Chapter1

I found the truth inside his study safe.

Kael is my husband. He is the sole heir to the Voss family. A ruthless billionaire CEO.

To the outside world, he was perfect.

He would cancel billion-dollar meetings just for my doctor's appointments. He knew my every habit. He was gentle, patient, and completely devoted.

I thought I was the luckiest woman alive.

Until I learned the truth.

I woke up in the hospital. Kael was right by my bed.

This cold, powerful man was gripping my hand.

His grip actually hurt. He was pale and shaking. He looked terrified of losing me.

Anyone else would believe his act.

But I couldn't stop thinking about what I saw in his safe.

A birth certificate. An adoption agreement.

Father: Kael.

Mother: Celeste.

Celeste was my former best friend.

He secretly had a child with her. He even drafted the papers for me to adopt the baby.

He wanted to raise his illegitimate son right under my nose.

He played the perfect husband, but he was building a second family in secret.

I was just his respectable shield.

My trembling hand touched my stomach. The doctor had just given me the news.

I was pregnant.

Three years of agonizing IVF. Countless painful failures.

This should be the happiest day of my life.

I should be crying tears of joy. Instead, I just felt freezing cold.

He already had his heir. So what about my baby?

Back home, Kael carried me to bed.

"I need to take a call," he murmured.

He tucked me in. Then he tossed his suit jacket on the bed.

I saw it immediately. A dried milk stain on his collar.

Then the smell hit me. A familiar custom perfume.

Celeste's perfume. I didn't need to guess. I knew.

I was still trying to lie to myself. I hoped it was all a mistake.

But reality slapped me hard in the face.

I ran to the bathroom. I fell to my knees and dry-heaved over the toilet.

It wasn't morning sickness. I was just sick of him. His touch disgusted me.

Kael heard me and rushed in. He is a huge germophobe.

He is always so arrogant and clean. But now, he dropped to his knees on the dirty floor.

He didn't care about the mess at all.

He pulled my hair back. He rubbed my back gently.

His voice was shaking. "Deep breaths, sweetheart. I'm right here.

Was it something you ate? I'm calling the doctor."

The panic in his eyes was so real. I looked at him.

A pathetic spark of hope lit up in my chest. *He still loves me.

Should I tell him I'm pregnant? Would he leave them for me?

For our baby? Could I just pretend nothing happened?

I opened my trembling lips. "Kael, I—"

His phone buzzed.

He glanced at the screen. The loving husband vanished.

He turned cold and serious. He stood up and went into the hallway.

I listened through the cracked door. His voice was hushed but anxious.

"Why hasn't the boy's fever broken?

Get the pediatric specialists there now. Update me in ten minutes."

I swallowed my words. The bitter taste of blood filled my mouth.

He wasn't just doing his duty. He genuinely cared for that child.

He already had his real family. I was just the extra.

He came back inside. He gave me a quick kiss on the forehead.

He said there was an emergency and left.

Half an hour later, my phone lit up. It was a video from Celeste.

Kael was holding a baby.

His movements were so natural.

He kissed the baby's head. He looked so gentle. I had never seen him act like that.

She added a text: He didn't dare tell you. So I will.

Why? Why could they treat me like this? What did I do wrong?

That happy family video destroyed my last shred of hope.

I grabbed my phone. I called Nora.

She was the only person I still trusted.

"Nora," I said. "I need you to fake a fatal boating accident for me."

Nora gasped. She asked what happened.

Once she knew I was serious, she agreed.

I knew Kael too well. His dictionary didn't have the word "let go". If I wanted to protect my baby, I had to die.

That night, I started packing and decided tore up all his love letters.

Then I grabbed our photo albums. Three years of memories. I threw them into the fireplace, one by one.

I watched the pages curl and turn black. Let it all burn. It was all fake anyway.

At midnight, my phone buzzed.

Nora: Yacht route changed. Everything is ready.

In three days, I would disappear forever.