Chapter 1

Jessamine's POV

"What a perfect little family!"

Those words pierced my heart like a blade as I watched the brightly lit celebration in the garden through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

It was Damien's party for his three-month-old daughter, but I—his legitimate wife—was completely shut out.

I watched Damien carefully cradle the baby, his usually cold face radiating a tenderness I'd never seen before. Celeste nestled beside him, her face glowing with blissful happiness.

"Damien finally has an heir! How wonderful!"

"Celeste is such a perfect mother—look how gentle she is!"

Every word of praise sliced through my flesh like a knife.

I desperately told myself this was all for our marriage. Damien loved ME. He was only doing this because his family forced him to. He must still remember his promises...

That night a year ago when we signed the surrogacy agreement. Damien held my trembling hands and swore: "Jessamine, this is just temporary. No matter what happens, you'll always be the woman I love most."

But now, watching his tender care for Celeste, I couldn't control my rising panic.

At first, everything was exactly as he'd said. Damien was always impatient with Celeste, as if completing a necessary task. Every time he came out of her room, he'd hold me guiltily and apologize over and over: "Jessamine, I swear I won't fall for her. This is just about having a baby. You're the only one in my heart."

Back then, his eyes were full of pain, as if all of this was torturing him. And I—foolishly—took his pain as proof of his love.

But when exactly did things change?

I painfully recalled those subtle shifts. He began looking forward to his time with Celeste, no longer rushing back to my side. When Celeste felt sick during pregnancy, he'd anxiously stay by her bedside with a tenderness that made me jealous.

And now, watching them display their perfect harmony and happiness in front of the guests, seeing his eyes completely free of pain and filled with pure joy, my heart felt like it was being shredded.

No, I couldn't think this way. I shook my head frantically, forcing myself to believe: "Damien still loves me. This is just for show. He must still remember his promise to me..."

Just as I was comforting myself, voices drifted from the study.

In the dim hallway, conversation floated in and out.

I crept over and hid outside the door, eavesdropping.

"Damien, you need to understand the family's responsibility." It was my mother-in-law's stern voice. "One daughter isn't nearly enough. We need a male heir."

My blood turned to ice.

"Mom, Celeste just gave birth..." Damien's voice carried a hint of hesitation.

"So what? She's young and healthy. Once she recovers, she can keep having children." My mother-in-law's tone brooked no argument. "The Ashford family needs boys to inherit the business!"

"But..."

"But what?" She cut him off. "Are you going to abandon the family legacy for that barren WASTE OF SPACE?"

Silence.

Terrible, devastating silence.

In that moment, my last illusion shattered completely.

"You want her to keep having children?" I couldn't take it anymore and burst through the door, tears blurring my vision.

Damien spun around, panic flashing across his face: "Jessamine, how did you..."

"How? This is MY HOME!" My voice shook. "Or do I need permission to walk around my own house now?"

He avoided my gaze, stammering: "It's not like that. We were just discussing..."

"Discussing what? Discussing having Celeste give you another son?" I stepped closer, desperately demanding: "Did you agree?"

"Jessamine, you need to understand the family's situation." He actually tried to convince me. "We do need a male heir. This is good for everyone..."

"Good for everyone?" I was completely enraged by that statement. "What about ME? What am I to you?"

Tears poured out like a bursting dam. I thought of every painful night over the past three years, every humiliating hospital visit, every torturous moment watching him make love to Celeste.

"I thought you were doing all this for our marriage..." I choked out. "But now you're telling me you want her to keep having children?"

"This doesn't conflict, Jessamine." He was still trying to convince me. "You're still my wife. Our relationship won't change..."

"Won't change?" I laughed hysterically. "I watched you fall in love with her, watched you form the perfect family while I'm pushed aside like some extra!"

"You're overthinking this. I didn't..."

"ENOUGH!" I screamed, cutting him off. "I want a divorce! I'm DONE with all of this!"

Suddenly, Damien's eyes turned dangerous. He lunged forward and roughly grabbed my wrist, a terrifying possessiveness burning in his gaze:

"NO! I will NEVER divorce you!"

His voice was low and menacing: "You're my wife. You can ONLY be my wife!"

"Let me go!" I struggled frantically as his grip bruised my wrist.

"Listen to me, Jessamine." His eyes became twisted. "Even if Celeste gives me ten more children, you'll stay by my side. You'll NEVER escape my control!"

"You're INSANE!" I stared at him in despair.

"Yes, I'm insane." He gripped me tighter. "You'll always be mine, no matter what. I'll never let you leave. NEVER!"

Looking at this crazed man before me, I felt utterly alien to him.

Was this still the same Damien who once knelt in the rain for me?

In this brightly lit luxury mansion, I had never felt so alone and hopeless.