Chapter 1
In the tea room of the Foster family mansion, Mr. Foster Sr. sat in the main seat with a grim expression.
Mark’s mother, Linda Foster, who had slept her way to her current position, was crying in a shrill voice, “Mr. Foster, Mark is your only grandson. How can he marry a woman with a bastard child? What will people say?”
She glanced at me sideways, her words full of insinuation, “Some people will do anything to climb the social ladder.”
My mother laughed coldly, “Mrs. Foster, didn’t you also rely on an ‘accidental’ pregnancy to enter this family? How ironic that you’re now calling others impure.”
Linda’s face instantly turned ashen.
Mark suddenly slammed the table, throwing a disgusted look at me, “I’ll release a statement tomorrow to break off the engagement.”
I lowered my eyes to hide my smile.
That suits me just fine.
Mr. Foster Sr. frowned deeply, his gaze moving back and forth between me and my child.
But my little one wasn’t shy. He looked up with his small face and chirped sweetly, “Hello, Grandpa!”
Mr. Foster Sr. was taken aback, his stern expression cracking slightly, “This child… seems quite clever.”
Seeing this, Linda immediately shrieked, “Mr. Foster, don’t be fooled! Who knows where this bastard child came from…”
Before Linda could finish, my mother had already slammed her teacup onto the saucer with a loud “clang”.
“Mrs. Foster, mind your words. You have no right to comment on my family’s bloodline.”
Linda’s face alternated between red and white, “What do you mean? Are you saying this child is…”
“Enough!” Mr. Foster Sr. suddenly roared, his dragon-headed cane striking the marble floor with a startling sound.
The tea room instantly fell silent, with only my child shrinking into my arms uneasily.
I gently patted his back, feeling his tiny body trembling slightly.
“All of you, shut up!” Mr. Foster Sr. sighed, “This matter ends here! Everyone get out!”
My mother laughed coldly, standing up gracefully, “Perfect, we Sullivans don’t want to stay any longer either.”
She gave me a look, “Olivia, let’s go.”
The little one seemed to sense my mood and touched my face with his soft little hand, “Mommy, don’t be angry. Little Bean will protect you.”
I didn’t look back, just held my child tighter.
My mother’s hand holding mine trembled slightly, her eyes almost overflowing with guilt.
She had originally intended to use this arranged marriage to let me return to the Sullivan family properly, to reclaim everything that belonged to the true daughter.
After all, the engagement with the Foster family was originally meant for me.
But she hadn’t expected that this carefully arranged meeting would turn into a scene where my dignity was trampled.
Linda’s acerbic mockery and Mark’s disgusted looks all stabbed at her heart like knives.
Her voice choked, “Olivia, it’s Mom’s fault…”
I shook my head, gripping her hand back.
This humiliation was never our fault.