Chapter 1

  Isabella’s pov

  “Congratulations! You’re pregnant,” the doctor said.

  The words hung in the air like a thunderclap. Time seemed to freeze.

  My heart stuttered. My breath caught.

  “I… I’m pregnant?” I murmured, the words foreign in my mouth.

  The doctor nodded, smiling. “Yes, Isabella. You’re pregnant.”

  I blinked, grounding myself by gripping the chair. I pinched my arm. The sting proved it—it wasn’t a dream.

  Tears pricked my eyes. “Thank you,” I whispered, overwhelmed. “You have no idea what this means to me… how much you’ve changed my life.”

  My hands trembled as I took the file and rushed out of the office, emotions swirling like a storm.

  In the car, joy bubbled up—tempered by hesitation. Should I call Zachary? Tell him now?

  No. The news was too precious to share over the phone.

  After six years of trying—of hoping—I was finally pregnant. This was our miracle. The thing that could fix us.

  I placed my hand over my stomach. “You’re going to bring back my happiness,” I whispered.

  I couldn’t wait to get home and tell Zachary the news. The drive felt like a blur, and when I finally arrived and saw his car parked in the driveway, my heart swelled with hope. Maybe this was it—the moment that would finally fix us. I rushed inside, barely able to contain my excitement… but something felt off 

  

  The muffled sounds behind the closed door made my heart skip. My pulse quickened, icy dread washing over me as I reached out and twisted the doorknob with shaky fingers. I peeked through the crack, my hand flying to my mouth to stifle a gasp.

  There—tangled on the floor—were my husband and his secretary. The very woman he’d once told me not to worry about.

  Betty’s moans filled the room as Zachary knelt between her thighs, worshipping her in ways he’d never even considered for me. My stomach twisted painfully.

  He’d once claimed he didn’t go down on women. A lie. All of it—a lie.

  My throat tightened. I fought back the tears welling in my eyes. Every distant touch, every cold look—it all made sense now. All those nights I’d begged him to come to bed, while he found passion elsewhere.

  “Oh, God, I’m about to cum!” Betty cried, her voice trembling with ecstasy. Zachary didn’t lift his head. His hands gripped her thighs possessively. When he finally pulled back, he kissed his way up her body, lingering at her breasts, tracing paths on her skin he’d never traced on mine.

  With a rough movement, he shoved down his boxers, not even reaching for protection. I felt bile rise in my throat. He thrust into her, their voices blending into an obscene symphony—bodies moving together in ways he’d never moved with me.

  She climbed onto him, laughter ringing out as she straddled him.

  “Ride me, baby,” he murmured, soft and coaxing. A tone he’d never used with me.

  His hands gripped her hips, guiding her, meeting her movements with every thrust. Sweat glistened on his back, every muscle straining, as he gave her everything I’d never had.

  The jealousy simmering inside me boiled into rage. How had I missed this? How had I been so blind?

  “My love,” he whispered tenderly, curling her against him after their fevered climax.

  My nails bit into my palms. I fought the urge to tear them apart right then.

  “My love,” I whispered under my breath, seething.

  Betty lifted her face, concern flickering in her eyes.

  “Why can’t you just divorce Isabella?” he asked, frustration thick in his voice. My heart cracked further, splintering into painful shards.

  “I was forced to marry her,” he muttered bitterly. “I feel nothing for her. She never made me feel this good.”

  His words pierced me deeper than I’d ever thought possible.

  “You can’t divorce her,” Betty said, attempting to soothe him. “You’re the Alpha. You need your wife beside you.”

  He scoffed, shaking his head. “Six years, and she hasn’t been able to give me a child. She’s of no use to me.”

  Each word fell coldly, without remorse—like a physical blow.

  A tremor ran through me. As I stumbled backward, my heel caught the rug. My shoulder bumped a vase on the side table, sending it crashing to the floor. The piercing shatter echoed through the room.

  Betty’s eyes darted to the door, alarm flashing across her face.

  “Did you hear something?”

  My heart pounded so loudly it drowned out everything else. It was pointless to hide now.

  Swallowing the storm inside me, I stepped forward, pushing the door open.

  Their expressions changed instantly.

  Zachary’s face went white. Betty scrambled, clutching her clothes in a clumsy attempt to cover herself.

  I stood there—spine stiff, jaw clenched so hard it hurt. I bit down on my lip, refusing to let them see the tears threatening to fall.

  “Isa… Isabella…” Zachary stammered. His hands reached out instinctively before falling uselessly to his sides. “This isn’t what it looks like.”

  A bitter laugh threatened to escape, but I swallowed it. The sting of his lie hit like a slap.

  “Why, Zachary?” My voice cracked. The tears broke through. “Why would you do this to me? I’ve been loyal to you. I gave up everything for you—and this is what I get?”

  Betty dropped to her knees, trembling, eyes wide. “It’s all my fault, ma’am,” she mumbled. “I seduced him. This… it was all me.”

  Zachary scoffed. The fear in his eyes faded, replaced with a smirk. He glanced at her with impatience.

  “Don’t bother, Betty.” His tone turned cold, dismissive.

  Then his gaze met mine. Unflinching. Unrepentant.

  “Isabella, why are you even crying? We both know this marriage was a mistake. It was dead long before this.”

  His words were a punch to the gut, shattering the last pieces of trust I’d held onto.

  The man I’d once loved was gone. In his place stood a stranger—one who seemed to enjoy watching me break.

  I wanted to scream. To hurl accusations. To let all the pain out. But my voice locked in my throat.

  Instead, I turned on my heel, walking away without another word. I refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing me crumble further.

  In the silence that followed my retreat, I waited—foolishly hoping he might call out. That he might show the faintest regret.

  But there was only emptiness behind me. A cold silence that sealed the finality of his betrayal.

  I barely felt the world around me as I stumbled to my car. My fingers were numb as I gripped the steering wheel, driving through blurred streets until I found myself outside the pub. The neon lights cast harsh shadows across my face.

  For a moment, I just sat there—staring at the place I’d once sworn off. A place I’d abandoned for him. And now? Now it felt like the only thing left. The only place I had and that’s the pub.

  

  I stood in the dim corner of the pub, one hand resting on my stomach. Tears streamed down my cheeks, each one carrying a question I couldn’t answer.

  If I had gotten pregnant years ago… would it have made a difference?

  Could a child have saved our marriage?

  “Luna?”

  The voice pulled me out of my thoughts. I turned to see a young woman nearby. Her expression was soft, her eyes full of quiet sympathy.

  “You shouldn’t be here,” she said gently, her voice barely rising above the low murmur of the pub.

  I tensed. “Maybe you should mind your own business,” I snapped, the bitterness in my voice harsher than I intended.

  Her eyes widened slightly. She nodded and walked away without another word, disappearing into the haze of conversation and neon lights.

  Alone again, I pulled out my phone. My fingers trembled as I typed.

  My thumb hovered… then I hit Send.

  There was no going back now.