" Son , let's eat too ." They picked at every other dish on the table , but neither of them touched the chicken . They knew exactly what ' ingredients ' had gone into it - they wouldn't even go near it . " Officers , it's them ! They poisoned someone ! " Neighbors flooded in with the police , and Arthur instantly turned white , fear etched on his face . " What are you talking about ?! " " We saw him with our own eyes - he put arsenic in the chicken , then cooked it for Ava . What else do you call that but attempted murder ? " Realizing his plan was exposed , Arthur tried to destroy the evidence , but before he could even move , the police had him restrained . The chicken was sent for testing . The results confirmed it was lethally toxic . Arthur and Leo were arrested on the spot . They were definitely facing serious jail time . As they led him away , he was still pleading with me : " Ava , you can hate me , I don't care . But Leo is your son ! Don't let them send him to jail ! His whole life will be ruined if he goes to jail !! " " Arthur , * you're the one who ruined him ! " 12 . My Son Tried To Kill Me , But A Billionaire Wants To Marry Me Trevor was sentenced to five years for attempted murder . Leo , my son , was sent to a juvenile detention center , and later to an orphanage . He was bullied there , always hungry , with no games to play . That's when he thought of writing to me . But he didn't know where to send his letters , so he mailed them to Julian's mansion . Julian delivered stacks of them to me . I threw them straight into the fireplace unopened . 4.17 PM Julian teased , " Aren't you even a little curious ? What if he really needs something ? " " I gave him life , and he tried to take mine . What's there to even look at ? " I snapped. " Don't ever bring me these letters again . " During my year in the mountains , I occasionally kept in touch with Julian . He'd bought a villa specifically so I'd always have a place to go , a way to reach him if I ever needed it . But he rarely bothered me ! Since I came back from the mountains , he'd visited me twice . Once was on my birthday ; he brought a cake . " How did you know it was my birthday ? " " I was there for your birthday last year too . Saw quite a show . " That day , Brenda found Julian wasted at a hotel event and practically * dumped * him next to me . I was too preoccupied back then to even notice his face . He woke up , heard strange noises from the banquet hall , and came out to see me . He said I was absolutely stunning then , and he couldn't wrap his head around how Trevor could abandon me for that old hag , Brenda . Julian is the CEO of a major listed company ; money is no object for him . To get closer to me , he paid a fortune for a villa he's never even lived in , telling me I could always go back there if I ever needed a place to stay . " So , what are your plans now ? " I'd just returned from the mountains . The tourism there had stabilized , so I didn't need to stay and supervise anymore . My life was pretty relaxed , with not much to do . " I don't know ," I sighed , " Too much money , nowhere to spend it . " Julian laughed at my joke . " If you're so bored , how about becoming a CEO's wife ? " I rolled my eyes at him . " After what I went through in that marriage , do you honestly think I'm planning on getting married again ? " Julian leaned closer . " Just dating then ." " I honestly feel repulsed by men right now . " 13 . Liam had tricked me . 4 Being a placeholder ? No way . Within the second year , he was already in my bed . When I went abroad to study for an advanced management program , he moved his entire company overseas , refusing to let us be separated by distance . A high - flying CEO , no less , would come home after work , put on an apron , and cook dinner , waiting for me to get back from class . He'd kiss me goodbye when I left for school , and kiss me hello when I returned . He was so attuned to my needs , an endless source of emotional support . In the third year , my parents dropped a baby on me . " Cassidy , this is your little brother , Leo . But your mom's getting on in years , so we're entrusting this little one to you . Your mom and I are off to < When I went abroad to study for an advanced management program , he moved his entire company overseas , refusing to let us be separated by distance . A high - flying CEO , no less , would come home after work , put on an apron , and cook dinner , waiting for me to get back from class . He'd kiss me goodbye when I left for school , and kiss me hello when I returned . He was so attuned to my needs , an endless source of emotional support . In the third year , my parents dropped a baby on me . * Cassidy , this is your little brother , Leo . But your mom's getting on in years , so we're entrusting this little one to you . Your mom and I are off to continue our travels . " Staring at the giggling baby in my arms , I frantically called my parents , only to hear a busy signal . " Cassidy , taking care of one is the same as taking care of two , right ? Shouldn't we have a baby too ? " By the fourth year , my own baby was born . Liam put all his work aside , dedicating himself to taking care of our child at home . As we were at the mall picking out baby supplies , a deranged woman barged in , trying to snatch the baby from my arms . The store clerk quickly pulled her away and escorted her out . The clerk apologized to me : " I'm so sorry , Miss Cassidy . This poor woman was tricked into coming to this country , lost her own child , and now she just wanders around all day . She tries to snatch any baby she sees ." I looked at that familiar silhouette . She sat on the street , muttering incoherently to herself , big snowflakes falling on her tattered clothes . Her hands and feet were swollen red with cold . I'd seen her at her most triumphant , back when she'd sat in Damien's lap , glaring at me with a smirk , utterly defiant . Back then , I'd only heard she'd run off with a rich guy , living it up overseas . No one knew that after she was lured abroad , her passport and ID were confiscated . The man forced her into prostitution . She got pregnant , then contracted a disease . With no money for treatment , the man just threw her out onto the street . But she had no money , no passport , no legitimate income . She spent her days wandering the streets , begging . Drinking cold rainwater , sleeping under frigid bridges , a desolate life until the end . " What are you looking at ? " Liam walked over , pulling me close . " Nothing , just saw a dog run by . He draped his coat over my shoulders , fussing over me like a grandpa : " I told you to dress warmer when you go out . Look how cold you are . What if you catch a cold ? " The people and events of the past were irrelevant to me now . My future , I knew , would be nothing but happy