Chapter 1

The third time the pain ripped through my lower belly, my mind went blank and I bolted out of the office.

Enzo Moretti's voice cut me off, low and hard. "It's working hours. Where do you think you're going?"

Standing before the man I was about to marry, I couldn't stop my eyes from welling up. "My stomach hurts."

"Your stomach issues are nothing new." Enzo's gaze was heavy. "As the future lady of the Moretti family, can you hold out a little longer?"

My breath caught. "But there's a reason this time—I'm really hurting..."

"Corinne." His voice was gentle, but the words carried an edge that left no room for argument. "If you're going to be my Donna, you have to be capable of sitting in that seat. Listen to me. Go back."

"It's rush hour. Traffic's a nightmare. When the break rolls around, I'll drive you myself."

Dazed, I turned and sank back into my chair, over and over telling myself: Enzo has a point.

But for some reason, my eyes ached like they were about to burst.

Enzo held himself to impossibly high standards, and he expected the same from the woman he'd marry.

Small things—my work attitude. He wouldn't tolerate any slacking. Every day I had to work overtime until dawn.

Big things—every single project. He wouldn't let me cut corners. He ordered me to prepare hundreds of backup plans.

I could understand all of it. He was at the top, and he had to lead by example.

But right now, cold sweat was pouring down my face from the pain. Anyone with eyes could see how much I was suffering—and he still wouldn't make an exception.

When there were only ten minutes left until break, I finally couldn't take it anymore. Instinct told me this wasn't a simple stomachache. Something terrible was about to happen.

My thoughts were a mess. I didn't care if I was breaking the rules. I rushed out of the office—and a figure blocked my way.

Doubled over, I looked up to find Elara Reed, the sister of Enzo's best friend, standing over me. "You can't leave. Ten more minutes, Corinne. You shouldn't put Enzo in a difficult position over something so trivial."

Suddenly, something warm trickled down my leg.

I looked down. My face went deathly pale.

Blood.

But my period had never bled like this.

A jolt shot through my entire body. My hand shot out and grabbed Elara's arm. "I—I think I might be pregnant! Elara, please, you have to tell Enzo!"

But Elara didn't move. The look on her face was unreadable as she slowly pulled her arm free. "Rules are rules. Guards, keep an eye on her. Don't let her leave early. And not a word about what happened here to Mr. Moretti. You all know how Enzo treats me. Crossing me won't do you any favors."

With that, she sauntered off. The guards exchanged glances, but in the end, they planted themselves in front of my office door.

I was drenched in cold sweat. I didn't have the strength left to fight her. Finally, ten minutes passed. I burst into Don's office.

The assistant looked uncomfortable. "Mr. Moretti asked me to apologize on his behalf. Something came up, and he's already left."

My heart clenched. I still managed a forced smile. "Can I ask what was so urgent?"

"Miss Reed had a cough. He was worried, so he took her to the hospital."

My face went white.

Enzo never left early. Today, he'd thrown out his own principles because his friend's sister had coughed twice.

Principles he had never once bent for me.

Because of those ten wasted minutes, the traffic was even worse.

Two hours later, when I finally reached the hospital, I was bleeding.

I collapsed in the hallway. When I opened my eyes again, I was staring up at blinding surgical lights.

The doctor's voice was equal parts pity and frustration. "Why did you wait until now to come in?"

"You're pregnant. Did you even know? Almost a month along."

My head was spinning. It felt like every sound had been cut off. I heard myself say, trembling, "What? I didn't know. I've been so busy with work..."

"If you'd come in just ten minutes earlier, your baby could have been saved."

My legs gave out. I crumpled onto the bench, gasping in ragged, broken breaths.

Ten minutes. Those ten minutes.

I didn't snap out of it until Enzo's call came through, saying he'd send a car. But the moment I hung up, I heard Elara's bright, cheerful voice outside the door.

"Enzo, thank you for coming with me to the hospital."

I froze and turned toward the sound.

Enzo, who never smiled, had the corners of his lips curved up. "Your brother arranged for you to intern at the Moretti company and asked me to look after you. Of course, I couldn't let him down."

Elara smiled sweetly, then tilted her head, puzzled. "Enzo, if you come to the hospital with me, what about Corinne?"

Enzo's smile faded a little. "She's my future wife. She has to carry more. Besides, her stomach issues are nothing new. She doesn't need to act so delicate and dramatic."

Then he happened to glance sideways—and met my eyes, drained of all color.

I never thought Enzo would call me dramatic.

He'd reassigned my assistant, forcing me to handle every trivial thing myself. And today, because of how ruthlessly demanding he was about my work, I'd been too busy to notice my own body—too busy to know there was a child inside me.

And his indifference had cost our baby its life.

Hot tears poured down my face, unstoppable.

Enzo's expression shifted, a flicker of panic—but he quickly regained control. "Corinne. A simple stomachache, and you're crying like this in front of me?"

I lifted my tear-soaked face, but he cut me off before I could speak.

"Stop making a scene. You wanted so badly to become Mrs. Moretti. Now what's with the two-faced act?"

"If you actually had the guts, you'd call off the wedding yourself."

The man tilted his perfectly sculpted jaw up, certain I'd never do it, and walked away with Elara.

He left me standing there, swallowed whole by self-mockery and regret.

It was true. I was the one who fell for Enzo first. I was the one who proposed. And I was foolish enough to be overjoyed when he said yes—foolish enough to come to the Moretti family to work myself to the bone.

But later, I found out by accident: Enzo wasn't marrying me because he loved me. He just needed someone to run his household and share his workload.

I happened to fit the role of nanny-slash-secretary. That was all.

I touched my belly, my voice breaking. "Baby, I'm sorry. Mommy failed you."

"I don't want to marry your daddy anymore. You'd agree with me, wouldn't you?"