Chapter 2

After three years as a full-time housewife, I felt like I'd lost touch with the world. Luca was still so little, and after everything I'd endured to bring him into the world, I couldn't let him suffer.

Honestly, I was shocked Claudia let me stay. During my marriage, she was polite but distant—never mean, but definitely not warm. Now, looking back, I wondered if her tough exterior hid a softer side.

One morning, while I was soothing a crying Luca, Claudia casually said to Hailey, "You should learn how to take care of children. You'll need the practice for when you have your own."

Hailey gave Luca a disgusted look. "He's not my kid. I'm not dealing with him."

Claudia snapped, "He's Joe's son. If you want to be part of his life, you take care of his family and this household. If you're not up for it, the door's right there."

Hailey, clearly fuming, grabbed Luca and awkwardly tried to soothe him. When he finally fell asleep, she dumped him into his crib and stormed off to her room, wailing dramatically. Minutes later, she was on the phone with Joe, demanding he come home immediately.

***

When Joe stormed in, his finger was already in my face. "Vera Sommer, do you have any shame? This isn't your house anymore!

"Why are you still here, stirring up trouble and getting Hailey scolded by Mom? What's your game? If you're so desperate to keep the kid, take him and get out of here!"

His words hit like a slap. My son—my child, whom I carried for nine long months—being dismissed like he was nothing by his own father.

Legally, custody of a three-month-old typically goes to the mother after a divorce, but with no job, no money, and nowhere else to go, I had no choice but to stay here.

The prenuptial agreement Joe insisted on before we got married left me with nothing—no claim to his pre-marriage assets, no safety net.

Raising Luca on my own felt impossible.

I shot Joe a glare. "Your mom said I could stay until I find a place. As long as she doesn't kick me out, neither of you can."

Joe couldn't argue. The down payment on this house had come from Claudia, not him.

Fuming but out of moves, Joe turned to Claudia, hoping to convince her to send me packing.

Claudia, as immovable as ever, shot back, "I don't care who you marry, Joe, but Vera has no money, and Luca is just a baby. I won't let our family's bloodline end up starving on the streets."

Hailey latched onto Claudia's arm. "Claudia, the baby I'm carrying is your family's bloodline too. If Vera can give you a grandson, I can too."

Claudia's eyes lit with fury. "Oh, you think that matters? You're not going to push me into mistreating my grandson. Not a chance."

She cut off any further argument. "That's the end of it. If either of you has a problem with my decision, feel free to move out of MY house."

Joe, of course, wasn't about to leave. Giving up the house? Not happening.

Because of that, I couldn't shake the feeling that Hailey's pregnancy was a sham.

She was constantly ordering takeout—loaded with deli meats and undercooked steak, stuff pregnant women are supposed to avoid.

Real pregnant women? They're usually queasy, can't keep much down, or lose their appetite. Hailey? She ate like nothing had changed.

The real kicker? I'd caught her working out in their bedroom.

If she really was pregnant, she sure wasn't acting like it.

Joe's career wasn't exactly smooth sailing. His head wasn't in the game, and it showed.

A year ago, he almost cost the company millions. The CEO caught the mistake just in time; otherwise, it would've been catastrophic. The only reason Joe still had his job was because he'd saved the CEO's life in a near-fatal car accident years ago.

Since then, Joe had been on a mission to land big deals, throwing himself into endless social events and networking. It changed him—and not in a good way.