Chapter 1

Chuck Fedor and I had been married three years—no kids. The day I found out I was pregnant, I prepared perfectly: decorations, balloons, the whole deal, waiting to surprise him.

He ghosted me all night.

I kept texting. He kept saying, "Babe, just wait. I've got a surprise too."

Something felt off. When I finally heard the door, I bolted.

Chuck walked in holding a little girl. A woman stood next to him.

He went full dead-serious mode. "Babe, this is Ella Vator. And her daughter, Lucy. She's cool with Lucy calling you godmother—Momma."

Then he actually turned to the kid. "Go on, say 'Momma.'"

Lucy just stared up at me with those big, blinking eyes.

I laughed—cold and sharp. "Yeah, no. Not interested in playing stepmom."

Chuck's face dropped. "Who said anything about stepmom? Just godmother. You can't even have kids. Ella's being nice here."

I was still holding the pregnancy test in my hand. That surprise? Dead on arrival. I'd barely had time to enjoy the thought before I knew I was going to lose this baby.

I stared them down. Chuck with Lucy in one arm, Ella's hand in the other. Perfect little family. Just not mine.

Ella, all tiny and trembling, peeked out from behind him like I was about to breathe fire. She tugged his sleeve. "Chuck, if your wife's not okay with it, forget it."

Chuck gave me this icy stare, then turned to Ella, all soft. "It's fine. I'll take you and Lucy home."

Lucy clung to his neck, grinning at me like she'd won. "Yay! Daddy's taking us home!"

***

Chuck didn't come back till almost midnight. I dumped the dinner and cake I'd made straight into the trash.

When he walked in and saw the empty table, his voice was sharp. "Diana, where's the food?"

I didn't even blink. "You didn't eat? I tossed it."

Back then, I'd wait up and reheat dinner no matter how late. Not anymore.

He rubbed his forehead. "Babe, stop being petty. Ella's been through hell—cheating ex, divorce, raising Lucy solo. I brought them here so we could help. What's the big deal with her calling you Momma? You're scared of giving birth anyway. This is perfect."

He touched my stomach, leaned in close, breath warm against my ear. "All four of us together—it'd be so lively."

Four?

What, does he think he can have the cake and eat it? How shameless.