My Billionaire Ex Wants Me Back

Six years after divorcing Hugh Shaw, I ran into him again at the corporation's charity gala.

The moment our eyes met, shock flashed across Hugh Shaw's face:

Claire Winston, what are you doing here? You're not Mrs. Shaw anymore. This isn't where you belong.

I couldn't be bothered to argue with him and turned to leave, but unexpectedly, he reached out to grab me.

"Fine, considering you gave me a son, just stand quietly behind me and no one will give you trouble."

I stepped aside to avoid him and refused flatly: "No, thank you."

But he stared in shock at the child beside me, his voice trembling: "This filthy child---is she my daughter?"

I nearly laughed in disbelief. Had he lost his mind?

Nora was only three and a half years old. I'd been divorced from him for six years. There was no way she could be his.

I pulled Nora behind me, my tone icy: "Hugh Shaw, this is my daughter. She has nothing to do with you!"

With that, I grabbed Nora's hand and turned to leave, but Hugh Shaw blocked my way, his brows furrowed as he looked me over.

"Claire Winston, you snuck in here with a child to mooch food and drink. You must have had it rough all these years, haven't you?"

He let out a cold laugh, his gaze falling on Nora with undisguised disgust: "Little beggar, how old are you?"

Nora put her hands on her hips, glaring at him indignantly: "I'm three and a half, and I'm not a little beggar!"

Beggar? I looked down at my and Nora's clothes.

We'd just been helping disaster victims outside the city. Covered in dust with no time to change, we did look rather disheveled.

Hugh Shaw's expression instantly turned cold. "Nonsense! You lie just like your mother! With your height, how could you possibly be three years old?"

I glanced down at Nora. She was indeed much taller and sturdier than children her age.

It was all her father's fault, spoiling her endlessly.

I pulled Nora protectively behind me, a frosty look crossing my face: "Hugh Shaw, I'll say this one more time---Nora is not your child!"

But Hugh Shaw acted like he'd heard the world's funniest joke, scoffing:

"Claire Winston, you're lying again. If she's not mine, whose could she be? Besides me, who would want a divorced woman?"

"Come on, stop pretending. You deliberately snuck into this gala just to see me, didn't you?"

I rolled my eyes. Six years later, and he was still this arrogant.

"Get out of my way!"

But Hugh Shaw didn't budge. Instead, he adopted a condescending tone:

"Seeing you in such a pitiful state, I can't help but feel sorry for you. Tell you what---come back home with me and work as a household assistant. Rowena is kind-hearted. She definitely won't make things difficult for you."

With that, he waved to someone behind him.

"Ethan, take your sister away. Find a lounge for her to wait in. Don't let her embarrass us here and offend the important guests!"

Only then did I notice Ethan Shaw standing behind him.

The son I'd carried for ten months and nearly died giving birth to.

Six years had passed. He'd grown into a handsome young man, but his eyes held a coldness that didn't match his age.

Ethan had a stony expression, his brows furrowed: "I don't want some little beggar as my sister! My only sister is Chloe!"

My grip on Nora's hand tightened. The Chloe he mentioned must be Rowena's daughter.

Years ago, I'd caught Hugh Shaw and Rowena having an affair. Before I could confront them, Rowena struck first, accusing me of drugging her to ruin her reputation.

Hugh Shaw had also blamed me, and even my own biological son Ethan had taken Rowena's side.

Heartbroken and disillusioned, I'd signed the divorce papers on the spot.

When I left the Shaw household, Rowena had stroked her belly and told me she was already pregnant with Hugh Shaw's child.

And that day---she'd let me see them together on purpose.

Past humiliations and betrayals churned in my heart, my fingers unconsciously digging into my palms.

Nora tugged at my clothes, her voice indignant:

"Mom, I don't want this ugly guy as my brother either! He's nowhere near as good as Asher!"

Hearing this, Ethan's expression darkened further. He sneered: "An ordinary person like that dares to compare himself to me?"

Looking at the father and son's identical faces, my heart gradually turned cold. Fine. I'd just pretend I never had this son.

I took Nora's hand and moved to walk around them when a sweet voice suddenly called from behind: "Claire?"

I turned to see Rowena walking over, holding a little girl dressed in designer children's clothing.

Her gaze swept over me before she covered her face and shrieked: "Claire, it really is you! Why are you dressed like this?"

Her deliberately shocked exclamation drew countless stares.

Among the crowd, several wealthy women who'd never liked me recognized me first and immediately mocked:

"Oh my, isn't this Mrs. Shaw? Haven't seen you in years---why do you look so shabby? Oh wait, my mistake---Mr. Shaw divorced you ages ago. No wonder you've fallen so far."

Rowena sighed, feigning sympathy:

"Claire, let me have the maid bring you some clothes. They're servant's clothes, but they're a hundred times better than what you're wearing."

Hugh Shaw pulled her into his embrace, his tone gentle: "Rowena, you're always so kind."

Watching their coordinated performance, I couldn't help but scoff. Six years later, Rowena was still this fake.

I looked up, my tone cold and hard: "No need. I can't accept anything from you."

The wealthy woman who'd mocked me earlier actually called security:

"How can just anyone get in here? Guards, throw these two beggars out! They're an eyesore!"

Several security guards strode forward, their expressions serious as they moved to escort Nora and me away.

My eyes flashed coldly as I pulled the invitation from my purse. "I was invited to attend this gala."

The guard took the invitation and verified it, momentarily unsure how to proceed.

Rowena stepped forward, feigning surprise: "Claire, you didn't steal that invitation, did you? After all, six years ago you were kicked out of the Shaw family for stealing. I didn't expect you to still be at it---even daring to steal an invitation to a charity gala."

My whole body trembled as towering rage surged in my heart. So after I left, they'd actually accused me of being a thief.

I stared hard at Rowena, my voice cold: "I steal things? Why don't you talk about how you steal men?"

Rowena's face instantly darkened, her eyes full of venom.

Whispers began circulating around us, and the looks people gave Rowena changed.

Just then, a reprimanding voice suddenly rang out: "You wretch! What are you doing back here?"

The crowd parted as two people pushed through---my adoptive parents.

My adoptive father's face was livid. He raised his hand to slap me across the face, shouting:

"You worthless thing! Stop spouting nonsense and ruining Rowena's reputation!"

Caught off guard, I was struck and turned my head, my ears ringing.

"Mom!" Nora rushed to my side, her voice tearful.

I forced a weak smile and gently comforted her: "I'm fine."

My adoptive mother immediately stepped forward, pointing at my nose and cursing:

"Claire Winston, you ungrateful wretch! Mrs. Shaw's position was always meant for Rowena. You, a fake who stole what wasn't yours---what right do you have to slander her here? If we hadn't adopted you, you would have died on the streets long ago, and yet you dare frame our precious daughter!"

Adopted? I laughed bitterly inside.

Years ago, when I went out with my birth parents, I accidentally got separated from my family and happened to be found by my adoptive mother, who had just lost her own child.

Seeing no one around, she'd hurriedly carried me away and used me as a replacement for her biological daughter.

If not for them, I wouldn't have been separated from my birth parents for so many years.

Fortunately, after the divorce, through a series of coincidences, I found my birth parents and finally learned the truth about my origins.

I held Nora tightly and snatched the invitation back from the guard, my voice cold: "Get out of my way!"

Rowena glanced at the name on the invitation and immediately laughed mockingly: "Claire is really bold---stealing from Pierce Ashford himself."

A busybody leaned in, and after seeing the signature, exclaimed dramatically:

"Everyone knows Mr. Ashford is the most valued successor of the board's senior members, and he heads the corporation's technology division with countless teams under him. You actually dared to steal from him---you're done for!"

Mocking voices surrounded me, but I remained unusually calm. Meeting everyone's gaze, I said each word deliberately: "He is my husband."

As soon as the words left my mouth, the entire hall fell silent for a moment before erupting in roaring laughter.

"That's hilarious! Everyone knows Mr. Ashford married a daughter from a prestigious medical family---beautiful, brilliant, and accomplished. You, an ordinary woman, dare impersonate Mrs. Ashford? You've got some nerve!"

"Exactly! Look in a mirror---you even have a kid in tow. How dare you mention Mr. Ashford?"

Nora's little face flushed red with anger at the crowd's mockery. She put her hands on her hips and shouted back:

"Don't talk about my mom like that! My mom is a medical doctor!"

Seeing this, the crowd laughed even more brazenly: "Like mother, like daughter---look what she's taught the child!"

"Just like her mother---both pathological liars! Shameless!"

Rowena grabbed Hugh Shaw's sleeve, her face full of alarm:

"Huai'an, is Claire trying to destroy the Shaw family? Impersonating Mrs. Ashford---if word gets out, our entire Shaw family will be ruined!"

Provoked by her words, Hugh Shaw angrily ordered those behind him:

"Someone, teach this arrogant woman a lesson!"

Several ill-intentioned attendants immediately rushed forward and began groping me without hesitation.

To avoid hurting Nora, I held her tightly in my arms.

Slaps landed hard, and a metallic taste rose in my throat.

"Mom!" Nora broke down crying, her small hands clutching my clothes tightly.

Chloe Shaw, who'd been standing beside Rowena, suddenly pointed at Nora and screamed:

"My brooch is missing! It was her! That little beggar! She stole my brooch!"

My gaze turned cold as I clearly saw a flash of jealousy in Chloe's eyes.

Ethan immediately stepped forward, grabbed the necklace around Nora's neck, and yanked it hard. The necklace was torn off, and he shoved Nora to the ground in the process.

"Little beggar, how dare you steal my sister's necklace? Shameless!"

Nora fell to the ground, her eyes red as she shouted back:

"I didn't steal it! Dad gave it to me! You big meanie! Give it back!"

My heart clenched. I stumbled forward to help Nora up and saw a vivid red mark on her delicate neck from being strangled.

I trembled with rage and glared at Ethan: "Give the necklace back to her!"

But Ethan completely ignored me and handed the necklace directly to Chloe.

Chloe happily put the necklace around her own neck and smugly lifted her chin at Nora.

Hugh Shaw looked at me with a dark expression, his tone disgusted: "Unrepentant! Teaching a child to be a thief like you! No---I won't let Shaw family blood be ruined by you! She must come back with me!"

A flash of malice crossed Rowena's eyes before she stepped forward gently: "Huai'an, perhaps we should investigate first. What if she's someone else's illegitimate child with another man? We can't let an outsider taint the Shaw family bloodline."

Hugh Shaw nodded and immediately barked: "Someone get me a paternity test kit!"

Several assistant-like figures rushed forward like wolves, reaching out to snatch Nora away.

One of them was holding a sampling swab.

I held Nora tightly and backed away, screaming:

"Don't come near us! I'll say it one more time---she has nothing to do with the Shaw family! She is Pierce Ashford's daughter!"

But those people only followed Hugh Shaw's orders. They ignored my cries and kept pressing forward.

In the chaos, the sampling swab jabbed viciously toward Nora. I instinctively raised my arm to block it.

The sharp plastic rod pierced straight into my arm. Blood immediately gushed out, staining my sleeve red.

"Mom!" Nora cried out in terror, her small body trembling.

I endured the piercing pain and still held Nora tightly in my arms.

Hugh Shaw impatiently barked: "Pull her away!"

Several attendants immediately stepped forward, roughly twisting my arms behind my back with such force it felt like they'd break my bones.

Just as the sampling swab was about to jab Nora, a figure suddenly broke through the crowd and grabbed the man's wrist, twisting it sharply.

A scream instantly echoed through the hall.

The next second, a cold voice laced with fury shook the entire venue into silence: "You dare touch my daughter? Who gave you that nerve?"