The Worthless Son-in-law: Hidden Legend

She isn't your daughter, Ethan.

Lauren collapsed at her side, pulling Maya into a tight embrace, overwhelmed with emotion. Tears welled up in her eyes as she kissed Maya’s forehead, her heart swelling with relief. She had feared the worst when she heard that Ethan had taken Maya, but now seeing her daughter alive, her pain seemed to melt away. The weight on her chest lifted.

She smoothed Maya’s hair and kissed her cheeks, unable to hold back the tears. Oh, how happy she was. How thankful she was. Words couldn’t capture the depth of her relief.

“Maya!” Lauren cried out her daughter's name.

Maya’s eyes fluttered open at the sound of her voice. “Mom?” she whispered, her voice weak and raspy.

Lauren’s breath caught. “I’m here, sweetheart. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry I wasn’t there sooner.”

Tears welled up in her eyes as she squeezed Maya’s hand, brushing the hair from her daughter’s forehead. For a moment, all the questions and uncertainties faded into the background. Maya was here, safe. That was all that mattered.

Ethan stood quietly in the doorway, watching them. He’d done what he could, and now it was time for Lauren to take over. Maya needed her mother.

As Lauren sat at Maya’s side, holding her hand, her mind briefly quieted. The whirlwind of thoughts about Ethan’s sudden reappearance and his mysterious wealth would have to wait. For now, Maya was safe, and that was enough.

“How will she react when she finds out that all the houses in Spring are under her name?” Ethan mused, a small smile creeping across his face. He couldn’t help but imagine the joy she would feel. He knew Lauren had an affinity for money—all women did—but Lauren was different. She wasn’t driven by wealth. She was content with what she had, a rare quality in most women. That was something he admired about her. It reminded him of how Katherine used to be—before everything went wrong.

The thought of Katherine made his smile fade. “Katherine… that bitch,” he muttered under his breath, his expression darkening.

He still couldn’t believe that Katherine had been part of the conspiracy against him. He and Katherine had been in love since childhood. He had always doted on her, never once causing her pain. But things changed when Asper started showing interest in her. She had always believed the Stanley family was wealthier than the Mavericks, and when Asper came into the picture, her loyalty shifted. She was a woman who only cared about money.

Ethan knew that Katherine had betrayed him, but a part of him wondered if she had been coerced by her father or Asper. He needed to get to the bottom of it. No woman could stand to see her sister and fiancé together, could she?

But what if Katherine had willingly betrayed him? That thought cut deep. Regardless, Ethan wouldn’t let this go. He didn’t have any lingering feelings for Katherine, but he needed answers—needed closure. Only then would he be able to move on.

Stanley Jos and his assistants stood off to the side, as Ethan had instructed, ready to help should Maya wake in pain.

Lauren looked up at them, her voice choked with emotion. “Thank you. Thank you so much. I really appreciate it.”

Stanley Jos, known for his cold and stoic demeanor, felt a rare warmth stir inside him. Lauren’s gratitude had cracked through his tough exterior, and for a moment, he couldn’t help but smile.

He took a moment to size Lauren up, his gaze lingering. “Is this the Captain’s wife? She’s truly beautiful. No wonder the Captain married her. Even the strongest man in the world would fall for someone like her,” he murmured to himself.

“You can go to the sitting room for now,” Ethan said, his tone cutting through Stanley’s musings.

Stanley nodded, signaling for his assistants to follow. The room was soon left empty, save for Ethan and Lauren, who were now alone with Maya.

“Thank you,” Lauren said softly, her voice trembling.

“You don’t need to thank me,” Ethan replied, his gaze fixed on Maya. “She’s also my daughter.”

Lauren turned to him, her expression unreadable. She studied him for a long moment before looking back at Maya.

“She isn’t your daughter, Ethan,” she said, her voice firm, though tinged with sadness.

Ethan didn’t flinch, his jaw tightening. “You don’t need to lie, Lauren. I’ve already figured it out. You were three months pregnant when I left. I’m sorry for what I did. I never meant to hurt you.”

Lauren let out a bitter laugh, tears streaming down her face. “You only contributed sperm, Ethan. You are not her father. You were nowhere to be found during my pregnancy. Absent when she was born. Absent when she took her first steps, her first words, her first smile… you weren’t there. You were off somewhere, enjoying your life. I doubt you even knew she existed before today.” She met his gaze with a mix of anger and pain, her voice rising. “So don’t act like you’re her father.”