Pregnant, and He Married Her Instead

Early the next morning, Chloe Bennett and her mother moved into the Hale estate.Lorraine Bennett stood in the middle of the living room ordering the staff around. The moment she saw me coming down the stairs, she gave an ugly little snort. "Oh, you're still here? Aren't you embarrassed? A penniless woman with no family, clinging to somebody else's house like she owns it."Satisfaction flashed through Chloe's eyes, though she tugged lightly on her mother's sleeve. "Mom, don't say that…""Am I wrong?" Lorraine shook her off. "Grant said it to my face — he's marrying my daughter. That one is an outsider with no ring, no official status and no place here."I stopped halfway down the stairs, my fingers curling around the railing, and looked at Grant. "Is that what you think too?" I asked. "That I'm an outsider?"Grant said nothing. He only came over and lowered his voice, trying to soothe me. "Right now everyone thinks Chloe's baby is mine. We can't let the truth get out before she gi

When I woke again, I was lying in a hospital bed.There were two people standing beside me and I recoiled on instinct. "Don't touch me! Get away from me!""Serena! Serena, you're awake!"My mother's voice cut through the panic. I turned sharply and saw her swollen, red-rimmed eyes, my father standing behind her.Mom rushed forward and wrapped her arms around my shoulders, her whole body trembling. "You scared me to death. You lost so much blood…"Blood.I looked down at my stomach. It was too early in the pregnancy for anything to show, but I knew. I knew something was gone. My hand shook as I pressed my palm to my abdomen. Soft. Flat. Empty."Where's my baby?" I asked.Mom opened her mouth. Tears spilled down her face, but she couldn't force out a word.Dad stepped forward. "The doctor said…" His voice was hoarse. "Your body was under too much stress. Between the shock and the struggle in the hospital… you miscarried."I stared at him for three seconds, then closed my eyes.

I turned away with my suitcase and Dad opened the car door for me."Serena!" Grant's voice chased after me, raw and hoarse. "Don't go. You can't just leave like this. Tell me what happened.""Go to hell." I didn't turn around.Grant tried to follow. Diane grabbed his arm. "Grant, have you lost your mind? Chloe and the baby are right here. Why are you chasing after her?""Let go of me!" Grant ripped his arm away. He looked half crazed. "Nothing ever happened between Chloe and me. She begged me to help hide who the father was, so I agreed to marry her. That child has nothing to do with me. Serena was carrying my baby."Diane's face went blank. "What did you just say? Chloe's baby isn't yours?"The car door closed and we pulled away. In the rearview mirror I saw Grant standing in the road, and then he crouched down and buried his head in his hands. Diane stayed frozen behind him, as though lightning had struck her.I looked away. "Dad, starting today, cut off every Cross resource g

I watched Grant crouched outside the gates, and the memories came without warning.Once, he'd been the reason I walked out through the Cross family gates and never looked back. I'd fought with my father for him. I'd given up my place as the Cross heiress to live an ordinary life at his side. Back then Grant had been young and full of himself, and he'd held my hand and promised, "Serena, I'm going to make you the happiest woman in the world."Now he sat outside those same gates looking like a stray somebody had abandoned.I watched him, and to my own surprise, I felt completely calm.Just then a black sedan pulled up beside the entrance. The rear door opened and a tall man got out. He glanced at Grant, one eyebrow lifting slightly, then walked to the gate and rang the bell.A staff member came to open it. Before he went in, the man paused and looked down at Grant. "Excuse me. You're blocking the entrance."Grant raised his head, his face streaked with tears.The man smiled. It wa