Ladonna stumbled into the room at the Aureole Hotel. She had to drink a lot at the party tonight, and now she felt like she was burning up inside.

"I'm thirsty..."

She went to the bar and drank a few glasses of red wine. It helped cool her down a bit, but she felt even more woozy.

Smack!

Cedric Ferguson opened the bathroom door, and right away, he could tell someone had come in.

He quickly wrapped a towel around himself and walked into the bedroom.

There was a girl in a deep slumber by the bed. She was wearing a black velvet dress with a deep V-neck. Her skin was fair and smooth, her legs were long and straight, and her slender waist traced a perfect silhouette.

She was undoubtedly hot, but Cedric didn't care.

He scowled.

"Who the hell gave you the guts to come in here?!"

Ladonna's eyelashes fluttered a bit, but she didn't wake up.

Annoyed, Cedric bent his knees a little and picked her up like she was nothing. Then he splashed his drink all over her.

"Get out of my sight! I don't want anything to do with a cheap girl like you!"

He was the heir to the Ferguson family, a super-rich and powerful family that had been around for a hundred years in Valorbury. He was also the CEO of the Ferguson Group. Over the years, he had met so many girls who tried every trick to get close to him or flirt with him. He thought this woman was probably the same.

"Ugh..."

Ladonna groaned and opened her eyes.

The first thing she saw was a handsome face, like something out of a movie. The guy had a sharp nose, thin lips pursed tight, and deep, cold eyes.

His hair was damp, and little droplets of water were sliding down his chiseled face. He had a narrow waist, long legs wrapped in a towel, and a toned, bronze-colored body. He looked like he could take anyone down.

Ladonna burped from the booze and blurted out, "Wow, you're really hot.

"Hey, did you get the wrong room? Or are you looking to hook up?"

Her eyes were blurry as she reached out and touched Cedric's abs. They felt so good that she didn't want to let go.

"You've got a great body. How much do you charge for a night? 10 dollars, and you're mine!"

Cedric's gaze was gloomy, and he looked like he was ready to kill.

He thought, "This damn girl actually thinks I'm some kind of gigolo and that she can get me for 10 dollars! She's pushing her luck!"

He tossed Ladonna onto the bed and leaned over her with his big, strong body. "You're the first girl who offers to pay to sleep with me!"

"So, are you into it?"

Ladonna's cheeks were bright red, and when she parted her lips, a sweet, flowery scent filled the air. It made Cedric feel a little weird.

Six years ago, he got into a bad car accident and was in a coma for months. His body was all messed up, and he even lost some basic guy stuff. But with this girl, he suddenly felt hot, like his blood was on fire.

His eyes grew a little more somber.

"You..."

Before he could finish, Ladonna arched her back, wrapped her arms around his neck, and smashed her soft, sweet lips onto his. Her tongue went wild in his mouth, a little clumsy but charming.

Cedric's breathing got tight, and he felt like he was about to explode.

Just then, Ladonna wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling their bodies close together.

"Mmm..."

Cedric's cold eyes were sparking with some serious heat.

"You started this, and you're gonna finish it!"

He swung his hand and yanked off the towel. He was about to lean in with his solid body, but Ladonna closed her eyes, looking sleepy. Her eyelashes fluttered, and she whined, "Why don't you care about me?

"Layton, you'll never know what I did for you six years ago..."

When Cedric heard her words, his eyes turned cold, and the urge he was feeling died down.

Even in her sleep, Ladonna was calling out another guy's name.

* * *

Six Years Before

"Ow... It hurts..."

Ladonna Craig lay on the cold operating table with her legs spread wide.

The doctor was pushing a glass tube into her body.

Seeing her pale face, he sneered, "Just grit your teeth this once, and you'll get 8.5 million dollars. Ms. Craig, this is a pretty good deal for you!"

Ladonna closed her eyes, feeling embarrassed and helpless, with tears rolling down her cheeks.

If she could choose, she'd rather not take the money.

Layton made her do this.

Her fiancé, Layton Beasley had hit Randall Ferguson's grandson with his car. He proposed that his fiancée Ladonna have a kid with Randall's grandson to avoid imprisonment.

Randall, who was eager for a grandson, readily agreed.

And Layton promised her that if she had the baby, they'd get married.

Ladonna lost her parents when she was little, and the Beasley family took her in and raised her.

She and Layton grew up together. She thought that once the baby was born, everything would be over, and they could move on.

The doctor checked that the embryo was in the uterus and then left with his tools.

The operating room was eerily quiet, and all that Ladonna could hear was her erratic heartbeat.

Ten months later, two baby cries were ringing out in the delivery room.

"Sir Ferguson, it's two baby boys."

Randall, with gray hair, took the babies from the doctor, looking at them with so much love.

In Ladonna's blurry eyes, the babies were tiny and cute, with pretty little faces. She smiled a little, but then she thought about how the babies weren't really hers, and her heart felt heavy.

"Can I take a look at the babies?"

Randall gave her a sharp look. "Ms. Craig, I gave you 8.5 million dollars and took care of that car accident. Now I'm taking the babies. Forget this whole deal ever happened."

Then he left with his people, without even looking back.

"I just wanted to take one last look," Ladonna muttered, her voice trembling with pain. She had carried those babies for ten whole months, and she loved them dearly. How could she let them go like that?

She ran after Randall in a panic, but then a sharp, stabbing pain hit her all of a sudden.

A little while later, another baby started crying.

Ladonna held her little daughter tight.

It turned out she had been pregnant with three babies. This baby girl was like an unexpected gift from God and she was determined to take good care of her.

The sun was bright, and Ladonna woke up feeling all achy.

Last night, she went to dinner as Layton's assistant. A bald, chubby boss kept forcing her to drink, saying it was for a deal they were working on. After that, she went back to her regular hotel to crash out.

But why did the room look so different?

In a hazy moment, she remembered something about being all over some guy.

Her cheeks flushed, and her heart started pounding.

It had to be a dream. She wouldn't hit on some random guy like that!

Ladonna shook those crazy thoughts out of her head, quickly got cleaned up, packed her stuff, and got out of there.

When she was closing the door, she checked the room number: 8888!

Oh crap! She got into the wrong room! Her usual room was 8808!

So, she did flirt with some guy last night.

Ladonna blushed with embarrassment. She hoped she'd never see that guy again for the rest of her life!

She bolted out of the hotel like she was escaping from something. Once she got outside and breathed the fresh air, she started to feel calm.

While she was waiting by the roadside for a taxi, a little boy around five or six years old tripped and fell right at her feet.

He looked like a sleepy little kitten with his soft and gentle appearance, and made Ladonna want to hug him.

At first, Ladonna thought the boy was playing around, but after a bit, he was still lying there on her lap, not moving. She realized something wasn't right.

"Hey there, little one, what's wrong?"

She squatted down and picked the boy up. His skin felt hot, and she knew he wasn't feeling well.

Feeling the warm hug, Corbin Ferguson slowly opened his heavy eyes.

He thought, "This lady is so nice and pretty, and she feels like my mom."

"Mommy," he called out softly before he passed out.

This gentle whisper made Ladonna's heart skip a beat. She thought about the two sons she lost six years ago; they'd be about this age now.

"I'm taking you to the hospital," she said, trying to stay calm.

She got into the taxi that was waiting nearby with the boy in her arms.

* * *

In the CEO's office on the 88th floor of the Ferguson Group.

"What? Coby is missing?!"

Cedric's voice cut through the big office. It was cold and scary.

He was boiling with rage. "You guys are all useless! Go find him, now! If you don't find him, you're done for!"

The guards shook in their shoes.

Cedric ran the whole Ferguson family and the biggest money group in the world, the Ferguson Group. He had got a reputation for being brutal, cold, and merciless. With a massive business empire and an army of guards at his back, he was one of the most powerful figures in Valorbury and all of Eryndor.

His son Corbin was like a prince—nobody could reach his level. If the guards didn't find him soon, it could get serious and involve the navy, army, and air force.

They hurried out as soon as they got the order.

Cedric stood tall by the floor-to-ceiling window, looking worried.

Six years ago, when he was in a coma from a car accident, his grandpa believed some quack doctor who said he'd never wake up. To keep their family going and hold onto their billions, a girl was made to have two kids with him.

Corbin was the older one, and there was a second kid.

Cedric had been careful and protective of Corbin all these years, but something still went wrong.

He was about to call his buddy in the military when his phone rang with a number he didn't recognize.

His number was top secret, and it took a bunch of steps to even call him.

Whoever was on the other end was definitely not an ordinary person!

Cedric answered the call, and a soft, sweet voice said, "Hello? Your son is at the Valorbury Central Hospital right now."

It sounded familiar.

Cedric remembered right away! It was that girl from last night who wanted to pay him 10 dollars for a night!

He squeezed the phone with his big, strong hand and growled, "I'm coming right now! Stay there!"

That girl was sneaky. She couldn't get to him, so she went after Corbin.

Corbin had always been kept under a watchful eye. How did she manage to get him away?

Cedric quickly told his people to get a helicopter ready. He needed to get there in five minutes.

* * *

In the hospital room.

Corbin was lying in Ladonna's arms, hooked up to an IV. His big, sparkling eyes were glued to her face, full of love and longing.

"Mommy... Are you my mommy?"

Hearing his sweet voice, Ladonna felt a warm, fuzzy feeling in her heart.

She softly patted his fluffy hair and said gently, "Little boy, maybe you're a little mixed up because you're sick. I'm not your mommy. When your daddy comes, he'll help you find your mommy, okay?"

Corbin blinked his eyes and bit his lip, looking sad. "I don't have a mommy. Can you be my mommy? I really like you!"

Ladonna froze. This little boy didn't have a mom.

No wonder he got lost, and no one knew he was sick.

She hugged him tighter, feeling bad for him.

"Sorry, I can't be your mommy. I have a fiancé, even though we've been engaged for six years and haven't gotten married yet."

Corbin's head drooped, his eyes got all red, and he looked like he was about to cry.

Bang!

The door was kicked open, and some guards in black stormed in, surrounding the room. A tall and strong-looking guy walked in.

Ladonna was totally scared by what she saw.

"You've got some serious guts to kidnap my son!"

His voice was cold and scary, like something out of a nightmare.

Ladonna looked up and saw who it was.

He was incredibly handsome, but his words were so harsh.

Ladonna steadied herself and said, "Sir, I think there has been a big mistake. Your son..."

"A mistake?" Cedric stepped right in front of her, looking intimidating.

"I already figured out what you're like last night! You're the type who'll do anything for money and power!

"You don't have what it takes to be with me! And forget about trying to get close to the Ferguson family!"

The Ferguson family?

So, this guy...

What a crazy coincidence!

Ladonna flirted with Cedric last night, and today she saved his son.

She put Corbin on the bed, grabbed her backpack, and walked up to Cedric in a huff.

She looked up at him and met his cold stare. "Listen, I'm sorry about last night, but I saved your son today. You should thank me. And you thought I kidnapped him just now, so you owe me an apology!"

Cedric snorted. "Like I'm gonna do that."

This girl was trying so hard to get his attention.

But she was way off the mark.

"I'm giving you one minute to get out of here. Otherwise, don't blame me if I have my guys toss you out the window!"

"You!" Ladonna was fuming, breathing hard with anger.

"You're so full of yourself! Sure, you look nice, but you're not even as friendly as a pet! Who'd like you?

"Fine, I'll leave! You know what? You're really bad in bed!"

Ladonna pulled out 10 dollars from her bag and threw it at Cedric, then took off.

Cedric looked at the money on the floor, his face turning black as thunder.

Ladonna had humiliated him again with 10 dollars!

When he was about to send someone after her, he heard Corbin's soft voice. "Mommy! Mommy, don't go!"

His heart jolted. Ever since the second kid's accident, Corbin hadn't spoken a word. The doctors said he had some serious mental block and might never talk again.

But now he spoke up because of a stranger!

Cedric was surprised and happy, and he had someone go check on Corbin.

While they were waiting for the doctor, Corbin, with tears in his eyes, grabbed onto Cedric's suit and whined, "You're mean! You're not my daddy! You made Mommy go away. You're a bad guy!"

Cedric tried to sound as gentle as he could. "That lady isn't your mommy! She has got some bad ideas, and she's not fit to be your mommy!"

"No! She's my mommy! I want her to be my mommy!"

"Today, I heard you were at the Aureole Hotel, so I snuck out to find you. When I fainted on the way, Mommy saved me. She's not a bad person. She's the gentlest mommy in the world!"

Cedric was a little stunned.

So Ladonna didn't kidnap Corbin. But what she did at the hotel last night was still stuck in his mind.

"Good boy. If you want a mommy, I can let you pick the best one. But not that lady!"

Corbin pushed Cedric away, his face puffed up with anger, and big tears started rolling down his cheeks.

Cedric felt bad. He tried to wipe the tears, but Corbin pushed him away again.

He had raised Corbin himself, and the boy had always depended on him. They got along great, and there had never been any problems between them.

But now, Ladonna had easily created a gap between them.

Cedric felt all kinds of emotions swirling inside.

Just then, the doctor rushed in. After checking Corbin over, he said, "Mr. Ferguson, you'd better not go against anything your son wants. Since he's finally willing to speak, you gotta do what he says, or his condition could get a lot worse."

His words made Cedric feel down.

Was he seriously gonna let Ladonna be Corbin's mom?

Yeah, she was special. She was the only girl who ever got a reaction out of him and the only one Corbin ever got close to.

"Mr. Ferguson, here's Ms. Craig's file."

One of Cedric's guys handed him a stack of papers.

He took a quick look at Corbin, who had finally fallen asleep after all the fuss, then walked over to the window and opened the file.

Ladonna Craig.

What a demure name, but she was wild in bed!

Cedric skimmed through the info.

Ladonna wasn't married but had a kid.

She had been engaged to Layton for six years, but they never tied the knot.

Layton's name rang a bell. His family moved here from Aldmire a couple years ago. He was well-known for being a total player, hooking up with many different girls but never touching his own fiancée.

So Ladonna was his poor fiancée.

What did she do to turn the once cool Layton into such a woman-chasing jerk?

Cedric started to get curious about Ladonna.

* * *

Ladonna left the hospital, feeling tired. She hailed a cab and headed to the Beasley Group.

Six years ago, she had three kids in secret. Two of the kids came with 8.5 million dollars, which saved the Beasley Group and even helped them move their headquarters to Valorbury.

Yet, no one in the Beasley family was grateful, because she disappeared for ten months and came back with a baby girl.

Layton blamed her for leaving when he was hurt and in bed. He also hated her for being with some other guy.

When she was thinking about Layton, his call came.

"Come to the Raymon Jewelry!" he said, and then hung up.

Ladonna looked at her phone and sighed.

After six years, she still couldn't get used to Layton's coldness.

Twenty minutes later, Ladonna got to the fancy mall in Valorbury, which was run by the Ferguson Group.

She bought a cup of coffee and sipped it as she went toward the jewelry counter.

From far away, she saw Layton making out with a curvy girl. They were kissing so passionately that it almost looked like their spit was stringing together. The girl even reached down and touched Layton's bulge teasingly.

Seeing the two of them being all lovey-dovey hurt her heart.

Layton noticed her staring and frowned, crooking his finger at her like she was some pet he was calling over.

Ladonna bit her lip, trying to hold back her embarrassment and anger, and walked over to them.

"What do you want?"

Layton put his arm around the girl next to him and said with a doting smile, "Pick out a ring for my wife, Jessie."

"Ugh, stop it." Jessie playfully punched Layton's chest.

But she didn't look shy at all. Instead, she seemed to be challenging Ladonna and looking down on her.

She knew Ladonna was Layton's fiancée, but so what? She was going to take her place soon!

"Does this look good on Jessie?"

Ladonna looked down and saw Layton pick up a ring.

They had checked it out many times back in college. It was supposed to be their engagement ring someday!

But now, he was actually going to buy it for his mistress!

Ladonna twisted her lips. "Yeah, it's perfect for a scumbag and his mistress."

"What did you say?" Jessie glared and slapped at her, but she dodged quickly.

Her face turned cold. "Enough! I don't have time for your lovey-dovey act. Buy whatever you want!"

Layton chuckled. "Ladonna, you can't take it already? Compared to what you did to me, this is nothing. I'll make you suffer slowly!"

Ladonna was so furious that she was shaking all over. She splashed her coffee on him.

"Layton! You're not a real man!"

"Oh? Then who is? How many men can deal with their fiancée losing her first time before marriage and having a love child? I'm letting you be around me, and you still think I'm not magnanimous enough?"

Ladonna was embarrassed and humiliated.

Over the years, Layton had humiliated her in every possible way. She knew he hated her, but she couldn't bring herself to tell the truth.

Exhausted, she closed her eyes and said weakly, "Layton, you've drained every ounce of love I had for you."

With that, she strode away.

Layton watched her receding figure, feeling a sharp pain in his heart.

He loved Ladonna, deeply and irrevocably. If it weren't for that one thing, they might have been married and had kids. But now...

"Honey, don't let her ruin our mood. Let's keep picking out the rings."

Jessie's voice brought Layton back to his senses. He handed his black card to the salesperson and then led Jessie to the men's restroom. He locked the door, pulled down her briefs, and thrust into her hard and deep.

Every time Ladonna got to him emotionally, he would turn to sleeping with girls.

Since Ladonna wasn't a virgin, he saw no reason to stay faithful to her.

* * *

Ladonna went to the beach to cool off. Once she felt better, she headed back to her apartment.

To keep her daughter, Izabella Craig, from getting bullied, they had been living on their own these past few years.

As Ladonna took out her keys to open the door, she felt something soft under her foot.

She turned on her flashlight and saw a cute little boy.

"Coby! What are you doing here?"

Corbin sniffled and threw his arms around Ladonna excitedly. "Mommy, you're finally back! I've been waiting for you."

Ladonna was totally shocked to see Corbin again.

There was no way his dad would send him over, given how he usually acted.

She squatted down to look into Corbin's big, round eyes and asked, "Coby, did you sneak out?"

"Uh... No, I didn't. It's not like that..."

Corbin's voice was hesitant, and that made Ladonna even more sure of her guess.

Being part of the high society, she knew a bit about the Ferguson family. Cedric was a big deal, and everyone wanted to get close to him. He thought she had some hidden agenda, and if she got more involved with his son, she'd be in deep trouble!

This was such a headache! She didn't want anything to do with him anymore!

Ladonna held Corbin's arm and said softly, "How about I take you to the police station? You can wait there for your daddy to come get you, okay?"

"No! I want you, not my daddy!" Corbin pouted, and tears rolled down his face.

His cute and sad look was heart-melting.

Ladonna hurriedly wiped away his tears, feeling bad inside.

She liked Corbin. If he had come from an ordinary family, they would have gotten along great. But...

Corbin tugged at Ladonna's sleeve, begging, "Mommy, can I stay here for one night? Please! Just one night!"

"But your daddy..."

"He has gone abroad on a business trip, and he won't be back until next week."

Seeing how pitiful Corbin looked, Ladonna finally gave in and said yes.

She opened the door and let Corbin in, then saw that he had brought all sorts of stuff: pajamas, toys, a towel, and even a teacup pig!

The pink piglet was dashing around the living room, leaving little footprints everywhere. Corbin was chasing after it, shouting, "Rex! Don't run all over Mommy's house!"

Ladonna giggled.

Corbin had named the pig Rex. So adorable!

Just then, the door to the small bedroom opened.

Izabella, wearing pajamas with Peppa Pig patterns, came out rubbing her eyes.

"Mommy, huh..."

She didn't finish her sentence before Corbin and Rex bumped into her, and they all tumbled onto the carpet.

She looked at the boy, who was about her age and pretty cute, and blinked. "Who are you?" she asked.

"I, I..."

Ladonna walked over and introduced the two kids to each other.

"Coby, can we play a game together?" Izabella was excited to have Corbin around.

"Sure."

The two kids had a lot of fun. Ladonna got the bath ready and gave them a nice bath.

It was Corbin's first time taking a bath with his mommy, and it felt soft and cozy. He thought having a mommy was awesome.

As Ladonna carried Corbin to the bedroom, he leaned over and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Mommy, thank you. I love you!" he said.

Then he hid his face in her shoulder, looking a little shy.

Ladonna was deeply touched. She saw the son she had lost in Corbin. She should be the one thanking him for giving her a chance to make up for what she missed out on.

"Babies, I love you too," she whispered.

After getting the kids to sleep, Ladonna went to take a bath. When she came out wrapped in a towel after her bath, she was shocked by what she saw.

The living room was packed with a crowd of men in dark clothes, and it felt like there was no air to breathe. Right in the middle, on the couch, sat a man who looked classy and had a strong presence.

Seeing Ladonna, Cedric stood up and walked over with confident strides. His black, sharp-looking overcoat made a swishing sound as he moved, and he looked intimidating.

When Ladonna finally got a good look at his handsome face, her heart skipped a beat.

"Mr. Ferguson, I swear I didn't kidnap Coby. He pitifully begged me to let him stay for the night."

Cedric stood right in front of her, and his tall, strong figure made her feel small.

He glanced at her smooth, creamy skin, and his throat bobbed uncontrollably. Then, in a deep, rough voice, he said, "Get me a room. I'm staying here tonight."

Ladonna was stunned, not knowing what to say.

"Coby is already asleep, and I don't want to wake him up," Cedric said. He could tell Ladonna was confused. "I took a ten-hour flight. I'm beat."

When he heard Corbin was missing again, he hopped on a plane and rushed back. He was glad Corbin was safe.

Corbin was so attached to Ladonna. Cedric had to take another look at his relationship with her.

"Oh, okay."

Cedric was way too mysterious and intimidating. Ladonna didn't want to get tangled up with him any more than she had to. If he wanted to stay, so be it. Maybe he could take Corbin with him tomorrow.

"Tell all these guys in black to leave. I'm not used to having so many men around. It makes me uncomfortable."

Cedric waved his hand, and the guards left the apartment.

With only the two of them left in the living room, Ladonna felt her cheeks flush red under Cedric's intense gaze.

"Um, I'll go get the room ready," she said, quickly heading off to change into her pajamas and then starting to clean up.

Cedric looked around the apartment but didn't see any men's stuff.

It seemed Ladonna was quite self-disciplined.

"You can sleep in this room. I'll grab some blankets for you," Ladonna said after she changed.

She took Cedric to Izabella's room, folded up Izabella's bedding, and then climbed a ladder to the top of the cabinet to find a new set of blankets.

Ladonna had some kind of special charm that Cedric couldn't explain. His eyes wouldn't leave her.

Her long, wavy hair was loose and smelled nice. Under her light pajamas, her waist was slender, and her legs were long and smooth.

She was holding onto the ladder tightly, and her skirt was lifted a bit, showing her shapely legs and that mysterious area.

She wasn't wearing anything under there!

Cedric narrowed his eyes. He could feel his blood rushing to one spot.

Ladonna was getting to him again!

She was definitely different from anyone else!

Ladonna didn't know what was happening with Cedric. She felt his eyes on her, intense and piercing.

She was so nervous that she broke out in a cold sweat, and her fingers were gripping the corner of the quilt but couldn't pull it free.

"Need a hand?" Cedric asked.

His deep, husky voice made Ladonna's heart skip a beat. "N-No, I'm okay... Ah!"

The next second, she slipped and fell off the ladder, still holding onto the quilt.

Cedric's eyebrows shot up in concern, and he instinctively reached out to catch her.

They ended up falling onto the soft, fluffy comforter.

Ladonna landed face-down, and Cedric was right on top of her, pressing against her back. They were so close that there was barely any space between them.

"Ouch... That hurts!"

Before Ladonna could even think about the pain, she felt something hard poking her bottom, and it kept getting bigger.

She reached back, confused and surprised. "What's this?"

Her hand touched something warm, and she could feel Cedric's breathing getting heavier and his heart beating faster.

"Mmm... Stop that!"

Ladonna turned her head and saw what she had touched. Her face turned bright red, and she pulled her hand back right away.

"S-Sorry," she stuttered, her voice shaking.

She had never been this close to a guy before, and her heart was racing like crazy.

Cedric's breathing got deeper. He put his big hand on Ladonna's slender waist and pulled her even closer.

"Ugh..." Ladonna let out a soft, uncomfortable moan, her face reddening.

"Ladonna, you've got me hooked now!"