Chapter 1

Borevia, Armoria

I stumbled back from the hospital, still spinning. My hand was on the front door when I heard voices inside.

Rafe.

And his friend, Enzo.

Enzo's tone was off. "Rafe, Carmela's your brother's widow. So why's the hospital system calling you her husband?"

I froze.

Rafe said nothing. But that silence? Incredibly loud. The kid was his.

If there'd been even a shred of hope left—that maybe he was just helping her out, maybe he signed something without thinking—yeah, that died right there.

Enzo snapped. "You've lost it! She's pregnant. What if Mia finds out? She'll be gone."

Rafe paused. Then he dropped the bomb.

"It was a mistake with Carmela. Mia can't have kids. Once the baby's born, I'll make it look like we adopted him—as the Morello heir."

I stood outside the door, pain slicing through me like glass.

My hands shook. My knees barely held up.

Something inside cracked—maybe my heart, maybe just the last bit of hope.

I pressed a hand to my stomach, trying to breathe.

There was a baby growing in there. My baby.

Five years of fighting for this... and now all I wanted was to keep it away from this nightmare.

It didn't deserve to know. And it sure didn't deserve to be born into this family.

The second I walked in, Rafe lit up like nothing was wrong.

"Mia, you're back?" He pulled me in. "How was shopping? Tired?"

A year ago, I would've smiled. Played along.

Now? I felt sick.

He couldn't handle watching me go through the injections, so he told me to stop trying. That was last year.

But three months ago, I went back—quietly, one last shot in the dark. And somehow... it worked.

Funny. The moment it worked was the moment everything else shattered.

I turned to leave, without saying a word.

He reached for some comfort. "You must be tired, right? Go rest if you are."

Then his phone rang.

I glanced at the screen.

Carmela.

Rafe's jaw clenched as he picked up.

A second later, her voice came through—soft, dramatic, and just the right amount of pitiful. "Rafe, I burned my hand..."

His whole face shifted. Full panic mode. "Don't worry. I'm coming."

He hung up, grabbed his coat and keys, then tossed me a quick notice, "I have to step out."

And just like that, he was gone.

He didn't even look back.

The door slammed shut behind him. The whole house went dead silent.

Even the clock sounded too loud.

I stood there, still gripping my bag, fingers going numb.

The scent of his cologne and cigarettes still hung in the air. It used to feel like home. Now it made me want to throw up.

I took a breath. Forced myself not to cry.

Couldn't risk it. Didn't want to scare the baby.

My hand drifted to my stomach. Still flat. But I knew.

"It's okay," I whispered. 'We're getting out of here. We're starting over.'

I turned toward the stairs, footsteps barely making a sound.

Then my phone buzzed.

Carmela.

She sent an ultrasound.

Clear as day—a fetus.

Seconds later, poof, deleted. Followed by a message:

[Sorry, Mia. Sent that by mistake. You probably didn't see it, right?]

I stared at the "message deleted" notice, fingers icy and shaking.

Tears pricked at my eyes, but I bit them back hard.

No. Not here. Not now.

I wasn't alone anymore. There was still a life growing inside me.

I slipped my phone back into my bag, both hands over my stomach like I was guarding gold.

Right then, I knew—I couldn't stay here another second.

This world? It wasn't mine anymore.

I moved slowly and steadily, pulling out my phone and hitting the number.

"Mr. Mancini, I need everything liquidated. All my assets in Armoria. And start the divorce paperwork," I said, voice flat. "Wipe every trace. In three days, I'll be gone—with his child. He won't find us."