"No, no! Not like how we used to be! We have to act like a loving couple—completely affectionate with each other!"Maya’s voice trembled as tears welled in her eyes. She immediately regretted her words, realizing she had reminded Ethan of how poorly she had treated him in the past.Ethan chuckled, though his laughter held a tinge of sarcasm. "I don’t think that’s necessary. We can simply tell her we’re still married. No need for an elaborate act."Truthfully, Ethan had no objections to the idea of pretending. In fact, he might have suggested it himself even if Maya hadn’t. He knew how much Lily had wanted their marriage to last, and with her on her deathbed, learning they were divorced would only bring her heartbreak.Considering that Lily had once saved his life, Ethan couldn't bring himself to let her pass away in sorrow.Maya quickly insisted, "No, it’s absolutely necessary! Grandma told us that Grandaunt Lily found out about your real identity a long time ago. She also knows about

As Maya spoke, Ethan played along, pretending to be the devoted husband she portrayed him to be.“Oh? That’s wonderful,” Lily said, nodding with a pleased smile.Maya continued excitedly, “Grandaunt Lily, I have even better news for you! Ethan isn’t from an ordinary family—he comes from an incredibly wealthy and powerful lineage! His family’s net worth is in the hundreds of billions, and he’s now the president of a major corporation!”Ethan watched Lily closely, expecting a look of shock or surprise.But to his surprise, her smile only grew, her expression remaining calm and content. It was as if she had already known.“Great… great… that’s wonderful,” she murmured, her voice filled with satisfaction rather than astonishment.She let out a small sigh. “All my children are doing well… Ahem…” Lily coughed a few times, and Maya quickly helped her take a sip of water. After a brief pause, she continued, “The only one I’ve worried about all these years… is Maya.”She reached out weakly, pl

Lily’s room was dimly lit, casting long shadows across the walls. She lay weakly on the bed, her eyelids barely open as she hovered on the edge of life and death.Old Ms. Mimi sat beside her, while the rest of the Reynolds family stood silently around the room, their expressions tense.All eyes were on Ethan, waiting for Butler Frank’s response.Given Ethan’s status as the president of the Walt Disney Corporation and one of the most influential figures in Los Angeles' business world, they knew he had the power to uncover the truth with ease.John and Ms. Julia, however, were restless with unease. The information John had received from his friend—was it truly accurate?“Please, let it be true,” Ms. Julia whispered repeatedly in prayer, her hands clasped together.Suddenly, the sharp vibration of a phone cut through the silence.Buzz…Ethan’s sleek Porsche-designed phone lit up, and the entire room seemed to hold its breath.He glanced at the screen—but instead of Butler Frank’s name, a

The Huxley Estate, New York New York—the most developed city in the United States. In one of its most exclusive residential districts, where property prices soared to nearly $3,000 per square foot, stood the grand estate of the Huxley family. Inside, Tony West was on his knees, his voice filled with desperation. "Grandpa, please! You have to help the West family!" Kneeling on the polished marble floor, Tony swallowed his pride as he pleaded with the elderly man seated before him—Arthur Huxley. Arthur, the patriarch of the Huxley family, was also the founder of Breezy Express, one of the nation’s leading domestic courier companies. His influence extended far beyond business, making him a powerful figure in elite circles. But Arthur was not alone. His son, Dave Huxley, and Dave’s wife, Emily Wilden, sat beside him, their expressions unreadable. Also present were Dave’s two sons—Shane and Cayden Huxley—Tony’s cousins. Shane, at 25, carried himself with an air of maturity a

Los Angeles – Beverly VillaIt was nearly midnight when Ethan finally returned home.By then, Maya’s former college classmates had already left. However, to his surprise, her parents had stayed behind to help clean up.Stepping inside, Ethan raised an eyebrow. "You don’t need to clean up. I have a housekeeper for that."Miss Julia hurried over, beaming as she handed him a glass of water. "My dear son-in-law, you must be exhausted after such a long day at work. Here, have some water and rest."She then gestured toward the cluttered living room. "Servants won’t know how to handle everything properly. There are so many valuable decorations here—what if they break something? John and I have nothing better to do, so we thought we’d help out. Consider it a little exercise."John nodded in agreement, flashing a polite smile. "Yes, exactly! Just a bit of light exercise. It’s no trouble at all."Ethan glanced at them, amused. In the past three years, he had never once seen John or Miss Julia v