Kubesarkan Anaknya Bertahun-tahun, Aku Dijadikan Pembantu

My biological sister Vivian Bennett had always worshipped freedom. After being welcomed back into the Bennett family, she caused a scene at the reunion banquet and slept with the heir of the Foster family. The day after giving birth, she decided the baby would only hold her back, abandoned her child, and flew overseas without a second glance. Adrian hated her for what she had done, yet pitied the motherless child. So I married into the Foster family in her place and became Leo's stepmother. Leo had been a difficult baby from the start. He cried, fussed, and threw tantrums day and night. Adrian deliberately refused to hire a nanny, leaving me to handle everything alone in constant chaos. Countless nights, when I dragged myself out of bed to tend to Leo, Adrian's cold voice would follow behind me. "Tired? Vivian suffered far more during the twenty years you stole her life." Five years later, my sister returned after enjoying her freedom to the fullest and came straight to Adrian to reclaim her place. "I've had enough freedom," she said. "Now I want to settle down." Adrian glanced at me with faint amusement. "So tell me, should the child acknowledge his real mother or his stepmother?" I twisted my hands together. "I... don't know." Adrian let out a cold snort, his tone almost generous. "Vivian is back now. You don't necessarily have to leave. Leo is used to you. I can let you stay with the Foster family as his nanny." I offered no objection and lowered my head obediently. "I'll do whatever you decide." For some reason, my answer seemed to displease him. He parted his lips as if to speak, then said nothing. Five years had passed, yet Vivian remained as sharp-tongued as ever. "Vanessa, stop acting pathetic! First you stole my place as the Bennett family's daughter, then you stole my place as Mrs. Foster. And now you're pretending to be the victim?" The accusation was painfully familiar. Because on the day she was first welcomed back into the Bennett family, she had hurled those exact words at me in front of every guest. "Don't think acting meek will make Adrian pity you!" She did not need to remind me. No one knew better than I did that if Adrian had ever intended to show me mercy, he would have let me go long ago. It was not as though I had never had the chance to leave. But after five years of raising Leo by his side, I had grown too attached to the child. I could not bear to leave him. Vivian was about to continue when Leo's cries interrupted her. He always cried like that whenever he woke from a nap. Grateful for the interruption, I turned toward the nursery. "Leo's awake. I'll go check on him." Vivian stepped in front of me. "I'll go. After all, I'm his real mother. Of course he'll calm down faster with me than with an outsider." I watched her head upstairs, and Adrian gave me a light shove. "Well? Go help her. She's been spoiled her whole life. Do you really think she knows how to care for a baby?" I sighed and hurried after her. But when I pushed open the nursery door, I froze. Leo was sleeping peacefully in Vivian's arms. She looked at Adrian with smug delight. "Blood really is incredible. The moment I held him, he stopped crying and went right back to sleep." Adrian gave a faint nod without replying. After we stepped outside, he shot me a disdainful look. "You can't even handle the work of a nanny properly. I see no reason for you to remain with the Foster family." Vivian followed us out and casually slammed the door behind her. She looked completely unconcerned. "Oops. I'm so used to doing whatever I want that I forgot Leo was still asleep."ic_default