---
Eric's voice echoed throughout the house, so powerful that the entire atmosphere seemed to freeze. Just moments after his booming call, the soft sound of tiny footsteps could be heard from the stairs.
A three-year-old child, his face glowing like the moon, came running down with excitement. His tiny legs moved with an astonishing agility, as if a little angel had descended into the courtyard of the house. He wore a cute little dungaree suit, and his tiny sports shoes only added to his innocence.
"Mom! Mom! Mom!"
His sweet voice rang through the hall, as if every wall in the house could feel the love hidden in his call.
Behind him, the nanny came rushing, perhaps afraid that he might stumble. But the child's cheerful laughter and confident steps made it clear—he needed no support.
Elena, who had been looking at Eric until now, suddenly found herself drawn to the little child.
This child—Dodo—the light of the Johnson family, stirred something deep within her.
Her eyes sparkled with an unfamiliar emotion, as if forgotten memories were knocking at the door of her heart.
Dodo ran toward her.
Elena couldn't stop herself. She knelt down and opened her arms wide, as if wanting to embrace this innocent soul.
But just as Dodo reached close, he suddenly stopped.
For a moment, the entire family fell into stunned silence.
Every member of the Johnson family stared in shock.
Eric witnessed it all and took a deep breath, for he knew exactly why everyone was so astonished...
Emma—the real mother of Dodo—
The same woman who had never once embraced her own son, who had never even spoken to him with warmth—was now standing with open arms?
The mother who had always left her child in the care of the nanny, who had never shown him a shred of affection—why was she standing like this today?
This was impossible.
Breaking the silence, Eric spoke in a deep, steady voice:
"Emma had an accident. She lost her memory in that incident. She remembers nothing of her past."
A deathly silence fell over the room.
Eric's uncle, aunt, and cousin paled in shock. But on the other hand, Eric's mother, his grandmother, and even little Dodo had a strange glimmer in their eyes.
A flicker of hope appeared in Dodo's innocent eyes.
Without a moment's hesitation, he ran forward and hugged Elena (Emma) with all his might.
Elena froze for a moment.
But the moment that tiny soul entered her embrace, a strange ache erupted from the depths of her heart.
A soft sob escaped her lips, and tears streamed down her cheeks.
Her heartbeat quickened.
She didn't want to let go of this child.
She could feel the warmth of his little body against hers—as if he wasn't just any child, but a part of her own soul.
---
5 Years Ago...
Eric's first wife, Emma Martin, came from a simple family and was a struggling actress. But Eric fell in love with her at first sight.
Without caring about the world, he married Emma.
But his love was one-sided.
Emma never loved Eric.
She had only married him for his wealth.
As soon as she realized she could use Eric's name to climb the social ladder, her true colors began to show.
Eric's uncle, aunt, and cousin fueled her greed even more.
They convinced her that she could exploit Eric's wealth and fame, and soon, Emma completely changed.
She distanced herself from Eric's family and stepped into the world of modeling.
Gradually, she rose to such fame that she became one of the top models in the industry.
But this success came at a price.
Her relationship with Eric crumbled.
Fights became more frequent.
Then came Dodo.
Emma gave birth to him, but motherhood was nothing more than a mere formality to her.
From the very first day, she left him in the hands of the nanny.
Dodo's sweet giggles, his innocent eyes, his tiny, mischievous gestures—could melt any mother's heart.
But Emma's heart was made of stone.
Despite having a mother, Dodo lived the life of an orphan.
But now…
Now, he would finally receive the love he had been deprived of.
As Dodo clung tightly to Elena, tears cascaded from her eyes.
But these weren't just tears of emotion.
They were tears of motherly love.
And with them, another hidden truth surfaced.
Three years ago, Elena had also given birth to a child..
("In the upcoming chapters, we will learn about Elena's past.")
But fate had played a cruel game with her.
Her baby was stillborn.
The heart overflowing with love, the arms longing for an embrace—never found a child to hold.
But today...
Today, as she held Dodo in her arms, she felt as if her lost child had returned to her.
Dodo's innocence had filled the void in her heart, the emptiness in her soul.
But one more truth remained hidden—
No one, except Eric and Elena, knew the reality—
Emma was not Emma.
She was Elena—Emma's substitute.
Was this fate's second chance?
Was a new story about to be written...?