Chapter 1

My daughter had her first school open house today, but my husband said he was too busy with work to come.

Yet when I walked into the classroom, I saw him with his arms around his first love and her son, smiling with all the warmth in the world.

My daughter didn't understand. She called out "Daddy" right in front of everyone.

Vanessa's son immediately shoved her hard, sending her crashing to the floor.

"You bad girl! Don't you have your own dad? Who said you could call my dad that?"

My husband stood by, watching coldly, before bending down to scoop Vanessa's son into his arms.

"Don't go calling random people your father. I don't have a daughter. Leo is my only son."

Vanessa turned to me with a sneer.

"Like mother, like daughter. You throw yourselves at any man you see."

"My husband might be the CEO of Hayes Enterprises, but that doesn't mean just anyone can climb their way into our family."

Desperate to kiss their rings, the surrounding parents joined in. They called my daughter a bastard and demanded that we get kicked out of the school.

With my heart turned to ash, I dialed that number.

"You always said you wanted to be a father to my daughter. Here's your chance."

The second I saw Julian, I froze in place.

He reacted instantly, grabbing my arm and pulling me into a quiet corner.

"Stop making a scene, Chloe. Leo grew up without a father. I just took pity on the kid and agreed to play his dad for a day."

"I had no idea he was in the same class as our daughter. But since I promised him, you need to tell Mia to keep her mouth shut. Don't blow my cover. She cannot call me Daddy today, or the other kids will laugh at Leo."

My mind raced. Once the weight of his words finally sank in, a bitter laugh escaped my lips.

"So that's why you lied to me?"

Guilt flashed through his eyes.

This was our daughter's very first elementary school open house. We were supposed to attend together.

Instead, he bailed, claiming he had an emergency meeting at the office.

Yet when I arrived, I found Vanessa's son clinging to his chest, whining playfully.

And Julian was gazing down at Vanessa with pure, doting affection.

A handsome man, a pretty woman, and a child. The sight had the other parents showering them with compliments.

"Look at Mr. Hayes. Rich, successful, and such a devoted family man. Married for so many years and still this affectionate. What a catch."

"Seriously. Mine claims he's too swamped with business to show up. Meanwhile, Mr. Hayes runs a multi-million-dollar empire and still makes time for his family. Talk about frustrating!"

Hayes Enterprises had skyrocketed over the past few years, quickly breaking into the city's top five corporations.

Julian was at the peak of his glory.

Almost every parent in this room knew his name.

Vanessa gave a shy, demure smile. "I told Julian he didn't have to come if work was crazy, but he insisted. He actually canceled a multi-million-dollar contract just to be here."

"He told me money can always be made again, but a child's milestone only happens once. You can't buy back lost memories."

Julian reached over and stroked her hair tenderly.

That simple gesture drew gasps of pure envy from the crowd.

The three of them looked like the picture-perfect, loving family.

As if my daughter and I were nothing more than unwanted strangers.