Zane Simmons got a call first thing in the morning. His mother, Paige Walsh, was coming over, and he panicked, frantically ordering the housekeeper to tidy up the villa.

Paige Walsh was in her early forties, yet her well-maintained face was completely free of wrinkles. Her long, black hair was gently swept up and secured with a jade hairpin, and she sat calmly on the sofa, exuding an air of refined elegance.

Paige Walsh was the heiress of a wealthy family. The Walsh Family had started in pharmaceuticals before opening a chain of private hospitals at home and abroad. Her marriage to Zane Simmons’s father had been an alliance between two powerful families.

Zane Simmons’s father was a notorious playboy who kept a string of mistresses both before and after their wedding. Paige Walsh, completely devoted to her research and career, couldn’t be bothered with Mr. Simmons’s affairs.

After giving birth to Zane Simmons, the two began living separately. They only put on a front for the media, while in reality, they led entirely separate lives.

Paige Walsh dedicated herself to scientific research and successfully commercialized her findings, carving out her own empire in the business world through her own abilities.

Zane Simmons served his mother tea with a wide grin. "I added a bit of honey," he said attentively. "It’s very refreshing. Please, have a taste."

Paige Walsh looked at Zane Simmons and sighed inwardly. ’Over the years, I’ve mentored countless students who have gone on to achieve great things in the field of medicine, yet I’ve failed to properly guide my own son.’

She took a slow, deliberate sip of her tea, her gaze shifting to Joanne White, who stood to the side, her pregnant belly prominent.

Joanne White stood nearby, scarcely daring to breathe. She felt as if this woman could see right through her with a single glance. Overcome with nervousness, she lowered her head. ’I have to be on my highest guard.’

Paige Walsh didn’t make things difficult for Joanne White. She simply asked about her due date and whether all the preparations for the birth were in order.

Paige Walsh’s voice was gentle and calm, yet Joanne White broke out in a cold sweat, answering each question in a hushed tone.

Paige Walsh said nothing more. After her questions were answered, she dismissed Joanne White to get some rest.

With only Paige Walsh and Zane Simmons left in the living room, Paige shot her son a sharp look and chided, "You’ve been getting more and more out of hand lately. Just look at the ridiculous mess you’ve made!"

Zane Simmons lowered his head and smiled sheepishly, not daring to say a word.

Paige Walsh frowned again. "Now that you’ve gone and produced an illegitimate child, who will dare to marry you?"

Zane Simmons rubbed his nose and replied quietly, "I told her beforehand. She could have the baby, but it would have to be sent abroad after being weaned. She agreed to that."

Zane Simmons stole a glance at Paige Walsh’s expression before adding in a low voice, "Besides, I’m not planning on getting married anyway. I know what I am; I’m not going to ruin some girl from a good family."

Paige Walsh’s frown deepened. "And you have the nerve to say that? What’s been going on between you and the Lancaster family’s real daughter?"

"A few days ago, Robert Lancaster’s wife, Elaine Hughes, came to see me personally to ask about you and her real daughter. Be honest with me, have you been pestering her?"

Paige Walsh had heard the rumors about the Lancaster family’s real and fake heiresses, but she hadn’t paid them much mind. But then, a few days ago, Elaine Hughes had come to her, saying she’d seen her own daughter at Zane Simmons’s villa and asking if Paige knew about their relationship.

Paige Walsh was baffled at first, then astonished once the implication sank in.

Even if the Lancaster’s real daughter hadn’t returned to the family, she was still a Lancaster. Paige feared Zane might not know his place and would get involved with someone he shouldn’t. So she had immediately pushed aside her work to come and question her son about the situation.

"Who said that?!" Zane Simmons nearly leaped off the sofa. "Don’t listen to Mrs. Lancaster’s nonsense. I think the heat’s gotten to her head."

"Mom, the Lancasters are a bunch of freaks. They mixed up their own daughter at birth, which is tragic enough for the one who got left behind, but now they’re trying to pass her off as an illegitimate child? Is that something a normal person would do? They’re such a messed-up family. Why are you even bothering with them?"

Proper, established wealthy families place great importance on lineage. In their circle, illegitimate children are seen as having no legitimate standing. If a wife in one of these families couldn’t have children, the husband would have to go through a massive, painful ordeal to legitimize an heir. He would have to divorce his wife, who would take a significant portion of the family’s assets, and then marry the illegitimate child’s mother. All that sacrifice, just to give the child a proper identity.

For the Lancaster family to claim their own long-lost biological daughter was illegitimate was, in Zane Simmons’s eyes, utterly inconceivable.

Seeing that Paige Walsh was still watching him with suspicion, Zane Simmons looked like he was about to swear an oath to the heavens. "We’re really just friends," he explained urgently. "We haven’t crossed any lines. Besides, do you even know who the Lancaster’s real daughter is?"

Paige Walsh shook her head. "Who?"

Zane Simmons said quickly, "It’s Melody Summers! She was my deskmate in high school."

"Her?" Surprise showed on Paige Walsh’s face. She remembered Melody Summers. A teacher had asked Melody to tutor Zane, and she had come over to their house a few times. She had been so patient, and had actually managed to pull Zane’s grades up significantly.

After interacting with Melody Summers, Paige Walsh had grown to admire the young woman’s straightforward and dignified manner, which was neither subservient nor overbearing.

Paige Walsh had even offered to sponsor Melody Summers’s education, but to her surprise, Melody flatly refused.

Melody Summers had said that her family’s situation was much better than that of children who couldn’t afford to eat or attend school. She added that she could earn money by tutoring and hoped Paige Walsh would give the money to a girl who truly needed it.

Melody Summers later got into a top university in the country, and Zane Simmons went to study abroad. Paige Walsh hadn’t seen her since.

"What a coincidence," Paige Walsh remarked, shaking her head.

Then, a sudden realization hit her. "So, you’re the one who started all those sensational rumors that the real Lancaster heiress was someone else?"

Zane Simmons replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Of course. Melody Summers looked out for me so much in high school. Now that the Lancaster family is bullying her, I have to help."

Paige Walsh was silent for a moment before asking hesitantly, "So, you two are now...?"

"Mom, Melody Summers and I are just friends," Zane Simmons said, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "Why won’t you believe me? I know perfectly well who I can get involved with and who I can’t."

Paige Walsh rolled her eyes at him. "Then why," she asked, puzzled, "would the Lancaster family choose to keep the child they raised by mistake instead of acknowledging their own flesh and blood?"

Zane Simmons scoffed, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "What else? It’s all for the marriage alliance with the Sutton family. From the very beginning, Ethan Sutton made a big show of declaring he would only recognize Sylvia Lancaster, acting like some kind of romantic hero. Now that the truth is out, he probably doesn’t even dare take her out in public. The Lancasters were willing to sacrifice their own daughter for that marriage contract, and look where it got them. The Sutton family is having cash flow problems and is about to go under. They’ve ended up with nothing."

Paige Walsh was silent for a moment, then asked, "From what Mrs. Lancaster was implying, it seems the Lancaster family is quite keen on setting you two up. What are your feelings for Melody Summers now? I remember you liked her quite a bit in high school."

Paige Walsh’s feelings were now conflicted. She really liked Melody Summers, but she wanted nothing to do with the Lancaster family.

Zane Simmons froze for a moment, then quickly shook his head. "She’s never been interested in me. Mom, don’t go getting ideas."

Then he added with a sneer, "That Mrs. Lancaster is unbelievable. One daughter’s marriage alliance fails, so she immediately tries to marry off the other one. The Lancasters have terrible business instincts—they hesitate and can’t cut their losses when it comes to investments, but when it’s time to sell off their daughters, they’re ruthlessly efficient!"

"It’s almost November, and this heatwave still hasn’t broken. The Lancaster family’s bankruptcy is a foregone conclusion. Even if they tried to package up and sell their son and daughter together, it wouldn’t be enough to save them from going under."

Paige Walsh relaxed, hearing him say this. She sighed. "According to official forecasts, this heatwave will last until next year at least. Things might get chaotic. You need to be careful here. Take more bodyguards when you go out. If it gets really bad, just move back in with your grandfather. His estate has guards; it’s much safer."

The person Zane Simmons feared most in the world was his grandfather. He immediately shook his head. "Mom, don’t worry. I barely go out as it is."

Zane Simmons snuck a look at Paige Walsh’s face and quickly poured her another cup of the honeyed tea. "Have some more. This honey is incredibly soothing. It’s from a brand called Arcadia—it’s all the rage in our circles. I had a hard time getting my hands on it."

Paige Walsh gave him an exasperated look but picked up the cup and took a couple of sips. A soothing warmth did indeed spread through her body. She silently made a mental note of the name: Arcadia.