CHAPTER 1: RECORDING

ETHAN

It was a sunny afternoon.

Supporting my heavy belly, I stepped out of Leander's car with a small frown on my face.

Turning around to look at him in the car, the frown on my face deepened, but I still bowed slightly as a form of respect.

"I will take my leave now." I closed the car gently.

"Hm," He nodded.

His eyes were as cold as usual. His stunning features seemed immovable.

Like nothing would have caused a change in his expression.

Yet, every casual glance from him made me tremble from the depths of my soul.

My lips tightened. I lowered my gaze, trying my best to avoid his gaze.

"Thank you."

"About?"

"The recording you played earlier." I raised my head to look at him as the frown in my brows deepened further.

His gaze paused for a second.

He slowly turned his head away. "You don't believe it." His voice came out as a whisper.

"I don't."

But my voice came out weaker than I would have loved.

The earlier recording played in my head again.

"He isn't worthy, baby."

My husband, Vesper's voice, rang lazily out of the phone.

"After getting the things I want from him, I will fix things back to the way they should have been."

"You are my true love, Nick."

Nick... The name sounded so familiar that it haunted my mind.

But what would Leander gain from outing his son this way?

Why would he play me a recording of his son speaking to his lover about me?

Maybe this was his plan. Maybe he wanted me to distrust my husband.

However, he was still my father-in-law. The man who adopted my husband and brought him up singlehandedly, handling him everything he ever wanted... Leander Voss.

The Chairman of Voss' consortium.

For his status, and for my husband, I had to keep my politeness before him at all costs.

Or maybe this was what I forced myself to believe.

"I will leave now." I dipped my head slightly as I turned around to leave.

"Ethan,"

Leander's deep and magnetic voice coiled into my ears.

My body trembled involuntarily as I stopped.

My body moved before my mind did, turning around to face the man who had been haunting my dreams ever since I got married to my husband.

My eyes met his. Then it happened again___ the uncomfortable beating of my heart.

I forcefully closed my eyes. "What?"

"Remember my words, Ethan. Vesper will hurt you." His hands tightened on the steering wheel.

"When he does... don't say I didn't warn you."

This was the longest word he had ever said at once to me.

My lips moved slightly, but I could only nod.

"Okay."

I turned around and left without sparing another glance at his face.

No, maybe I was too scared to look into those eyes again.

Leander also didn't stop me anymore.

I entered my matrimonial home. The same home that belonged to his son and me.

"Mr Ethan," Gabriel's rough voice called as soon as I entered the house.

He walked over and took my bag. "You're back." His eyes were shifty.

My gaze sharpened. "Hm, where's my husband?"

Perhaps it was what Leander said, but my mind seemed to work faster than before.

Gabriel's subtle emotions were all plain for me to see, and I could tell he was scared at the moment.

My heart raced.

A bad premonition bloomed in my chest.

"He's in the room, right?"

"Mr Vesper?" Gabriel stepped forward as if trying to block me.

"But Mr Ethan, I thought you would spend the day with Mr Leander. Why did you come so soon?" His eyes never met mine.

My eyes turned cold.

I moved closer to him and glared at him. "Gabriel," my voice was freezing.

But so was my heart as the sounds of footsteps rang from upstairs.

It wasn't a single person's footsteps. Rather... it was two.

I bit my tongue slightly as I glanced at Gabriel, who had his head lowered and his back hunched.

My heart stopped.

Vesper brought him home?

Without a word, I dragged my heavy feet toward a couch and sat down, lowering my head as I patiently waited.

The footsteps rang closer... I could tell they had gotten closer to the stairs.

"Baby, when will we meet again?" Someone asked.

The voice was familiar... I couldn't be mistaken.

I stiffened.

It couldn't be. It really couldn't be.

Leander wasn't telling the truth.

"Probably after Ethan gives birth? It would be much easier to get the things we want." Vesper laughed.

"That should happen in a week or so."

My stomach lurched.

A growing pain could be felt from within. Perhaps it was my heart or my stomach. I really couldn't tell.

I clenched my fist as tears formed within my eyes.

Vesper was cheating on me. He really was.

So, Leander hadn't lied?

"And?"

"What? Do you want me to chase him away immediately after giving birth? Isn't he your best friend?"

"Hmmph. But I love you, Vesper..."

"We've been together for five years and..."

"No, Nick. We can't be hasty with this."

"Vesper..."

"I love you, Nick. But we have to be patient." Vesper's deep voice rang.

My body went cold.

My breathing turned ragged as I slowly supported myself up from my seat. I raised my head to look at them.

I couldn’t feel anything anymore.

My husband, Vesper, had his arm around my best friend, Nick's, waist as they walked down the stairs like loving couples.

The smiles on their faces couldn't be wider.

The softness in Vesper's eyes... It was one I had never seen before.

I suddenly felt the urge to laugh.

I exhaled loudly and closed my eyes.

I couldn't bear to see them any longer.

Maybe I was a coward.

My heart ached terribly.

"Ba... by?"

Hearing that word, my body shuddered, and my heart trembled from anger.

"Baby?" My voice held bitter amusement.

Vesper's voice sounded so loving whenever he called me baby.

I had always thought he loved me dearly, and he was the perfect man I'd always been waiting for.

But how wrong I was.

Looking at Vesper, who was walking toward me with fear in his eyes, and Nick, who stood by the stairs with a subtle smirk on his face.

I suddenly broke out in laughter.

How naive I was.

One was my best friend. One whom I'd been friends with ever since I knew what friendship was. The other was the man I'd been married to for three years.

But at the moment, I realized they were nothing but strangers.

I had been the fool among them all along.

"Don't come close to me, Vesper." My voice was dark and cold.

Tears stained my cheeks, and lumps filled my throat.

I wiped my cheeks relentlessly.

Why was I crying for jerks? Why wouldn't my tears stop falling?

I turned around to leave.

Maybe I needed some space to think.

"Baby, please. Let me explain." Vesper ran after me.

He stood before me and reached out for my hand.

Disgust flashed through my eyes as I took a step backward. "Don't, Vesper."

I might really kill him.

"Ethan, this is not what you think?" I heard Nick's voice close to my ears.

My eyes flashed as I tried to step aside.

However, something slammed into my leg.

My eyes widened as my legs gave in.

My heavy body pressed forward, landing ruthlessly on the ground___ Stomach first.

A scream tore through my throat as the world turned.

"Baby!"

"Ethan!"

I groaned weakly.

My stomach ached terribly. Fear flashed through my eyes.

My baby...

I reached out, trying to touch my belly, but my consciousness faded even faster.

My hands fell, and the pain hit deeper.

But the last thing I saw was a wink from my best friend, Nick____, filled with mockery.

Like I had never mattered.

Time stilled.

It felt like I hadn't moved in ages.

Yet, voices came to me through the void.

"He's bleeding so much."

"The baby is in danger!"

"Quick!"

But even at that moment, I couldn't do anything.

I couldn't save my life, and neither could I save my child.

Tears rolled down the corner of my eyes.

I wished I had never loved you, Vesper.

If there was a next life... I would destroy them.