I stared at the clause until the letters blurred.
—Someone added this after I signed?
Gabriel nodded.
—The original agreement has fourteen pages. The version registered by the Shen family’s legal office has fifteen.
My fingers tightened around the document.
—Who did it?
—That’s what I’ve been trying to discover.
I looked at him suspiciously.
—For five years?
Gabriel’s expression changed.
—Natalia, you didn’t simply disappear five years ago.
He took another document from the folder.
It was a bank statement.
My hundred-million-yuan divorce payment.
Except the sender wasn’t Adrian.
I looked again.
The account belonged to Shen Family Holdings.
—Adrian told me he transferred it.
—He requested ten million.
My blood went cold.
—What?
—My father changed it to one hundred million.
Gabriel looked toward the children.
—Someone wanted you to take enough money to disappear comfortably.
A terrible thought formed.
—And someone knew I was pregnant.
Gabriel didn’t answer.
He didn’t need to.
Behind me, Leo appeared.
—Mom?
I immediately folded the papers.
—Why aren’t you sleeping?
He looked at Gabriel.
—Who is he?
Gabriel crouched slightly.
—Your mother’s acquaintance.
Leo studied him with uncomfortable seriousness.
—You look like Nico.
Gabriel almost smiled.
—I’ve noticed.
—Are you our bad father’s relative?
I closed my eyes.
Children.
Gabriel raised an eyebrow.
—Apparently.
Leo crossed his arms.
—Then I don’t trust you.
—Smart boy.
I sent Leo back inside.
Then I turned to Gabriel.
—Why are you helping me?
His face became unreadable.
—Because Adrian currently controls forty-one percent of Shen Group.
—And?
—I control thirty-eight.
There it was.
Family war.
I laughed coldly.
—So my children are shares to you.
—Potentially.
At least he didn’t lie.
Gabriel continued:
—Under my father’s trust, direct descendants receive voting rights through a guardian. Three legitimate children could change the balance of the entire group.
My stomach twisted.
Suddenly that forged custody clause made perfect sense.
This wasn’t about grandchildren.
It was about control.
—I won’t let anyone use them.
—Then don’t let Adrian know they exist.
Too late.
A phone began ringing inside my suite.
Not mine.
Nico’s smartwatch.
I rushed inside.
Nico was staring at the screen.
Unknown number.
Before I could stop him, he answered.
—Hello?
A man’s voice came through.
—Who are you?
Every muscle in my body froze.
I knew that voice.
Adrian.
Nico frowned.
—You called me. You should introduce yourself first.
Gabriel entered behind me.
Adrian went silent.
Then:
—Where did you get this number?
—Mom bought the watch.
Another pause.
—What’s your mother’s name?
I grabbed the watch.
But Nico answered first.
—Natalia Su.
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Then Adrian said:
—Put your mother on.
I ended the call.
Three seconds later, my own phone rang.
Adrian Shen.
The name I hadn’t seen on my screen for five years.
I blocked it.
Another number called.
Blocked.
Then another.
Gabriel looked at me.
—He’s figured it out.
—From one phone call?
—Adrian isn’t stupid.
Ten minutes later, my assistant called.
—Ms. Su, there’s a problem.
—What?
—Shen Capital just contacted the landlord of our flagship location.
My expression hardened.
—Why?
—They’re trying to acquire the entire building.
Gabriel gave a humorless smile.
—That’s Adrian.
Five years apart.
And his first instinct was still control.
By morning, every business publication was reporting that Shen Capital had suddenly entered negotiations for the commercial complex where Nian planned its flagship store.
At nine, I received one message.
Meet me, or I’ll keep buying until there’s nowhere in this city you can open a store.
I replied for the first time in five years.
Try.
By noon, Adrian had purchased the building.
At twelve fifteen, I purchased the company that held the mortgage on two of Shen Capital’s largest development projects.
Gabriel stared at the announcement on his tablet.
Then at me.
—I underestimated you.
I took a sip of coffee.
—Adrian did too.
At three that afternoon, Adrian walked into my temporary office.
No appointment.
No greeting.
He stopped when he saw me.
Five years had changed him.
He was broader.
Colder.
More powerful.
But the arrogance in his eyes was exactly the same.
—Where are they?
I continued signing a document.
—Where is who?
His jaw tightened.
—The children.
I finally looked up.
—My children have nothing to do with you.
—They’re five.
—Excellent arithmetic.
—Natalia.
He placed three photographs on my desk.
Leo.
Nico.
Emma.
Airport security images.
My anger exploded.
—You investigated my children?
—Are they mine?
I stood.
—You gave up the right to ask questions about my life when you bought our divorce.
For the first time, something uncertain appeared in his eyes.
—If I’d known you were pregnant—
—You would have done what?
I walked around the desk.
—Stayed out of love?
—Abandoned Isabel?
—Or offered me another hundred million for the babies?
His face darkened.
—I never transferred one hundred million.
I froze.
Gabriel had told the truth.
Adrian continued:
—I authorized ten.
—Then why didn’t you notice another ninety million disappeared?
His expression changed.
He hadn’t known.
I pushed the forged agreement toward him.
—And did you add this?
Adrian read the custody clause.
The blood slowly drained from his face.
—No.
—Convenient.
—Natalia, this clause wasn’t there when I signed.
Before I could answer, Gabriel entered.
Adrian’s entire body stiffened.
—Uncle.
Gabriel calmly closed the door.
—Nephew.
The resemblance between them suddenly felt unsettling.
Adrian looked at me.
—Why is he here?
—Because unlike you, he warned me someone was coming for my children.
Adrian turned sharply.
—What are you talking about?
Gabriel tossed another file onto the desk.
—Ask your mother.
Adrian stopped.
I frowned.
—His mother?
Gabriel nodded.
—The custody clause was processed through her private legal office.
Adrian immediately called someone.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
Then my hotel security called.
—Ms. Su, three representatives from Shen Family Legal are downstairs.
My pulse accelerated.
—Why?
—They have a court filing concerning three minors.
Adrian’s face became terrifyingly still.
Gabriel cursed under his breath.
I grabbed my bag.
—The children.
We rushed back to the hotel.
When the elevator opened on my floor, two security guards were standing outside my suite.
My nanny was arguing with a lawyer.
Leo and Emma were behind her.
But Nico wasn’t there.
I ran forward.
—Where is my son?
My nanny turned white.
—Ms. Su… I thought he was with you.
My heart stopped.
Adrian grabbed the lawyer by the shoulder.
—Where is Nico?
The man stammered:
—Mr. Shen, we were only instructed to deliver custody documents.
Then Leo stepped forward holding Nico’s smartwatch.
—Mom.
His voice trembled.
—Nico left this.
On the screen was a message.
I went with Grandma Shen. She said she knows why Dad never knew about us.
Adrian looked at me.
—My mother has Nico?
Gabriel was already making a call.
But Leo tugged my sleeve.
—There’s something else.
He handed me a small envelope.
Inside was a photograph taken five years earlier.
I was leaving the hospital holding my ultrasound report.
Someone had photographed me that day.
On the back was a handwritten sentence:
TRIPLE PREGNANCY CONFIRMED. DO NOT INFORM ADRIAN.
Below it was a date.
Three days before our divorce.
Adrian stared at the photograph.
His voice became almost inaudible.
—Someone knew before I asked you to divorce me.
Gabriel looked at him.
—Exactly.
Then Adrian’s phone rang.
His mother.
He answered immediately.
—Where is Nico?
A woman’s calm voice came through the speaker.
—Bring Natalia and the other two children to the old Shen residence.
—If you touch my son—
—Your son?
She laughed softly.
Then said something that silenced all of us.
—Adrian, before you start pretending to be an outraged father, perhaps you should ask why I paid Natalia one hundred million to disappear.
Adrian’s fingers tightened around the phone.
—Why?
There was a pause.
—Because five years ago, those three babies were never supposed to belong to you.
