Chapter 1

As soon as the cab driver heard that I was trying to catch my cheating husband in the act, he floored the gas pedal.

My husband, Harvey Lowe, was on his way to see someone. I didn't know who the other person was, but I felt a crippling sense of anxiety.

To my surprise, after plenty of twists and turns through the streets, the cab eventually stopped in front of the police residential area, a villa compound.

I let out a sigh of relief. At least it wasn't some hotel.

The residential area was housing allocated to high-ranking officers at the precinct, and Harvey had a villa there too.

I had stayed here for a few months before I got pregnant the first time. I remembered that the neighbors had all been very polite and friendly.

Now, with just a glance from afar, I could see that the place was packed with luxury cars and lit up with bright decorations.

I blinked, puzzled. Was today some kind of special occasion?

I was ready to head in and take a look when a security guard stopped me at the gate. "This is a police residential area. No unauthorized visitors allowed."

I froze briefly, then explained with a smile, "I'm Mrs. Lowe; I'm married to the man who just went in."

Yet, the guard looked at me with disdain. "Excuse me? Everyone knows Ms. Bennett is Chief Lowe's wife. Didn't you think to do some research before posing as someone else?"

In an instant, I froze. The woman he had mentioned, Chelsea Bennett, was the living blood bank Harvey had arranged for me.

Snapping back to reality, I ignored the guard and rushed to the villa's entrance, despite being heavily pregnant.

When I reached the living room, I saw a dazzling array of elite guests—from high-ranking officials to socialites—mingling, their laughter echoing through the ornate room.

My usually withdrawn mother-in-law, Marilyn Clark, who swore she loved her peace and quiet, was uncharacteristically socializing with the crowd, deep in conversation.

As for Harvey, he was cradling a baby and feeding him with a milk bottle, all while grinning blissfully at a petite woman standing right beside him. There she was—Chelsea.

The air around me seemed to thin, and I found myself struggling to breathe. Tears uncontrollably ran down my cheeks.

When I was pregnant with our first child, Harvey had been worried about complications because I had Rh-negative blood.

So, he searched the entire country and finally found a blood donor for me. That person was none other than Chelsea, who was a struggling student back then.

After I gave birth, Harvey said that he would send Chelsea away. I felt sorry for her and chose to keep her around, eventually helping her get a clerical job at the precinct. I even occasionally asked him to take some nutritional supplements for her.

Who would have known that he would cheat on me with her and secretly keep her here?

This very villa had once been our marital home, meticulously decorated by Harvey himself after he was promoted to chief.

However, it was too far from the hospital, so he bought us a new place near the city hospital and moved us there after I became pregnant again.

I had never imagined that he would use our marital home for his second family.

"Congratulations, Chief Lowe! A lovely wife and now a beautiful baby—you're living the dream!"

The deputy chief's wife, Nancy Whitmore, patted Marilyn's hand and chimed in fawningly, "Chelsea is so lucky to have a man who treats her like a queen. Honestly, I'm jealous."

Marilyn's eyes sparkled with pride as she boasted, "No, Harvey's the lucky one to marry a sweet woman like Chelsea."

As she finished, Harvey leaned in close to whisper something in Chelsea's ear, not caring that everyone was watching. Chelsea smiled shyly, then raised her glass to the guests.

"I didn't want to affect Harvey's reputation at the precinct, so we kept our relationship private. I hope everyone understands."

She continued, "Since today's our baby's first birthday, please drink up! Think of it as making up for the wedding reception we never had!"

She played the perfect hostess, and the crowd responded with cheerful praise.

"We should be congratulating you on your marriage instead!"

"Actually, how about a little toast between them? Maybe even a kiss?"

Harvey's subordinates started cheering him on, and the whole party quickly reached a fever pitch.

Chelsea tried to refuse, backing away in faux embarrassment, but Harvey wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her.

The moment they broke the kiss, his gaze suddenly locked on mine. I stood at the door, watching as surprise crept onto his face.

In the next second, he shoved Chelsea away so hard that her wine splashed all over her, soaking her front.

"Sadie…"

I wiped away my tears with one hand, stepped forward with my pregnant belly in full view, and swung hard. The sharp crack of the slap sliced through the air, stunning everyone into silence.

"Harvey!" Chelsea's eyes widened, and she threw herself at Harvey, screaming at me in disbelief, "Sadie Walker, what do you think you're—"

Another slap rang out, this time landing across her face. One of her cheeks turned red and swelled up almost instantly as she stumbled into his arms, sobbing.

I shook out my stinging hand.

"Sadie—"

Harvey snapped out of it and shouted at me, but I countered with a cold shriek. "For goodness' sake, Harvey!"

I turned my head, glaring at him with everything I had. "Is this the fugitive you were after?"