Prologue
Four years ago, I saved Elias Pierce when he was injured and lost his memory.
We fell deeply in love, and I gave birth to a pair of beautiful children.
One year ago, he regained his memory and returned to his life as the CEO of Pierce Group, one of the most powerful conglomerates in the country.
He brought Kian and July and me to the Pierce mansion, but he never once acknowledged me as his wife.
To seal a business merger with the Howard family, he divorced me and refused to let me take the children away.
At his lavish wedding to Victoria Howard, the heartless Elias Pierce looked at me with cold, disgusted eyes and said,
“You’re nothing but a nanny now. Don’t you ever dream of things that don’t belong to you.”
My spoiled, brainwashed son pointed his finger at me and snarled,
“I’ll never call you Mom again. Victoria is my real mother.”
They locked me in the servants’ quarters to keep me from causing trouble.
Only my sweet little daughter July squatted outside the door, refusing to join the wedding celebration.
She stared at me through the crack in the door, her big eyes wet with tears.
“Mommy, I want to go back to Havenbrook. Please take me home, Mommy.”
I squeezed her tiny hand that slipped through the gap, my heart breaking into pieces.
“I will, my baby. Mommy promises I’ll take you home.”
Chapter 1
Outside the shabby room, two-year-old July cried so hard she hiccuped.
My heart ached so badly I could barely breathe.
The door creaked open.
Elias stood in the doorway, dressed in an expensive tailored tuxedo.
He looked at me like I was something filthy he’d stepped on.
He was no longer the gentle, loving man I’d known as Eli.
Once, he’d been soft and caring, devoted only to me.
Now that he’d recovered his identity, he thought a small-town herbalist like me was too lowly for him.
His voice was ice.
“Kian and July may be your blood, but Victoria is now Lady Pierce. For their future, I’ll list them under her name legally.”
“They’re still my children. That won’t change.”
“But you, Claire Bennett—don’t you dare crave what you don’t deserve. You’re just a servant in this house. Know your place.”
I stood straight, meeting his gaze without flinching.
“Mr. Pierce, I only want Kian and July. Will you give them to me?”
If he hadn’t forced us to come to the mansion and used the children to blackmail me, I would’ve left long ago.
I never cared about his money or his status.
At my cold, formal “Mr. Pierce,” Elias froze for a second.
Once, I’d only ever called him Eli.
Sometimes, I’d tease him and call him my troublemaker.
I never thought he’d turn out to be this cruel.
I knew he wanted to cut all ties with me.
But instead of understanding, he flew into a rage.
He slammed me against the wall, his eyes blazing with anger.
“Claire Bennett, you’re dreaming! The children stay with me.”
“And don’t you dare talk to me in that sarcastic tone.”
My back hit the hard wall, sharp pain shooting through me.
Just then, Victoria walked up behind him, graceful and malicious.
She touched his arm lightly.
“Elias, don’t scare Miss Claire. After all, she gave you two children.”
I’d already given up on him.
But seeing her in that magnificent wedding gown still stabbed my heart like a knife.
When Elias and I married, we had nothing.
No ring. No dress. No ceremony.
Only a marriage certificate.
I’d once believed that as long as he loved me, that was enough.
He’d sworn to me,
“Claire, trust me. One day, I’ll give you everything you’ve ever wanted.”
But everything he gave me now was the last thing I wanted.
Elias turned and took Victoria’s hand. She leaned lazily against his chest.
“Miss Claire, letting you stay here as their nanny is already the greatest mercy Elias has shown you. You should be grateful you can still be near the children.”
She turned to Elias, her voice sweet and poisonous.
“I’m sure Miss Claire will be a perfect nanny. After all, Kian and July are her own children.”
Elias smiled at her tenderly and stroked her hair.
“Being a nanny in a wealthy household isn’t easy. Miss Claire should learn some manners from the housekeeper.”
“My wife is always so thoughtful.”
He lifted Victoria into his arms and carried her away, toward the master bedroom.
The housekeeper approached me with a fake, cruel smile.
“A nanny doesn’t just take care of the young master and miss. Sometimes you must serve Mr. and Lady Pierce.”
“Tonight, you wait outside the master bedroom. Be ready for any orders.”
He was doing this on purpose.
That night, after I put Kian and July to sleep, I knelt outside the master bedroom door.
From inside came the sounds of their shameless intimacy.
I felt sick to my stomach.
Victoria moaned provocatively.
“Elias, who’s better? Your ex-wife… or me?”
“Who makes you feel better?”
Elias snorted in disdain.
“You’re a noble lady. Don’t degrade yourself by comparing yourself to some village girl.”
“You’re my only woman now. Let me love you properly.”
The disgusting noises started again.
It felt like a poisoned arrow had pierced my heart, the venom spreading through my entire body, leaving me cold and numb.
Once, when he proposed, he’d sworn he’d never love anyone but me.
His promises were still fresh in my mind, but his heart was long gone.
Sometimes I thought the Eli I loved and the Elias Pierce standing before me were two completely different people.
The man I loved was dead.
Long after midnight, the noises finally stopped.
I couldn’t sleep at all.
Then I saw little Kian standing in the hallway, staring at me with cold, unfamiliar eyes.
He walked slowly toward me.
I reached out, wanting to hold him.
He slapped my hand away violently.
“You’re just a nanny. I’m the young master of the Pierce family. You don’t deserve to touch me!”
My hand hung in the air, frozen.
My Elias was gone. My Kian was gone, too.
I had lost everything in this hellish house.
Kian looked just like Elias, and Elias doted on him.
After returning to the Pierce family, he’d kept Kian by his side, filling his head with lies.
Elias must’ve told Kian over and over that I was no longer his mother.
Small children were easily brainwashed.
My precocious son no longer wanted anything to do with me.
Only July still loved me, still clung to me like I was her whole world.
