Chapter 1

Serena’s pov

The soft hum of the Bentley filled the silence as we drove away from the hospital.

I rested my hand on my stomach and smiled to myself again.

The baby had been active throughout the appointment. Even the doctor laughed when the little kicks refused to stop during the scan.

“Your baby is very strong already,” the doctor had said with a smile and ever since then, Damian had not stopped grinning.

I turned slightly to look at my husband beside me. His expensive black suit still looked perfect even after spending half the day at the hospital with me.

He caught me staring.

“What?” he asked softly.

I shook my head with a small laugh. “Nothing.”

“You’re smiling at me.”

“You’re smiling too.”

“That’s because my wife is carrying my child.”

Warmth spread across my cheeks immediately.

Even after months of marriage, Damian still affected me in ways I could not explain.

He reached for my hand and kissed the back of it slowly. “You looked beautiful in there today.”

I laughed quietly. “Really? I have been looking very tired lately.”

“Yes. You are glowing, baby.”

I rolled my eyes softly, but my heart still skipped.

At the beginning of this marriage, I never imagined moments like this would exist between us.

When I married him, people whispered behind my back. They said I was only a replacement for the woman he truly loved. Even I believed it sometimes.

Especially during the first few months when Damian stayed distant then, but things had changed slowly after I got pregnant.

He became softer with me, protective and more attentive.

Sometimes I caught him staring at me whenever I wasn’t looking, and every single time, my heart betrayed me.

Because I loved him now.

The car slowed at a traffic light, and Damian glanced down at my stomach again.

“Did you see how hard the baby kicked?” he asked proudly.

I smiled. “Very hard.”

He leaned closer. “That’s because our child already knows how powerful the Cole family is.”

I burst into laughter. “You’re impossible.”

He smirked and kept rubbing circles over my fingers. 

“I want to buy more clothes for the baby,” he suddenly said.

I blinked. “More?”

“We barely bought anything yet.”

“We already filled one entire room.”

“And it’s not enough.”

I shook my head, smiling. “You’re becoming obsessed.”

“I am obsessed.”

The way he said it made my stomach flutter.

His phone buzzed suddenly inside his pocket, but he ignored it without even checking.

That surprised me.

Work usually came first for Damian. Billion-dollar meetings, investors, calls from different countries. His world never stopped moving but today, he had turned everything off for me.

For us.

“I’m a little tired,” I admitted quietly.

His expression softened immediately. “Then we can go home.”

I looked at him for a moment before shaking my head. “No. Let’s shop a little.”

“Are you sure?”

I nodded.

Truthfully, I wanted this day to continue.

I wanted to stay inside this happiness bubble a little longer.

He smiled instantly. “Good.”

The Bentley pulled into the underground parking garage of Cole Grand Mall twenty minutes later.

The luxury shopping center belonged to Damian’s company, which meant employees straightened the second they saw him walking in.

“Mr. Cole.”

“Good afternoon, sir.”

“Welcome back, Mr. Cole.”

He barely acknowledged any of them. His hand stayed firmly against my lower back as we walked slowly through the shining marble floors.

“You’re treating me like glass,” I teased.

“You’re carrying my child, Serena.” He deadpanned.

I looked away quickly before he noticed my face turning red again.

We entered one of the luxury baby stores on the top floor. Soft music played quietly through hidden speakers while expensive baby items lined the shelves.

Tiny shoes.

Designer blankets.

Mini suits.

Small dresses.

Everything looked adorable.

Damian immediately picked up a tiny black baby tuxedo.

“This one.”

I stared at him. “The baby is not going to attend a business meeting.”

“You don’t know that.” He shrugged.

I laughed again.

God.

I had never seen him like this before. So relaxed and happy.

A sales assistant quickly approached us with a bright smile. “Good afternoon, Mr and Mrs Cole.”

Damian nodded once before turning back toward me.

“What about this one?” I asked, holding up a soft cream-colored baby outfit.

He looked at it carefully before smiling. “Cute. The baby would look beautiful in that.”

The words warmed my chest instantly.

Our child.

I carefully placed the outfit inside the shopping basket while Damian continued walking beside me.

Everything felt perfect.

I found myself smiling every few seconds like a fool.

Maybe this was what happiness truly felt like. Sometimes, I have this unknown fear that he is going to leave me but with this moment, I don’t think he will.

I picked up another small outfit and turned toward Damian excitedly. The onesie trembled in my hands when I ran my hands through it.

“Look at this one,” I said with a laugh. “Tell me our baby won’t look ridiculously cute and tiny in this.”

But Damian did not answer.

My smile faded slightly when I noticed his attention was no longer on me.

He stood completely still beside the display shelf, staring ahead at something across the store.

I followed his gaze, just to check what took his attention. That’s when I saw her.

She was tall, elegant and beautiful. Lilliana Laurent.

The woman people once called the love of Damian’s life and the woman who left him years ago.

For a second, my chest tightened but then I forced myself to relax and plastered a smile on my face.

It was fine.

We were fine.

Damian loved me now and things were different.

I looked down at my wedding ring and smiled faintly to myself.

We had built a life together. I had nothing to fear.

Lilliana turned slightly as if she finally noticed him too and just like that, the universe forgot about me.

Damien began walking straight towards her and u froze. 

“Damian?” I called softly.

He did not stop.

At first, I thought maybe he simply wanted to greet her politely before returning to me.

But he kept walking faster to her.

“Damian,” I called again.

Still nothing.

Panic slowly crept into my chest as I shifted from leg to leg in the store.

His shoulder rammed into mine when he walked past me, hard.

The force sent me stumbling backward.

A frightened gasp escaped my lips as my balance disappeared completely.

“Oh my God!”

A sales assistant rushed forward and grabbed me before I could hit the floor.

“Ma’am!”

The shopping basket slipped from my fingers. Tiny baby clothes scattered across the polished floor.

My heart pounded violently and my hand immediately flew to my stomach.

“Damian,” I whispered shakily.

But my husband never looked back, neither did he stop to check on me.

I lifted my head slowly and froze.

Damian  had already reached Lilliana and she was already in his arms.