Christopher Harvey stopped Eliana just as she was about to walk out. His cold, strikingly handsome face betrayed a flicker of solemnity. His grandmother had suffered another medical crisis the night before, and he'd spent every minute until dawn at the hospital. Only when she woke up and questioned him did Christopher realize that Eliana’s strange behavior the day before might have come from some painful news she’d stumbled onto.

Now that Christopher had started the conversation, Eliana couldn’t ignore it. She turned and sat across from him on the sofa. He tugged his tie loose, irritation sharp in the movement. He pulled out a cigarette, then hesitated and set it back down.

When he finally looked up, their eyes met. Eliana’s were striking—and utterly empty. Her eyelids were red and puffy.

She waited impatiently for him to speak. It was strange, really—a man known for his decisiveness, suddenly unable to decide anything. Was guilt keeping him tongue-tied?

Seeing him struggle, Eliana decided to prompt him.

“I know about your child in Birmingham—the one Octavia had. Don’t worry, I won’t make a scene. I’ll leave today so you can bring them home.”

She set the signed divorce papers down in front of him.

Thinking back on how she’d foolishly stayed home every day this past year, eagerly waiting for their once-a-week meetings, she felt utterly ridiculous.

Christopher glanced at the divorce papers, a muscle in his furrowed brow twitching. When his gaze returned to Eliana, he caught the sarcasm threaded through her expression—and it nudged him to speak.

“Eliana, I know this situation is unfair to you, but Gage was born before we even met.”

To him, the fact that the child existed before their marriage somehow canceled out any notion of infidelity or betrayal.

Eliana stared at him. She wanted to laugh. She couldn’t.

“My grandmother isn’t well, and I don’t want her worrying over us. If you’re upset and want to go back to your family for a bit, I’ll come to get you.”

“Elisa, please take Eliana’s suitcase back upstairs.”

Christopher didn’t sign the divorce papers Eliana had presented. He instructed the housekeeper to return her luggage upstairs, then left.

Eliana sat frozen on the sofa, watching him walk away, her heart heavy. It felt like throwing a punch that never landed—no impact, just a suffocating ache that left her bewildered.

She wasn’t sure if his actions were for his grandmother’s sake or if he was genuinely reluctant to end their marriage. Whatever his reasons, Eliana couldn’t ignore the reality of their situation.

Her phone rang suddenly—it was Tessa Mason. Reluctantly, Eliana answered.

“Hi, Grandma…”

“Eliana, I need you to come to the hospital immediately. There’s something very important we need to talk about face-to-face.”

“Grandma, focus on getting better. Whatever it is can wait.”

Eliana suspected Mrs. Mason wanted to discuss Christopher’s child with Octavia—a topic she had no desire to revisit. But Mrs. Mason was insistent, leaving Eliana no choice but to go to the hospital.

When she reached Mrs. Mason’s room, she found herself face-to-face with someone she hadn’t seen in a long time.

Tall and slender, her hair falling in cascading waves down to her waist, she wore an outrageously expensive designer outfit. Her makeup was flawless, and she was undeniably stunning.

It was Octavia Jensen—Christopher’s first love.

“Eliana, you’re here!”

Mrs. Mason’s voice broke the silence.

“Octavia, explain everything clearly to Eliana!”

Mrs. Mason spoke in a tone that was almost commanding. She had little fondness for this woman known for her glamorous lifestyle. But given that Octavia had secretly raised Christopher’s child, Mrs. Mason felt Eliana deserved a full explanation—both emotionally and morally.

“I’m sorry, Eliana. You might already know, but I have a child, and the father is… Christopher.”

Octavia lowered her head, shedding her glamorous facade as she approached Eliana with a contrite demeanor.

“I know this isn’t fair to you. If my presence and that of my child have caused you discomfort, I’m truly sorry.”

“What are you implying? I asked you to explain when this child was conceived and whether you and Christopher have been involved since his marriage to Eliana. I need clarity!”

Mrs. Mason, unhappy with Octavia’s vague explanation, strained herself with anger, clutching her chest as she gasped.

“Grandma, please don’t stress. Take care of yourself.”

Eliana rushed to calm Mrs. Mason, who was still dissatisfied with Octavia’s hazy account yet aware that the child’s timing wouldn’t alter their predicament. She wanted Octavia to stop, but Octavia burst into tears.

“Eliana, I know I’m at fault, and I truly apologize. I didn’t foresee any of this, and I’m terribly sorry.”

Actors can summon tears instantly, and Octavia’s tear-streaked face stirred no sympathy in Eliana. She certainly wasn’t Mother Teresa and couldn’t bring herself to forgive the damage done to her marriage.

Unexpectedly, Octavia grasped Eliana’s hand.

“If hitting me will ease your anger, I’m at your mercy. I won’t resist.”

“What are you doing? Let go!”

Unwilling to make contact with Octavia, Eliana tried to free her hand, but Octavia fell to the ground before she could pull away forcefully.

“Octavia!”

Christopher suddenly entered the room, arriving just in time to witness what seemed like Eliana pushing Octavia. He immediately rushed to help her up.

Seeing Octavia’s tearful, helpless face, Christopher’s cold eyes shifted to Eliana, silently questioning her actions toward someone he cared about.

Yet he remained silent. Instead, he grabbed Octavia’s wrist and led her out of the room.

“Chris…”

Eliana instinctively wanted to follow and explain but hesitated, wondering if it was necessary.

Behind her, Mrs. Mason shouted insistently.

“Christopher, where do you think you’re going? Come back and explain, come back!”

“Grandma!”

Eliana understood Mrs. Mason wanted a proper explanation to clear things up, but she shook her head.

“There’s no need, Grandma, I’m okay…”

“Ah!”

Mrs. Mason sighed helplessly, knowing that Eliana was hiding her pain despite her brave demeanor. What woman could easily tolerate the thought of her husband fathering another woman’s child? But given the circumstances, Mrs. Mason offered consolation.

“Eliana, don’t be upset. I’ve clarified everything. Although the child is Christopher’s, he was unaware when Octavia secretly had him after their breakup. Christopher assured me there’s been nothing between them since your marriage—no betrayal.”

Mrs. Mason aimed to comfort Eliana while confirming her grandson’s innocence.

Eliana stayed silent. If Christopher had nothing to hide, he would have mentioned Octavia and the child the moment he found out. Yet he kept it secret, even setting up an office in Birmingham to spend time with them.

Feeling suffocated, Eliana couldn’t stay at the hospital any longer.

She’d driven herself to the hospital. As the elevator descended to the parking level, the doors opened to reveal a scene that froze her—Christopher and Octavia, standing in a dim corner, deep in conversation…

“I'm so sorry, Chris. I never should've told you about Gage. It's caused nothing but trouble, and that's on me. But don't worry—I'm going to take Gage and leave. I wouldn't want to mess up what you have with Eliana.”

“Let's not do this now, Octavia. Gage is my son. You're not taking him anywhere. I'll handle everything. Just focus on taking care of him.”

Eliana stood by the elevator, too far away to hear what Christopher and Octavia were saying. All she could see was Christopher gripping Octavia's trembling shoulders, his face tight with worry and tenderness.

Eliana forced herself to act like she hadn't seen a thing and headed for her car. But at the door, she realized her keys were gone.

Her purse was a mess, so she knelt and dumped everything onto the ground, searching carefully. Suddenly, a pair of polished black dress shoes stopped in front of her.

“Looking for this?”

Eliana looked up. Christopher was holding her keys. She'd forgotten she'd taken them out in the elevator and dropped them by the doorway—right where he could find them.

“Thanks.”

She stood and reached for the keys, but her fingers only caught the keychain. Christopher didn't let go.

Eliana met his cold, piercing gaze again.

“Eliana, I get that this thing with Gage is hard for you to accept. But if you're going to be angry, be angry at me.”

His tone was calm, but his words were a warning, plain and simple.

Ha.

A mocking smile flickered across Eliana's lips. How ironic. She was the one who'd been lied to and hurt, and yet she was being cast as the villain.

“Christopher, you've got it wrong. There's nothing I can't accept.”

“Oh, and don't forget to sign the divorce papers. I'll see you at the solicitor's office next Monday.”

Steeling herself, Eliana finally pried the keys from Christopher's hand. Christopher watched her drive off without looking back, his expression hardening to ice.

Three years of marriage, and Eliana had always been gentle, kind, considerate. She'd stayed composed in front of him, never once storming off the way she had today.

Instead of going home, Eliana went to her friend Zora's apartment. Zora was working the night shift and had left warm dinner rolls out for her, but Eliana couldn't eat.

Exhausted, she curled up on the sofa and didn't move. The ache in her chest dulled into numbness—she felt nothing. All she wanted was to get out of the city as soon as possible.

She'd already made plans with her adoptive brother, Bradley, to work at his media company overseas as a screenwriter, helping him out wherever she could.

In college, a script she'd written had been picked up by a famous director and turned into a hit drama series. After graduation, several top production companies offered her jobs. But the Harvey family accepted the Petersons' proposal for an arranged marriage, and she married Christopher right after graduation.

Now, as she planned her exit from the Harvey family, she could finally chase the career she'd always wanted.

But before she could move on, she had loose ends to tie. One of them: finding the person who'd been swapping her vitamins for birth control pills over the past three years.

Two days later, the results came back:

“Eliana, we found him. Just like you thought. The guy who swapped out your imported vitamins was a courier named Liam Stone. He's already left the delivery company.”

“But I did some digging. Liam's ex-girlfriend used to work as Octavia Jensen's assistant.”

“Octavia!”

Zora's words hit Eliana like a jolt. She hadn't expected any of this to trace back to that woman.

“So it's possible Octavia secretly paid her assistant—and her assistant's ex—to make sure I couldn't get pregnant. That way, she'd have a better shot at bringing her child into the Harvey family.”

Eliana's grip tightened around her coffee mug.

Christopher had hidden that woman and child from her. She could accept that. She wouldn't fight or argue. She was even willing to step aside. But if Octavia was behind the vitamin switch, Eliana couldn't swallow her rage.

Around noon, Eliana went to a luxury hotel. When she knocked on the presidential suite, Octavia opened the door, looking surprised:

“Eliana?”

“I have something to ask you.”

Eliana skipped the pleasantries and walked right in. With no one else around, she cut straight to the point:

“Do you know Liam Stone?”

A flicker crossed Octavia's perfectly made-up face before she shook her head, playing dumb:

“No, I don't know him. Who is he?”

“You really don't know?”

“I don't think I've ever heard that name.”

“Well, he was your former assistant's boyfriend. From what I hear, your former assistant, Tammy Chen, tried to kill herself over Liam while she was working for you.”

“So, Ms. Jensen, you're sure you don't know him?”

Eliana's piercing gaze locked onto Octavia's innocent act. Life wasn't some story full of dramatic coincidences.

Octavia's fingers curled tighter instinctively, but her face stayed locked in that mask of innocence:

“Eliana, I really didn't know Tammy's ex-boyfriend was named Liam Stone. My relationship with Tammy was strictly professional. I don't pry into people's private lives.”

“And what about Iris Rhodes?”

Eliana pressed on. Iris Rhodes was the one who'd first recommended the imported vitamins to her. She, Octavia, and Iris had all been classmates at the same university. Iris and Octavia had been close friends in the theater program.

“Octavia, surely you remember Iris Rhodes?”

Eliana stepped closer, her sharp gaze fixed on the subtle shifts in Octavia's expression. She'd already caught a flicker of guilt in Octavia's shrewd eyes when Liam's name first came up. Now, as she asked about Iris, Octavia's gaze wavered.

“Mama!”

Before Octavia could answer, a child's voice rang out from the doorway. Eliana looked over and saw Christopher walk in with a small child in his arms—presumably his and Octavia's child.

“Eliana, what are you doing here?”

Christopher's face darkened the second he saw Eliana with Octavia.

“Chris, it's fine. Eliana just came by for a casual chat.”

Octavia rushed to explain before Eliana could get a word out. But as she tried to reassure him, Christopher noticed Octavia's eyes welling up. His expression turned even colder as he strode over and grabbed Eliana:

“Come with me.”

“Let go!”

Eliana shook him off hard and pulled the vitamin bottle from her bag:

“Christopher, I came here because of this…”

“Chris, it really wasn’t me!”

When Eliana Harvey confronted Christopher with her suspicions about the vitamins—spilling out everything she’d found in a rush—Octavia Jensen flat-out denied it.

“I honestly don’t even know Tammy’s ex-boyfriend’s name. After she stopped working for me, we lost touch. Why would I ever conspire against Eliana?”

“Eliana, I know my presence—and our child—has hurt you. If you’re angry, yell at me. Hit me, even. But I can’t admit to something I haven’t done!”

Eliana watched Octavia deliver an award-worthy performance. Guilt clung to her like a shadow, yet she played the innocent part flawlessly. And female intuition? It gave Eliana an answer she couldn’t ignore.

“Octavia, you know exactly what you did.”

“Enough, Eliana!”

Christopher’s voice sliced through, cold and firm. He couldn’t believe Octavia would swap Eliana’s vitamins for contraceptives. She hadn’t been back to Dublin in years. The Octavia he knew wouldn’t hurt an ant—let alone do something so despicable.

“Daddy’s scary, Mommy. I’m scared!”

Christopher’s sharp tone and dark expression frightened little Gage, who ran straight into Octavia’s arms.

“Shh, Gage. It’s okay. Mommy’s here. Don’t be scared.”

Octavia knelt on the carpet, gently soothing the child in her arms. Seeing the guilt flicker across Christopher’s face for scaring his son, Eliana tightened her grip on the vitamin bottle. Suddenly, the truth didn’t seem to matter anymore.

“Eliana!”

Christopher snapped out of it and caught Eliana leaving. He hurried after her and grabbed her arm.

“I’ll get to the bottom of this. I’ll give you an explanation.”

“Don’t bother!”

Eliana shook him off.

“Maybe I should thank whoever switched my vitamins for contraceptives. At least I didn’t end up having your child!”

“What’s that supposed to mean, Eliana?”

“Exactly what it sounds like.”

With a bitter smile, Eliana turned and stepped into the elevator without looking back.

Watching her go, Christopher frowned deeply, his mind spinning. Who could have swapped Eliana’s vitamins for contraceptives? Could it really be…?

“Chris, Gage is having an episode!”

Octavia shouted suddenly, jolting Christopher from his thoughts. He rushed back into the room and found Gage convulsing on the floor. He scooped Gage into his arms and shouted for someone to call an ambulance.

Eliana left the hotel and slipped straight into Zora Morales’s waiting car. Earlier, Zora had wanted to confront Octavia with her, but Eliana had insisted on handling it alone.

“Eliana, what did she say? You don’t look good—did it get ugly?”

“No.”

Eliana shook her head wearily, closed her eyes, and sank into the seat. Her mind replayed the way Christopher had stood protectively beside Octavia and their little family. Somehow, the truth had stopped mattering.

“Zora, once my visa goes through, I’m leaving.”

She opened her eyes and gave Zora a wry smile. Zora understood: Eliana’s disappointment in Christopher was pushing her to leave Dublin as soon as possible. Sympathy twisted in Zora’s chest, and she pulled Eliana into a warm hug.

“Eliana, you have to let go of the people who hurt you. There’s nothing worth holding on to. You’re amazing, and someday you’ll find someone who treasures you.”

Eliana just leaned on Zora’s shoulder, tears falling quietly. She no longer dared hope for someone better. At first, she’d thought maybe she didn’t deserve Christopher. But marriage should be a partnership of equals, and she wasn’t going to make herself small for anyone.

At the very least, she had loved and given with her whole heart. Why should she have to accept a marriage tainted by betrayal?

Later that afternoon, Eliana got a call from her adoptive father, George Peterson, inviting her over for dinner. She agreed, planning to see her adoptive parents before leaving the country. That evening, she bought gifts and went back to the Peterson house.

George and his wife, Calliope, had prepared a lavish dinner. But when they saw Eliana arrive alone, George’s disappointment showed.

“Eliana, why didn’t Chris come with you?”

“He’s busy today.”

Eliana didn’t mention Christopher’s illegitimate child.

Her mother had left her for a wealthy businessman when she was five, and her father had raised her after that. At eight, her father died in a work-related car accident while driving for the Petersons. Out of guilt, the Petersons took her in—but they treated her like nothing more than a servant’s child, never with real warmth.

Three years ago, when Tessa Mason decided on a whim to match Eliana with Christopher, George eagerly proposed the union. Mrs. Mason arranged the marriage soon after. Only then did the Petersons start treating Eliana well—not out of love, but because they wanted to flatter the Harveys and save their nearly bankrupt real estate company.

Eliana knew full well that if her adoptive parents found out she planned to divorce Christopher, they’d fight her tooth and nail. So she kept her plans to herself—at least until she left for good.

Despite his disappointment over Christopher’s absence, George knew better than to offend Eliana—now the family’s golden ticket. Throughout dinner, he and Calliope were overwhelmingly warm and welcoming, letting Eliana pretend, just for a moment, that she had a family.

After dinner, as Eliana sat with Calliope on the sofa, her adoptive mother brought up the topic carefully.

“Eliana, you know your father’s company has struggled since the crisis three years ago. Fortunately, a project we’re developing now looks very promising.”

“We’d hate to let someone else swoop in and reap the benefits. Would you mind asking Chris if he’d be interested in investing? We’re family, after all. It’s good to make money together.”

As she spoke, Calliope handed Eliana a document folder. Eliana paused for a moment, then took it and opened it. Inside was a property development proposal and an investment contract.

So this was the real reason her adoptive parents had called her back tonight.

The fleeting warmth Eliana had felt in the Peterson home vanished in that instant. Ever since they’d taken her in eighteen years ago, she’d known George and Calliope had never truly seen her as their daughter.

Still, no matter what, they had given her a home when she was an abandoned child. For that, she would always be grateful.

Yet, holding the documents as she left the Peterson house, Eliana felt like she was carrying something scalding. She’d resolved to divorce Christopher. How could she possibly ask him to invest in the Petersons’ project?