Oliver Lewis, my husband, took our eight-year-old son, Sunshine, and his beloved Cleo Morgan to climb a mountain.
Cleo was worried that Sunshine was climbing too slowly and would miss the sunset, so she suggested that they leave Sunshine behind halfway while she and Oliver went up first.
As a result, I received the news from the scenic spot that Sunshine had tragically fallen off a cliff.
Sunshine suffered severe injuries, with his head crushed, hands and feet broken, ribs pierced, chest covered in blood, and his body lifeless and cold.
However, meanwhile, Oliver posted an intimate photo of Cleo and him at the summit on Instagram.
I cried and broke down while holding Sunshine's body.
Sunshine had been afraid of heights since he was a child. How could he go to such a dangerous cliff alone?
However, upon arriving at the scenic spot in haste, I saw Oliver and Cleo immersed in the serene beauty of the sunset, unconcerned about Sunshine.
Driven by anger, I approached them, pulling them away while shouting, "You shameless couple! Give Sunshine back to me!"
Oliver pushed me away forcefully, causing me to fall to the ground.
"Watch your mouth!" he warned.
Cleo stood beside me, dressed in casual and suitable attire, while I was lying on the ground like a madman.
"If you hadn't taken advantage of me while I was drunk and pregnant, do you think I would have married you? Cleo settled Sunshine down in the pavilion. Just go find him yourself!" Oliver yelled.
With that, he took Cleo's hand and left, not caring at all whether Sunshine was safe.
I was so heartbroken that I was speechless.
He was only eight years old! Eight years old!
Yet Those two scumbags heartlessly abandoned him there all alone.
In that case, the two should stay here and be buried with Sunshine!
There were many doubts about Sunshine's death, yet the staff at the scenic spot maintained that it was an accident resulting from my negligence.
I insisted on calling the police and meticulously examined the surveillance footage from various locations within the scenic spot.
"As a mother, you left such a young child alone. What were you thinking!" the staff scolded.
The scenic spot had to be closed due to a cliff fall incident.
The staff thought that it was my irresponsibility to abandon Sunshine, which led to the closure of the scenic spot. As a result, they were not very happy with me.
I was overcome with grief. Exhausted and with severe dark circles under my eyes, I could only force myself to scrutinize the surveillance video 24 hours a day, trying to find out the truth about Sunshine's fall off the cliff.
The female police officer beside her was also very serious.
"You said there was another guardian with the child at the time. Isn't he here now?" she asked.
After Oliver took Cleo away, I called him dozens of times before he finally answered.
But he just said impatiently, "I'm in a meeting. If you really feel bored, take Sunshine to a foreign language class and don't bother me!"
But before I hung up, I clearly heard a female voice asking tenderly, "Oliver, does this necklace look good on me?"
When I called him again, the phone was turned off.
The last remnants of feeling I had for Oliver vanished completely.
Numbly, I revealed the truth, "He cheated on me and is with his mistress. I can't get in touch with him."
The policewoman, initially wearing a stern look, softened her expression, showing sympathy.
"Since he was present at the scene, he must come to the police department to assist in the investigation. If we cannot contact him, we will have no choice but to issue a compulsory summons," she spoke.
I nodded, my eyes bloodshot, searching for Sunshine in the blurry images on the screen.
Finally, I found his lonely figure in a corner.
I gasped nervously, exclaiming, "Officer! This... this is my son!"
This camera was positioned along a remote path connecting the pavilion and the cliff, but its coverage was compromised by the obstruction of the hill, resulting in several blind spots within the surveillance footage.
All I could see in the picture was Sunshine appearing to follow someone and walking ahead.
Given Sunshine's usual intelligence and cautious nature, it seemed highly unlikely that he would follow a stranger. The person must either be someone familiar to him or a staff member dressed in the uniform.
I hastily shared my speculation with the police, and they concurred with my theory. Consequently, they decided to look into the personnel at the scenic spot and delve into the interpersonal relationships within my family.
Meanwhile, Oliver was summoned to the police department.
The first thing he said when he saw me was, "You didn't go pick up Sunshine from school at this hour, but instead came to the police department to call the police on me. You're good, Eloise."
I sneered, asking, "Pick him up from school? Who should I pick up?"
He appeared visibly impatient.
"Your son, who you insisted on giving birth. Who else would it be! You dare to make a false report. Let's see what happens in the end!"
The female police officer handling the case came over with the information, her gaze fixed on my empty eyes, and asked, "This is your husband and his... mistress, isn't it?"
I looked up behind Oliver and saw Cleo.
I nodded at the police.
Irritated, Oliver snapped, "Have you had enough of this? Do you find it fun to lie to the police just to find me? Cleo picked out so many gifts for you and Sunshine at the mall today. You're so ungrateful!"
Cleo stood aside, shedding tears as she sobbed, "Oliver, am I causing you any trouble? I'm leaving now."
Oliver put his arm around Cleo's shoulders in front of the police, comforting her, "Don't cry, Cleo. Eloise must have lied to the police in order to make me return."
Unable to contain my rage anymore, I raised my hand, wanting to slap this scumbag and bitch.
"Oliver, you only care about this vicious woman! Sunshine is only eight years old. Eight years old! Have you ever thought about what would happen when you left him alone in such a dangerous hill? Now, he..."
Oliver grabbed my hand and pushed me aside.
"Enough! Stop standing on the moral high ground and judging me. There were so many tourists. Besides, Cleo had put him at the pavilion. What could happen to him? Didn't you pick him up that day?"
As Oliver pushed me away, the police came to my support. Angered by his actions as well, she admonished, "Mr. Lewis, the police department is not a place where you can behave however you please!"
Unconvinced and protective of Cleo, Oliver argued, "Officer! Eloise started it first!"
Then, he took Cleo's hand and said before quickly leaving, "Eloise, I'm very busy. Please don't make a false report next time. Take good care of Sunshine and fulfill your role as Mrs. Lewis. This is what you should do."
The female police officer kept calling out, "Mr. Lewis! Mr. Lewis, please wait a moment! Your son's case..."
However, the two of them ignored her, quickly entering the black Bentley at the door. Then, the driver accelerated and swiftly drove away.
A profound sense of pain enveloped me.
He could not love me, ignore me, or even hate me.
But Sunshine was his son! How could he be so cold-blooded?
Chapter 2 Lead Separate LivesThe three of us went to college together.
Throughout my four years of college, I held a deep crush on Oliver.
I would notice that he had stomach pain and go abroad to find him effective medicine. I would send him peculiar text messages to boost his spirits after a missed award and engage in countless foolish acts driven by my deep infatuation.
Finally, at the height of my hidden affection, I mustered the courage to write him the first love letter of my life. However, he tore it up and threw it into the trash can.
I had known for a long time that he didn't share the same feelings towards me.
But at that time, I couldn't let go of my love and couldn't stop following his news, even though each instance only brought about more heartache.
Later, he fell in love with Cleo.
She was his first love, the one he had loved but couldn't get.
The two had planned to get married after graduation. However, due to Oliver's mother's disdain towards Cleo's family background, he forced her to break up with Oliver.
Afterwards, Cleo went abroad and lost contact with him.
Oliver was deeply traumatized during that period and spent every day indulging in drinking in bars.
Initially, I had planned to study abroad and decided to leave Beachley, embarking on a new chapter in my life.
However, when I discovered the extent of Oliver's devastation following his breakup with Cleo, I couldn't bear to leave.
I followed Oliver quietly every day and drove him home when he was drunk.
I did all of these things not with the expectation that he would fall in love with me, but rather because I was willing to be a silent guardian, helping him overcome it as quickly as possible.
As long as he recovered from the anguish of the breakup, I would leave immediately.
However, everything changed on that rainy night.
Amidst the thunder and lightning, accompanied by pouring rain, I was completely drenched. Quietly, I helped Oliver into the room, but as I did so, he suddenly grabbed my wrist.
"You followed me every day. Eloise, do you like me so much?" he asked.
With that, he ripped off my soaking-wet clothes and forced me to have sex with him.
I was in pain because he rudely disregarded my consent, forcing me into a non-consensual sexual encounter, which later exposed me to rumors and accusations.
But I liked him. So, even though he used the excuse of being intoxicated when having sex with me, I still forgave him.
But at this time, my parents found out that I was pregnant.
The Lewis family had a long-standing legacy in the business world, amassing significant wealth and establishing themselves as the wealthiest family in Beachley. Similarly, my Maxwell family held a prominent status in Beachley. So, we were suitable for each other.
Under pressure from both families, Oliver had no choice but to have a shotgun wedding with me.
On the day I married into the Lewis family, he abandoned his previously decadent behavior and instead exhibited politeness, tenderness, and affection towards me.
Believing that he had found the motivation to embrace a fresh start, I held onto hope for a joyous life together as a family of three.
However, once the wedding was over and we were alone, he grabbed my wrist viciously, questioning, "Used the child to marry me. Eloise, you happy now?"
With an aura of aggression, he leaned close to me and whispered, "But I don't love you whatsoever. I married you because you are carrying the heir of the Lewis family. In public, I will play the role of a dutiful father, but privately, we will lead separate lives."
True to his words, after our son was born, he frequently professed his love for Sunshine in public and commenced early training to mold him as the future heir of the Lewis family.
His parents were very satisfied with his responsible attitude and valued Sunshine very much.
However, he showed no care for me. At best, he would put on a facade of being a loving couple during significant family gatherings.
Despite his lack of feelings for me, I thought that our son would be the bond that held our family together, ensuring that he would always come back to us.
But only then did I realize that I was too naive.
On the night that Cleo returned home, Sunshine suddenly developed a high fever and fell into a coma.
The doctor said it was a sudden onset of meningitis. The disease was sudden and severe, and it was very likely to leave sequelae that would affect intelligence.
I was alone in the hospital, crying in anxiety. I made numerous calls to Oliver, desperately pleading for him to come and see Sunshine and find a more experienced doctor.
Regrettably, he turned off his phone, left his sick son behind, and rushed to his long-awaited beloved.
It wasn't until the following day that I saw Oliver, who carried the unmistakable scent of makeup and appeared incredibly content. Meanwhile, I had spent the entire night sitting in the hospital, watching over Sunshine without daring to close my eyes.
Chapter 3 He Slapped MeI came to the hospital.
Three years ago, my father died in a car accident, and my mother was seriously ill with cancer. The Maxwell family was shorted and began to decline, with stock prices continuously plummeting thereafter.
In the face of the Maxwell family's unfortunate circumstances, Oliver chose not to extend a helping hand, ultimately leading to the bankruptcy of the Maxwell Group soon after.
Now that Sunshine was dead, my mother was my only family in this world, and I couldn't lose her again.
I carried the prepared meal to my mother's ward and forced a smile, saying, "Mom, how are you feeling today?"
My mother turned her head and looked behind me, asking, "Ellie, you're here. Where didn't Sunshine come today?"
Actually, Sunshine was my son's nickname, symbolizing my hope for him to radiate warmth and positivity like the sun.
His real name was Leo Lewis, given by Oliver.
Leo. Good name. It carried Oliver's longing for Cleo.
The vivid image of Sunshine lying broken after falling off the cliff suddenly resurfaced in my mind, causing me to momentarily lose awareness and struggle to maintain my balance.
"Mom, Sunshine had a class, so I'm the only one coming here today," I explained.
My mother was now in the advanced stage of cancer, fighting for her life through chemotherapy and imported medications. I didn't want her to know these sad things.
Due to the bankruptcy of the Maxwell family, we were left with only a few remaining assets. These resources were all dedicated towards sustaining my mother's life.
After my repeated requests, Oliver agreed to arrange for my mother to stay in this advanced intensive care unit and hire a professional orderly to provide her with the necessary care.
My mother's hair had all fallen out. She spoke to me in an apologetic tone, saying, "Ellie, it's my fault for not being able to help you and causing you so much trouble."
Holding back my tears, I replied in a strangled voice, "How could that be, Mom? You have to get better soon. Sunshine has been saying that he wants to take you out for a trip."
When we talked about the clever Sunshine, a faint smile appeared on my mother's pale face, and agreed readily. Even her appetite improved a lot as a result.
"By the way, how are you and Oliver doing lately?" she asked.
My hand that was peeling fruit paused, and my eyes turned slightly red.
"It's fine. Don't worry about these things. Keeping your health healthy is the most important thing."
My mother's body was skinny and gaunt, but her eyes were still full of kindness.
"Now that Sunshine has grown up, perhaps you and Oliver can consider having a second child. It would be best if it's a girl. They say good things come in pairs," my mother suggested.
Fighting back my tears, I responded with a feigned complaint, "Mom, what are you talking about! Oliver and I don't have that plans."
My mother laughed, her voice hoarse.
"I'm relieved to see that you have a happy family," she said, then gently placed her dry, rough hand in my palm and gave it a comforting pat.
I could only endure all the pain and joke around with her.
I still had a mother to take care of, and I absolutely couldn't fall down.
When I returned to the villa, I saw the person I least wanted to see.
Cleo, wearing sunglasses, was waiting for me in front of the villa with a bag of gifts.
"Eloise, it's been a while. Why don't you invite me in and have a seat?"
I clenched my fists, replying, "You don't deserve it."
A sarcastic smile emerged on her ruddy face.
"Why? I've been away for so many years, yet Oliver still cares about me. It seems that you're still lame wining over men."
I retorted, "Then do you know why he married me?"
She sneered with contempt. "If he hadn't been drunk that night and mistook you for me, how could you gotten pregnant with his child!"
I laughed. "So that's what he told you? What a shame..."
Drawing closer to Cleo, I whispered, "When we had sex that night, he kept calling my name."
"You!"
As I saw her growing rage, I felt content and turned to walk in.
Unexpectedly, she grabbed my wrist and snapped, "Even though you and he have a child, so what? The only person he loves now is me! You just took advantage and stole him from me!
"You've had enough of being Mrs. Lewis for these years. I advise you to leave Oliver as soon as possible and don't make things so ugly. If not, I'll make sure Oliver doesn't leave you a cent. And I'm quite certain your mother won't be able to live much longer without any money."
Anger instantly surged within me, and I shook off her hand that was grabbing my clothes.
"Just try to hurt my mother!" I warned.
With that, I swung my arm. Cleo took advantage of the momentum and fell backwards with a scream, and the gifts scattered across the ground.
Oliver arrived in time to help her up. His voice was filled with concern as he asked, "Cleo, are you okay?"
Cleo's demeanor abruptly shifted from arrogance to timidity as she spoke in a subdued tone. "Oliver, I'm fine. I just want to go in and see Sunshine. If Eloise doesn't want to, forget it. Don't blame her."
Oliver helped her up, immediately came to me, and slapped me hard.
"Eloise! I have tolerated you for a long time. Cleo bought so many things specially to see Sunshine. Don't go too far. Let Sunshine come out quickly!" he exclaimed.
Oliver smacked me with all his strength, causing me to fall to the ground.
"See Sunshine? She wants to see Sunshine?"
I sneered and continued, "She will be able to see it when she dies. Sunshine is waiting for this evil person in heaven!"
He pointed his finger at my nose, scolding me, "Eloise! You are Sunshine's mother after all! How dare you curse your own son so viciously! Good for you!"
I covered my burning cheeks, tears streaming down as I said, "Oliver, I want a divorce.
"I give way to your great love."
Irritated by my words, Oliver came to me and kicked me hard.
He fumed, "Who are you to ask for divorce? You need our Lewis family's help right now everywhere! Without me, who the hell are you?
"Want a divorce? I'll give you that! But you can't even think about getting custody of Sunshine!"
With that, he called his assistant and commanded, "Take someone to take Sunshine to the villa in the suburbs, and have the lawyer draw up divorce papers as soon as possible. The custody of Sunshine must go to the Lewis family!"
After hanging up the phone, he took Cleo away.
Cleo turned her head and flashed a victorious smile, showing her triumph.
In the evening, Oliver's mother, Nora Lewis, called and said in an unfriendly tone, "Eloise , I heard that you want to divorce Oliver and fight for custody? Let me make this clear. Sunshine is the heir of the Lewis family, and it is out of the question for me to leave him in your care. You are fully aware of your current situation. Sunshine can only have a bright future if he remains with the Lewis family."
"Oliver said he couldn't find Sunshine anywhere. If you hid him, send him back to Oliver immediately. The eldest grandson of the Lewis family is not a bargaining chip for you to divorce Oliver!"
Oliver's parents, Nora and Brad Lewis had settled abroad for a long time for the company's overseas business. The domestic company had been fully handed over to Oliver, and they rarely cared about the matter between me and him.
I replied indifferently, "Mrs. Lewis, do you know why I want a divorce?"
Nora was stunned. Upon hearing the news of Sunshine's disappearance, Nora was visibly flustered, causing her to be unable to ask for further details.
I continued, "Because Cleo is back, and his mind is no longer in this family."
Nora was strongly against Oliver and Cleo being together, so it was impossible for him to tell Nora about Cleo's affairs.
"How... how could this be possible? That woman is not a good person! Tell Oliver right away that she must not enter the Lewis family!" Nora exclaimed.
However, I hung up the phone without replying.