I Became the Stepmother of a Terminally Ill Child

Countess Clarisse’s world crumbled after her parents’ death, leaving her dispossessed and desperate. Her only hope to reclaim her rightful inheritance lies in a lost family heirloom: a powerful magic stone. But this stone now rests in the hands of Duke Albert, a man whispered to be so ruthless he’d weaponize even children. Imagine Clarisse’s shock, then, when she arrives at his formidable estate not to find a tyrant, but a doting father, cradling a terminally ill infant, Theodore. To her astonishment, Clarisse discovers she possesses the sole power to heal the dying child. Seizing the opportunity, the Duke proposes an irresistible bargain: become Theodore’s mother figure, and the heirloom is hers. Clarisse, who believed she had no need for a family after her losses, soon finds herself entangled in a web of unexpected affection. As she heals Theodore, she realizes the Duke and his household are becoming fiercely, perhaps even obsessively, attached to keeping her by their side. Dive into chapter 1 to witness Clarisse’s journey!