Theater: NovelMaster | Language: English | NEW
Synopsis
PROLOGUE
Five and a half years ago, to save my dying mother, I signed a contract to become a wealthy heir's secret stand-in wife.
For two thousand days, I took care of Julian Vance’s every need. I raised his son, kept his home, and foolishly fell in love with him.
I thought if I gave him enough warmth, even a stone could be melted.
Until his first love, Chloe Harper, came back.
He welcomed her into our home without a second thought. He stood by as his son mocked my simple clothes, and he let the boy gift her the four hand-knit scarves I had spent years making.
That was the moment I finally woke up. Some men will never love you, no matter how much you bleed for them.
So, I signed the termination agreement, packed my bags, and booked a one-way ticket across the Atlantic.
It was time to disappear from their lives for good.
Natalie’s POV
Two thousand days ago, I signed a contract to play the devoted wife and mother to a man who didn't love me.
Two thousand days later, I sat in the grand living room of the Vance estate, sliding the termination papers across the marble coffee table to Julian’s mother, Eleanor.
I thought my heart would shatter, but when the pen hit the paper, my fingers didn't even shake.
Then my phone buzzed. It was a message from the preschool teacher with photos from today's open house.
Sitting in my designated seat was another woman. She was wearing the exact matching designer outfit I had prepped for the event weeks ago.
I stared at the photo for three seconds. Then, I turned the screen facedown and pressed my signature onto the document.
Two thousand days. Not a single day more.
Eleanor pulled the papers toward her, her manicured fingers lingering on the edge of the sheet.
"Have you really thought this through, Natalie?"
"I have," I said, capping the pen. "The contract expires today. Exactly two thousand days."
Eleanor didn’t answer right away. She took a sip of her Earl Grey tea, setting the fine china cup down with a soft clink.
"What do you plan to tell Julian?"
"Nothing," I said calmly. "Our agreement is done. Whether he knows now or later makes no difference."
"And if he asks?"
"Let him ask you." I looked straight into her eyes. "You're the one who hired me, Eleanor. It’s only right that you tell him."
Her lips parted, but no words came out.
The living room fell into dead silence, save for the rhythmic ticking of the antique grandfather clock.
After a long pause, Eleanor let out a weary sigh. "You've worked hard these past five years."
I didn't answer. I just checked the paperwork one last time.
"I’ll have accounting wire the final compensation to your account," Eleanor added quietly. "Every cent promised in the contract."
"No need." I stood up, pushing the folder back to her. "What you paid back then was enough to cover my mother’s medical bills. I don’t want a single penny more."
Eleanor looked up at me, pressing her lips into a thin line, but she said nothing.
I picked up my purse and turned toward the door.
"Natalie," she called out from behind me.
I stopped in my tracks, but didn't turn around.
"Have a good life."
I didn’t reply. I opened the heavy front door and stepped out.
The cool spring breeze hit my face as I stood on the porch.
I unlocked my phone again. The teacher had sent three pictures from the preschool's family event.
In the first shot, Leo was grinning with his missing front tooth, dressed in the sweater I had ironed the night before.
Crouched beside him was Chloe Harper, her arm draped around his small shoulder, flashing a camera-ready pout for the lens.
I recognized the sweater.
And I recognized her.
Chloe. Julian's unforgettable ex.
I gripped the phone tightly, standing in the driveway for a long moment as the chill settled into my bones.
My mind drifted back to the autumn I signed that paper.
My mother had been lying in the intensive care unit, the hospital bills draining every resource I had. I was crouched in the hallway corner, staring blankly at an invoice I could never afford to pay.
That was when Eleanor Vance appeared in front of me.
Her designer heels stopped right by my worn-out sneakers. I looked up to see an immaculate, stern woman looking down at me with cold calculation.
"You're Natalie Clark?"
I stood up, dusting off my jeans. "Who are you?"
"I'm Julian Vance’s mother." She glanced at the ICU doors. "I know about your mother's condition."
I remained silent, waiting for the catch.
"My son is currently on the fifth floor of this hospital," Eleanor continued evenly. "His fiancée broke up with him, and he drank himself into severe internal bleeding. The press had a field day."
I still didn't speak.
"I need someone to stay by his side. Someone to pull him out of this spiral." She pulled out a contract from her leather handbag. "The Vance family will cover all of your mother's treatments. In exchange, you will play the role of his devoted companion and domestic partner. When he's fully healed, this ends."
I looked down at the contract. It was thin, but it felt impossibly heavy.
"For how long?"
"Two thousand days to start," Eleanor said. "If he moves on by then, it terminates automatically. If not, we renegotiate."
Two thousand days. Five and a half years.
I glanced back at the ICU doors, where the pale fluorescent light hummed behind the frosted glass.
"Deal," I said.
Eleanor seemed surprised by how quickly I agreed, but she handed me the pen anyway.
I signed my name.
Back then, Julian had spent months drowning his sorrows in alcohol. He never questioned my sudden presence; he simply assumed his mother had hired another live-in housekeeper.
For the first few months, he barely spared me a word.
I cooked; he ate. I cleaned; he slept. I lay beside him in the dark, and he kept his back turned to me.
Over time, I fell for him. I foolishly believed that with enough patience, I could warm even the coldest stone.
I brought up marriage once.
He said he was too busy with Vance Enterprises and that we’d talk about it later. Later came and went, and he never mentioned it again. Neither did I.
To this day, we never obtained a marriage license.
Leo was an accident born from one drunken night.
Chloe had gone public on Instagram with her new wealthy boyfriend. Julian came home completely wasted in the middle of the night, pulled me into his arms, and whispered her name.
I didn't push him away.
After Leo was born, his attitude softened. He spoke to me more often and bought birthday cakes. I genuinely thought this was what our quiet little family was meant to be.
Until Chloe returned.
She came back asking for a second chance, and Julian didn't push her away.
Even Leo adored her. Every time she visited, he hovered around her like a puppy, closer to her than he had ever been to me.
Julian bought her limited-edition Hermès bags. He changed his lock screen to her photo. Once, I walked past the balcony and heard him talking to her on FaceTime—his voice dripping with a tender warmth he had never once offered me.
That was when the truth hit me.
Julian was capable of love. He just didn't love me.
I pulled myself out of the memories and opened my email.
A reply from a cocktail lounge in London had just arrived. They offered me a position as a head bartender, and the prestigious mixology academy nearby confirmed my enrollment.
I typed out an acceptance email, booked a flight for next Tuesday, and saved the ticket to my camera roll.
Seven things on my exit list. Two were checked off.
Accept the job offer in London—done.
Sign the termination agreement—done.
Five more things to do, and I’d be free.Natalie’s POV
I drove back to the estate. As soon as I took off my shoes in the foyer, laughter drifted from the living room.
I pushed the door open.
My favorite armchair was buried under Chloe’s designer coat and purse. Two used coffee mugs sat on the glass table, and the sheer curtains had been pulled wide open, flooding the hardwood with harsh sunlight.
Julian walked out holding a glass of water.
Leo trailed behind him, a cookie hanging from his mouth.
Both of them froze when they saw me.
I said nothing. I swapped into my slippers and walked straight toward the stairs, leaving behind the suffocating atmosphere of their little domestic scene.
The wooden steps creaked softly beneath my feet, counting down the days until my departure.
Chloe stood up from the sofa, wearing an apologetic smile that looked entirely rehearsed.
"Oh, Natalie, I'm so sorry! I didn't know this was your private room. Julian said it was empty, so I just made myself comfortable."
"It's fine," Julian said, setting the glass down. He shot me a warning glance. "Don't cause a scene, Natalie."
I didn't utter a word. I picked up the mugs from the table and stacked them neatly, acting as if I hadn't heard a thing.
Leo tugged on Chloe’s hand, looking up with a pout. "Chloe, Mommy’s clothes are so plain. It was so embarrassing when she used to come to preschool."
"Don't say that, sweetie," Chloe scolded softly, patting his head. But the smirk tugging at her lips gave her away.
"By the way," Julian said casually, as if delivering an afterthought, "Chloe will be staying here for a few days. I had the guest room next to the master suite cleaned out. Her bags are already upstairs."
Leo clapped his hands and jumped with joy. "Yay! Chloe can play with me every day!"
He turned to glare at me with open disgust. "Mommy, you're so boring. You never play video games with me. Chloe builds Legos with me all the time."
Julian finally looked at me, his tone purely informative. "She's just staying for a bit. Consider this a heads-up."
"Okay," I said quietly, turning to head upstairs.
Chloe picked up her purse from the sofa, pretending to hesitate. "Actually, maybe I should just go to a hotel. I don't want to make things awkward or make anyone upset."
"You're not going anywhere," Julian said firmly, his hand resting securely on her shoulder. "This house was originally bought for you anyway."
My footsteps paused on the landing. I didn't turn around, though my knuckles turned white around the mug in my hands.
"Take Chloe’s luggage up to her room," Julian ordered, extending a set of keys toward me.
I looked at the keys for two long seconds. "I'm not feeling well. Carry them yourself."
Julian frowned. "It's just a couple of bags—"
"I said, I'm not feeling well." I met his gaze, my voice devoid of emotion. "If she wants to stay, carry them yourself. If you don't want to, she doesn't have to stay."
The air in the foyer froze.
Chloe gently touched Julian’s sleeve, her voice dripping with innocence. "It's fine, Julian. I'll carry them myself. Don't push her."
In the end, I took the keys anyway.
I dragged the heavy designer suitcases up the stairs without expression. When the wheel caught on a step, my old knee injury flared with a sharp, throbbing ache. I paused, steadied myself, and kept climbing.
When I finished and walked back down, the scene in the living room stopped me dead in my tracks.
Leo had raided the back of my closet and pulled out the four hand-knit wool scarves I had spent years making. He was carefully draping them around Chloe’s neck, one by one.
"Chloe, this cream one looks so pretty on you! Take it!" He wrapped it around her, then picked up a soft gray one. "Take this one too! Take all of them!"
Four scarves piled up around Chloe's neck like trophies.
I had spent an entire month every winter knitting those scarves by hand, starting from when Leo turned one until he turned four. Four scarves. Four months of careful, agonizing work.
I had learned every stitch from online tutorials, unraveling and re-knitting them countless times, pricking my fingers until they bled.
I had planned to give them to him on his eighteenth birthday, telling him the story behind every single year.
The color drained from my face. My fingers gripped the doorframe until my knuckles ached.
"Leo," Julian spoke up, his tone mildly disapproving. "Don't give away other people's things."
"They're just stupid scarves," Leo whined dismissively. "Mommy never wears them anyway. Why can't I give them to Chloe?"
I walked over, unwrapped the scarves from Chloe’s neck one by one, folded them neatly, and placed them on the armrest of the sofa.
"They're not worth anything," I whispered, my voice as faint as a sigh. "Give them away if you want."
I turned and walked up to my room. The moment the door clicked shut, I slid down against the wood until I was sitting on the cold floor.
Five more things to do.
Just a little longer, and I’d be gone.
I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and forced the tears back into my chest.Natalie’s POV
Julian and I had slept in separate bedrooms for years.
Eleanor knew. The housekeepers knew. Only the public believed we were a happily married couple.
The next morning, I drove straight to Rachel's law firm in midtown Manhattan.
Rachel was reviewing a brief when I walked in. She raised an eyebrow. "Long time no see, Mrs. Vance."
"Don't call me that," I said, sitting across from her and pulling out a folder. "Julian and I were never legally married."
Rachel's pen stopped mid-air. She stared at me. "What do you mean?"
"It was a two thousand day companion contract," I said, sliding the document toward her. "Playing the devoted partner and mother until it ended. It expired yesterday."
Rachel froze for several seconds before leaning back into her leather chair with a massive exhale. "I knew you couldn't stay with that arrogant prick forever. So, you're here to draft a separation agreement?"
"No," I replied, shaking my head. "We were never married, so there's no divorce. I need you to notarize a relinquishment of parental rights."
Rachel nearly jumped out of her chair. "You want to surrender what?!"
"My parental rights," I repeated steadily. "Over Leo."
"Are you insane, Natalie?" Rachel glared at me in shock. "He's your biological son! You carried him for nine months!"
"I know." My voice was eerily calm, as if discussing someone else's life. "Just draft the paperwork, Rachel. Don't ask."
Rachel stared at me for a long time, searching my face for any sign of hesitation. Seeing none, she sighed and began typing out the document.
The click-clack of the keyboard filled the silence of the office, accompanied only by the low hum of the air conditioner.
I stared out the floor-to-ceiling window at the New York skyline. The sky was an impossible, piercing blue.
When she handed me the signed and stamped waiver, Rachel caught my wrist.
"Natalie."
"Yeah?"
"Even two thousand days can't warm up a stone," she said softly, her eyes full of pity. "Take care of yourself from now on. Stop carrying the world on your shoulders."
I nodded, tucked the document into my bag, and said nothing.
After leaving the firm, I headed straight to the passport agency to expedite my passport renewal.
Photos, application forms, fees paid. Because I paid for priority processing, the document would be ready for pickup within the week.
Stepping out onto the street, I crossed two more items off the checklist on my phone.
Relinquish parental rights—done.
Renew passport—done.
Four out of seven done. Three left.
I slipped my phone into my pocket and headed toward the parking garage.
By the time I returned to the estate, it was 10:00 AM.
The breakfast on the counter had gone cold hours ago, so I tossed it into a skillet to reheat.
Once it was warm, I carried the tray upstairs and knocked on the master bedroom door.
The door clicked open.
Chloe stepped out wearing Julian’s oversized dress shirt, her hair a tousled mess. She smiled at me lazily. "My phone died, so I was just charging it in his room."
Julian stepped out right behind her. One of his shirt buttons was misaligned, and there was a faint, unmistakable reddish mark behind his ear.
I glanced at it and let out a soft scoff.
"What's funny?" Julian snapped, looking defensive.
"Nothing." I placed the tray on the console table in the hallway. "Breakfast is ready. Come down when you're done."
I didn't bother calling them out.
What would be the point? To listen to another flimsy excuse, only for everything to stay exactly the same?
When the three of us walked downstairs, Leo was already seated at the dining table.
He took a bite of a croissant and immediately spat it onto his plate. "This croissant is gross! It's not fresh. I want a freshly baked one from the bakery!"
"Just eat a little, Leo," Julian coaxed, but the boy crossed his arms and began throwing a tantrum.
Chloe took a sip of her orange juice and purred, "By the way, Natalie, I'd love to take a hot bath later. Could you run the tub for me? Forty degrees Celsius would be perfect."
Julian immediately turned to me. "Go run a bath for Chloe."
I was setting down the silverware, and my hands didn't stop. "I can't."
"What?"
"I said, I can't." I looked up into his eyes, my voice flat. "If she wants a bath, she can turn the faucet herself. If she doesn't, she doesn't have to bathe."
The dining room went completely still.
Julian froze.
He clearly never expected me to refuse—let alone refuse so bluntly in front of Chloe.
After all, for two thousand days, I had never once said no.Natalie’s POV
Julian opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Chloe stood up and grabbed her designer bag.
"Maybe I really should leave. I'm clearly not welcome here," she said, making a show of walking toward the door, though her feet barely moved.
Leo burst into tears instantly. He lunged forward and began slapping my arm with all his little might. "Bad Mommy! You're bullying Chloe! You're a bad person!"
"Leo!" I caught his wrists, my voice dropping. "Stop it."
"Why are you yelling at him?" Julian pulled the boy behind him, glaring at me with disgust. "It’s just running a bath! Chloe is a guest in this house. Can't you show a little basic courtesy?"
"I don't feel well. I have no energy." I touched my forehead; my skin was indeed burning up. Between the sleepless nights and the frantic morning errands, a fever had set in.
Leo blinked, then recoiled from me as if I were carrying the plague. "Mommy, you're sick? Are you going to infect Chloe?"
He tugged furiously at Julian’s sleeve. "Daddy, take Chloe to the doctor! Get her medicine so she doesn't catch Mommy's germs!"
"Let's go," Julian said without hesitation, taking Chloe’s hand.
Chloe grabbed Leo’s hand with her other, and the three of them walked out the door, laughing and chatting. Not one of them looked back at me.
I sat alone at the empty table. The breakfast in front of me had gone cold again, the pastries hard as rocks.
I tossed the food into the trash and sat by the island, mindlessly rubbing the ceramic mug between my palms.
My phone chimed. A text from Julian: [Bring the car to the amusement park. Pick us up.]
I grabbed my coat and drove over.
When I arrived at the park entrance, only Chloe and Leo were waiting by the gates. Julian was nowhere in sight, probably off buying drinks.
"I want to ride the mega coaster!" Leo cheered, pointing at the towering steel tracks in the distance. "The highest one!"
"Sure, let's go!" Chloe smiled, pulling out her phone to take a selfie.
"No," I stepped in, grabbing Leo’s arm. "You're too young for that coaster. The doctor said your heart can't handle extreme shocks."
Leo’s face instantly twisted in fury. He yanked his arm out of my grip. "I want to ride it! Chloe said yes! You're not the boss of me!"
"Oh, come on, Natalie, don't be such a buzzkill," Chloe said dismissively. "One ride won't kill him. Stop being dramatic."
"This is Vance family business. It has nothing to do with you," I said coldly, fixing my eyes on her.
Chloe’s smile vanished.
Just then, Julian returned holding iced coffees. Chloe immediately hurried over, tears welling up in her eyes. "Julian... I just wanted to take Leo on a ride, but Natalie snapped at me. She told me to stay out of family business..."
"The cardiologist warned us about his heart condition," I explained calmly.
"Natalie!" Julian handed the drinks to Chloe and turned on me with a dark scowl. "We're trying to have a nice day, and you ruin it every single time. Just stand over there and wait. Stop micromanaging everything."
I stood frozen in the crowd. Around us, other parents were chatting and laughing. A few cast curious glances our way before whispering to one another.
Standing among the crowd, one truth became crystal clear.
From the second Chloe stepped foot into Julian's world, there was no longer any room for me.
Even caring for my own biological child was now labeled as meddling.
I walked over to a nearby bench and sat down. I watched Leo hold Chloe’s hand as they joined the line, and I watched Julian leaning against the railing, snapping photos of them with a broad, radiant smile.
The afternoon sun was blinding. I squinted, slipping my cold hands into my coat pockets, where my fingers brushed against the printed flight confirmation.
The edge of the paper was slightly crumpled. I stroked it gently with my thumb.
It was my ticket out of this hell.Natalie’s POV
On the carousel, Leo rode a painted horse, shouting at the top of his lungs, "Daddy and Chloe are the best!"
Surrounding parents turned their heads, murmuring among themselves, a few pulling out their phones to record.
Julian acted as if he heard nothing, happily holding up his phone to capture the moment.
Chloe stood beside him, pretending to gently tug on Leo’s sleeve. "Shh, Leo, don't scream like that. People will misunderstand."
Her hands barely pulled him back, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction.
After the amusement park, Chloe suggested Korean BBQ. Julian agreed instantly, booking a VIP booth without even bothering to ask if I wanted to join.
I trailed behind them like an invisible ghost.
Inside the restaurant, Julian ordered an entire feast of Chloe’s favorites. Prime ribeye, marinated short ribs, and pork belly crowded the table, sizzling loudly on the grill.
I sat in the furthest corner, a single glass of water in front of me. Nobody had even bothered to set out a pair of silverware for me.
Beneath the table, I caught Chloe brushing her fingers against the back of Julian’s hand. Julian didn't pull away; instead, he turned his palm over and interlaced his fingers with hers.
Once the meat was cooked, he kept loading Chloe’s plate, carefully cutting every piece into bite-sized morsels before serving her.
"Why aren't you eating?" Julian finally noticed me. My bowl of white rice was untouched, the fork resting beside it.
"It's too greasy. My stomach can't take it," I said, chewing slowly on a small bite of plain rice.
Julian’s hand froze mid-air.
He suddenly remembered that I used to love grilled short ribs. Every time we went out, I would order them, praising how tender they were.
He opened his mouth. "Do you want me to order something else? A cold pasta? Some risotto?"
"No," I replied, shaking my head. "Bread is fine."
Suddenly, a young woman from the adjacent booth stood up, gasping as she stared at Chloe. "Wait... are you Chloe Harper? Oh my god! You're even prettier in person!"
Her eyes flicked to Julian, lighting up with excitement. "Are you two back together?! I saw the gossip blogs on TikTok! You guys look so perfect together!"
The restaurant went quiet. Several patrons turned to look, and a few teenagers began filming with their phones.
Julian glanced at me.
I kept my head down, chewing slowly on my dry rice, acting as if I hadn't heard a single word.
The girl continued gushing to her friend about spotting an influencer couple, her voice carrying clearly across the room.
Julian turned back to Chloe, offering the young fan a slow, confirming nod.
"I knew it!" the girl squealed. "True love always wins! Congratulations, you guys!"
Leo chimed in proudly, his small voice ringing loud and clear. "Daddy, does that mean I get a new mommy now? I want Chloe to be my mommy!"
Julian quickly clamped a hand over the boy’s mouth, lowering his voice as he looked at me defensively. "Don't overthink this, Natalie. I'm doing this for her career. She's rebuilding her brand right now, and she needs the public exposure—"
"I know," I cut him off, setting my fork down. "You don't need to explain."
Chloe nudged Julian with her foot. "Eat up, babe, the food's getting cold."
When we finally walked out of the restaurant, night had fallen. The city streetlights flickered to life.
Near the corner, a brawl suddenly broke out between two drunk men. One of them stumbled backward, lunging straight toward us with a shattered beer bottle in his hand.
Instinctively, Julian reached out, wrapping one arm around Chloe and yanking Leo behind him with the other, pulling them both into the safety of the doorway.
He completely forgot about me.
The drunken man slammed directly into me. The impact sent me flying backward. My back crashed violently onto the concrete sidewalk, my forehead smacking against the sharp curb, my knees scraping raw against the rough asphalt.
I lay on the ground, my vision swimming in darkness. The taste of metallic blood filled my mouth, and an agonizing ringing roared in my ears.
"Natalie!" Julian finally snapped back to reality. Panicked, he sprinted over and crouched down, his hands hovering over me, terrified of touching the wrong spot.
The pain stole my breath away. I weakly lifted my trembling hand, trying to grasp his fingers for support.
"Daddy!" Leo screamed from behind, his voice cracking with terror. "Chloe is fainting!"
Chapters (5)
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Watch & Promotions
- Search this code in the NovelMaster app:
536361Open NovelMaster → Search code → Find the title