Chapter 1

Shannon Linsel said, "I want to end the agreement, Grace. You said that it would be void if Thomas didn't fall in love with me within five years."

Grace Homer replied, "I did say that, but don't you both have Chris now? You love him so much—can you really stand to see him call someone else his mother?"

"I can." Shannon's voice was firm and without a trace of hesitation. "My marriage with Thomas was never anything more than an agreement—even Chris was just part of the deal. And now that Laura is back, both of them don't need me anymore."

She did develop feelings for Thomas over the past five years, yet all she felt in return was disappointment, over and over again.

Grace sighed, recalling the mess Thomas had created. She said, "There are seven more days left on the agreement. Just sign here, and the Ford family will set you free after seven days."

Upon hearing that, Shannon signed the agreement promptly. She then strode out of the Ford residence.

As she drove off, she received a text from the kindergarten. A photo was attached to it.

Thomas was openly laughing in the photo, his body instinctively leaning toward Laura. Meanwhile, their son, Christopher Ford, was holding tightly onto Laura's hand.

The three of them were wearing the matching outfits Shannon had specifically bought for Christopher's sports day.

Not only did Laura go to the sports day instead of Shannon, but she was even wearing the matching outfit Shannon was supposed to wear.

…

Thomas and Laura's love story had caused quite a buzz.

Thomas was a wealthy heir worth hundreds of millions, and Laura was a rising star who dropped out of school to make it in the entertainment industry.

Despite their huge differences, they fell in love and ended up together.

But when Laura's career started taking off, she broke things off with Thomas, saying that she needed to focus on her career.

His mental health had plummeted ever since. He spent his days numbing his misery with alcohol and even contemplated ending his life.

One night, news of the Ford family's eldest son attempting suicide over love made the headlines.

At the same time, Shannon's father was in surgery, and the high medical bills were putting her in a tough spot.

That was when Grace found her. As long as Shannon agreed to marry into the Ford family for five years and help Thomas get out of his slump, Grace would cover the medical bills.

Grace then introduced Shannon to Thomas and suggested he marry her. "Are you willing to take Shannon as your bride, Thomas?"

They were both anxious, as the agreement wouldn't go through if he didn't agree to it.

However, Thomas nodded and replied with an ashen face, "I don't care. It doesn't matter who it is if it's not her."

They had met because of the agreement. It was supposed to be just a business arrangement, but Shannon made the mistake of developing feelings for him while taking daily care of him.

However, Thomas remained indifferent, never once looking her in the eye. Even the only proof of their relationship—an officiated marriage—was unregistered because he was busy with work.

Things changed the day he came home drunk before dawn. His gaze was unfocused, staring at Shannon as he said, "Let's try for a child."

They slept together that very night.

Shannon thought that it was the start of their blooming love. She only found out later on that Laura had just announced her relationship on the same day.

However, Thomas stopped being cold and indifferent ever since Christopher was born. He no longer ignored her efforts.

Just as Shannon figured things would keep going the way they were, Laura publicly announced her breakup.

The paparazzis caught her walking hand in hand with Thomas that very night. The headlines hinted that they might've gotten back together.

Since then, they grew even closer, and Thomas even started bringing Laura home.

Christopher, who was usually aloof, also became a completely different person after meeting Laura. He turned clingy and wanted to play with her now and then.

Photos of the three of them started accumulating at home.

In the past, Thomas had hated taking photos. They barely had any photos together over the past five years.

But ever since Laura became a regular in the house, he didn't just buy the latest camera but also started cutting out cheap tabloid shots of them and keeping them all organized.

Thomas was always willing to make exceptions when it came to Laura.

Shannon finally understood that he would never love her, no matter how much time passed. That was because he only had eyes for Laura.

But fortunately, everything was all for the agreement. In seven days, she could finally leave this house that had stripped her of her dignity—and go abroad to pursue her dream career as an author.

With that in mind, Shannon picked up her phone and reached out to an overseas publishing house. She then booked a flight ticket for seven days later.

…

When Shannon returned home, she headed toward her usual parking spot, only to find Laura's car pulling in ahead of her.

Both Thomas and Christopher were in the car.

Chapter 2

Laura got out of the car, deliberately making her way over to Shannon. She said provocatively, "Sorry, I accidentally took your parking spot. I'm sure you won't mind, right?"

Before Shannon could reply, Thomas cut in, "This parking spot has never belonged to anyone in particular. No one would dare say a word if you want to park here."

He then shot her a warning glance.

Beside him, Christopher added, "Just ignore my mommy, Aunt Laura. She drives a minivan—it's embarrassing to even park it here!"

Shannon couldn't help but feel a deep chill in her heart after hearing what he said. She had lovingly cared for him for four years. And now, not only was he defending Laura, but he was even speaking so harshly to Shannon.

At that moment, Thomas grabbed Laura's arm and announced excitedly, "Alright, let's go check out the room I've prepared for you—it's right next to mine!"

Christopher shouted happily, "Yay! I'll have someone to play with now! Aunt Laura knows everything, unlike Mommy. She's just too boring!"

Thomas glanced at Shannon, recalling that he had forgotten to inform her. "Laura's lease is up, so she'll be staying at the villa for a while."

She remained unperturbed after hearing his explanation and merely hummed indifferently.

Thomas was caught off guard by Shannon's reaction. He wasn't expecting her to be so calm.

Meanwhile, Laura pretended to hesitate and spoke up. "Forget it—maybe I should just stay at a hotel. After all, Mr. Ford is your husband, and I'm merely an outsider."

Christopher was dissatisfied upon hearing her words. "You got to know Daddy first, Aunt Laura. If we're being honest, you're hardly the outsider here."

"That's right. This villa was bought for you in the first place. How could you possibly be an outsider?" Thomas said.

He and Christopher then pulled Laura into the villa. Before they left, he even handed her car keys to Shannon. "Open the trunk and get Laura's suitcases out."

"Can't she carry them herself?" Shannon asked.

Thomas looked at her in shock. It was his first time seeing her act like this—as if she'd given up completely, no longer caring about his reaction.

Somehow, that scared him.

Thomas said, "Forget it. If you don't want to help out, I'll get Andy to—"

"It's fine—just give it to me." Shannon took the keys as usual, yet her face was devoid of any expression, with all her remaining emotions carefully tucked away.

By the time she finished moving the suitcases, Christopher was happily presenting the gifts he had prepared for Laura—four 0.2-ounce gold bars.

Laura's eyes widened in surprise, while Shannon paled.

The Fords were never short of money, but these four gold bars were something Shannon had saved up little by little.

Every year on Christopher's birthday, she would give him a 0.2-ounce gold bar. They weren't just gifts, but her way of showing her faith and hopes in him.

Shannon didn't expect him to give them away to Laura so easily.

Thomas, upon seeing the dismayed look on her face, frowned at Christopher. "These are your birthday gifts from Mommy, Chris. How could you give away something so meaningful like that?"

Christopher replied indignantly, "Aunt Laura isn't just anyone—she's someone I like! Besides, they're just a few gold bars. It's not like the Fords can't afford more."

Thomas was about to say something when Shannon's cold voice came from behind him. She said, "Chris is right—a few gold bars aren't worth much, anyway. Let him give them away if he wants to."

Disregarding everyone's surprise, she then headed back into her room.

Shannon tiredly leaned against the door, her eyes shut in despair.

There were only seven days left before she could finally leave for good.

Chapter 3

Shannon woke up early the next morning.

She and Thomas had always slept in separate rooms. It was partly because he had never truly accepted her, and partly because of his germaphobia. He couldn't stand anyone else entering his room.

After washing up, Shannon headed over to the law firm her friend, Maya Hughes, worked at.

After talking to her, Maya finally understood the entire story. "So, the reason you've been treating Thomas so well is because of the agreement?"

Shannon nodded.

Maya sighed in relief. "I've been seeing all the news lately, and I felt sorry for you. Now that I know it was all just an agreement, I feel a lot better."

She then asked, "So what brings you here today? Do you want me to draft a divorce agreement for you?"

Shannon chuckled scornfully before replying, "We never even registered our marriage. I'm here to draft a custody waiver agreement."

Maya let out a surprised gasp. "Everyone knows how much you love your son, yet you're giving up custody for Chris now?"

Sadness flickered in Shannon's eyes. She looked up and said, "Just draft it for me."

Maya stopped prodding after that. She quickly drafted the agreement and handed it to Shannon. Shannon gripped the agreement tightly before leaving.

As Maya watched her walk away, a quiet sadness settled in.

Maya then yelled loudly, "Shannon, you spent five years trying to warm the heart of someone who never cared. From now on, save that love for yourself!"

Shannon halted her steps, turned around, and smiled. "Alright, I will."

…

It was already 10:00 am by the time Shannon returned home, yet the living room remained empty. The breakfast she had made before leaving remained on the table, cold and untouched.

She reheated the breakfast and headed upstairs to wake Christopher and Thomas up as usual.

Thomas disliked people entering his room without permission, and he had made the rule of knocking first before entering very clear.

The door opened as soon as Shannon knocked.

Laura stretched lazily. Her expression remained composed after seeing Shannon. "I just came to borrow Thomas' bathroom. Oddly enough, my back is feeling rather sore early this morning."

Shannon's face paled.

Just as Laura was about to continue provoking her, Thomas stepped out in his sleepwear. "Who's at the door, Laura? Is it Chris?"

Shannon gazed over and saw the red marks scattered across his neck. She let out a bitter laugh.

They'd hardly had any physical contact in the five years they were married. She used to think Thomas wasn't interested in that kind of intimacy—it turned out he just wasn't interested in her.

Panic flashed across his gaze when he saw Shannon.

He quickly pulled his shirt up to cover himself and explained to her, "Don't get the wrong idea—Laura just came in to borrow a power bank."

Shannon couldn't help but scoff upon hearing his excuse. They couldn't even get their stories straight before lying. However, she didn't call them out.

Instead, she simply informed them that breakfast was ready before heading downstairs.

This marriage had always been an agreement—who Thomas got intimate with was none of Shannon's business.

What she had to do now was wait. There were seven days left, and she would be free to leave for good.

The three of them leisurely came down only five minutes later.

Christopher looked at the toasts and frowned. "The toasts have been reheated—they're no longer fresh! I want the fresh churros you make, Mommy!"

Thomas patiently coaxed, "Mommy has already made us breakfast, Chris. We shouldn't waste it. You can have her churros tomorrow instead, okay?"

"No! I want it now!" Christopher yelled.

Thomas had never been one to indulge children. Just as he was about to respond sternly, Laura quickly cut in from the side, "I've heard that your churros are amazing, Ms. Linsel. I'd like to try it too."

His attitude shifted immediately as soon as he heard that she wanted to try it. He then instructed Shannon, "Since everyone wants some, go ahead and make some."

"I'm not making it." Shannon didn't bother looking up as she continued eating her toast. "If you want some, you can make them yourselves. I got up early to toast them myself. Feel free to throw them out if you don't want them."

Chapter 4

Thomas froze.

The Shannon he knew rarely ever refused him. She would always try to fulfill his request, no matter how unreasonable it was. Hearing her refusal was something he could barely remember.

After hearing that, Laura let out a bitter laugh. "I was out of line. I was already imposing just by staying here, so how could I possibly hope to try a hot meal prepared by Ms. Linsel?"

She then got ready to leave.

Christopher started crying and throwing a tantrum after that. He hit Shannon and yelled, "Mommy is so mean! You can't bully Aunt Laura!"

Thomas anxiously pulled Laura back. He then turned to Shannon and scolded, "Are you still upset over what happened in the morning? I've told you—Laura came over to borrow a power bank. Why are you being so petty?"

Shannon wore a mask of indifference as she replied, "I'm not feeling well now, so I can't cook."

"Are you sick, Mommy?" Christopher looked surprised before he started covering his mouth in disgust. "Why didn't you say so earlier, Mommy? Aunt Laura's body is weak. What if you get her sick?"

He then started tugging Thomas' sleeve. "That can't happen, Daddy! Let's get Aunt Laura some medicine, just to be safe."

"There's no need for it, Chris. I'm fine," Laura replied.

However, Thomas looked at her affectionately. "You should listen to Chris. Don't push yourself—remember how long it used to take you to recover when you got sick?"

The three of them left the house hand-in-hand, leaving Shannon behind with the toasts that had gotten cold again.

They'd lived together for years, yet her husband and biological son didn't show her any care. Instead, they went to buy medicine to protect Laura, who wasn't even sick.

Shannon threw the remaining toasts out. Just as she was spacing out, she received a text from Thomas.

His text read, "We're heading to the supermarket—drive over and pick us up."

…

By the time Shannon arrived, only Laura and Christopher were there.

Christopher said, "I want ice cream, Aunt Laura!"

Laura pinched his cheeks and replied, "Alright. I'll get you some if that's what you want, Chris."

Shannon frowned before heading over to stop them. "Have you forgotten what the doctor said to you, Chris? Your stomach is sensitive, so you can't eat ice cream."

Christopher's face fell instantly.

"You should just buy him some if that's what he wants, Ms. Linsel. There's no need to be so anxious about this," Laura said.

Shannon's face darkened. "This is a family matter—it's not your place to comment, Ms. Zimmerman."

Thomas returned just as she finished speaking.

Laura turned to him with an aggrieved look. "Thomas, I wanted to buy Chris some ice cream, but Ms. Linsel said no."

Shannon calmly explained, "The doctor mentioned that we can get Chris some other snacks for now. Ice cream can wait until he's feeling better."

Thomas couldn't bear to watch Laura feeling aggrieved.

His expression turned cold as he said, "The more you act like this, the more Chris is going to hate you. Can't you just let him have a bite and eat the rest yourself? Besides, Laura was just being nice. You don't have to overreact."

A sharp pain pierced Shannon's chest.

She hadn't expected Thomas to take Laura's side at the expense of Christopher's health. He even mocked her over the very thing she cared most about.

Shannon laughed bitterly, no longer arguing with him. That was because realization suddenly hit her—she had become a complete outsider ever since Laura's return.

No matter how much she gave, she would never measure up to the version of Laura they held in their hearts.

Chapter 5

Laura couldn't hide the smug look on her face when Christopher yelled loudly, "Daddy and Aunt Laura are the best! Unlike mean Mommy, who wouldn't even let me buy ice cream!"

His words caught the attention of passersby. Everyone started looking at Shannon judgmentally.

Her heart sank. This was her son, whom she had raised with care for four years.

Meanwhile, Thomas simply allowed Christopher to yell, making no effort to stop him at all.

In the end, it was Laura who stepped in with a pretentious show of concern. Only then did the entire fiasco finally come to an end.

…

After their trip to the supermarket, they suggested going to a foreign cuisine restaurant. Shannon was never really given the option to say no.

Thomas ordered a full spread. Apart from the omelette for Christopher, nearly everything else was spicy.

No one asked what Shannon wanted, and the menu was returned after ordering.

"I'm surprised you still remember all my favorite dishes even after all this time, Thomas." Laura brushed her hand flirtatiously against Thomas' own. A faint blush rose on his cheeks.

Once all the dishes were served, he started piling food onto her plate.

Meanwhile, Shannon merely kept her head down as she ate her plain pasta, leaving the other dishes untouched.

Perplexed, Thomas asked, "Why aren't you touching the other dishes?"

Shannon calmly replied, "I don't do well with spice."

Thomas was taken aback. Every meal she had cooked was on the spicier side, so he'd assumed she liked spicy food too. In reality, he'd never paid attention to her tastes.

A wave of unease settled in his chest. He picked up the menu and said, "I'll order a few more dishes for you, so just tell me what you like."

"No need. You guys can continue eating," Shannon replied.

Before Thomas could continue, a passerby, Gina Denver, pointed at Laura and gasped. "Are you Laura Zimmerman? And y-you're Mr. Thomas Ford, aren't you?"

Laura nodded slightly, and Gina exclaimed excitedly, "I'm a hardcore shipper of both of you! That online article was just too sweet. It was like something straight out of a rom-com! Please indulge me—did you two really get back together?"

Thomas glanced over at Shannon before meeting Laura's expectant gaze. He then nodded at Gina while humming softly in agreement.

Gina squealed excitedly, "After five years of ups and downs, both of you still ended up together! Tell me, what's this if not true love?"

Laura smiled and said, "I didn't know how to cherish what I had before, but I'll treasure Thomas with all my heart from now on."

Thomas looked at her affectionately.

When Gina left, Christopher excitedly said, "Daddy, now that you've gotten together with Aunt Laura, does that mean I can change my mommy now?"

Thomas hurriedly covered Christopher's mouth, gesturing for him to stop talking.

He then glanced at Shannon and said, "Chris is still a child—please don't take what he says to heart."

Seeing how she didn't respond, Thomas explained further, "What I said earlier was all for the sake of Laura's career."

Shannon nodded. "I understand. You don't have to explain it to me."

Staring at her calm expression, Thomas couldn't help but feel a strange sensation stirring within him.

Beside him, Laura gently took his hand and said, "You better start eating soon, Thomas, or the dishes will turn cold."

Thomas smiled sweetly at her words, quickly getting swept up in her tenderness. He hardly noticed Shannon at all.

…

After finishing their meal, they headed toward the parking lot across the street.

A small car suddenly sped out from the intersection.

Thomas noticed it just in time and instinctively pulled Laura and Christopher to the curb. He completely forgot about Shannon, who was still on the road.

The car screeched to a halt, and she collapsed onto the pavement.

Thomas was thrown into panic when he saw what happened. He quickly let go of Laura and rushed over to check on Shannon.

She trembled violently, curling up as cold sweat beaded her forehead.

Thomas' full attention was on Shannon. His voice shook with urgency. "Are you okay, Shannon? I'll send you to the hospital at once!"

She tried to speak, but the pain left her with no energy to do so. She reached out to hold his hand, wanting to reassure him.

However, Christopher started screaming at Thomas before Shannon could speak. "Daddy! Aunt Laura is about to faint! Come quickly!"

Chapter 6

As soon as he heard Christopher's cries, Thomas immediately glanced over at Laura. The worry in his eyes grew.

She stubbornly replied, "I'm fine, Thomas. It's just my hemophobia acting up. Don't mind me—it's more important to check on Ms. Linsel now."

Christopher said, "Look at how pale you've become, Aunt Laura, yet you're still insisting you're fine! Don't just stand there, Daddy—hurry up and send her to the hospital! I saw the car stop in time. Mommy is clearly pretending—she's doing it just to compete with Aunt Laura for your attention!"

Thomas cast a suspicious gaze at Shannon after hearing those words. He frowned, unable to make a decision.

Laura whimpered painfully, and he immediately lost all sense of reason. He hurriedly helped her up and headed toward the car, covering her eyes as they passed Shannon.

Thomas then turned around with a guilt-stricken face. "Laura has been frail since she was young—she can't afford any setbacks. I've called the ambulance, so someone should be here for you soon. Just hold on a little longer."

As their footsteps grew fainter, Shannon slowly came to terms with the fact that she had been left behind. She wanted to laugh bitterly, yet blood spilled from her lips as soon as she moved.

Her consciousness was already fading by the time the stretchers came for her.

The voices of the paramedics buzzed around her ears. "What kind of person calls an ambulance, only to leave the injured all alone?"

…

Shannon was lying on the hospital bed by the time she came to.

After calling the doctor, Evan Lundell, over, he said, "You were in an accident, weren't you? You've got a mild concussion and scrapes all over your body."

Shannon wasn't surprised to hear about her condition. Although the driver had managed to stop in time, she was still slightly harmed in the impact.

She looked at Evan and asked, "How long do I have before I can get discharged?"

He quickly stopped her. "Discharged? You'll need at least four days with that concussion of yours!"

After Evan left, Shannon counted with her fingers. There were five days left to the agreement—only one day would be left after she was discharged.

She let out a bitter sigh at that thought. Finally, she had gone through most of it.

"Hey, did you know that Laura Zimmerman was admitted to our hospital? The guy she's rumored to be dating is here too!"

"Really?"

"Of course! You didn't see how anxious Mr. Ford was just now—he carried her to the VIP ward the whole way!"

"He even got her follow-up exam done by an expert in the field!"

Shannon let out a bitter laugh before slowly making her way over, steadying herself against the wall.

The door to the VIP ward was left open by a crack.

Shannon saw Laura lying on the hospital bed, with Christopher nervously holding her hand. Meanwhile, Thomas was carefully feeding her some oatmeal, his eyes filled with a tenderness Shannon had never seen before.

The three of them looked happy together. Meanwhile, Shannon seemed like a voyeur peeking in on someone else's happiness from outside the door.

A nurse, Lily Tanning, happened to come over to change Laura's dressing.

Mistaking Shannon for a fan, she gossiped to her in a whisper. "Don't you think they seem happy too? When Mr. Ford brought her over, he was so worried he wished he had passed out instead of her. Judging by how anxious he was, those rumors online are probably true."

Shannon replied hoarsely, "They do look happy."

She quietly went back into her ward once Lily left.

…

Ever since Shannon was admitted into the hospital, her phone hadn't rung once—not a single message came from Thomas or Christopher.

It was a painfully stark contrast compared to the attention Laura was getting.

There was only a single flagged email in her inbox. It was from the overseas publishing, informing her of the approaching competition and reminding her to submit her work soon.

Upon receiving the notice, Shannon asked Maya to bring her laptop over so that she could work on her manuscript in the hospital.

It was mostly quiet in her single ward and ideal for her to immerse herself in writing. She turned off her phone and switched her laptop to offline mode so that she could shut out the distractions.

In the five years Shannon had been with Thomas, she'd poured all her energy into him, barely touching her writing. But it all came back to her naturally when she picked it up once again.

She lost all sense of time, fully absorbed in her work. It wasn't until a nurse told her she was cleared for discharge that she realized four days had passed.

By then, Shannon had just finished her manuscript. After submitting it, she took out her phone.

The moment the screen lit up, dozens of missed calls and texts from Thomas came flooding in. There were over 99 notifications in total.