Chapter 1

Five years into our marriage, Marcus suddenly brought home his foster sister.

"Chloe just went through a terrible breakup abroad," he said, gently wiping a tear from Chloe’s eye. "She has no family here. She can stay with us and help take care of Leo."

My five-year-old son immediately ran over and hugged her legs. "I want Chloe! She’s way prettier than Mommy!"

Late that night, I stood outside the cracked door of the nursery, watching Marcus and Chloe tucking Leo in, one on each side of the bed.

My son’s whiny voice pierced my eardrums. "When are we going to kick that bad mommy out?"

I looked down at the DNA test results that had just arrived on my phone and smiled. I couldn't help but wonder—how spectacular would it be when these three realize they don't share a single drop of blood?

Five years after Marcus and I got married, his company finally went public.

"Meeting Elena was the greatest blessing of my life," he said at the gala, wrapping his arm around my waist and kissing my forehead lovingly for the cameras.

The crowd erupted into applause. Everyone envied our picture-perfect romance.

But three days later, he brought a woman home.

She wore a white sundress, her dark hair draping over her shoulders. Her eyes were red, making her look like a delicate lily drenched in rain.

She stood nervously next to Marcus, twisting the hem of her dress, and whispered timidly, "Hi, Elena."

Marcus naturally pulled her close by the shoulder, his voice unbelievably tender. "Elena, this is Chloe. She's my foster sister."

I frowned. "Foster sister? How come I’ve never heard you mention her?"

He sighed, his eyes filled with pity. "She’s been living abroad for years. Some scumbag broke her heart and took her money, so she came back to heal. She has absolutely no one else here. I thought she could stay with us."

As he spoke, he gently brushed away a tear from Chloe's cheek and gave Leo a quick look.

Before I could say a word, my five-year-old son dashed forward, wrapping his arms around Chloe's legs. He looked up, shouting excitedly, "Dad! I want this pretty lady to play with me! She’s way prettier than Mommy!"

Marcus smiled and patted Leo's head. "She's going to live with us from now on. Are you happy?"

"Yes!" Leo cheered, turning around to stick his tongue out at me.

My heart sank.

Chloe knelt down, gently caressing Leo’s cheek. Her voice was sickly sweet. "You're so cute, Leo. I'll play with you every single day, okay?"

Leo nodded eagerly, his eyes sparkling as if she were his real mother.

Marcus watched the scene with satisfaction. He turned to me and said, "Chloe is sweet and loves kids. She can help watch Leo."

"Sure," I heard myself reply, keeping my voice flat. "She can stay."