By the time he turned 25, he had mastered the art of charm. He knew how to listen intently, keep conversations flowing, say exactly what others wanted to hear—and most importantly, earn their trust. His strategy was clear: find a wealthy woman and secure a place in her world. Not for love, but for the life he believed he deserved.
He first saw her at a high-society gathering in Los Angeles. Victoria Hathaway—over sixty, recently widowed, and heiress to one of California’s largest family fortunes. Dressed in lavender, her silver hair elegantly styled, Victoria radiated grace and composure.
From across the room, champagne in hand—a luxury only accessible to him through the right connections—Nicholas watched her carefully. Other young men kept their distance, wary of the age gap. But Nicholas didn’t see an older woman. He saw an opportunity. He saw the gateway to everything he’d ever wanted.
“Nicholas Miller,” he introduced himself, approaching her with a charming smile. “You look exceptionally beautiful today, Victoria.”
She smiled—gently, though with a hint of hesitation.
From that moment, the courtship unfolded. Nicholas planned elegant dinners, praised her philanthropic efforts, and told her he’d spent his life searching for a woman as intelligent and graceful as her.
Victoria, after years of solitude, had almost forgotten what it felt like to be seen, to be cherished. Nicholas stirred in her a sense of youth and allure she thought long gone.
Six months later, he proposed.
The scene was picture-perfect: a garden setting, rose petals scattered beneath their feet, and a diamond ring—bought on credit. He spoke of timeless love, of emotions that transcended age. Victoria hesitated—the twenty-five years between them weighed heavily. But his words felt so sincere… and she wanted to believe.
Rumors of the engagement spread instantly through high society. “A young handsome man marrying an old millionaire? He’s just a parasite!” party guests whispered. Nicholas pretended not to care. In fact, he was even proud—after all, that was exactly why he had started all this.
The wedding preparations moved swiftly. Nicholas took charge of every detail—the flowers, the music, the lighting. He was the picture of the perfect groom: attentive, thoughtful, affectionate. But beneath the surface, he was focused on one thing alone—the moment she signed the papers that would make him her legal heir.
Then the big day arrived. The ceremony was held in an open-air chapel, draped in white fabric and golden ribbons, with fresh flowers everywhere. Guests filled the seats, snapping photos as the event began. Victoria walked down the aisle in a shoulder-baring gown—conservative, yet stunning in its elegance. Nicholas stood waiting at the altar, smiling for the crowd, all while internally brimming with anticipation.
The vows were exchanged. Flashbulbs popped. Sentimental words were spoken. The ring slid onto her finger. He was steps away from achieving everything he had ever wanted.
Then, his gaze drifted—casually, unintentionally—to her left shoulder.
Just below her collarbone was a birthmark. Crescent-shaped.
His smile faltered. His breath caught. His pulse thundered in his ears.
He had seen that mark before—or at least, heard of it. Years ago, as a child, he’d overheard his adoptive parents talking in hushed voices about his birth mother—a woman who had left him at an orphanage. They’d mentioned one identifying detail: a crescent moon–shaped birthmark on her left shoulder.
He hadn’t understood its meaning at the time, too young to grasp the full story. But the image had stuck with him.
And now, here it was—staring back at him from the shoulder of the woman he was about to marry.
Nicholas felt the world tilt.
He wasn’t standing across from a wealthy widow anymore. He was standing across from the woman who had given birth to him.
His mother.
Frozen at the altar, Nicholas stared at Victoria, his heart pounding—not from love or nerves, but from sheer terror.
That mark—it couldn’t be coincidence. The shape, the location—it was exactly as he’d heard all those years ago.
Could it really be her?
He had never imagined that the woman who abandoned him could’ve risen from poverty, changed her identity, amassed a fortune. But that mark—it told a story he couldn’t ignore. A truth too horrifying to be chance.
Victoria noticed his confusion:
“Nicholas, dear, are you alright?”
Guests exchanged glances. Something was wrong.
Nicholas took a deep breath, forced a smile, and instead of a kiss, touched her cheek. The ceremony continued, but inside he had already fallen apart.
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