Chapter 1

My husband Giovanni and his first love, Christine, died in a car accident, leaving me with a pair of illegitimate sons.

Eighteen years flew by. I painstakingly raised those boys, even sending them to Harvard.

But the day they got into Harvard, Giovanni and Christine, who had supposedly died years ago, returned.

Christine, holding Giovanni’s arm, smiled sweetly. "Thanks to your careful upbringing, my sons got into Harvard."

"Without you, we couldn't have enjoyed ourselves for so long..." Later, Giovanni asked for a divorce, wanting to marry Christine and reunite their family of four.

I didn't cry or make a scene. I just smiled faintly: "Fine by me!"

"Mom! Mom! We got in! We got in!!"

I was preparing dinner when I heard my two sons shouting loudly from the study. "Mom! Gabriel and I both got into Harvard!"

They ran out of the study and hugged me tightly. I looked at my sons, who were a head taller than me, with pride.

"You two are amazing; you're my pride and joy." Giovanni had died many years ago.

As a single mom, I had raised two children alone for eighteen years. Now, seeing them get into a top-tier university, I couldn't have been happier.

Back then, Giovanni and his first love, Christine, both supposedly died, leaving me with a pair of twins. Against everyone's objections, I insisted on raising Giovanni and Christine's illegitimate sons.

Eighteen years passed in a blink, and the two boys grew into young men. With my painstaking nurturing, they even got into Harvard.

Now that I'd raised them into successful young men, I was overjoyed. "Mom, thank you for all your hard work raising us these past years..."

"Yeah, if it weren't for your careful guidance, we wouldn't be where we are today..."

My sons were always thoughtful, feeling for the struggles I'd endured raising them. They promised that once they graduated and found good jobs, they'd make sure I could live comfortably in my old age.

Watching them, I remembered that their birthday was in two days.

I decided to throw them a grand birthday party, a good excuse for a celebration. I booked a banquet hall at the city's best restaurant.

Meanwhile, I posted the news about my sons getting into Harvard in our family SnapChat group. As soon as the message went out, the group instantly flooded with replies.

"Eric and Gabriel really made us proud..." "If Giovanni knew, he'd be thrilled in heaven."

I quickly scrolled through the messages, then sent the location of the banquet hall to the group. After doing all that, I muted my phone notifications.

I quietly awaited the birthday party...