Chapter 3: The Dinner Party Trap

A few days later, Ethan and I attended a dinner party together.

Lauren was there too.

I didn’t expect her to come over and greet me.

I was at the buffet table getting a small piece of cheesecake, looking for a quiet corner to eat and watch Ethan socializing not far away.

He always thrived at these events, making new connections every time. He had that easy charm, the kind that drew people in. I used to find it magnetic. Now, it just made me wary.

I used to think a man with ambition was attractive.

Now, I just laugh at my own naivety.

His ambition was too big—he wanted the Parker family’s wealth, and he wanted it separate from us.

My parents’ decades of hard work almost ended up as a gift to an outsider.

After all, I’m an only child, and my child is the sole heir.

On the subject of children, the whole family agreed we’d only have one.

When I insisted on no second child while holding Mason, Ethan looked at me with deep affection and said he respected my decision.

He probably really did love me at that moment—because I was playing right into his hands.

"Hi, do you mind if I sit here?"

Lauren stood on the other side of the table, smiling sweetly, holding her tray.

She wore a white gown, her long hair pinned up with soft strands framing her face. She looked so delicate and harmless that anyone would feel protective. She could have walked right out of a bridal catalog.

Thinking of what this fake innocent had done, she was the perfect example of how the best hunters play the victim.

I smiled. "Please, have a seat."

"Do you remember me?" She thanked me, sat, then asked.

"Yeah, I do, Miss Chen. We met at the set a few days ago."

"I thought you’d say you’d seen my shows." She poked at her fruit with a fork, her smile tinged with a bit of pitiful disappointment.

"I don’t really watch TV dramas. After having a kid, even if I wanted to, I don’t have time."

"I get it. Being a mom is so tough. My friends say the same—ever since they got pregnant, they’ve missed all our girls’ nights. But watching your child grow up is such a blessing. Your little guy looks so well-behaved—must be easy to raise, right?"

I smiled like a proud mom. "He’s pretty good, but he can be a handful sometimes."

"It’s good for kids to be lively. By the way, how should I address you?"

"Parker."

Just then, a tall, slim woman hurried over and pulled Lauren up. "There you are! Come on, I want to introduce you to someone."

"Jen, just a second." Lauren stood up, smiled at me, and said, "Miss Parker, it was nice meeting you. Let’s chat again sometime."

I nodded. "Sure, go ahead."

After they left, I enjoyed my cake and glanced at Ethan. He was already chatting with a new group.

But I was sure he’d seen Lauren come over to talk to me.

On the way home, Ethan was a little on edge and eventually brought up Lauren.

"Who was that in the white dress chatting with you? She seemed pretty close with Mrs. Howard."

"She’s an actress, Lauren Chen. We met at the set, the time Mason called both girls ‘mommy.’ She was one of them."

I’d already told him about Mason’s embarrassing moment at the set when he got back from his business trip.

"Only met once, huh. Never mind then. I was thinking, if you knew her well, maybe she could introduce me to Mr. Howard. I heard he’s launching a big project. If our company could get involved, we’d be set."

When Mason was one, Ethan left my family’s company to start his own business with friends.

My parents liked him better for that.

At least he wasn’t the type to cram his relatives into the company.

Back then, we never imagined he’d have such a vicious backup plan.

"I’ll ask Dad if he has any connections."

"Thanks, honey. Just mention it casually, don’t make things hard for Dad." He smiled, then added, a little self-conscious, "Am I being too impatient? The company just started doing well, and I’m already dreaming of working with Howard Group."

"Not at all. Ambition is good, and I know you’re doing it for me and Mason, to earn my parents’ approval."

The understanding wife was an easy role to play.

At a red light, he grabbed my hand and kissed it. "I want to be worthy of you, to prove you didn’t make the wrong choice. I know you’ve suffered because you married down."

My eyes welled up with emotion.

Well, I was faking it!

When we got home, the child and the nanny were already asleep.