this to your daughter. Pink looks better on young women.” Maria’s eyes immediately reddened. She spoke in a low voice. “Ma’am, the young masters knitted that for you. It took them a month. You’ve always treasured it. I can’t take it.” I shook my head, not wanting to discuss it further. I simply continued folding my clothes. On the news, a photo of Gavin, Sierra, and the two boys was plastered across the screen. BREAKING: Family of Four Reunited! Wells Marriage In Crisis! Century’s Beauty Anya Reid Abandoned, Marriage Status Precarious! The online trolls swarmed like hungry leeches. “Anya Reid! That famous piece of trash. After all the things she did, being dumped is what she deserves!” “Yeah, she probably already has a new sugar daddy lined up. Don’t worry about her.” “Ten years of marriage and no kids. Her body must be all worn out. No wonder she was tossed aside!” “It figures she has no parents. It’s karma, heaven doesn’t tolerate people like her!” Reading the venomous comments, I couldn’t stop my hands from trembling. My parents died in a car accident when I was a child. It was a wound that never healed. My sister, Zara, and I grew up dependent on each other, until she was struck by a severe illness. It was Eleanor, Gavin’s mother, who saved her life, and that was the debt that made me agree to marry Gavin. Now, my painful past was being used as a weapon to destroy me. My phone buzzed. A text from Eleanor. “Anya, the divorce papers are finalized. After tomorrow, Gavin will never be able to find you.” Seeing the picture of the official document, I felt a deep wave of peace. The next second, the bedroom door was kicked open. Gavin, Dean, and Leo stood in the doorway, their eyes blazing with volcanic hatred. My heart skipped a beat. Before I could speak, a hand whipped out and sent me sprawling to the floor. My scalp screamed as I felt hair being ripped out. Gavin grabbed a handful of my hair, looking down at me with utter contempt. “Anya Reid, you are a monster. How did I ever fall in love with a viper like you?” My head was splitting. I cried out, “What are you talking about?!” Dean’s knuckles cracked as he clenched his fists, tears welling in his eyes. “From this day on, you are not my mother!” Leo started to sob. “Mommy is so vain, and you left that huge scar on her shoulder!” Seeing the fear and confusion in my eyes, Gavin slapped me again. “Stop pretending! She was wearing your evening gown. Why was there a razor blade sewn into the lining?!” He hauled me up and dragged me out, throwing me at Sierra’s feet. Sierra’s eyes were bloodshot, and her shoulder was bandaged. She looked at me with unbearable grievance. “Anya, why did you do this to me? I never wanted to steal your life! You truly misunderstood me!” But as soon as the words were out, she quickly leaned in and whispered in my ear. “Bitch. Enjoy the frenzy. I just wanted you to see who these three men truly love.” Then, she grabbed my hand and quickly pressed it down onto her bandaged wound. “Ah!” She screamed, collapsing dramatically. Instantly, all three men rushed to her side. Gavin scooped her into his arms. Dean positioned himself like a fierce guardian, shielding them both. Even though I had prepared myself for this ending a million times, the sight of it still made my heart seize up. The next moment, a framed photo struck my head. My vision went black. When I opened my eyes, blood was trickling down my cheek. Leo, being younger, was slightly scared after hitting me. “Don’t you dare hurt my mother again!” I didn’t react to him. I just stared at the photograph that had fallen near my feet. It was from my fifth wedding anniversary. I was smiling, hugging the two boys, with Gavin standing behind me, his arms around my waist. I thought it was the beginning of true happiness. Five years later, this moment told me the brutal truth. Any last, ridiculous hope I’d harbored had just evaporated. I slowly got to my feet, offering no explanation, and turned to grab my suitcase. Sierra shrieked. “She’s coming for me! Help! Help!” Gavin’s eyes were blazing with fury. He rushed to block me. When his hand struck me, I completely lost my balance and crashed hard. This time, half of my body went numb. A sharp, needle-like pain began to pierce my lower abdomen, stabbing me in waves. A sudden thought flashed through my mind: I haven’t had a period in two months. Fearing I would harm Sierra again, Gavin dragged me toward the basement’s utility room—the dog’s sleeping area. Clutching my stomach, I grabbed his sleeve, my voice tight with fear. “I think I’m pregnant! Remember I told you I missed my period? Take me to the hospital, now!” Gavin’s steps stopped abruptly. He turned, his eyes wide with shock. But then he saw Sierra, and a look of doubt and struggle crossed his face, as if weighing the truth of my words. Tears streamed down my face. I could barely stand. “I’m in so much pain, Gavin. I’m dizzy and nauseous…” Seeing my ashen face, Dean looked worried. He spoke softly. “Dad, maybe call a doctor. She doesn’t usually fake being sick…” Leo was silent, but his expression tacitly agreed with his brother. Suddenly, the sound of shattering porcelain echoed through the living room. Sierra’s face was twisted. She couldn’t stand the thought that her children and her man might still hold a shred of genuine feeling for me, not even pity. She shrieked, “If you call a doctor for her, I will crash my car into a wall!” Instantly, Gavin stopped hesitating. He dragged me quickly into the dark basement and slammed the door shut. My heart turned to ash. But the moment the door closed, a figure stepped out from behind him and quickly clamped a white cloth over his mouth and nose. Gavin’s eyes bulged, and he struggled furiously, but within half a minute, his body went limp. In the dark, the sharp click-clack of high heels approached. A familiar voice offered comfort. “Anya, you’re free now. Go find your sister.” I gave Eleanor a grateful look, then climbed into the car she had waiting for me without a single glance back. The pain in my body was too intense. I went straight to the nearest hospital. But even moving so quickly, I was too late. “The pregnancy is not viable. We need to perform an emergency D&C.” My jaw clenched. I stared down at my flat abdomen. This life, a life I hadn’t even realized existed, was gone. It was fate. I would never have a child with Gavin Wells. I signed the forms and was wheeled into the operating room. Three hours after the surgery, I was boarding a plane. I couldn’t stand to be in that city for another second. The first person to notice something was off was Dean. He looked at his grandmother, who had unexpectedly arrived, utterly confused. “Grandma, what are you doing here?” Eleanor gently stroked his hair, then looked at Dean and Leo. “Go upstairs and play for a while. I need a word with your mother.” The boys exchanged a look and obediently went up. As soon as they were gone, Sierra put on a flattering smile and went to help the old woman. “Mom, what are you doing here so late—Ah!” A sharp, clean slap interrupted her. Eleanor’s face was filled with undisguised contempt. “You restless woman! Since you left us three times, why did you come back? Haven’t you caused Gavin enough pain?” Eleanor’s eyes welled up as she recalled the past. “You agreed to marry him, then you ran off before the wedding! Gavin chased you, crashed his car, and all he wanted after surgery was for you to visit him. You made every excuse, then blocked his number entirely.” “You left to chase your career, didn’t you? And what happened? When it all fell apart, you crawled back here with your tail between your legs.” Sierra bit her lip until it was purple, unable to deny any of it. They were all indisputable facts. She glared at Eleanor, her face swollen and hateful. “I may not be perfect, but I gave the Wells family two sons! How is that not better than that barren hen you chose?!” Eleanor’s dignified face was expressionless. She scanned Sierra with a cold look. “You’re not fit to touch the hem of Anya Reid’s dress. She has character. She has a sense of responsibility.” Sierra’s teeth ground together. She was about to retort when Eleanor spoke again. “Do you know what Dean and Leo like to eat?” “Do you know their grades in school?” “Do you know what kind of men they are becoming?” Watching Sierra’s face turn crimson, Eleanor sneered. “You don’t. You only care about drinking and carousing with your lowlife friends. You only care about driving around town showing off. You don’t deserve to be a mother.”
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