3.

Avalon’s POV

Rufus once told me that he had given our biological children to a wealthy older couple. He said they were doing well now, and he didn’t want me disturbing their lives.

I searched for a long time but never found a trace of them.

None of his family ever knew that, before my parents passed, they left me more than just money. I also inherited real estate worth tens of millions.

I sold the properties, built a small house in the countryside, and spent my days tending to flowers and vegetables, living a very leisurely life.

The twins believed I had kidnapped Radnor just to maintain being the matriarch of the Ralstons. From that moment on, they refused to acknowledge me as their mother, branding me as a cruel and manipulative woman.

But they didn’t know—after that, I adopted a pair of orphaned twins.

Back then, the girl was gravely ill and couldn’t afford treatment. Her brother had been working on a construction site to earn money for her but fell and broke his leg.

When they were at their lowest, clinging to life in a slum, I happened to pass by. I couldn’t bear to walk away. I rushed them to the hospital and paid for the best treatment.

When I saw the faint light return to their dull, lifeless eyes, it felt as if I were seeing my own children—those I had never met.

My heart softened on the spot. I completed the adoption papers and gave them names: Zion and Zeniah.

Over the years, I watched them grow up, and they stayed by my side as I grew old.

“Why don’t you just stay this time?” Bowden said gently, snapping me out of my thoughts. There was a trace of tenderness in his eyes. “Quit that maid job of yours. You don’t have to keep struggling outside anymore.”

“She was the one who had me kidnapped back then!” Radnor snapped from the side, scoffing with clear disapproval.

“Dad said it clearly,” he went on, voice cold. “As long as she admitted her mistake, he’d let the past go and let her stay. But she wouldn’t even say a single ‘sorry.’ Now she’s suffering out there, and suddenly she regrets everything?”

I had already explained it all—again and again. I didn’t do anything. In fact, I had nearly fallen off a cliff trying to rush over and save him. If a passing local hadn’t pulled me up, I would’ve died down there.

But it wasn’t just Radnor who didn’t believe me. Rufus and Shawna had also lashed out in anger, accusing me of being a monster.

In their eyes, I was toxic and cruel. Only Sharice—sweet, soft-spoken, and oh-so-perfect—could ever connect with them. She was their confidante, their ideal of the kind and graceful mother.

I looked at Radnor standing before me and thought of everything I’d once done for him. A bitter smile tugged at the corner of my lips.

When he was little, he was always sick. I stayed by his bedside day and night, nursing him back to health, cleaning up after him, feeding him—raising him and his sister with my own two hands.

But the older he got, the colder he became. He only had eyes for Sharice, who spoiled him without limits.

Back then, I thought he simply didn’t like being disciplined. What I didn’t realize was that he had already known the truth all along—that Sharice was their biological mother.

And me? In their hearts, I was just a nanny—one they could call or dismiss at will.

Before I could respond, the hotel manager suddenly walked over and announced that tonight’s engagement party had been upgraded to VIP service—it’s on the house.

“This is a premium, VIP-level treatment. The Ralstons really must have some powerful connections!”

Gasps and whispers filled the room as the guests looked around in awe.

Tucker Thornton, the manager, gave the overjoyed Radnor a look—polite but indifferent.

“The owner made it clear—tonight’s upgrade is all in honor of the groom’s mother. It’s a special gesture. We hope you all have a wonderful evening.”

Instantly, all eyes turned to Sharice, especially Radnor, who looked at her with nothing but admiration.

“Mom, your connections are amazing! When did you get to know the hotel’s owner?” he asked in awe.

Sharice quickly wiped the confusion from her face and gave a modest smile, pressing her lips together and signaling him to keep it low-key.

I watched Radnor shower her with adoration, and all I could do was laugh to myself.

Tucker gave me an awkward glance and looked like he wanted to explain something. I subtly signaled for him to let it be.

The hotel had been a birthday gift from Zion and Zeniah—a present for my sixtieth birthday last year. I hardly ever visited, leaving the entire place in the manager’s care.

Just then, Shawna walked in, arm-in-arm with Rufus. The father and daughter were chatting and laughing as they entered.

Shawna had grown into a stunning beauty. As for Rufus, even in his sixties, he remained tall and elegant, every inch the charming gentleman.

The moment he saw me, he froze for a second.

“Grandpa! Mom!” Shawna called out sweetly as she flung herself into Bowden’s arms. But the moment her gaze landed on me, her smile stiffened. Then, disgust flashed across her face.

“What is that bitch doing here?!”

4.

Avalon’s POV

Before I could say a word, Bowden sighed heavily, his voice falling like a hammer.

“Tonight is your brother’s moment. No matter what, Avalon was like half a mother to you all. She ought to be here.”

“What a curse!” Shawna snapped, turning her head away. Her voice was so sharp it scraped like nails on glass. “Why bring her here now and ruin everything?!”

Rufus’s gaze swept over me like a scanner, his eyes brushing across the deep navy dress I wore—elegant, understated but unmistakably expensive. His brows furrowed slightly, as if confirming something that displeased him.

“Avalon rarely comes back to visit. Shawna, don’t be so harsh,” Sharice cut in gently, looping her arm around Rufus’s tense one. Her smile was soft, serene—the perfect guest welcomer. Yet the way she looked at me brimmed with smug superiority.

Nearby, the guests whispered among themselves.

“Sharice really is something else—an Ivy League artist with such poise. She deserves being the matriarch of the family.”

“Exactly! Remember how Avalon tried to win affection back then? She even went so far as to kidnap one of the twins…”

“Now those two kids are incredible. The boy runs the Raltrex Prime, and the girl’s a famous influencer with millions of fans! Avalon was really a fool back then.”

Someone nearby tugged urgently at the speaker’s sleeve, eyes darting toward Rufus with visible panic.

His expression had darkened completely. He stepped up to me, his voice low and menacing.

“You’ve got the nerve to show your face? You ignored the kids for over a decade, and now that you’ve run out of options, you crawl back to us like we’re your golden ticket?”

Shawna folded her arms and sneered at my modest appearance. “Now you know how miserable it is to be on your own, don’t you? Too late! There’s no place for you in this family anymore!”

I met their gazes calmly and said clearly, “I have two children. They’re busy with work, but they’ll be arriving later.”

“What?!”

Rufus’s rage froze into stunned disbelief. A flicker of something complicated passed through his eyes.

“You remarried? When did that happen? And the kids are already working? Avalon, did you go and have illegitimate children behind my back?!”

“Enough! You disgraceful brat! Do you even know where you are?” Bowden’s face turned thunderous. He slammed his redwood cane against the polished marble floor with a thunderous crack.

Rufus flinched, clearly holding back more words. But before he could say anything else, a stir rippled through the entrance of the party hall.

Several young men in crisp black tailcoats entered, carrying a massive gift box.

The box was wrapped in thick, matte black velvet, luxurious to the eye. At the center, a subtle yet unmistakably commanding logo gleamed: a silver crown.

“Oh my God! That’s Crown! The legendary brand that only serves the world’s elite!”

“I heard only royalty and top-tier financial giants can get on their client list. Even if you’re rich, it doesn’t mean you’ll ever get close!”

“Excuse me,” one of the men stepped forward. “Which of you is Sir Radnor’s mother? This is your child’s engagement gift. Please sign to receive it.”

Sharice’s smile bloomed like a flower. She clicked toward them in her stilettos, her shoulder ramming into mine with force as she pushed past.

I stumbled slightly, frowning as I regained my balance.

She had already stepped in front of the attendants, voice raised slightly with excitement. “That’s me!”

“Wow, Sharice, what a gift you have! Your child must be truly remarkable. What an honor!”

A wave of gasps and compliments swept through the room like a rising tide.

Just then, Elyse Quinlan—Radnor’s fiancée—arrived with her family.

Seeing the scene before them, her parents beamed with pride, basking in the spotlight.

Luodan threw her arms around Radnor, showering kisses on his cheek. “Baby, I can’t wait to see what it is!”

Sharice was practically floating with pride, her face flushed with delight. She grabbed the pen—its barrel encrusted with tiny diamonds—and eagerly signed the delivery slip.

But just as she finished, the lead attendant, his gloved hand poised and calm, stopped her from opening the box.

He looked at her with a complicated expression, then spoke clearly, his voice echoing across the hall.

“I’m sorry. The recipient on our list is Miss Avalon Delamar.”

5.

Avalon’s POV

“What? That has to be a mistake!”

Radnor shoved through the crowd, disbelief written all over his face as he rushed up to the man in the tuxedo and snatched the delivery slip from his hands.

His eyes scanned the sender section.

[AZZ & Co.]

[Paramount Productions]

Both were crucial partners of the Raltrex Prime, and the latter was where his sister Shawna currently worked.

Relief washed over his face. With a smug smirk, he flung the slip back toward the man.

“I knew it. You people definitely made a mistake! Tonight’s my engagement party. The Raltrex Prime is no longer what it used to be. Those two giants must have teamed up to show us some respect—that’s why they sent such an extravagant gift! They just didn’t get our family situation straight and wrote down ‘Avalon Delamar’—a totally irrelevant person.”

He looked so pleased with his supposed insight that I couldn’t help but shake my head silently.

Then, gesturing at Sharice, he arrogantly ordered the tuxedoed man, “Take a good look. This is my mom—Sharice Ralston!”

“I’m sorry, sir,” the man replied with professional courtesy, though his tone was clearly strained. “The order explicitly states that only Miss Avalon may sign for the package.”

I stepped forward, smiling. “I’m Avalon.”

Then I picked up the pen and calmly signed my name.

A few waiters let out a quiet breath of relief. Carefully, almost reverently, they placed the lavish gift box before me and then slipped out without another word. They knew this delivery came from two industry titans—there was no room for error.

Just as I was about to open it, someone forcefully elbowed me aside.

Sharice shoved past and tore open the gift box herself. Her face lit up with a satisfied smile as she reached in and pulled out the contents.

At that moment, it was like the Milky Way had poured into the hall.

A wedding gown unlike anything words could describe spilled through her hands. The fabric shimmered with a deep, starlike luster. Intricate lacework and cascading layers of tulle glowed with the majesty of a cosmic nebula. Its sheer beauty stunned the entire party hall into silence—then came a surge of gasps and exclamations.

“Oh my god! Is that a Crown design? That’s not a gown—it’s art!”

“I’ve lived half my life and never seen anything this dreamlike. Ten million? Easily more!”

Radnor’s POV

My fiancée covered her mouth, tears sparkling in her eyes. Her voice trembled. “God, it’s so beautiful! I love it—I love it so much!”

But Shawna and I just stood there, completely dumbfounded. Our eyes filled with confusion.

‘This came from Avalon? That woman who left the Ralstons and could barely make ends meet as a maid? How on earth could she afford something like this—let alone have the connections to pull it off?’

‘No. Absolutely not!’

Shawna and I exchanged a quick glance, silently suppressing our doubt. And then, a silent agreement passed between us.

This had to be the CEO of AZZ & Co. and Paramount Productions’s doing. They must’ve sent the gift out of respect for the Ralstons—for Shawna and me in particular.

‘Avalon? She just got lucky. Her name has been written there by mistake.’

With that settled in my mind, I lifted the gown and handed it out carefully to my fiancée.

“Darling, wear this on our wedding day,” I said tenderly. “And you’ll be the most beautiful bride in the entire world!”

Avalon’s POV

Under the spotlight and the admiring eyes of the crowd, the twins stepped forward to flank their parents with tears in their eyes.

“We’re just so lucky!” Shawna choked up. “To have such amazing parents, especially our Mommy Sharice—she’s sacrificed so much for us. Her love can’t even be measured in money.”

The guests nodded in agreement, their eyes drifting disdainfully toward me in the corner.

“See? Only Sharice has that kind of class. What a thoughtful, impressive gesture!”

“Avalon came here just to steal attention, clearly riding on someone else’s coattails.”

“Exactly! It’s her own son’s engagement, and she shows up empty-handed? How selfish and cold-hearted can you get?”

“Dang, the stepmother’s more of a mother than the real one…”

Bathed in praise, Sharice moved through the crowd like a queen. Gracefully, she stopped in front of me and spoke in a voice just loud enough for everyone around us to hear.

“Avalon, I know life’s been hard for you out there. I really do. But tonight is your son’s big night. As his mother, surely you should show some kind of gesture?”

Her eyes drifted to my wrist, to the watch I wore—simple at a glance but actually a one-of-a-kind masterpiece crafted by a legendary artisan over several painstaking years.

She smiled sweetly, saying, “How about this—your watch is the only thing you’re wearing that looks halfway decent. Why not give it to the bride-to-be as your gift? I’m sure she’d love it.”

With a look only I could see, she silently taunted, ‘That “pathetic” little thing—do you even have the nerve to offer it? And if not, can you afford not to?