Chapter 2 Valeria never expected Selena to suddenly say those words . Looking into Selena's eyes , Valeria froze . Then , it occurred to her . Even though Selena was small and frail from years of struggling with a heart condition , she was still six years As she grew , old . Selena became increasingly sensitive to the absence of a father figure in her life . The excuse that Valeria had always used , which was that Selena's father went somewhere far away , had gradually turned into a white lie that couldn't hold up much longer . In Valeria's drawer was a photo of her and Sebastian together , which Selena had seen before . However , she never thought that Selena would remember it . It was a photo from high school of the top three students in the class . She had cut out the third person , leaving only the two of them . Valeria also hadn't expected that she would ever encounter Sebastian again , especially with Selena with her . The bus screeched to a sudden halt , and she pulled Selena close and shielded her . Then , after a moment's pause , she replied , " No , he's not . " " But Mommy , that doctor looks so much like Daddy , " Selena replied . Valeria went quiet for a few seconds before forcing out , " He just looks like him , that's all … " When they got home , Valeria knocked on Lucy Clark's door downstairs . Lucy was an old lady who lived alone and had a notoriously difficult personality . She was well - known throughout the neighborhood . Two years ago , when Valeria was trying to enroll her daughter in kindergarten , she ran into a problem with the registration . She met Shane Cooper by chance at the time . Shane's father was critically ill and wanted to see his son married before he passed . Needing to go abroad soon for work , Shane offered Valeria a deal , which was to marry him quickly and divorce just as quickly , fulfilling his father's final wish . She met Shane's father , and the old man passed away that very night . Lucy had been furious when she found out her son had arranged a sham marriage . However , knowing it had brought her husband peace in his final moments, she let it go eventually . After that , Shane left the country for work , and she continued living here alone . Seeing Valeria raising Selena by herself , Lucy offered Valeria the attic apartment upstairs . Even though Valeria paid rent as usual , their relationship changed one day when Lucy choked on some nuts and Valeria saved her . After that , Lucy grew much fonder of them . The house was an old , cramped duplex . There was no elevator and no shared amenities , but the rent was cheap . Lucy lived downstairs , and the attic upstairs had two small rooms and a little terrace where Valeria and Selena stayed . There was even a separate entrance . Later , while Valeria was heating up some food she had prepared in advance for lunch , Lucy walked in . " Selena's growing up now . You should get that surgery done for her soon . I can lend you the money if you don't have it . Just treat it as a loan . " Valeria knew Lucy had some savings , but those were for emergencies . If she gave it all to fund Selena's surgery , what would happen if Lucy suddenly needed it ? So , even though Valeria was deeply grateful for the offer , she still shook her head and politely declined . That afternoon , Valeria arrived at L &M Design Studio on the 15th floor of the Golden Lux Building . As soon as she stepped inside , her coworker , Lindsey Meyer , walked over . " Valeria , Ms. Lawson wants to see you in her office . " Sabrina Lawson was their design director , and also Valeria's direct superior . When Valeria knocked and entered , Sabrina was still on her call . Glancing at Valeria , Sabrina gestured for her to wait . Valeria sat down and looked at her watch . It took Sabrina 13 minutes before she finished her call . Sabrina then said , "Valeria , the client rejected the last design draft your team submitted . Redo it . I expect it on my desk by next week . The designs are too safe and don't stand out . " Add something edgy , like polka dots or dark embroidery . Anything unusual will do . " " Ms. Lawson , Garment Hall's brand ethos is elegance and sophistication . They cater to women over the age of thirty . We've already incorporated feedback from the marketing and sales teams , " Valeria replied . " Who's the director here ? You or me ? " Sabrina cut her off coldly . Back at her workstation , Valeria relayed the new instructions to her teammates , drawing a collective groan . Queenie Lurn , who sat opposite Valeria , frowned . " Seriously ? What kind of aesthetic is that ? Dark embroidery with polka dots ? Garment Hall is supposed to be graceful and elegant , and that's just tacky . " " Right ? And we're the ones who'll have to clean up this mess later . " # 4 . " I heard she's about to be featured in a fashion magazine's weekend piece for her rise as a designer . " S + " She's just playing around here because she's a friend of one of L & M's partners, Nathan Ford . " " Keep your voices down . " Valeria stayed late at the office that night . At some point , Selena video - called her from Lucy's phone to tell her she'd already had dinner . Lindsey passed by and even waved to Selena on the screen , secretly marveling again . After three years of working together , she was still stunned that Valeria had a six - year - old daughter . Given her fair skin and her beauty , Valeria appeared like a fresh college graduate , not someone who had a child of that age . Lindsey patted Valeria on the shoulder . " Alright , go home to your daughter . We'll finish up and leave in half an hour , too . " On the subway ride home , Valeria's phone buzzed again . She thought it was a message from Selena , but it turned out to be from an old high school classmate . This particular social media account had no connections to her past life , since she had cut ties with everyone from before . Except for one person , Taylor Walker , her only friend from high school . Taylor sent her a long voice message , " Your high school classmates are planning a reunion . Luke couldn't reach you and came asking for your information . I told him I didn't know , but you wouldn't believe the rumors . Some of them are even saying you died . " What nonsense . They probably wouldn't recognize you if you stood in front of them now . You're so slim and gorgeous . " It was as if Jane had vanished from the world for seven years . Valeria was silent in thought for a moment before she typed back , " Let them believe Jane is dead . " No one had ever truly liked Jane , not even Valeria herself . She had changed her name , shed her old self , and wanted to leave that version of her behind forever . Taylor sent another message . " I heard that Sebastian might show up too . He's back in the country now . Do you want to come ? Honestly , with how you look now , he probably wouldn't recognize you . " Taylor had been Valeria's high school friend from a neighboring class . They had kept in contact the whole time , and she had even attended Taylor's wedding . Not being able to recognize Valeria at first , Taylor was shocked to see how the once - chubby girl had transformed into such a beauty . Valeria's fingers hesitated on the screen , looking at the name . She was tempted to mention that she'd already met Sebastian , but she merely typed in reply , " Not going . " Spin to Claim Your Surprise Reward ! X Play