Margaret Sterling had spent her entire life protecting the Sterling family name.
When she discovered that Elena’s former husband had divorced her because she could not conceive, she considered it a warning.
“A woman who couldn’t give her own husband a child should not be encouraged to become the emotional center of another man’s family,” Margaret declared.
William’s expression hardened.
“Elena is here to help my children. Her past is none of your concern.”
“Your children need stability, William. Not another woman who might leave them.”
William said nothing, but Margaret’s words planted a seed of doubt.
Meanwhile, Elena was slowly earning the children’s trust.
She helped Rose and Ruby prepare for a school performance, taught the boys to cook simple meals, and spent evenings listening to Daisy talk about her mother.
Yet Elena never told the children about her own heartbreak.
She feared that if they learned the truth, they might see her as a broken woman rather than someone who could love them.
One afternoon, Adrian appeared at the charity center.
He looked surprised to see Elena dressed elegantly beside William, who had arrived to pick her up.
“So this is what you’ve been doing?” Adrian asked bitterly. “Finding yourself a rich man?”
Elena’s face turned pale.
“Please leave.”
Adrian laughed.
“Does he know you can’t have children? Or are you hiding that little problem from him?”
William stepped forward, his voice dangerously calm.
“You will not speak to her that way again.”
Adrian glanced between them before walking away with a cruel smile.
That night, Elena finally told William everything.
She explained the years of disappointment, the divorce, and the shame Adrian had forced her to carry.
William listened without interrupting.
When she finished, he said quietly, “You don’t have to prove your worth by giving birth to anyone’s child.”
Elena began to cry.
For the first time, someone had defended her without asking her to become someone else.
But Margaret had overheard their conversation.
And she was already planning a way to remove Elena from the mansion.
To be continued…
