Chapter 1 The Illegitimate Son
“Come to the dinner party at the Hilton Hotel right now.”
Pierce Clement demanded without much enthusiasm.
Sophia Cruise was overjoyed when she received her husband’s call.
“I’m in the hospital…”
Before Sophia could tell Pierce that she was doing a pregnancy test, Pierce hung up.
Pierce had been on a business trip for over two months, and this was the first time he had taken the initiative to call Sophia.
He was as distant as ever, but his call excited Sophia.
Sophia thought, “He still remembers that today is the third anniversary of our marriage.
“He must have planned a surprise party for me.”
Her haggard face became florid and beamed with joy as she left the hospital with the report.
It was great. Sophia also had good news for Pierce.
What a happy day!
As soon as Sophia got out of the car, she was surrounded.
Reporters came in great numbers, barring her way.
Sophia couldn’t conceal her happiness. Pierce might have released the news of their anniversary, so the reporters waited there to congratulate them.
At this thought, Sophia waved joyfully at the reporters.
“Mrs. Clement, your marriage to Pierce has lasted for three years. Do you know that his illegitimate son is already two years old?”
“Mrs. Clement, what do you think of Pierce’s illegitimate son? Will you bring him back and raise him?”
“You and Pierce are a couple in name, and each of you has your own lover, right?”
“Is that child yours? Or Pierce cheated on you?”
All the reporters fired questions at Sophia.
There had been rumors about Pierce’s illegitimate son recently, but Sophia didn’t believe them.
“My husband is very busy. We don’t have any children yet, and he doesn’t have an illegitimate son. The rumors aren’t true. We love each other dearly, and I believe in my husband.”
In the third year of her marriage, Sophia could handle such unexpected situations proficiently and decisively.
Pierce stood straight not far away.
His features were strongly defined. He had a solemn expression on his face and a cold look in his eyes.
Pierce chatted with the person across from him. As he looked up, he saw Sophia walking over.
He ceased to smile, and his stern face became expressionless as usual.
The next second, the smile died on Sophia’s lips. She stiffened and scuffed her feet.
She saw Pierce holding a cute little boy in his arms.
The boy was about two years old, a carbon copy of Pierce.
Pierce looked down at the boy smilingly, appearing noble and gentle.
The woman beside Pierce tenderly took over the boy, as if they had been married for years.
It was Emelia Wilson.
Unexpectedly, she was back!
The boy looked like Emelia and Pierce. Sophia was convinced that he was Pierce’s son!
She clenched her fists so that she wouldn’t lose control of her emotions.
Three years ago, Emelia broke up with Pierce after taking his mother’s money and went abroad.
Pierce was hit by Emelia’s betrayal. Probably to wreak vengeance on his mother, he had dated many girls since then.
Sophia had long been in love with Pierce. When she was kidnapped abroad, Pierce passed by and saved her.
She had taken a liking to him at their first meeting.
After returning to the country, Sophia went to work at the Clement Group to get close to Pierce.
However, Pierce didn’t remember who she was.
Sophia pushed herself to get better to attract Pierce’s attention.
She became Pierce’s chief secretary in just six months.
Not long after, Pierce’s sister fell seriously ill and needed donated bone marrow.
It was found during a physical examination that Sophia’s bone marrow matched well.
For the first time, Pierce talked to Sophia about a personal matter.
He patiently asked what her conditions for donating bone marrow were.
Sophia was willing to do that, but she didn’t want money.
She tried not to be nervous and ventured, “If you marry me.”
Pierce was stunned, but then he casually agreed, “Okay.”
It seemed that he didn’t care who his wife was at all.
Sophia, on the contrary, was excited. After marriage, she was devoted to her family, hoping that she could be with Pierce for the rest of her life.
In the past three years, she had been mocked, humiliated, and neglected, and everyone gossiped about her.
It was as if she would be driven out of Pierce’s villa at any time.
However, Sophia had always believed that she wouldn’t regret marrying Pierce.
She was pretty sure that she would become a qualified wife. Time would prove that Pierce had made the right choice, and he would notice and fall in love with her.
But right now, Sophia’s confidence and determination seemed to have been shattered.
Standing on the stage, Pierce glanced coldly at the people around him, and the hall immediately quieted down.
“Thank you all for taking the time to attend my son Luke Clement’s second birthday party amidst your busy schedule. He was photographed by the reporters and subjected to unfounded speculation.
“To avoid causing harm to him, I’d like to formally declare that he’s my son with Sophia.”
Hearing this, Sophia went blank. She looked up at Pierce with a stiff and gloomy expression, and her face turned pale.
The reporters at the door hadn’t left yet.
So they heard what Pierce said.
Just now, Sophia firmly denied that Luke had anything to do with Pierce.
But now, Pierce admitted that Luke was his son.
Obviously, Sophia wasn’t Luke’s mother.
Sophia felt as if she was slapped in public. She felt color flame up in her cheeks in the scorching sun.
Today was their wedding anniversary!
Pierce might have forgotten what day it was today. He asked Sophia to come because he decided to claim his relationship with Luke at the party.
Sophia’s nose twitched, and tears blurred her eyes. Pierce’s declaration ruined the marriage she had worked hard to maintain and shattered her persistence and self-esteem.
Sophia took a deep look at Pierce, who was waiting for her to make a cooperative statement.
He left Sophia in a dilemma without caring about her feelings!
Sophia was burning with embarrassment, indifference, and humiliation.
Pressed and urged by Pierce’s sharp and cold gaze, Sophia was heartbroken.
Pierce wanted Sophia to compromise.
Sophia found it ridiculous.
She finally realized that she could never let Pierce fall for her. She was too naïve before, and now she had given up.
It was time to put an end to the farce.
Sophia took the microphone.
With a smile, she said slowly in a low voice, “Mr. Clement, there must be some mistake. I have nothing to do with this child. I also want to know who his mother is.”
The audience burst into an uproar and tacitly exchanged glances.
Sophia looked Pierce in the eye and saw a glimmer of anger and forbearance in it.
Pierce knitted his brows and lowered his voice.
“Sophia, what are you doing? Don’t you know how important this thing is? Did you forget your promise?”
Sophia once promised that as long as Pierce married her, she would act as his good wife and would never embarrass the Clement family.
With a sneer, Sophia suppressed her disappointment and withdrew her gaze indifferently.
“It’s not that I make trouble out of nothing, but you push me too far!”
Her eyes were filled with disappointment and coldness. She decided to help Pierce for the last time, so she dropped her voice.
“Pierce, let’s get divorced!”
Then Sophia threw the microphone onto the ground, turned around, and left.
The hall was silent.
Sophia married Pierce three years ago, and his son was already two years old.
In other words, Pierce wasn’t busy with work in the past three years but took care of his real family.
He said he didn’t like children, so he didn’t get Sophia pregnant.
But it turned out he just didn’t like Sophia’s children.
Sophia had no idea of that like a fool and still tried hard to maintain her seemingly happy marriage.
She stopped at the door of the hall and looked back.
She saw Emelia comfort Pierce with Luke in her arms.
Emelia’s voice was gentle.
“Pierce, why did Sophia leave? Does she not like Luke?”
Pierce replied in a frigid voice, “Leave her alone.”