Every time she overstepped her bounds, she would justify it with the same words:

"Isn’t it just to help you share the burden?" she’d say with a self-righteous tone.

"I’m not like you, Arabella. You had a loving husband who died for you and a son who’s so well-behaved and sensible."

Her voice would soften, tinged with false pity. "In my life, no one loves me, and I don’t have any children."

"You are my best friend, and now, when you need my help the most, how could I abandon you? I’ve decided—I won’t marry or have children. I’ll devote my life to helping you raise Rowan."

She always said this as though it were a noble sacrifice, but I knew better.

Just as she and Rowan were locked in one of their overly affectionate embraces, the doorbell rang.

I opened the door to find Aunt Vivienne from next door, standing with a well-dressed middle-aged man. Before I could say anything, Aunt Vivienne ushered him in.

"Arabella," she began with a smile. "This is my distant cousin, Quentin Blackthorn. He has a car, a house, and savings, but he’s still single."

She didn’t wait for my reaction and continued, "You’ve had it so hard—raising a child alone and working to pay off debts. I thought, why not introduce you to someone who could help lighten your load?"

Quentin stepped forward, placing a neatly wrapped gift on the table. His eyes lingered on me, filled with a mixture of admiration and infatuation. After a moment, he spoke, his voice soft and earnest.

"I’ve heard about your situation from my aunt," he said. "But seeing you in person… you’re even more beautiful than I imagined."

His gaze shifted to Rowan, who sat at the dining table, quietly observing. Quentin smiled warmly. "Don’t worry," he said, his tone steady and sincere. "If we get along, everything I have will be yours. Your son will be my son, and I’ll make sure he never suffers any grievances. I will treat you well."

The words were spoken with confidence, but they had an immediate effect. My best friend’s expression darkened.

She instinctively pulled Rowan closer, wrapping her arms around him protectively. Her face, which moments ago had been full of warmth, now brimmed with hostility.

But she didn’t say anything at first. Instead, she stared at me intently, her eyes urging me to speak.

I turned to Aunt Vivienne and Quentin, offering a polite but firm response.

"Thank you for your kind intentions, but I just want to focus on paying off my husband’s debts and raising my son," I said.

"As for other matters, I’m not considering them for now."

Aunt Vivienne frowned, patting the back of my hand in a motherly gesture.

"Arabella, why are you so stubborn?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.

"Your husband’s company was his pre-marital property. He’s gone now, and so are his debts. You don’t have to clean up his mess."

She leaned closer, her tone softening as if trying to reason with a child.

"The most important thing for a woman is to find a good man to marry. You’re still young, but time won’t wait. It gets harder as you grow older."

I smiled gently, but my refusal was resolute.

"Aunt Vivienne, I know you mean well, and I’m grateful," I said.

"But Axel died saving me. I can’t let his name be tarnished because I gave up on his debts."

Aunt Vivienne sighed deeply, exasperation and pity mingling in her expression.

"Arabella, you’ve done enough already," she said. "You work yourself to the bone every day, juggling multiple jobs. Look at you—you’re so thin now."

Her voice trembled slightly as she continued, "We’re neighbors, and seeing you live such a hard life pains me. That’s why I introduced Quentin to you. You shouldn’t sacrifice the rest of your life for a sense of duty or guilt."

Despite her heartfelt appeal, I shook my head with a calm smile.

"Aunt Vivienne, I really appreciate your concern," I said. "But I believe this is the right path for me."

Seeing that I wouldn’t budge, Aunt Vivienne sighed again, this time with regret. She left with Quentin, their footsteps fading into the quiet of the evening.

As soon as the door closed behind them, my best friend clicked her tongue and crossed her arms.

"Tsk, what kind of person is that?" she said, her voice dripping with disdain. "Our Rowan is so outstanding—someone like that isn’t fit to be his father."

She turned to me, her expression softening into one of faux sincerity.

"Arabella, Axel treated you so well when he was alive, and he even gave his life for you," she said, her tone earnest.

"You must take care of those debts and Rowan, or you’d be dishonoring his sacrifice."

Pausing for effect, she added with a hint of urgency, "Besides, what if you remarried and that man ended up mistreating our Rowan? He’s the child you carried for ten months and gave birth to with your life!"

I nodded faintly. "You’re right."

Seeing my apparent agreement, my best friend’s lips curved into a secretive smile.

"Arabella, you truly are the woman Axel cherished with his life," she said, her tone laced with mock admiration.

"If he knew all you’ve done for him, he’d be moved to tears."

Her words carried a veneer of sincerity, but I caught the ironic twist in her smile. I laughed softly, too.

She laughed at my supposed naivety. I laughed at her overconfidence.

After I rejected Aunt Vivienne’s blind date, my best friend wasted no time spreading her version of the story among the neighbors.

"Arabella has decided to stay single for the rest of her life," she announced with conviction.

"Don’t even bother introducing anyone to her. She’s drowning in tens of millions of debt. Anyone who wants to be with her must first help her pay it off to prove their sincerity."

Her words, deliberately exaggerated and strategically placed, quickly turned the neighborhood into a hotbed of gossip.

"This Arabella is such a fool! How does she think she’ll pay off tens of millions of debt alone?"

"Exactly! She’s a widow with a child. Why push herself to the brink?"

"She’s out of her mind, clearly. Her husband’s death must’ve messed with her head."

I ignored their whispers, focusing instead on what mattered most—my son and the mountain of debt I was determined to conquer. I worked tirelessly, juggling jobs and responsibilities, while slowly mending the gaping hole in Axel’s company.

As the seasons turned, my son grew taller and more independent. But my best friend grew bolder.

At first, she’d only come by to see my son. Now, she often took him away for entire nights.

I knew what she was doing. She was taking him to reunite with Axel’s family.

My son, too young to understand the implications, was delighted. He eagerly awaited her visits, especially on holidays, when she’d promise to pick him up for outings.

Her behavior toward me shifted as well. Her once-concealed disdain now showed openly in her eyes.

Then came my son’s birthday.

Early in the morning, my best friend arrived, carrying a cake and gifts. Her enthusiasm was palpable, her actions overbearing.

After the meal, my best friend couldn’t wait to turn to my son with a bright smile.

"Rowan, tell your godmother what your wish is. Godmother will do everything to make it come true!"

My son hesitated for a moment, glancing at me for reassurance before replying, "I hope the family debt can be paid off quickly."

His words made my best friend’s eyes light up with understanding. She turned to me with a serious expression.

"Arabella, look at how thoughtful Rowan is. Even his wish is about the family debt."

"You’ve worked so hard all these years. How’s everything coming along?"

Their expectant gazes locked on me, and I offered a small smile.

"Soon," I said calmly.

"Axel’s company is operating again. Once it’s fully back on track, not only will the debt be paid off, but the company might even see a strong comeback."

Hearing this, both of them broke into laughter, their relief palpable.

My best friend turned to my son, her tone brimming with encouragement.

"Rowan, you should also work harder and focus on your studies. When the company flourishes, you can help your mother manage it."

Rowan nodded enthusiastically, his eyes shining with determination.

My best friend then shifted her gaze back to me, her voice soft and full of feigned concern.

"Arabella, you’ve been through so much over the years. You truly deserve some happiness."

"Rowan is such a bright and promising boy. When he grows up, he’ll be so filial to you."

"Your good fortune is just around the corner!"

She looked so proud, so content, as if she were somehow part of the success she anticipated.

I smiled back at her, though my thoughts were bittersweet.

My best friend, you think you’re lucky. But it is I who has luck coming my way.

As the company regained its footing, partnerships blossomed. Orders flooded in, and the market value soared.

Before long, I had paid off every last cent of the debt.

And the company? It didn’t just recover—it grew exponentially, becoming larger and more successful than ever before.

A few years later, my son achieved what many could only dream of—he was simultaneously admitted to Harvard University and Stanford University.

Meanwhile, the company I had painstakingly rebuilt finally reached a monumental milestone: its public listing.

On the day of the listing, the atmosphere buzzed with excitement. Crowds of people gathered, and reporters swarmed the venue, their cameras capturing every moment.

Voices of admiration echoed through the air:

"Arabella is truly remarkable. After her husband’s tragic death, she took care of her child, paid off massive debts, and even built a thriving business. She worked multiple jobs a day, fainted from exhaustion more than once—what an inspiring woman."

"She and her husband were a well-known loving couple in our community. He gave his life to save hers, and she’s remained devoted to his memory ever since. It’s extraordinary."

"Over the years, so many accomplished men pursued her, yet she turned them all down. At first, I thought she was being foolish, but now I see—it was out of deep love and resilience. Truly admirable!"

"It’s rare to see a woman like this. Her husband’s spirit must be at peace, knowing she’s done so much for their family."

As I stood there, accepting their words of praise with a calm smile, I noticed the very same neighbors who once gossiped about me now looking at me with respect and admiration.

But just when I thought the day couldn’t take a sharper turn, my best friend appeared.

And she wasn’t alone.

Walking confidently beside her, wearing a familiar yet unnervingly composed expression, was my husband.

Everyone at the scene froze in disbelief when Axel stepped forward, alive and well.

"Isn’t that Arabella’s husband, Axel? He—he’s alive?!"

"And isn’t the woman with him Elara Whitestone, her best friend? What’s going on here?"

The murmurs of shock swirled through the crowd, but Elara silenced them by pulling out a document—a paternity test report. She approached me, a smirk playing on her lips.

"Arabella, your husband never died. He’s been with me all along," she declared, her voice dripping with mockery.

"That test-tube baby you had all those years ago? It wasn’t yours and Axel’s—it was mine and Axel’s fertilized egg."

Her words were deliberate, cruel.

"I am Rowan’s biological mother. Letting him call you ‘Mom’ for 18 years was merely my way of repaying you for giving birth to him. Now, it’s time you return him to me."

Gasps rippled through the crowd, followed by outrage.

"This is unthinkable! How could they do something so vile?"

"Cheating was bad enough, but tricking her into raising their child while leaving her to shoulder debts? That’s pure evil!"

"And now they show up after she’s paid it all off and made a success of herself? They’re here to claim the fruits of her labor!"

"How heartless can two people be?"

As the crowd erupted with condemnation, Axel stepped forward, his expression calm, even self-righteous.

"I understand that many of you might have strong opinions about me," he began, feigning sincerity. "Arabella has indeed been good to me and made many sacrifices."

"But a forced relationship is never sweet. Just because someone is good to you doesn’t mean you’re obligated to stay with them forever."

He spoke with conviction, presenting himself as a misunderstood man.

"I simply chose to pursue my true love. Is that such a crime?"

Glancing at the crowd, he added, "I’ve lived happily in hiding all these years, but now that Rowan is grown, he deserves to know the truth. He has the right to choose the family that truly belongs to him."

His audacity left the crowd stunned. He painted himself as a hero breaking free from societal expectations, a martyr for love, and even a selfless father protecting his child.

I didn’t bother addressing his shameless words. Instead, I turned to my son, looking him squarely in the eye.

"What do you think?" I asked, my voice calm but firm.

Rowan hesitated, his gaze flickering to the paternity test in Elara’s hand before settling on me. He took a deep breath and said, his tone steady:

"Mom, this will be the last time I call you that."

The words hung heavy in the air.

"I am now a student of Stanford University and Harvard University," he continued, his expression unreadable. "I believe my success is due not only to my hard work but also to the excellent genes of my biological parents."