Chapter 1

If I hadn't seen it myself, I never would've believed Nina—someone I'd loved for six years—could do this.

My hands shook so bad I could barely hold my phone as I typed: [Nina, where are you?]

She motioned for Shane to stay quiet, then lifted her phone.

She was probably recording a voice message.

"I made you some dessert. I'm bringing it over now."

The moment she finished, my screen lit up.

Shane reached out and brushed her hair back, his voice low and guilty. "It's my fault. I can't give you what you want."

Nina grabbed his hand instead and smiled. "I'll say I got into a car accident on the way and lost the baby. With his personality, he'll feel so guilty he won't know what to do.

"Once I get the house and car I want, we'll get married. He's the one who tore us apart. He owes us all of this."

My breathing stopped.

A house? A car?

I had already promised her a house—our dream home, the future we were supposed to build together. And somehow, in her version of that future, I wasn't even in it.

My eyes dropped to the prenatal vitamins in my hand. What I'd come here excited about now felt like a bad joke.

Just then, my mom texted me, pushing again about marriage.

[Felix, didn't you say you were bringing your girlfriend home tonight? Where is she?]

I'd been with Nina for six years, but I'd never told my parents about her. I didn't want them judging her background. Now that she was pregnant, I'd planned to bring her home first, explain everything later.

I let out a slow breath and typed back: [About Mr. Sandford's daughter you mentioned last time—set it up.]

My mom called right away, clearly stunned. "You're actually agreeing to meet her? Then let's do it tonight. Okay?"

I nodded even though she couldn't see me. A marriage with the Sandford family didn't sound like a bad deal anymore.

I tossed the prenatal vitamins into the trash, turned around, and went back to the company like nothing had happened.

***

Sure enough, just as I arrived at the company, Nina called.

"Felix...! I—I got hit by a car... It was going so fast... it just drove off..."

Her voice cracked like she was crying for real. "Our baby... what are we supposed to do..."

"You need me to call an ambulance?" I said flatly.

There was a pause. Then her crying got louder, more pitiful. "A kind stranger already brought me... It's just... our baby might be gone... It's all my fault... I just wanted to bring you dessert... I didn't expect—"

If this was before, that voice would've wrecked me. I would've been halfway to her already.

Now, it just made my stomach turn.

I pulled the phone slightly away. "Bad signal. I'm hanging up."

Half an hour later, she sent a photo of herself in a hospital bed.

[Felix, the doctor said the baby's gone. I'm so sad. Can you come stay with me tonight?]

I stared at it, then smiled. Didn't reply.

Right then, my secretary Kenny walked in with a file. "Mr. Fitzroy, about Mr. Miller starting tomorrow—what project should we assign him?"

I took Shane's résumé and flipped through it. He only had a high school diploma. That was it. If Nina hadn't pushed him on me, saying he was just a friend who needed work, I wouldn't have even looked twice.

Back then, I thought she was being kind. Now it all made sense.

She just wanted him close.

"Tell him not to come," I said. "Pay him whatever compensation we owe."