Chapter 1

New Amberton Children's Hospital.

"Doctor, are you sure this lab report isn't a mistake? My son's blood type is A?" "Mrs. Heath, there's no mistake. Your son is definitely type A."

Lucie stared at the test results, her hands trembling, her mind spinning. She and Steven were both type O. How could their child possibly be type A?

Cody was three years old now. No matter how gently she cared for him, he kept his distance, always cold and withdrawn. Whenever she tried to hug him, he'd twist away, sometimes even hitting, yelling, spitting in her face.

For the first time, a chilling question took hold: Had her son been switched at birth?

But that was impossible. She'd delivered at New Amberton's most prestigious private maternity hospital. With a full staff and round-the-clock care, there was no chance of a mix-up.

So what on earth had gone wrong?

...

Moonlight Bay Estate.

An hour later, Lucie pulled into the driveway, her heart pounding with dread. The second she opened her car door, Cody's laughter floated over from the garden.

"Daddy, can Aunt Shannon be my new mommy?"

"You really like Aunt Shannon that much, Cody?"

"Uh-huh! She's so pretty, and she's always nice to me. I want her to be my new mommy!"

Lucie's hand froze on the door. The words stabbed straight through her, sharp as broken glass.

In the garden, Steven sat on the swing set with his friend, Shannon. Cody nestled between them, all smiles, like the picture-perfect family she'd never had.

"Cody, you're just the sweetest," Shannon cooed.

Cody snuggled against her, arms tight around her neck. "Aunt Shannon, can I call you Mommy?"

Shannon's eyes curved into delighted crescents as she sent Steven a bashful, eager glance.

Shannon Rivas mother Marian had been Steven's nanny, her father Douglas the Heath family's driver. Steven had always treated her like a true sister. He covered her tuition, sent her to a top boarding school, and even bought her a luxury penthouse in the city's golden district. When she graduated, she walked straight into an executive position at Heath International.

At first, Lucie hadn't minded. After four years of marriage, she'd been content. Steven was heir to New Amberton's most powerful dynasty. He's handsome attentive, grounded, without any of the arrogance she might have expected. Their marriage had been peaceful. She'd been happy.

But in the last year or so, something had shifted. She began to notice the way Steven looked at Shannon-how fiercely protective he was, how every ittle thing seemed to matter to him if it concerned her. He couldn't bear for her to feel even an ounce of discomfort. It went far beyond the affection of a brother for his sister.

"I don't want my old mommy! I want Aunt Shannon to be my new mommy!" Bang! Lucie slammed the car door, her heart cracking, fury and heartbreak warring in her chest.

The sound snapped all three heads in her direction.

"You're home early," Steven called.

Lucie forced her voice steady and strode toward them. "Cody, come here."

Cody's laughter vanished. His little face twisted with disgust and defiance. He ducked behind Shannon and glared at Lucie. “No! Go away, mean mommy! I hate you!"

Lucie's chest tightened, her breath catching. Her eyes stung.

She remembered her fragile pregnancy with Cody. She'd felt sick every day, enduring the endless shots and the constant fear of losing him. She'd risked everything, nearly died, just to bring him into this world.

And now, the child she'd bled and suffered for was begging to call someone else "Mommy."

The pain was a knife, twisting deeper.

Shannon stood, eyes wide with practiced innocence. "Lucie, please don't get the wrong idea. Today's Cody's birthday. I only stopped by to celebrate."

Lucie didn't even glance at her. She kept her focus on her son, her voice low and firm. "Cody, I won't say it again. Come here. Now."