Time passed quickly and each single day, Natalie grew and without missing a single day, I took her to the swimming pool for training. Eventually, our routine caught the attention of netizens.

Like the imaginary well-known detective, Sherlock Holmes, they pieced together the timeline of her birth and quickly realized that she was born while I was competing overseas and suddenly rumors exploded online.

“The world champion promotes surrogacy? Boycott her!” Many criticized my actions.

The hashtag #SwimmingChampionWandaStevensSurrogacy soared to the top of trending searches.

Countless netizens flooded my comment section and launched vicious personal attacks.

As I read the slanderous comments, my grip on my phone tightened and my body trembled slightly. I was so upset. It was clear that I had not done anything wrong, so why was I the one being attacked?

In truth, I had never wanted to reveal Natalie’s real identity, because, for me, she was already my real daughter. All I wanted was to shield her from life's difficulties.

If her classmates and friends found out she wasn’t my biological child, how would they see her? How would they treat her?

However now, with the surrogacy scandal spiraling out of control, I had no choice but to go public with the truth. I revealed that Natalie was my husband and his childhood sweetheart’s illegitimate child. Years ago, they had fallen off a cliff and died and I was merely the fool who had raised their child in their absence.

So, to prove my claim, I released a paternity test showing that Natalie and I had no biological relation.

The accusations of surrogacy in the comment section gradually died down. However, unexpectedly, a new wave of harsh criticism arose.

“Why would you raise your husband’s mistress’s child? Wanda, are you crazy? I can’t stand this doormat behavior!”

“There’s no way someone would willingly raise a mistress’s child. She must be putting on a show, desperate for attention!”

As I read all the condescending comments, I merely smiled and did not write anything.

Soon after that, I posted a new update. [I will raise this child as my own and train her to become a swimming champion. Time will prove everything.]

The uproar online finally settled, at least for now. However, my fans were growing more anxious and posting their concern.

[Wanda, did you retire early just to raise this child? It wasn’t worth it!]

[Wanda, quick! Wake up! Don’t foolishly raise a mistress’s child. There must be more to this story!]

I scanned the comments, my fingers poised over the keyboard before typing a simple response, [Don't worry, I know what I'm doing.] Then, without hesitation, I shut my laptop.

Beside me, my mother-in-law watched with wary eyes, her expression tense.

"You can rest assured, Mother," I said, meeting her gaze with unwavering resolve. "I will raise Natalie as my own daughter."

"You’ve seen how I’ve treated her all these years," I added with a firm resolution.

She nodded repeatedly as relief washed over her face while kept saying her gratitude, "Good, good! Since you’re willing to do this, Jacob can finally rest in peace. On behalf of him and his wife, thank you."

I curved my lips into a faint smile and said, "We’re family, so there is no need to thank you. It was also my promise to Talie at that time."

The moment the words slipped from my mouth, I bit my tongue.

"What did you just say? Who's Talie?" My mother-in-law had sharp ears so she immediately caught the name and suspicion flashed in her eyes.

I quickly shook my head. Without changing my expression, I said calmly, "You must’ve misheard, Mother."

Years passed in the blink of an eye and Natalie, who was now eighteen years old, stood at the edge of the Olympic pool.

As soon as the starting gun fired, she sliced through the water like a fish and glided with effortless grace. She reached the wall first in the end. She even broke the world record and secured the world championship title in freestyle swimming.

The internet exploded with excitement as comments crashed like a tidal wave.

[I can’t believe it! Wanda had really raised her late husband's illegitimate child with his mistress for so many years and managed to turn her into a world champion!]

"Wanda is an incredible woman! Natalie wouldn’t be able to break the world record at eighteen years old like she did today without Wanda’s dedication!]

The same netizens who once scorned me now changed their tune and praised me endlessly.

Yet, at that moment, my mother-in-law decided to give an interview.

Lifting her chin with pride, she declared, "Natalie's talent comes from her biological parents' superior genes. It has nothing to do with Wanda."

I scoffed at the absurdity of it all. After all, I had poured my heart and soul into training Natalie. I taught her every technique I knew for years. Without me, she would never have won the world championship at such a young age.

Then my mother-in-law added, "Just wait, in the next few days, I will give everyone an explanation."

As I watched the smug satisfaction on her face, a sense of unease crept into my heart. What was she up to now?

That night, she announced she was heading out. I nodded. I discreetly slipped a tiny listening device into the bottom of her handbag before sending her off with a smile on my face.

Lately, she had been sneaking out at night and for a while, my gut told me something was off and something was brewing in the air.

The house was quiet, the night deep and still. I sat by the receiver my heartbeat pounding in my ears.

Then, a voice crackled through the speaker. It was a voice I hadn't heard in eighteen years, Jacob.

Even though I had mentally prepared myself, I was flabbergasted when I heard the voice that I had not heard for so long.

Eighteen years ago, when they fell off that cliff but their bodies were never found, I had suspected something was amiss, so I kept my vigilance. Now, my worst fears were confirmed. The old fox had survived the fall.

Another voice followed his voice. It was the voice of a woman with an unrefined accent that was strangely familiar to my ears but I could not pinpoint who she was.

"Husband, our two children are incredible!" Hearing this, a chill shot through my spine.

Two children? These shameless people had managed to have another child without my knowledge! So, why did they only leave Natalie in my care in the first place? Many questions jumbled in my mind.

Before I could untangle the confusion in my mind, my mother-in-law’s voice rang out, full of admiration, "That’s my son and daughter-in-law for you! Such excellent genes! Both of their children are extraordinary!

“Just wait a few days …”

Suddenly, the voice cut off. The signal had failed.

Rage surged through me like a tidal wave that crashed into me. So this was their plan all along. It was such a well-calculated scheme.

Fortunately, I had already suspected as much and prepared accordingly! I let out a cold chuckle and a new plan quietly formed in my mind.

The next day, my mother-in-law excitedly announced that she would throw a grand celebration banquet for Natalie to honor her world championship victory.

She wasted no time spreading the news in our family and friends group chats. She even posted a new post online.

[We’ll be live-streaming Natalie’s celebration banquet for winning the world swimming competition! A major surprise will also be announced at the event.]

As soon as the news broke, the internet erupted. Netizens were busy commenting and talking about their speculation.

As I gripped the tiny recording device in my hand, I smirked and a thought flashed in my mind.

Well, let's see who surprises who when the time comes.

The celebration banquet arrived and the entire event was being live-streamed.

Amid thunderous applause, Natalie held my hand tightly and led me to the center of the stage. Her eyes sparkled with excitement and her voice was filled with emotion as she said, “I wouldn’t be here today, standing on this stage at eighteen years old, if not for my mother, Wanda Stevens.”

She added, "For all these years, she raised me without a single complaint and personally taught me every swimming technique I know. This gold medal belongs just as much to her as it does to me.”

After she said this, Natalie raised the gold medal and was about to place it around my neck, but before she could do that, my mother-in-law suddenly rushed forward,

She yelled, " My dear granddaughter, I have a surprise for you.”

She grabbed Natalie’s wrist, her voice sharp and piercing as she said, “The truth is … your biological parents are still alive. What happened all those years ago was a mistake. For eighteen years, they’ve been searching for you and today, they’re here.”