Chapter 1

Grace

“ She is back. Sign the divorce and end this. ” Ethan says, cold and indifferent.

Now, I understand that one incident can change your life forever.

Three years ago, an incident like that turned my life upside down when my sister fled her wedding, leaving me to marry her fiancé.

But, I loved him so I didn’t consider it a bad incident. Instead, it was a stroke of luck that the man I adored became my husband.

But today, another incident awaits me. The life I built is on the verge of destruction.

I stare at him in disbelief. He doesn’t look like the man who doted on me for three years. He looks like the man who can’t stand me because he wants to be with another woman.

I look down at the Divorce Agreement placed on the table. My heart twists painfully.

It’s funny how a signature can bind you into a marriage—a relationship you are supposed to cherish with all you have. But a signature can also end this relationship as if it were always fragile and meaningless.

“ Please—Please don’t do this, Ethan. ” I whisper, unable to stop the tears from flowing down my cheeks.

“ Why are you making a fuss, Grace? It was already planned that once we found Lily, I would divorce you. That’s the reason I agreed to marry you! ” His tone is accusatory. His eyes, void of emotions glare at me icily.

My world spins out of control. Lily, my sister is back and my worst nightmares have come true.

“ Three years, Ethan. We have been married for—for three years. And she returned just a month ago. ” I cry out.

“ Does that change anything? You are in her place. You need to leave and return everything to her. ” He scoffs coldly.

“ Three years ago, she fled and left you waiting on the altar, Ethan! ” I sob. “ Back then, I left everything, my dreams, my studies, my career, and stepped into her spot to marry you. ”

“ She left the altar because of you! Because you told her that you love me and made her feel guilty for having me. Don’t act innocent now! ” He raises his voice.

My breath hitches. Why does it hurt so much to hear that he thinks everything was my fault?

“ I have told you again and again! ” I grip my hair, crying out. “ I didn’t tell her that! I loved you but I loved her too. She is my sister, Ethan. I wouldn’t ruin her marriage. Why can’t you believe me? ”

“ Why else would she run? She loved me. You destroyed her life by forcing her to marry another man and leaving me to you. Now, she is alone and broken and it’s all because of you. But I won’t let you torture her anymore. Once you sign the divorce, I will marry her as I should have all those years ago. ” Ethan roars, and grabs a glass from the table before smashing it on the ground.

I jump in my spot. Fear twists my guts. I look down at the shattered pieces before glancing at him.

When Lily returned one month ago and met us, Ethan told me I shouldn’t worry.

But I should have known. The look of love on his face was not fake. I should have known that she would poison his mind sooner or later, that she would tell a stupid lie that I made her run.

What is a three-year marriage worth in front of a woman like my sister, Lily anyway? She is the epitome of success and beauty. Men drool over how unreal and sexy she is. My husband is not different either.

But I want to scream and tell him that she never loved him. She wanted him for his money. But once she found a man richer than him, she fled the marriage.

She dumped him and didn’t care how it destroyed him or the reputation of our family.

I should tell him how miserable he looked when he stood on the altar, confused and angry while waiting for a woman who was long gone.

I want to tell him that his misery hurt my heart so I abandoned everything and took Lily’s place to mend the broken heart of a man I loved my whole life.

But how do I break his heart like this? Even if I do, will he even believe me?

“ I loved her! You knew I loved her. All along, you knew and yet you sabotaged our lives. You destroyed everyone’s happiness and you are still denying it!? ” Like a raging beast, Ethan storms towards me and grips my jaw harshly.

My teeth sink into my inner cheeks. I gasp, tears pooling in my eyes.

My heart feels like someone has stabbed it. It’s bleeding and it hurts. Why does he not care?

“ I di...didn’t Ethan. Please—Please trust me. ” I sniffle, gripping his wrist to free myself.

“ Trust you? A disgusting woman like you who can ruin her sister’s life? How can I trust you?! ” He is seething.

His green eyes are bloodshot with anger and an intention to kill.

He squeezes my jaw harder. I scream, sensing the metallic taste of blood in my mouth.

“ I don’t want to hurt you, Grace. Don’t force my hand. Sign these papers and you are free to go. I won’t seek revenge for what you did. I will even give you enough money to survive for the rest of your life. ” His fingers dig into my flesh, earning another hiss.

His handsome face appears distorted in my blurry vision. I reach out, trying to touch his cheek but he swats my hand away harshly.

“ Don’t touch me with your filthy hands! ” Ethan growls dangerously.

“ Filthy hands? ” My blood runs cold. “ you touched me first! You made love to me many nights, Ethan. Why didn’t you find me filthy when you were doing it? ”

“ Did you think I touched you because you managed to melt my heart with your stupid tricks? ” He laughs mockingly. It’s a deafening sound that shatters my heart.

“ Why? ” I whisper, my voice sounding muffled in my ringing ears.

“ Don’t act oblivious. You were supposed to give me a child as a wife. ” His icy glare burns into my face, destroying everything in me. “ But you can’t even do that. You are probably barren. It’s divine punishment, Grace. It suits you. A woman like you doesn’t deserve to be a mother. ”

His words echo in my ears. I try to breathe but the pain is so strong that I can’t. My chest tightens, agony filling every inch of me.

“ What would you have done if I gave birth to your child, Ethan? ” I whisper in defeat.

“ The child would have belonged to Lily. I wouldn’t let you raise my heir. ” He answers cruelly and leaves my jaw with a jerk.

Instinctively, I place my hand on my stomach. I was supposed to tell Ethan today about the life growing inside me, but suddenly, I can’t. He will take my child away and give it to Lily.

How can I bear it?

“ Once I return, I don’t want to see your face around, Grace. Sign the papers or I will destroy you this time! ” Ethan warns coldly and storms out.

I am left alone in the lounge. I stare at the papers as my head spins with thoughts. What do I do now?

In our three years of marriage, he was never cold to me. Until Lily returned to destroy our lives, Ethan and I were happy.

‘ I think spending a life with you won’t be that bad, My Grace. ’ That’s what Ethan said to me two months ago and then we made love all night.

He used to touch me with a passion that would burn my body and leave me with a pleasant soreness for a few days. He showered me with presents and pampered me like a Princess.

But two weeks ago, he came back home and threw a vase at me in anger.

I didn’t know what to do because I never faced his wrath before.

He accused me a lot that day, told me that I ruined him and Lily and that I would never find happiness in this life.

It took me a while to figure out what he meant. Lily had dumped all her faults on me to take back what she thought belonged to her.

My Ethan. My Husband. He was supposed to be her man.

All my efforts to convince him that I did nothing but save his reputation when I decided to marry him were in vain.

I was happy to marry him, I wouldn’t lie but...I never wanted him to become my possession. I would have been happy even if he had married Lily.

But he doesn’t believe that. No matter what I say, he always takes Lily’s side.

Now, I realize it. It’s because he loves her and not me. It’s because my family loves Lily more and they are also asking me to divorce Ethan.

Everyone wants me to sign the papers, and forget that I ever married Ethan Calder. But how do I do that?

I just love him so much. I don’t want Lily to leech off him for her selfish reasons then there is the child I am carrying. How do I raise this baby without a father all alone?

“ Madam. ” Serena, the head maid rushes in and breaks me out of the trance.

I look up at her elderly face. Pity is written over her expressions, breaking my heart further.

“ You were not picking up the call so your family sent their driver. ” She informs me.

“ What? ” I ask, my voice hoarse from crying.

“ You are supposed to attend your sister’s birthday party. ” She reminds.

I take in a shuddery breath, recalling the invitation from my family and the threat that if I don’t attend, they will disown me.

“ Tell him to wait for five minutes. I will be out. ” I whisper and rise to my feet.

I don’t know what awaits me at the birthday party that they want me to attend so desperately, but I can tell it’s going to change my life forever.