Chapter 3

Both were a little chubby, walking in with cheerful faces.

When they saw me, they turned away in disgust and went straight to Brandon. Chloe, the daughter, whined.

"Dad, Aunt Veronica, we got our acceptance letters!"

Brandon pulled the two children to sit beside him, smiling.

"From now on, you should call Aunt Veronica, 'Mom'."

My heart ached, hearing the children I had raised call someone else "Mom."

Veronica smiled.

"Good children. Now I won't have to secretly go to your school to see you anymore."

My mom was furious. She pointed at them and yelled.

"Chloe, Daniel, your mother meticulously cared for you for eighteen years, and this is how you treat her?"

"Daniel, you were always frail and often caught colds and fevers. Once, in the middle of the night, you had a 104-degree fever, and your mom braved the pouring rain to take you to the doctor."

"Chloe, when you were in high school, you fell in with the wrong crowd. That day, you went out with them and were drugged by some hoodlums. If your mother hadn't arrived with people in time, you would have been ruined. But she protected you and even got stabbed herself!"

The two children fell silent.

Indeed, I had taken excellent care of them.

After a moment, Chloe pouted.

"Alright, don't bring that up. No matter how well she did, she's not my biological mom."

Daniel chimed in.

"Exactly. And she should take a look in the mirror. Eleanor, you're just not fit to be my mother."

Then, he shoved a paternity test report at me.

Everyone expected me to make a scene, but instead, I pulled out a sever-ties agreement.

"Chloe, Daniel, then let's cut all ties."

Chloe giggled.

"Ms. Davis, I couldn't be more thrilled."

They signed without hesitation, then sat next to Brandon and Veronica. The four of them exchanged knowing smiles.

"Excellent." I smiled.

I gave them a chance. If they had even a shred of conscience, I might have considered leaving them a way out. Unfortunately, some people's true colors are truly ugly.

Everyone probably couldn't fathom why I, a shrewd and capable businesswoman managing billions, would willingly step into this trap, raising someone else's kids.

"Ms. Davis, this coming-of-age celebration has nothing to do with you. You can leave. Also, please make sure you and your parents move out today, because the villa is already in my children's names."

Brandon started to kick me out.

"No rush."

I gave a knowing smile and addressed everyone.

"Today is my children's coming-of-age celebration. The party hasn't even started yet, how can the guest of honor leave? Children, come in."

To everyone's stunned gazes, two figures walked in from outside.