Emmeline Louise had just turned on the shower when a large hand clapped over her mouth from behind, preventing her from crying out, and she was forced to the ground.

After that, her assailant forced himself upon her and had his way…

Emmeline wanted to scream for help, but all she could manage were whimpers and moans. The man behind her was far too strong and overpowered her; she could hardly breathe.

It did not take very long before her legs turned to jelly, and her head began to spin. The shower was still on, and her damp skin was as smooth and slippery as silk.

“How dare you! I’ll kill you!”

“What are you resisting for? You wanted me to do that, didn’t you? Well, I’m just fulfilling your wishes!” The man growled fiercely with no signs of stopping. Instead, he grabbed Emmeline and turned her around, taking her from the front instead.

Before she could get a glimpse of her assailant, he had thrown a towel over her face, preventing her from identifying him. Throughout the entire incident, she was unable to see who he was.

When he was finally finished with her, the man tossed a bank card onto the ground. “You’re the one who drugged me, but I won’t use that as an advantage. Here’s ten million as compensation for taking your virginity!”

The door slammed shut, and the man strode out.

Emmeline lay inside the bathtub, unable to move. Who the hell was that man? Why had he decided that she was the one who had drugged him?

Later on, when she checked with the hotel’s front desk, she discovered that they had no records of such a person, and even the surveillance records had been obliterated. The only identifying information she had came from the bank card itself; the cardholder was someone named Abel Ryker!

Emmeline’s attempts to trace this Abel Ryker fellow led her to the Ryker Group, but the reception desk told her that Mr. Ryker had been out of the country for some time. No one had been able to get in contact with him.

Emmeline stood in a daze, clutching the bank card that held ten million dollars in its account. She had no way of knowing if the man who assaulted her was indeed the cardholder.

Searching the internet for his whereabouts proved futile.

This man had robbed her of her virginity just like that and vanished into thin air as if he had never existed. The whole thing was like a nebulous dream.

However, reality soon intruded with a vengeance because Emmeline discovered that she was pregnant!

Her wealthy middle-class family was thrown into complete uproar! Emmeline’s father upbraided her and cursed the day she was born, while her stepmother washed her hands of such a stepdaughter and kicked her out of the house.

Overnight, Emmeline went from being a pampered, spoiled rich girl to the slut who was the talk of the town.

…

Five years passed in the mere twinkling of an eye.

“Extra! Newsflash!” The headlines were all over the news, catching Emmeline’s attention. “Head of the Ryker Group warded in critical condition. Abel Ryker returning today from overseas to visit him.”

Under the brief write-up was the photo of a man in a black suit and white tie. He looked tall and well-built, his countenance clean-shaven and handsome. His classic features hinted at an enigmatic air, and even in such a poor-quality photograph, his dark eyes were coldly decisive.

Emmeline drew a sharp hiss of breath. Could this handsome, almost bewitching man be the one who mistook her for someone else five years ago?

Her sons did bear some resemblance to him.

Quickly, she undid her apron and tossed it onto the coffee counter, then swooped down and embraced her four-year-old son. “Since you’re not going to kindergarten today, why don’t you come with Mommy?”

“Where are we going, Mommy?” Hesperus blinked his dark eyes curiously and put down the Rubik’s cube he was holding.

“To see your daddy!”

After her family chased her out of the house and disowned her, Emmeline had rebuilt her life entirely through her own efforts. Currently, even without a man by her side, her children led a good life.

Unfortunately, in an unforeseen stroke of Fate, Hesperus had been diagnosed with a blood disorder.

Emmeline had to find the father of her children so she could save her son’s life!

Half an hour later, mother and son arrived at the hospital that was under the Ryker Group’s control. They brought with them a fruit basket as a gift. A nurse informed them that old Mr. Oscar Ryker was the only patient in the entire wing, and he was in the innermost VIP suite. However, when Emmeline got there, she was stopped by several bodyguards dressed in black.

“Wait, isn’t that the little slut about town?” Two well-dressed, wealthy women came out of the hospital room and eyed Emmeline. “Who does she think she is, coming to visit Oscar?”

“She’s probably come to the wrong floor. She’s certainly not fit to see him!”

“What was her name again? Oh, right, Emmeline!”

Emmeline?

Alana Lane frowned when she heard Emmeline’s name mentioned and immediately turned to look.

The young woman that the bodyguards were barring from entering the VIP suite was tall and very beautiful. Her face was bewitchingly charming, and her eyes were clear and sparkling. It was indeed her cousin Emmeline.

“Why are you here? A woman like you has no right to visit a place like this.” Alana walked straight to Emmeline and eyed her arrogantly.

“Why shouldn’t I visit?” Emmeline retorted coolly. “You’re certainly taking an interest in other people’s affairs, Alana!”

“How dare you talk to Ms. Lane in that tone?” One of the wealthy women chastised Emmeline. “Ms. Lane is Abel Ryker’s fiancée, which means she’s Oscar Ryker’s future daughter-in-law. Of course she’s taking an interest in your coming here.”

“That’s right. I don’t know who you think you are, daring to speak to Abel’s fiancée in such a manner!”

“Abel Ryker?” Emmeline’s heart skipped a beat. The man already had a fiancée, and her own stepmother’s niece, no less? She was sadly out of touch!

“Ask Abel Ryker to come out now and see me!” Emmeline demanded angrily.

“Do you really think you’re in a position to see someone like Abel?” Alana said mockingly. “Anyway, his flight’s been delayed, and he’s not here yet. I advise you to leave right now, so you don’t disgrace yourself any further!”

“I agree. Look at her clothes! They’re like what someone would use to clean house! Is she so poor that she can’t even change into something decent?”

“It’s not just that she’s poor; she doesn’t know her place. Her kids are all several years old now, and she still doesn’t know who the father is, imagine that!”

“Hahaha, it’s really too hilarious for words!”

“Mommy, the air in here really stinks!” Hesperus pinched his nose with his pudgy little fingers. “There are a lot of smelly dung beetles in here jawing away!”

“Hey, you insufferable brat, who do you think you’re talking to?” The two wealthy women were both embarrassed and humiliated. “Apparently no one ever taught you any manners!”

“Who do you think you are, talking like that? Who says he hasn’t any manners?” Emmeline was enraged and rolled up her sleeves, ready to protect her son with stronger measures if necessary.

“Be quiet!” Alana was afraid that if Oscar was disturbed by the squabbling, he would think that his future daughter-in-law was not a considerate person.

She glared at Emmeline. After giving birth, her cousin had somehow become even more enchanting than before. Emmeline’s complexion was porcelain-smooth and fair, and her eyes were luminous and clear. In fact, she was utterly alluring through and through.

She had to get this woman out of here! Abel would be landing very soon; she could not afford to let him see Emmeline!

Alana controlled herself, suppressing her anger. “Emmeline. I know you’re here to see Old Mr. Ryker, but you really aren’t in a position to do so. Just look at that fruit basket of yours. It’s so shabby, it’s disgraceful. You’d better go before Mrs. Ryker comes out of the room; that’ll save me the trouble of throwing you out!”

“Exactly! It isn’t just anybody who gets to see Mr. Oscar Ryker, even if they bring gifts worth several hundred thousand dollars. You think you can get in to see him with just that measly little basket of fruits? You must be dreaming!”

“Such a shameless hussy! You really don’t know your place!”

Emmeline tossed the fruit basket into the nearest trash can. It landed with a loud thump. “So what do you think Oscar Ryker would like as a gift, hmm?”

“Oh, plenty of things, but can you even afford them?”

“That’s right. You’re mighty thick-skinned, aren’t you, talking big like that?”

“I certainly can’t afford presents worth several hundred thousand dollars,” Emmeline returned blandly with a faint smile. “Well then, I’ll just present your Old Mr. Ryker with a great-grandson. He ought to like that. Offspring are really important to the older generation for carrying on the family line, right?”

Great-grandson?

The area outside the VIP suite was suddenly so quiet one could hear a pin drop. Everyone’s eyes turned to young Hesperus.

This adorable little boy with the porcelain-fair complexion was…

My goodness, one look at his brow and beautiful eyes, and one could see the Ryker family resemblance!

Could he…could this little boy truly be the child of one of Oscar’s sons?