Chapter 1

Just like that, Claire Tate moved in with us, and my husband, Scott Gibson, stayed in the room next door with her. The moment they closed the door, I could hear them panting inside.

Nate Gibson finally replied to my message at 3:00 am. "Jenna, Scott was only one year old when I left. He doesn't even know he has an older brother. Besides, is there really anything worth dividing up?"

I sent him Gibson Corporation's financial report for this year and said, "Come back with your kids."

This time, his reply was quick. "Wait for me."

I walked out of the bedroom the next morning to see Scott and the eight-month-pregnant Claire having breakfast. She was eating the oatmeal he fed her, her eyes full of affection.

When she saw me, Claire blushed. "Jenna, did we wake you last night? I told Scott to take it easy, but he insisted on making the most of it while I'm still pregnant.

"I guess it's my fault too. I couldn't do anything too strenuous earlier in my pregnancy, and Scott didn't want you to satisfy his needs. He'd been holding it in for quite some time."

Scott put blueberries into her bowl tenderly, his voice full of concern. "I'll be gentle next time. But don't say that in front of Jenna, okay? She got pregnant twice, and both pregnancies ended before four months. Hearing this will only hurt her."

So, he knew it would hurt me to hear that.

But the tears I'd shed for him had already run dry the night before.

I lowered my head and pressed my lips together. When I looked up again, my eyes were red. "Honey, you were the one who wanted us to stay child-free. That's why I had those two babies aborted."

He nodded helplessly. "We were young back then. I didn't know any better. I was afraid having kids would get in the way of our life together. But you have to understand that no man would want his family line to end with him."

Claire placed her hand on her belly and said softly, "Don't worry, Jenna. I'm not going to fight you for anything. I'll be giving birth soon. I don't want my child to be illegitimate, so I asked Scott to give me extra attention."

As she spoke, her voice began to crack. "If you don't want to see me, I can just stay in my room and not come out."

Scott immediately pulled her into his arms. "Why are you crying? It's not good for the baby. Jenna isn't unreasonable."

He shot me a look, silently warning me not to upset her.

But I was crying too, shaking all over. "You know I love you so much. Why are you doing this to me? We've been together so many years. Are you going to… kick me out because of Claire and her baby?"

Scott's expression shifted. He came over, pulled me down to sit on the chair, and scooped a bowl of oatmeal for me.

"Don't think that way, Jenna. Even if Claire is having my baby, you're still my wife and the lady of the house. I'm doing this to ensure my family line doesn't die. Don't cry, okay? It hurts me to see you upset."

He spoke so gently, as if he had no choice but to let Claire have his child.