I smiled and said nothing. But the banquet was winding down—and then the doors swung open：

“Where is Nadia Henson!”

Twenty years ago, I severed ties with the Henson family and gave myself a new name.

My sister, Victoria Henson, looked the same as she had two decades ago—only her waist-length hair was pinned back now, and her face had taken on the sharpness of a woman who'd aged into her ambitions.

The moment she saw me, she froze.

A few seconds passed. Then she smiled：

“Ronnie's mother is actually you?”

I didn't answer.

“Sister,” Victoria's eyes sharpened with mockery：

“Word is you never married—not once in twenty years—and yet…… you have a child?”

“Is there something you need, Miss Henson?”

Victoria finally remembered why she'd come. Her gaze cooled as it settled on me：

“Anne hasn't stopped crying since she got home.”

“Oh.”

“Don't you think you're absolutely shameless?”

“Hm?”

Victoria stared at me, hard：

“You couldn't get to me, so you took it out on an innocent girl!”

I smiled without a word.

“Nadia Henson.”

Victoria's voice went cold：“Don't think being the richest man's mother means you can do whatever you want.

“Don't forget, my husband held that title once too.

“And Anne's grandmother, my mother, is celebrated at home and abroad.”

I sat in my place at the head of the table, unhurried：“And?

“Your whole family thinks it can meddle in other people's marriages?”

“I……”

Victoria's grip tightened on her handbag：“I'm just here to remind you not to push it too far!”

“You barged into my banquet to force me to accept your daughter.”

My gaze turned cold：“So who, exactly, is the one pushing it?”

Victoria clenched her jaw. She was used to running unchecked in their elite social circle—everyone deferred to her out of respect for Mr. Stephens and our mother. None of that worked on me.

I glanced at security. Two guards stepped forward at once and caught her by both arms.

“Nadia Henson, you dare let them treat me like this!”

Victoria was panicking now.

I didn't look up.

She'd never been dragged out of anywhere before—but here she was, a guard on each side, hauled toward the door.

“Nadia Henson! This is too much! You've gone too far!!”

The doors closed, sealing her voice outside.

I wiped my mouth, stood, and bowed to the room：

“My apologies for the disruption.

“Small gifts have been prepared for everyone—please collect them from the butler on your way out.

“Enjoy the rest of your evening.”

With that, I turned and left the table. Ronnie followed me out.

The next morning I had barely gotten out of bed when word came that someone was at the front gate, asking to see me.

The door opened, and Ervin Stephens stood on the other side.

Since the last time we'd been face to face, a full twenty years had passed.

“I'm here on behalf of my wife and daughter.”

He got straight to the point. His eyes drifted over the estate's interior, and something like nostalgia flickered across his face：

“All these years, you built all of this on your own?”

I kept my tone flat：“Was anyone going to help me?”

His gaze settled on me. He let out a quiet sigh：

“What happened back then…… I was rash.”

“So, Mr. Stephens, which one of them are you really here for?”

His breath caught. The girl who used to hang on his arm, calling him “darling” like it was the most natural word in the world—that girl could now throw his words back at him without flinching.

He sighed again：

“I've spoiled those two.

“You know how it is. Mother and I have always doted on them.

“You were heartless yesterday. Neither of them has touched a meal since.”

“*Heartless?*”

I set down my coffee cup and locked eyes with him：

“Mr. Stephens, do I no longer have the right to manage my own family's affairs?”

“That's not what I meant……”

Ervin paused for a beat：“It's just that anyone with eyes can see it.

“This is revenge. Plain and simple.”

I smiled：

“If that's what you want to call it—fine. I admit it.”

“But isn't the thing you're really angry about the fact that I didn't marry you back then?”

Ervin grew agitated：“What happened back then can't be undone.

“If you want revenge, come after me. Don't take it out on an innocent mother and daughter!

“Name your price.

“Let Anne marry Ronnie and you can have everything I own. Every last cent.”

I looked at the man in front of me. That actually surprised me.

Then I laughed：

“Ervin Stephens.

“You're self-made.”

He went still.

Let out a sigh and turned his face away.

“You swore you'd never let yourself live in poverty again.

“And now you'd throw away everything you built? For them?”

Ervin sighed again：

“They……matter more than money.”

A bitter smile.

Those words.

He'd said them to me once, too.

Ervin Stephens.

In the end, I had him shown out.

He kept looking back as he left：

“Can't we talk about this a little more?

“I meant what I said about compensating you. I'm not joking.”

“Nadia, please.”

“They're really hurting.”

I looked out the window.

And what about the girl who knelt on the ground twenty years ago, sobbing that she'd been framed?

Ervin had barely been gone when someone else asked to see me.

The moment the door opened, we both froze for a beat.

Martin Vance.

The man who'd been in that bed with me.

My sister's boyfriend.

All these years, he'd believed I was the one who drugged him.

And for those twenty years, just like me, he'd never married.

“I didn't expect you to show up too.”

I spoke first.

Martin sat down across from me.

His gaze swept over my home, expression complicated, before settling back on me.

He opened his mouth：

“I didn't realize you were this determined.”

“Hm?”

“Ronnie Henson. I only found out yesterday that he's your son.”

I said nothing.

“That night?” he asked.

I knew what he meant. The night my mother set us up.

I shook my head.

He let out a breath：

“You don't need to deny it. I already know.”

“I really didn't.”

He studied me.

A trace of resignation crossed his face：“You always were stubborn.

“But you know exactly who I've been single all these years for.”

I drank my coffee and said nothing.

“Making things difficult for those two, honestly, that's going too far.”

“You're going to meddle in my family's affairs too?”

I shot him a cold look.

He sighed：

“Nadia.

“Strictly speaking, Ronnie is my child.

“That makes this my family's affair too.”

“I already told you he's not your child.”

Martin looked at me：

“Nadia, I'm not blind.

“That boy looks like me.”

I almost laughed：

Martin Vance was the sharp-jawed, ruggedly handsome type.

Ronnie was too.

“He has the same look as you, Mr. Vance, sure.

“But you're hardly the only man who looks like that.

“Mr. Vance, you're really overthinking this.”

Martin sighed：

“Forget it.

“I'll take the loss.

“I can marry you.”

I froze.

He looked at me：

“Nadia, if that's what you're after, then fine. I accept.

“We go down to city hall right now and make it official. What do you say?”

I was so choked I couldn't speak for a long moment.

“My heart probably still won't be with you, but I'll do my best to fulfill a husband's duties.”

I couldn't stand another second of this.

“Show him out.”

“Nadia!”

Martin frowned：“Why do you have to keep going after Victoria and Anne?!”

I stared at him, cold：

“Show. Him. Out.”

He looked at me like I was beyond reason.

My people escorted him away.

I pressed my fingers to the bridge of my nose：

“If anyone else comes looking for me, turn them away at the door.”

But the next day, one of my staff came in again：

“Chairwoman Henson, there's a visitor outside who insists on seeing you.

“She says she's your mother.”

More than twenty years had passed, and my mother still looked at me with that same cold indifference.

She stepped inside.

Her gaze swept the room first, taking in the surroundings.

A thin, scornful laugh：

“Twenty years, and you really have been biding your time.”

“Mrs. Henson, say what you came to say.”

She looked at me：

“Lying low for twenty years, all for today. Am I right?”

I frowned.

She stepped closer：

“Daughter. You are my daughter.

“I know you hate me.”

And with that, standing right in front of me, she dropped to her knees.

I stared at her, stunned：“Mom?”

“If this is what it takes for you to let go of your anger, then Mom can kneel.

“My little darling.”

She watched me：“Mom still likes calling you the name I picked out for you myself.”

My outstretched hand stopped in midair.

Her eyes locked onto mine, unblinking：

“What happened back then was entirely my choice.

“I won't regret it. But I will take responsibility.

“I owe you an apology.”

I looked at her with a bitter smile：

“For Victoria's sake, Mom, you're actually willing to go this far.”

“Yes.”

I quietly pulled my hand back：

“Mom. There's one question I've never understood.

“Will you answer me?”

“What?”

“How can you be a philanthropist celebrated at home and abroad, helping so many children in need?”

My voice cracked：“And yet you wouldn't even treat me fairly?”

She went still.

I looked at her through burning eyes：

“I even had a DNA test done in secret.

“I am your child too. Aren't I?”

She lowered her head.

“Mom. Say something.”

“I'm sorry.”

She looked up at me, her gaze absolutely unwavering：

“But I don't want Victoria to suffer.”

I laughed.

She didn't want Victoria to suffer.

So it was fine if I did?

My laugh turned bitter, mocking：

“Get up.

“I'm not going to forgive anyone.”

“My darling!”

I said nothing.

“Nadia……”

She was practically begging.

I stood by the window：“Show her out.”

She stared at me, eyes red.

The sorrow gave way to bitterness, then bitterness became resentment, even fury.

The door slammed behind her.

I watched her retreating figure from the window, then gave the order：

“Arrange a high-society matchmaking gala for Ronnie. No restrictions on wealth. Anyone with good character and the right age is welcome to attend.

“Anyone but Anne Stephens.”

“Yes.”

The gala was arranged within days.

Ronnie dressed impeccably for the occasion.

“Arranging a marriage like this, almost like an old-fashioned match. Will you resent me for it?”

“No.”

Ronnie surveyed the young women in the room.

“I've never forgotten that you raised me on your own.

“It's time I did something for this family.”

I smiled.

“If there's someone you like, even if her family isn't wealthy, that's fine.”

Ronnie looked at me. “As long as I like her?”

“Yes.”

“Really?”

“Of course. She doesn't even have to be here today. You can choose anyone.”

“In that case.”

Ronnie stood, raised his arm, and swept the champagne tower—two stories of crystal—crashing to the floor. Glass exploded across the room. Every girl stumbled back screaming, and champagne soaked down my dress.

I looked up.

Ronnie was gripping the hand of Anne Stephens, who had just walked through the door.

“I'm sorry, Mom. I know you don't like Anne.

“But she's the one I'm going to marry.”

Anne looked down at me, her body leaned into Ronnie's, easy and familiar.

“Aw, sorry, Auntie. Guess your word doesn't carry much weight around here, does it~”