On my wedding day, I got into a car accident and lost the baby I was carrying. My fiancé, Rowan, vanished without a word.

All he left behind was a marriage certificate posted in the family group chat, showing that he had married my father’s illegitimate daughter.

When I confronted him, he looked completely indifferent.

“Tara is sick. She needs your placenta as medicine. I’ll marry you once she’s better.”

Everyone thought I would react like I always did. I would be hurt at first before becoming numb and eventually just accepting it.

After all, I loved Rowan that much.

However, the very night the wedding was called off, I agreed to the marriage my uncle had arranged and left the country.

I married my ex-boyfriend’s uncle.

Five years later, my husband accompanied me back home to visit my mother’s grave.

Something suddenly came up for him, so he asked his useless nephew to host a welcome banquet for me instead.

At the entrance of the estate, Rowan stood there holding a sign that read: [Welcome home, Aunt!]

The moment he saw me, his gaze burned, but his tone was cold.

“So, have you finally come to your senses after all that drama? I’ll give you another chance. Come back to me. Tara doesn’t want to have children. You can do IVF for her.”

The man my husband had sent to pick me up was my ex, Rowan. He had registered his marriage with my father’s illegitimate daughter five years ago.

“Linette?! Is that you?”

Rowan was the first to spot me.

The others turned too, and the moment they realized who I was, they burst into exclamations.

“Rowan, you were right! One crooked finger, and Linette comes running back like a dog.”

“Damn! That’s some skill.”

Rowan put on a faint smile, acting completely unconcerned.

“Maybe she heard Tara wants a child now and rushed back to volunteer herself.

“If she can’t have me, raising my kid for me isn’t a bad deal either.”

There was a beat of silence, then everyone burst out laughing.

“Linette is still the number one simp in the world!”

“She disappeared without a word back then. I thought she finally grew a spine. Turns out she was just bluffing!”

“But seriously, Linette. If you’re going to be a stand-in, at least dress the part.”

“Look at that dress. It’s ugly as hell! It’s nothing like what Tara wears.”

“If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were the cleaning staff.”

They joked and laughed, but even their exaggerated smiles could not hide the disdain in their eyes.

Then again, it was not surprising.

Five years ago, every time they saw me, I was following Rowan’s demands and copying Tara.

Long dresses, long hair, and sky-high heels, never missing a single detail.

All I ever got in return was a comment from him about being a pathetic imitation.

None of that mattered anymore.

I was married. I just had a baby.

My husband was Rowan’s uncle, who lived overseas.

The plain robe wrapping me from head to toe was custom-made by royal craftsmen, commissioned by my husband because he was afraid I would catch a chill.

It seemed like these people had not only failed to recognize its value, but they also had no idea the ‘aunt’ they were here to welcome today was me.

One of them tried to smooth things over when he noticed I was remaining silent.

“Now that Linette’s back, let’s not bring up the past.

“You don’t know this, Linette, but Rowan was heartbroken after you left. He got drunk at the bar for days…”

A flicker of embarrassment crossed Rowan’s face, but he quickly masked it with indifference.

“Tara and I wanted a child. Now that you’re back, you’re coming with me tomorrow to do IVF.”

He lifted his chin confidently, though he kept stealing glances at me out of the corner of his eye.

He was just as self-absorbed as ever.

However, I was no longer the girl who thought love was everything.

When I saw him again, all I felt was surprise and pure hatred for this cheating scumbag.

I rubbed my temples, just about to reveal who I was, when Tara suddenly spoke up.

“Do you still blame me, Linette? I really didn’t know the miscarriage would hurt you that much.

“But since you’re back, Rowan and I will make it up to you.

“Once you’re pregnant with me and Rowan’s child, I’ll give you a room at home. It’ll be like a nanny room. After you give birth, it’ll be easier for you to take care of our baby.

“But before IVF, you should really get a full check-up. After all, life overseas is kind of messy. We don’t even know what you’ve been doing these past five years that made you want to hide from everyone…”

It had been five years, yet she was still as disgustingly petty as ever.

When I frowned, Rowan took it as jealousy. His brows slightly lifted, and satisfaction crept into his tone.

“Tara’s right. Having a baby is a big deal.

“How about this, Linette? I’ll take you for a full physical tomorrow, maybe even a genetic screening.

“If everything checks out, I’ll book a doctor right away. Oh, and you probably don’t have money, right? I’ll give you $200 first. Think of it as a deposit.”

He pulled out his wallet and flicked out two crisp, blue bills.

“Here. Consider it a deposit.”

The people around him could not hold it in and burst out laughing.

“Linette, it’s been five years. How did you get even cheaper?”

“Rowan, why even give her $200? Toss her two dimes, and she’ll be grateful.”

“What are you standing there for? Say thank you already.”

The familiar scene dragged me back to an old memory.

It was three in the morning. I had run from the north of the city to the south just to bring them roasted chestnuts.

They were just like this too, laughing as they pulled out a couple of crumpled bills and tossed them onto the ground.

Then, they would put on fake smiles and say, “Thanks, Linette.”

Tara smoothed her hair and pretended to let out a sigh.

“Looks like life’s been really hard on you, Linette. Don’t worry. I’m not petty.

“Once you give birth to mine and Rowan’s baby, I’ll give you a big payment. I won’t mistreat you.”

Rowan’s gaze softened as though he was moved by her words.

“Tara, you’re still so kind.

“Unlike her! She had a miscarriage, but it’s not like she can’t have kids. She actually threw a tantrum and went abroad for five years. She’s just as petty as her mother.”

My heartbeat stalled for a second when I heard that.

My mother was the family’s original wife, but my father cheated while she was pregnant. Tara was the result of that affair.

After my mother died, barely a week passed before Tara’s mother moved in.

Then, my wedding was called off, and I lost my child.

When I was in the hospital, Rowan never once showed up.

That was when I realized that he was rotten.

The boy who once fought for me, teeth clenched in pain just to stop me from crying…

The boy who defied his family and walked every street with me…

The boy who knelt in front of my mother’s grave and swore he would love me forever…

Somewhere along the way, he disappeared.

I came back to my senses, shaking my head. The past suddenly felt like it belonged to someone else.

After all, I was already married.

My second child was about to turn one month old.

…

My gaze settled back into something calm. I looked straight at Rowan and got right to the point.

“I’m the person you’re all waiting for. You can leave now.”

The crowd went quiet for a moment.

Then, everyone looked at each other and burst out laughing.

Tara even laughed until she had tears in her eyes, then shoved the bouquet she had prepared to welcome ‘Aunt’ right into my face.

“Linette, it’s been five years, yet you haven’t changed at all. Where do you get that confidence from?

“We’re welcoming Rowan’s aunt-in-law, the future lady of the Shaw family.

“Not you, a piece of trash who can’t even keep a child.”

Her last sentence was spoken so softly that no one could hear them except me.

The others quickly picked up on Tara’s words, mocking me one after another.

“Tara’s right. Everyone in our circle knows Mr. Shaw didn’t marry until he was thirty-five. He was waiting for his true love.

“After finally marrying her, he held a seven-day wedding celebration in France. I heard even a princess from the royal family attended.”

“Too bad Rowan was busy then and couldn’t go abroad.”

“Linette, did five years overseas mess with your head? You’re even pretending to be Mr. Shaw’s wife now?”

They kept talking over one another, rolling their eyes so hard that it looked like they might get stuck.

I said nothing, but the memory of that grand wedding made something in my chest stir.

If it were not for that ceremony, I would not have believed Logan had actually waited seven years for me.

Tara mistook my silence for guilt and grew even more smug.

“See this watch on my wrist?

“Last Valentine’s Day, Rowan’s uncle had a custom diamond watch made in Switzerland. It’s one of a kind in the world.

“The diamonds alone were worth $40 million.

“What I’m wearing is just a replica. It’s not that expensive. It only costs about $3 million!”

Her triumphant smile had just formed when someone suddenly shoved her, pointed at my wrist, and gasped, “Tara, Linette’s watch… Isn’t it the same as yours?”

Everyone suddenly fell silent.

Rowan was the first to step forward. He grabbed my wrist and studied it closely.

Three seconds later, he scoffed in relief.

“The diamonds are too bright. They’re obviously lab-grown and worthless.”

He gave everyone a faint smirk.

“Linette, which security guard gave you this? You’re even showing off trash like this?”

I pulled my hand away and carefully wiped the watch face.

This was the gift Logan gave me the day I found out I was pregnant. I would not let them dirty it.

Rowan noticed how much I cared and suddenly snapped. He grabbed my hand and slammed it against the wall.

The watch face shattered on impact.

Tara clapped a hand over her chest and smiled brightly at the broken glass.

“See? Fake things break so easily.

“Honestly, I almost believed for a second that you were that legendary Mrs. Shaw.

“That scared me to death.”

Watching her exaggerated performance, the crowd finally could not hold it in and burst out laughing.

Even though none of them had ever seen Logan, they all knew one thing for certain.

He was the most powerful man in the Shaw family in the past thirty years—the absolute peak of privilege and power.

Even if he lost his mind, he would never get involved with his nephew’s fiancée, let alone spoil her like he was the apple of her eye.

It was impossible.

Rowan was not laughing. He stared at my ruined watch, and his expression turned cold.

“Linette, be sensible. Don’t wear that anymore. I’ll buy you a better one.

“Just throw it away.”

I found it amusing. Who was he to order me around?

“No way. My husband gave this to me. His name is Lo…”

Slap!

The sound cut through the air.

Pain burned across my face, and blood seeped from the corner of my mouth.

I froze for a moment. Rowan stared at me, trembling with rage.

“Linette, you’re insane!”

…

Rowan locked eyes with me. His emotions jumped between rage and fear.

“Do you even know who Logan is? Yes, he’s my uncle, but I’m nothing in his eyes.

“If rumors like this reach his wife, it won’t just be you. I'll be finished too!

“Linette, are you trying to kill me?”

The others finally caught on and turned to glare at me.

“I knew she had bad intentions! She left in a huff five years ago, and now, she’s back to take revenge on Rowan! Damn! And to think Rowan was out here, looking all over for you. You ungrateful snake!”