Lillian put a bite of food in her mouth, but it tasted like wax. Unbelievable. She was already 45, practically heading into menopause, yet she still had to endure the old man pushing her to have a second child! She and Jacob grew up together back in their hometown. He was four years older than her. Their feelings had always been strong, and they started dating when she was still in her teens. Yet, after high school, she did not study further, while Jacob went on to graduate college, and during his time in grad school, he met and quickly married Scarlett. On paper, she was the mistress. But in truth, the real homewrecker was Scarlett. Jacob, eager to climb the social ladder, lied about being single and shamelessly pursued the wealthy daughter of the Kellers. Once he had her, he coldly abandoned Lillian. Furious, she rushed into marriage with another villager. However, half a year of bitter days was enough to wake her up. Why should the heartless man enjoy silk and luxury in the city, while she wasted her youth in the countryside with a poor farmer? Fine, he could climb higher, but he needed to bring her along. Luckily, she had not had kids yet, so with nothing tying her down, she divorced and headed straight to Northlorn to find Jacob. By then, he was already living it up as the Kellers' son-in-law—villa, luxury cars, everything. When she turned up, he cut her off cold, pretending not to know her. She had no choice but to threaten him—either help her settle down in the city, or she would expose him to his wife and her family, revealing that their "perfect gentleman" was nothing but a two-timing gold-digger. For the sake of his marriage and future, Jacob caved, secretly renting her a tiny apartment with his own salary. However, he kept his distance, never showing his face and never giving her a chance to get close. The turning point came the year after Natalie was born. When Jacob graduated, he followed his father-in-law's orders to start from the bottom of the company. "You need to experience the grassroots to toughen up." Meanwhile, his wife Scarlett waltzed in straight as the general manager. Outwardly, his colleagues respected him. Inwardly, they mocked him for living off his wife. It was bad enough being crushed at work by his father-in-law, but at home, he still had to call his wife "boss." His pride as a man took blow after blow. It was even more tiring at home, as he would have to play the role of the perfect, gentle husband and son-in-law 24/7. Even holidays were miserable—he could not take his wife and child home like other men. He had to sit obediently with the in-laws until the new year was over before he was allowed to visit his own parents. Gossip from relatives and neighbors was endless. When he tried to secure easy jobs for his cousins in the company, his father-in-law shot him down without hesitation. Year after year, Jacob grew more suffocated, feeling like his marriage was nothing but a gilded cage. Money was plenty, but his dignity was gone.That was when Lillian struck. A rich heiress would never humble herself, but Lillian would. She became his confidante, soft-spoken and attentive, giving him the sense of power and authority he craved. Soon, Jacob was ensnared by her gentle trap. After she gave birth to Rosalie, their bond became unbreakable. She no longer had to worry about being abandoned. Rosalie's very existence was proof of his betrayal. Life went on like this for many years. Only after Scarlett's death did Lillian finally step into her role as the official lady of the house. But then, disaster struck. Instead of enjoying her wealth or traveling the world, she was now trapped in this luxury villa. And worse, she was still being pressed to have a son to "continue the Ashford line." Jacob was deeply traditional. No matter how educated, he firmly believed a man's life was incomplete without a son. With Scarlett, he had always played the role of the gentle husband, saying things like, "Your body and wishes come first." But with Lillian, he dropped the act, saying bluntly, "I'm the only son of the Ashfords, so I must pass on the family line." Lillian knew she was not like those heiresses, who could simply refuse. She and her daughter depended on Jacob, and his word was law. Besides, having more children was also in her favor. The more kids she bore, the greater her share of inheritance in the future. Especially if she gave him a son, then her status would rise even higher.But no matter how hard she tried, nothing worked. She went through IVF, tried every bit of medical technology she could. Yet, not only did she fail to have a boy, but she could not even conceive a second daughter. Jacob refused to admit the problem lay with him. He stubbornly insisted on having a son, as if sheer willpower could make it happen.