I Raised Him with Love. He Repaid Me with Spite

Ever since Lucas stopped bothering me, my days have been much easier. Grayson has even started to treat me more kindly.

The world knew about my remarkable achievement. Many socialites sought me out for my experience.

I had no ulterior motives, contrary to what the outside world believed. I didn’t experience the extravagant lifestyle of the wealthy families. I just had enough to avoid starvation and a place to live.

Did they expect me to reveal that I got the job through a direct hire from Ms. Hunt?

Zara was Grayson's arranged marriage partner, and also the woman he cherished. Zara desired freedom, and Grayson agreed.

Grayson and Zara had been childhood sweethearts, and Grayson had long decided that Zara was his only wife. He didn’t want to trouble her, so they came up with a good plan - a stand-in wife.

I, being Zara's old classmate, got the job through an internal recommendation. At that time, I was in my third year of college when my grandparents passed away, and my mother became paralyzed, leaving me with a pile of debt. I had to drop out, was chased by creditors, and was nearly sold to the Golden Triangle.

The so-called stand-in wife plan meant finding someone to take on all the responsibilities of the Hunt family in Zara's place. She just needed to bear the title and occasionally come back for inspections, demonstrating the alliance between the Hunt and White families. The salary they offered was the Hunt family's intervention to resolve my predicament.

Today was the day Zara returned from abroad. The desolate old house seemed to come alive, eagerly awaiting the real mistress’s return.

Yet, I didn’t feel any discomfort; instead, I felt relaxed and joyful.

I liked her return, even though I was forced to stay in my room to recover from my illness. I didn’t have to deal with any social troubles.

She was someone I could never catch up to. No matter how hard I tried, I could only achieve one rank higher than her, and that was because she let me, just so I could win a scholarship.

She was gentle yet firm, free-spirited, and uninhibited. What I achieved with great effort was merely what she discarded. But, I was grateful to her for rescuing me from the brink of despair.

I watched through the curtains as my son skipped lightly towards the gate. A beautiful figure stepped out of the car and embraced Lucas.

His cries of “Mommy” were loud, loud enough for me to hear across the garden. She smiled and picked up our son, saying something to him.

I turned my gaze away. That was Lucas’s true mother.

Despite the family gathering to welcome Zara, Grayson came to find me in the evening.

At the time, I was obediently drinking the now cold soup. The old house was too busy today; no one cared about my meal. I could only drink the leftover soup from the morning.

Seeing me drink, Grayson misunderstood.

I had been in the Hunt family for almost ten years, never asking for any money or expensive things, nor taking advantage of giving birth to an heir.

He showed a gentle smile, “You’re still so frugal. You taught Lucas very well. Zara likes him a lot. She will stay for a few more days this time. But don’t worry, you will always have a place in the Hunt family."

His clumsy comfort was quite touching for such a stern patriarch. But to me, it sounded like charity and a threat.

He handed me a luxury handbag, clearly indicating that it was for me and I could use it freely.

But even the most expensive bag was still the Hunt family’s property; I couldn't spend it or take it away, nor could I exchange it for money.

I had already signed various agreements with the butler. I had control over things, but the only real money I got was from the occasional humiliating outburst when Lucas threw some money at me. How much could a small child hold in his hands?

And today, the bag made me want to avoid it at all costs.