Chapter 1

Six years after giving birth to the triplets, my phone buzzed with an encrypted message.

It was from my eldest son, Henry, code-named H. He’s only six years old.

“Mom, Dad’s company system is a joke. It only took me forty minutes to break in.”

Before I could reply, a message from my second son popped up.

“Mommy, I’ve redirected all the security feeds to their boardroom’s main screen. Right now, it’s playing that clip from last year where he called you 'just an ordinary woman.'”

Finally, my youngest daughter―a six-year-old rising star in the acting world―sent a voice note.

In the background, a man’s voice was roaring in the middle of a street. “Seraphina―where are you?!”

I turned off my phone and looked down at the three mini-versions of Dominic Sterling standing before me.

I smiled. “Babies... do you want to meet your father?”

1 I was brought to Dominic Sterling’s room with a glass of red wine.

The person who handed it to me was his mother’s assistant―a middle-aged woman with blood-red lipstick.

She smiled as she gave it to me, saying something I’d remember for the rest of my life.

“Mrs. Sterling said that not just any woman can enter the Sterling family. Drink this―tomorrow, you won't be getting a work contract.”

“Then what will I be getting?” I asked.

She smirked. There was no warmth in her eyes, only the cold gaze of someone looking at a piece of trash.

“A settlement to keep your mouth shut.”

The wine was spiked. I knew it from the first sip―my mother was a pharmacist, and I grew up smelling medicine more than I drank water.

But I drank it anyway. At that point, I had followed Dominic for three years.

I started as his gopher in college―no formal contract, no benefits, just a pittance for a salary.

I bought everything he needed and even covered his travel expenses when the budget fell short.

I stayed up all night finishing his project proposals while he shone on stage. I was the one eating instant noodles in the shadows.

I thought he would say something meaningful to me after the annual gala.

He did say something, but it wasn't what I expected.

“Seraphina, can you learn your place? You stood up to give a toast tonight―do you know how that looks?”

“A secretary standing up to toast? You aren’t my girlfriend,” he cold-bloodedly added.

I stood there, clutching my glass. The red liquid shimmered under the lights, mocking me.

Three years of my youth and devotion were reduced to a reminder to “learn my place.”

Then his mother came over with that wine.

The next morning, I woke up with a pounding headache. The spot beside me was empty.

There was a check and an envelope on the nightstand.

The check had five zeros. Inside the envelope was a resignation notice for his secretary.

It was signed by Dominic. In the corner, he had scribbled a small note in pencil.

“Take the money and disappear.” No date, no greeting, no explanation.

I tore the check into pieces but kept the envelope.

His signature on the resignation was identical to the one on his billion-dollar contracts.

I folded it carefully and tucked it into my pocket.

A month later, I discovered I was pregnant.

On the ultrasound screen, there were three tiny black dots.

The doctor took off his glasses, wiped them, and looked twice before speaking.

“Ms. Vance... it’s triplets.”