Chapter 2
Today was Friday, the day Harvey’s first love returned to the country.
They had been college sweethearts, getting engaged soon after graduation.
But just a month before their wedding, Vivian Oaklynn fell head over heels for a French man.
She abandoned Harvey without hesitation, leaving for France in pursuit of true love.
From then on, their paths diverged completely.
Harvey had been deeply despondent for a long time because of her.
It was during that time that I became his assistant.
One drunken night, we ended up having a child together.
I became his hidden wife, and along with me, my child was met with nothing but neglect.
After printing the divorce agreement I drafted yesterday, I started preparing my resignation letter.
Unlike my son, I was used to Harvey’s cold and heartless demeanor. I wasn’t foolish enough to keep waiting for a lost soul to come around.
Seven years was more than enough to extinguish all my girlish fantasies.
“Emily, are you really planning to resign?”
A colleague glanced at my screen and asked softly.
I smiled, giving the excuse I had prepared long ago:
“Yes, the child’s father is abroad. I’m planning to take my son there so we can be together as a family.”
My colleague nodded.
“That’s a good idea. It must be so hard for you to raise a child alone here.”
“You know, we’ve always thought you were a single mom.”
The Billionaire’s Hidden Daughter
Hearing that, I couldn’t help but laugh, though my laughter was tinged with bitterness.
avasn’t a single mom, but my life was worse than one.
Feeling a sting in my eyes, I quickly forced a practiced smile, unwilling to let anyone notice my
sadness.
After submitting my resignation letter, Harvey walked in with Vivian.
She walked ahead, her face glowing with a gentle smile.
Harvey followed behind her, his gaze never leaving her for even a second.
colleague mudged me and whispered, “Emily, do you see that? Our boss is finally showing some
emotion.”
I forced a weak smile as a storm raged in my heart.
It takes over a decade for a barren tree to bloom.
But Harvey…
Even if I waited my entire life, I would never see him look at me.
As we brushed past each other, I couldn’t help but call out to him:
“Har___”
I had barely started when the man turned to me with a cold, icy gaze.
“Assistant Hope, is there something you need?”
His detached words carried a warning–a warning for me to swallow the words on the tip of my
tongue.
A warning to remind me of my place.
I lowered my eyes, using every ounce of strength to hide the redness threatening to spill from them.
“Sorry, Mr. Landon.”
Harvey gave a curt “Hmm,” withdrawing his gaze immediately.
He turned his attention back to Vivian, staring at her with such focus, as though she was his entire
The Billionaire’s Hidden Bauchter
1.0%
world.
He was my husband. The father of my child.
And yet, at this very moment, he stood before me, making no effort to conceal his love for another
woman.
1
It was ironic. And sobering.
Thinking of this, I let out a self–mocking laugh.
Originally, I had intended to tell him about my resignation.
But now, it seemed there was no need.
After all, he never cared.
He didn’t care about my feelings, didn’t care about our child.
And he certainly didn’t care about this hollow shell of a marriage.
Back at my desk, I received a call from my son on his kid’s smartwatch.
“Mom, there’s a parent–teacher meeting tonight, so we’re getting out of school early today.”
“Uncle Chuck brought me here to find you.”
I froze for a moment, then instinctively stood up and walked out.
Just in time to see Harvey reaching out to adjust Vivian’s hair.
Not far away, at the elevator, stood my son with his school bag on his back.
The little boy stood there, staring blankly at his father being so intimate with a woman he didnt
know.
So gentle, so patient.
Both my son and I had seen that before.
I was about to take him away when Harvey noticed him too.
The man’s body stiffened, and he instinctively withdrew his hand.
The Billionaire’s Hidden Daughter
But in the next moment, he protectively escorted the woman past my son, slowly yet decisively.
As if he didn’t even know him.
