Chapter 1

“Drew darling, breakfast is ready!”

Isabella Thompson stepped back from the table and scanned the different dishes she had managed to prepare that morning.

It was their third anniversary, and she had hoped to make it special.

“Drew?” She called again when she didn't get a response, and she heard a door close. “Hurry, or it'll get cold.”

“That's all you know how to do,” she heard from behind her as she picked up the serving spoon to start dishing.

Isabella turned on her heels with a frown and stared quizzically at her mother-in-law. “Marissa, what's going on?”

The older woman looked completely livid, and her usually calm eyes were like a storm.

“Mum, what is wrong? You look…”

Marissa Harrison scoffed and pointed a finger in Bella's confused face. “You're such a snake. How long has this been going on?”

Isabella was dumbfounded. What was Marisa talking about? “Mum, I don't…”

Marissa cut her off before she could finish. “Don't you dare play dumb! How long have you been cheating on my son and sleeping with random men?” She asked and threw a brown envelope at Isabella.

It hit Isabella's body and slid down to the ground.

“Aren't you going to pick it up and see?”

Bella squatted down at once and picked up the envelope, still in a daze. Marissa had never behaved this way before. Yes, Marissa had always been difficult, and she blamed her for being barren; she had never been so harsh.

She opened the envelope with shaky hands and took out some photographs.

Her mouth fell open and eyes grew wide as she looked at the different pictures.

“What is this?” She shrieked, her eyes staring from the photos to Marissa’s face and back.

“There's no need to keep up the act anymore; your game is up now. The evidence of your shamelessness and your whoring ways is all in your hands.”

“But this isn't… I didn't… I don't…” Isabella stammered, lost for words. She had no idea what these photos were and when they had been taken.

She could never cheat on Andrew, ever. She loved the man way too much for that, so this had to be a setup.

Someone was framing her, but who?

Marissa sneered. “You're just a common slut who has been sharing her body with different men.” She spat on the ground and gave Bella a menacing glare. “You are leaving this house today! There's no way I will fold my arms and watch my son stay married to a loose woman!”

Isabella's mind was a mess. Loose woman? Different men? Cheating? Slut? She didn't understand anything that was happening.

“What's going on here?” Andrew's voice chatted through her thoughts, and she shook, startled by the sound.

Marissa, however, saw this as a guilty move and snorted, grabbing the pictures from Isabella's hands. “Take a look at the thing you call your wife. She's determined to destroy herself and this family.”

Isabella rushed to stop Andrew from taking them, but she was too slow. He was already looking at them, and his expression darkened.

“What is the meaning of this?” He turned to look at her, and Isabella shrunk back at the dark look in his eyes. “You've been cheating on me all this time?”

Isabella shook her head. “No, I promise you I didn't do this. I don't understand what is going on. I think someone is trying to frame me. You know I'd never cheat on you, Drew. Please believe…” She tried to reach for his arm, but he stepped away.

Bella almost tripped, but she caught herself.

“Framed? This isn't the movie, Bella! Did you sleep with them or not?” Andrew asked in a calm voice, but Isabella could hear the tremor in it.

“No, I…”

Marissa cut in before Isabella could respond. “How can you ask her after seeing the evidence? What if this got into the wrong hands? The media? Or worse, your rivals?”

Andrew's expression grew darker and darker as Marissa kept listening, and Isabella's heart sank to the pit of her stomach.

“Drew, I didn't do this, I promise you. Please, you have to believe me. It's our Anni; we should be celebrating. Someone is trying to separate us, can't you see?”

Andrew let out a dry laugh, and Isabella shivered at the sound. It was hoarse yet calm, but she knew it was only a show.

“Someone is trying to frame you? Now tell me, isn't this your picture? And that birthmark on your back, is that framed as well? You disgust me.”

He spat on the ground and threw the photos as he started walking back upstairs.

Bella went after him, groveling and pleading. “Please, Drew, you have to trust me; I didn't do anything. I promise that I have never slept with another man before except you. Please!”

Andrew kicked her with his legs before walking off. Isabella groaned as she rolled down the stairs.

“You're so pathetic.” Marissa spat on the ground again and walked off, leaving Bella lying at the foot of the stairs, her face contorted in pain.

“Ma’am!” One of the maids screamed as she ran towards her. “You're bleeding.”

Bella raised her hand to her face, and tears filled her eyes. She had a bad feeling. “Please get me outside and keep your voice down.”

The maid helped her outside, where she hailed a cab and went to the hospital. She still had the apron around her neck, but she didn't care; this was more important.

****

Half an hour later, Bella was seated in the doctor's office, waiting patiently for the results of the test. The events from earlier were playing repeatedly in her mind, and she didn't know what to do.

She felt helpless and completely unsure of what to do. If Andrew believes that she had cheated, then could she prove her innocence?

How was she going to find out the truth because she was innocent?

Just then the door opened, and a fair-skinned woman of average height walked down wearing a white coat. She had a stethoscope around her neck and a huge smile on her face.

“I'm sorry for keeping you waiting.” She pushed some of her hair from her face and opened one of the files she had dropped on the table. “You had quite a close call, Ms….em…”

“Thompson,” Bella supplies, choosing to go by her maiden name just in case.

“Ma. Thompson, you had quite a close call, and in your condition another woman would have lost the baby because it's in the early stages. However, because you were rushed here just in time, we managed to stop the bleeding before it affected the fetus.”

Isabella's eyes grew large at the news. “I am pregnant?”

The doctor smiled. “Yes, Ms. Thompson, you are, and I have to suggest that you remain on admission until your due date because it's a high-risk pregnancy.”

Bella took a deep breath. “By high risk, what do you mean?”

The doctor didn't answer right away. She studied Bella's facial expression for some time before replying, “You or the child could lose your lives. It's a condition where both lives can be lost if the mother isn't careful.”

Bella inhaled and went silent, gathering her thoughts. This was all too much to process. Just this morning she had prepared the perfect anniversary feast, then Marissa had accused her of cheating, and now this. How was she supposed to wrap her head around everything so fast?

“Miss?”

Bella smiled at her. “Sorry.”

“So, as I was saying, your condition is very delicate, and I recommend compulsory bed rest.”

Bella nodded absentmindedly. “Thank you.”

The doctor rose to her feet, and Bella followed suit. “I'll tell a nurse to attend to you and show you to the room where you'll be staying for tonight.”

Bella walked out with a weary smile on her face. When she reached the door, she saw a nurse already waiting.

“Please follow me, ma'am,”

She quietly walked beside the young woman wearing the blue gown and let her thoughts roam freely.

Her pregnancy was perhaps the best news she had received in a while, and yet she couldn't even savor it well.

“This is where you'd be staying, ma. A nurse like myself will be popping in to check on you from time to time.”

Bella nodded and walked in, going to the bed. As she sat down, her phone rang. She frowned when she saw it was an unknown number.

“I'll let you rest now. But please, if you need anything, do not hesitate to let us know.”

Bella smiled and nodded and quickly focused on the phone again.

“Isabella, this is Phill. Can we talk? I have a message from Andrew.”

A sense of dread filled her, but she swallowed it. Why would Andrew's lawyer be calling her all of a sudden?

“What does he want?” She asked plainly, worried about the answer.

There was a moment of silence before he replied.

“Andrew asked me to hand over divorce papers to you.”