On Mother's Day, My Husband and Son Celebrated with His Female Assistant

I'd ordered some takeout crayfish and was eating them while watching a variety show and drinking a soda when Adrian Hawthorne suddenly came back.

He was frowning, holding our son by the hand. With a cold expression, he demanded, "Why didn't you go pick up our son?"

I glanced over at our son, whose face was full of grievance, while I kept nibbling on a crayfish. "Huh?" I asked, confused. "Didn't Finn Hawthorne tell me not to pick him up?"

Adrian Hawthorne fell silent. His eyes swept over the dining table, and he asked, "You didn't cook?"

Adrian Hawthorne never used to come home to eat dinner with me. I would wait from dawn till dusk, only for him to return reeking of alcohol.

'So I've gotten smarter. If neither the father nor the son wants to eat my cooking, why should I bother making it?'

I looked at him, puzzled. "You never used to come home for dinner, either. Wouldn't it have been a waste for me to cook?"

His expression darkened slightly as he glanced at the crayfish shells on the table.

He sat down next to me with our son. In addition to the crayfish, I had also ordered a lot of barbecue.

'When I saw him start to roll up his sleeves, I knew something was wrong.'

I shielded the crayfish protectively. He raised his eyes to look at me.

I cleared my throat. "There's not enough for me. Order your own."

Finn Hawthorne's eyes welled up with tears as he looked at me.

Adrian Hawthorne's expression grew even darker. He pulled out his phone and had his assistant order a delivery.

He stared at me, his gaze sending a shiver down my spine. "Zia Sommers, you can't even remember to pick up your own son."

"You're not even as good as Nina Crane. If you don't want a son anymore, you might as well just let Nina Crane raise him."

"You're sitting here stuffing your face while your son waits for you at the school gate."

"Do you have any idea what the temperature is? How cold it is outside?"

'How ridiculous. Is it that I don't want him?'

'He's the one who refuses to acknowledge me as his mother.'

I nodded. "Fine. He calls Nina Crane 'Mama Nina' anyway."

I looked down at the little boy by my feet, a miniature copy of Adrian Hawthorne.

Finn Hawthorne glared at me. "I don't want you! I want Mama Nina!"

Looking at this child, who bore no resemblance to me yet had caused me endless suffering, all I felt was that none of it had been worth it.

"Take him or leave him," I muttered, turning away to wash my hands, ignoring the father-son duo.

The Hawthorne Family has a gathering every month, and each time, Nina Crane shows up and acts the part of the hostess.

Finn Hawthorne's birthday today was no exception.

A few wealthy socialites were gathered around Nina Crane. She was wearing a dark green evening gown, and Adrian Hawthorne was in a matching dark green couture suit.

'I had to admit, Adrian Hawthorne was genuinely handsome. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been in love with him for so many years.'

He had refined features, a high-bridged nose, and a tall, slender frame that made him stand out in any crowd.

Today, Finn Hawthorne had adamantly refused to wear the outfit I'd picked out for him. It wasn't until I saw Nina Crane holding his hand, with him dressed in a small, dark green tuxedo, that I finally understood.

'So they were wearing matching family outfits.'

The three of them stood together, looking for all the world like a perfect family. When it was time for Finn Hawthorne to make his birthday wish, Adrian Hawthorne held him in his arms. Finn clasped his hands together and said, "I wish Aunt Nina could be my mom."

My expression remained unchanged as I looked at Adrian Hawthorne. He raised his eyes to meet mine and asked, "If you had ever been a proper mother to him, would he be making a wish like that?"

'I was the one who carried Finn Hawthorne for nine long months. I was the one who nearly died giving birth to him. I'm the one who's suffered the most, so what right does he have to criticize me?'

Nina Crane moved about with ease, greeting relatives as they came and went. Adrian Hawthorne came over to me and asked, "You're supposed to be the hostess. What are you doing just sitting here?"

I continued to sip my coffee leisurely. "I'm drinking coffee. Can't you see?"

'In the past, I was the one who did all the dirty, exhausting work for the Hawthorne Family. I'd be in the back kitchen with the staff, cleaning and cooking, while Nina Crane was out front, putting on airs as the lady of the house.'

'Whoever wants to be the lady of the house is welcome to it.'

Just then, Miss Hawthorne came over and called out affectionately to Nina Crane, "Saozi, where's my brother?"

Then she turned and expertly ordered me around. "Zia Sommers, what are you doing just sitting there? Go and help wash the fruit."

A plate of mangoes was placed in front of me.

'I'm allergic to mangoes. She knew that perfectly well and was doing this just to torment me.'

I remained unmoved. Her spoiled-brat temper flared. "You weren't so high and mighty when you were seducing my brother, were you?"

"If it weren't for you, Nina would have been my saozi years ago."

I swirled the coffee in my cup, feigning a move to splash it on her. "Are you out of your mind? Don't you dare start your crazy act with me!"