My Ex Ruined Me, So I Married His Worst Rival

It was my daughter's seventh birthday party.

She was just about to ask her dad to cut the cake. But my husband shoved her away, hard, right in front of everyone.

Don't call me that. I'm not your father. He slammed a DNA test report onto the table.

I stood there, frozen in shock, only to be slapped across the face by my own adoptive parents.

Audrey, the biological daughter who had just returned to the Harlow family, shrunk into my husband's arms, her eyes red with innocent tears.

"I'm so sorry, Gemma. I just casually mentioned that Chloe didn't look like Julian. I had no idea Julian would actually go and run a test."

From that night on, I was branded a cheating whore, and my daughter became a bastard child everyone looked down on.

Later, Julian demanded a divorce.

For Chloe's sake, I wanted to beg him to run another DNA test. But instead, I accidentally overheard a conversation between him and his friend.

"You ruined Gemma's reputation and called Chloe a bastard just to make Audrey feel better. Aren't you afraid your wife and kid will actually leave you for good?"

Julian's voice was completely nonchalant. "Afraid of what? Her parents knew about the fake DNA test anyway."

"She's just an adopted daughter who stole Audrey's life for over twenty years. Once Audrey feels compensated and her mental health stabilizes, I'll just remarry Gemma."

"Gemma can't live without me. Even after the divorce, she'll keep waiting for me."

I recalled Chloe crying, asking me if her daddy really didn't want her anymore. I clenched my fists so hard my nails dug deep into my palms.

The next day, I didn't cry or make a scene. I calmly finished the divorce paperwork with him at the courthouse.

But what he didn't know was that the moment I walked out, I turned around and married another man.

Standing outside the door, hearing Julian's careless words, I could barely stand.

His friend wanted to say something else, but Julian cut him off with a soft chuckle.

"Alright, when the time comes, I'll just pretend I didn't know."

"I'll tell her the hospital made a mistake. She'll come crawling back on her own anyway."

I leaned against the wall, my chest aching with a sharp, stabbing pain.

Just a few hours ago, Chloe had come home from school crying. Her favorite uniform was covered in mud, and her knees were scraped and bloody.

I had called her teacher, only to be met with a cold, demanding voice telling us to transfer schools.

"Mrs. Vance, do you really want me to spell it out for you?"

"Your scandalous private life is all over the internet. Every kid in school knows Chloe is a bastard of unknown origin."

"The other parents are furious. The school is under a lot of pressure here."

Hanging up the phone, I had held my shivering daughter, my heart breaking into pieces.

Yet, she had looked up at me with her tear-stained face and asked, "Mommy, if I'm really Daddy's baby, will he... will he love me again?"

For the sake of that question, I had thrown away all my pride to find Julian today.

I wanted to beg him for another DNA test.

But I never expected to hear such venomous words.

In his eyes, faking a DNA test to publicly humiliate me was just a trivial game.

The humiliation and abuse Chloe and I suffered were merely a script he wrote to please another woman.

Even my adoptive parents, who had promised to love me forever, were accomplices in this cruel game.

I closed my eyes in agony.

Inside the room, their laughter continued.

His friend seemed to feel a bit of pity. "But Chloe is just a kid. I saw her running out of school crying today because other kids were calling her a bastard. Can you really bear to let her suffer like that?"

"If she finds out the truth, she might never accept you as her father again."

Julian's tone was filled with the arrogance of a man who held all the cards.

"Kids forget easily. What's wrong with her suffering a little?"

"Besides, she's my biological daughter. She can't actually reject me as her father."

I squeezed my hands into fists, my nails slicing into my palms, but I couldn't feel the physical pain.

If this were the old Gemma, I would have kicked the door open and screamed at him.

But this time, I just turned around silently.

I was done. This divorce was happening.

I packed a few clothes and took Chloe back to the Harlow estate.

In the past, whenever I came back, my parents would always greet me at the door with warm smiles.

But this time, my adoptive mother didn't even try to hide the disgust in her voice.

"What are you doing here?"

"Mom, I have nowhere else to go. I just want to stay here with Chloe for one night."

Helen Harlow sneered. "The Harlow estate is not a homeless shelter. Don't bring your bad luck into our house."

A lump formed in my throat.

Chloe peeked out from behind me, timid and small.

"Grandpa, Grandma!"

Her voice was soft and sweet, just like before, waiting for them to hug her.

But their faces remained ice-cold.

"Don't call us that. We don't have relatives with such loose morals."

I felt like I had been struck by lightning. I stood there, paralyzed.

In just a few days, we had gone from being a beloved daughter and granddaughter to disgrace.

I remembered how my dad used to lift me onto his shoulders, calling me his little princess.

I remembered how my mom used to brag about how proud she was of her brilliant daughter.

But ever since Audrey returned, their love had vanished overnight.

The business projects I had worked so hard on were stripped from me one by one.

The connections and resources I had built were handed over to Audrey.

At the time, I had comforted myself, thinking Audrey was the biological daughter and it was only natural for them to compensate her.

But now, I finally realized the truth.

They hated me.

They hated me for taking Audrey's place and living her luxurious life for over twenty years.

Julian's cruel words echoed in my ears.

To make Audrey feel better, they had willingly allowed that fake DNA test to destroy me, stepping on Chloe and me without a shred of mercy.

Thinking of this, I swallowed my rising emotions and tested the waters.

"What if... there was a problem with that DNA test? What if the report is fake?"

My mother paused for a second.

"The evidence is clear. Are you still trying to lie your way out of this?"

My father looked at me with cold, dead eyes.

"So many people saw it. You have completely disgraced the Harlow family name."

"A DNA test isn't enough proof for you? What do you want? Do we need to catch you in bed with another man for you to admit it?"

A bone-chilling cold swept through me.

They knew. They knew everything was a lie.

Yet, they still cursed me with such venomous words, throwing the label of an unfaithful woman onto my head.

My father frowned, his tone dripping with fake charity.

"Fine. If you really want to stay here, you will release a statement tomorrow."

"Publicly admit that you cheated during your marriage, and admit that Chloe is not Julian's child."

"Then, resign from your position at Harlow Group and transfer all your remaining shares to Audrey unconditionally."

I could hardly believe my ears. My voice shook violently.

"You want me to admit to what?"

"Chloe is not a bastard!"

My mother didn't even look up. "An imposter's child is just another cheap fake. What else could she be?"

A loud buzz filled my brain. Something inside me shattered completely.

Just then, footsteps sounded from the stairs.

Audrey walked down, her eyes red, looking like a frightened little lamb.

"Dad, Mom, please don't be like this..."

She looked at me, her voice incredibly gentle.

"Gemma, I know you're hurting, but our parents are getting old, and the Harlow family has a reputation to protect."

"You can't drag everyone down just because of your messed-up private life."

"Just apologize first. Once the drama dies down, we'll still be a family."

She then looked down at Chloe, her eyes filled with fake sympathy.

"As for whether the child is Julian's biological daughter..."

"Julian is such a good man. He won't hold a grudge against you forever."

Before I could speak, my parents lost their patience.

They ordered the maid to throw my bags out.

"We raised you for twenty years. We wanted to leave you with some dignity."

"Since you refuse to admit your mistakes, don't ever come back to the Harlow house."

By the time we left the estate, the night was pitch-black and freezing.

Chloe curled up in my arms, her eyes swollen and red, not saying a single word.

I stroked her hair, thinking she was just exhausted, and quickly looked for a place to stay.

When I walked into the hotel lobby, I looked like an absolute mess.

"Hi, I'd like to book a suite, please."

I handed over my credit card.

The receptionist swiped it and looked up at me.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. This card has been frozen."

My heart dropped. I quickly pulled out my personal debit card.

But to my horror, even my own savings had been cleared out.

My fingers turned cold. I felt a wave of intense nausea.

Julian had really gone this far.

He didn't just want me to bow down; he wanted to cut off my every means of survival.

The receptionist's voice was flat. "Ma'am, do you still want to book?"

My throat tightened. I quickly called my best friend, Serena.

"Serena, can you lend me some money? Or just book a room for us? I need to get Chloe into a room for the night."

There was a long silence on the other end before she whispered, "Gemma, it's not that I don't want to help you."

"But my family's company is trying to close a major deal with Vance Enterprises right now. Your scandal is too huge. If I get involved, our company might suffer."

Before she could finish, I already understood.

I hung up. Looking at my reflection in the polished marble floor, I found it hilarious.

I had lived for twenty-six years, and yet, I had absolutely nothing.

The only person left by my side was my daughter.

But in the next second, Chloe's body swayed, and she collapsed into my arms.

I reached out to touch her forehead. My heart went completely numb.

She was burning up.

I frantically scrolled through my phone contacts, my thumb stopping on a name I least wanted to bother.

But right now, I had no choice. I called, borrowed some money, picked up Chloe, and walked back to the front desk.

"Please, give me a room first. My daughter has a high fever."

The receptionist suddenly rolled her eyes.

"No wonder your cards were frozen. You're that adoptive daughter from the Harlow family who cheated on her husband."

I froze.

She looked me up and down, her words becoming more hostile.

"You're trash yourself, and you brought a bastard child here to embarrass us."

"Our hotel is a respectable establishment. Please leave. Don't dirty our lobby."

The other guests in the lobby turned to stare at me.

I wanted to explain, but I had no voice.

I could only hold Chloe close and run out of the hotel like a criminal.

On the cold, midnight street, the wind felt like knives cutting through my skin.

Delirious with fever, Chloe buried her face in my shoulder and murmured softly, "Daddy... please don't leave me..."

That one sentence tore my heart to shreds.

Gritting my teeth, I pulled out my phone and dialed Julian's number.

I called ten times. No one answered.

With trembling fingers, I sent him a Snapchat message.

"Chloe has a high fever. Can you please come?"

After what felt like an eternity, he replied.

"The kid isn't even mine. I don't have time to play happy family with you."

I stared at the cold text on the screen.

The city was loud and alive, but I couldn't even make a sound as tears flooded my face.

In the end, I took Chloe to the hospital alone.

The emergency room hallway was packed. Right after I got our ticket, I heard a familiar voice.

Julian was holding Audrey, guiding her into the examination room.

The nurse handed Julian an ultrasound sheet with a stern look on her face.

"Early pregnancy bleeding. There are signs of a threatened miscarriage."

"The first trimester is critical. As her husband, you need to be more careful. Don't stress the pregnant mother!"

Julian took the sheet, immediately pulling Audrey closer to his chest.

"Does it still hurt?"

Audrey shook her head, her eyes rimmed with red.

Julian frowned. "Don't go back to the Harlow house tonight. Stay at my place."

"I'll take care of you."

Audrey bit her lip and nodded, leaning entirely into his embrace.

I stood frozen in the hallway, feeling the blood drain from my face.

Years ago, when I was pregnant with Chloe, he had held me the exact same way.

Back then, my morning sickness was so bad I couldn't even keep water down.

He had canceled all his business trips to stay by my side for ten whole months.

He had said, "Gemma, you and our baby girl are my entire life!"

And now, he was the one who had labeled his "entire life" a bastard.

He was the one who had pushed Chloe and me into this living hell.

I wanted to laugh.

How could a man who loved you so deeply become so monstrously cruel when he stopped loving you?

Chloe was still burning up in my arms.

Suddenly, my phone vibrated.

I looked down. It was a message from Julian.

"Gemma, I'm done waiting. I'll see you in court in three days."

"Fine," I replied, my hands shaking as I forced down the overwhelming pain.

Once Chloe's fever subsided, I immediately took her back to the Vance mansion to retrieve our legal documents.

Before entering, I turned on the audio recorder on my phone and slipped it into my pocket.

I thought I was mentally prepared. But when I opened the door and saw Audrey sitting on the sofa wearing my silk pajamas, a wave of bitterness washed over me.

She didn't bother pretending anymore. She tilted her head and smiled at me like an innocent child.

"Gemma, you guys are getting divorced anyway, and you're no longer the lady of this house. You don't mind if I wear your clothes, right?"

I didn't answer. I just looked around.

In just two days, the home I had lived in for eight years was completely covered in Audrey's shadow.

I ignored her, holding Chloe's hand as I walked toward the bedroom.

But Audrey stood up and pulled a cake out of the fridge.

"Chloe, you didn't get to eat any cake on your birthday. I bought this specially to make it up to you. I was waiting for you to come home."

She smiled like a saint, but her words were laced with poison.

Her birthday party was a traumatic nightmare for Chloe, yet Audrey kept ripping the wound open.

"Even though you're not Julian's kid, children are always innocent."

"Come, have a bite."

Chloe's face went pale. She looked up at me with tears in her eyes, looking as if she had done something terribly wrong.

I forced down my rage. "We don't want it."

Audrey paused. "Are you waiting for Julian to cut it for you?"

"Should I call him out here?"

"Don't worry, Chloe. I already talked to him. Even if your parents divorce, he'll keep supporting you for my sake."

Chloe's face turned even whiter, her tiny fingers clutching my coat.

I stared at that disgusting cake, a wave of nausea hitting my stomach.

In the next second, I swept my hand across the counter, slamming the cake onto the floor.

The frosting splattered all over the expensive carpet.

Audrey let out a dramatic shriek, tears instantly streaming down her face. "Gemma! I just wanted to be nice to you! How could you do this?"

Just then, Julian walked out of the study.

Seeing the mess, fury flared in his eyes. He stepped forward and slapped me across the face.

"Gemma! Have you lost your mind? Haven't you embarrassed us enough?!"

I burst into laughter, looking at him.

"You faked a DNA test at Chloe's birthday party. Didn't you think that was embarrassing?"

"You took Audrey to the OB-GYN clinic in the middle of the night. Didn't you think that was embarrassing?"

Julian's eyes widened slightly.

"What nonsense are you talking about! If you keep throwing dirt at us, don't blame me for being ruthless."

He shoved Chloe and me into the bedroom.

"Go inside and think about what you've done! Tomorrow morning, we are going to sign the divorce papers. Since you're the one at fault, you won't get a single penny from the Vance estate. You're leaving with absolutely nothing!"

The door was locked from the outside. The strength I had been faking crumbled instantly. Tears poured down my face.

I could only hold my daughter tightly, whispering apologies over and over again.

"Chloe, I'm sorry... Mommy is so useless. I couldn't protect you. I let them ruin your name and make you suffer like this."

But Chloe raised her tiny hand, gently wiping the tears from my eyes.

"Don't cry, Mommy."

"Mommy, if Daddy doesn't want us, we don't want him either."

That night, looking into my daughter's resilient eyes, I finally made a decision.

The next day, the moment we walked out of the courthouse with the divorce decree in hand, Julian still looked at me with his usual arrogant confidence.

"Gemma, if you apologize to me right now, it's not too late to fix this."

"No need. I'm getting married."

Hearing this, he scoffed, amused. "Married? To whom?"

Right at that moment, a sleek black Maybach pulled up smoothly at the bottom of the steps.

In front of Julian's eyes, I grabbed the hand of the man who stepped out of the car, and we walked straight into City Hall.

As Julian rushed after us with a look of sheer disbelief, we handed our documents to the clerk.

"Hi, we're here to register our marriage."

The clerk took our IDs and began verifying the information.

I didn't look back, but I could feel Julian's burning gaze piercing through my back.

Julian stood frozen for a few seconds before laughing coldly.

"Gemma, cut the crap."

"You really hired an actor just to make me jealous?"

He took a few steps up the stairs, trying to get past, but the clerk stopped him with a frown.

"Sir, please do not disrupt our clients."

Julian's face darkened. He ignored the clerk, his eyes locking onto my hand, which was tightly held by Caleb Sterling.

"Ma'am, please confirm the information on the screen."

I looked at the monitor and nodded. "Everything is correct."