Chapter 1

LILy 

After three years, I was finally pregnant with my first child, the first Crownell heir.

The two red lines on the pregnancy strip made my heart rate spike.

“Oh heavens,” I sobbed into my palms. “Thank you… Thank you…” 

I swiped the tears off my face roughly, holding back the overwhelming joy welling up inside me. I jumped to my feet and rushed out of the bathroom. 

I had to tell Chaise right away; we’d waited three whole years for this surprise.

I picked up my phone frantically from the bed and dialed his number.

My fingers trembled slightly as I quickly swiped across the screen, trying to pull up Chaise’s contact info. But I calmed down fast a moment later. Maybe there was a nicer way to break the surprise to Chaise.

In a fit of excitement, I had completely forgotten that I hadn't been able to reach him for almost a week now. It was always the same when he went on business trips.

He wouldn't tell me he was leaving until I saw the servants packing, and he still wouldn't answer my calls or return my texts.

I would have to persistently text his assistant for updates, telling myself that running multiple hospitals was hectic, only to discover that in the three months he'd ghosted me, he'd been back for a month and was sleeping in his penthouse next to the hospital.

The knowledge hurt me every time, but I couldn't expect an apology from a man who was practically forced to marry me. In his eyes, I would always be that scheming woman who snuck into his bed.

Maybe the baby’s arrival will soften things between us.

Thinking back to how close we were during our university days, my chest tightened. Chaise was the typical campus heartthrob. Rich heir, charming smile, and one of the top medical students.

He was always cold and distant to girls but that was mostly because of his girlfriend, Rachelle. His loyalty was one of the most attractive things about him and before I knew it, I was head over heels. 

Yet, I didn't try to get close to him. I knew better than snatching another girl's boyfriend. I was okay just loving him from afar and saying occasional greetings.

We easily became friends when he realized I wasn't trying to get into his bed like everyone else. Then his grandmother fell sick. Modern medicine was barely working but as a girl who grew up in the countryside, I knew some traditional medicinal recipes and massage techniques. 

His grandmother took an instant liking to me. I could still remember her toothy smile as she teased me. 

“You and Chaise look so good together. But the little rascal sees nothing other than that gold-digging extravagant girlfriend of his!” 

Grandma please,” I laughed, while Chaise rolled his eyes. But after that, we got so much closer. 

I don't remember the details but they broke up during graduation. We'd just gotten employment letters from different hospitals but Chaise was mostly heartbroken. My friends and I practically dragged him to the party to cheer up but we had way too many drinks. I woke up to cameras flashing in my face the next day only to realise I was in bed with him.

Rumors broke out and he was forced to marry me. But after that, things never remained the same between us. In his eyes, I was the scheming woman who lured her way into his bed. 

A knock snapped me out of my thoughts. 

“Mrs Crownell?” A gentle voice called from outside. “May I come in?” 

“Come in,” I answered and the door opened shortly after. The servant girl walked in and bowed.

“Mr Ralph is downstairs. He wishes to speak with you,” she informed me. 

“Really?” My eyes lit up with hope. That was Chaise’s assistant. The timing couldn't be more perfect. 

He was already seated on the couch, sipping a cup of tea by the time I rushed downstairs. He turned towards me the moment he heard the footsteps. 

“Ralph,” I was too happy to care about formalities. “You're here.” 

Those soft brown eyes dampened on meeting mine and an emotion I couldn't decipher crossed his face.

My smile froze. 

“Is something wrong? Is it Chaise? Did something happen?” I asked worriedly. 

He stood from the seat, handing over a brown envelope to me. 

“What is this?” I asked, reaching for it worth trembling hands. A feeling of dread curled in my stomach, twisting my insides. 

“Mr Crownell wanted you to have this,” He said quietly. I should have been relieved but I could sense something was off. I didn't like the pitiful tone he was using on me either. 

I opened the document with trembling hands and the second I saw the divorce papers, my knees buckled. 

“D…Divorce?” I stuttered. My chest squeezed so tight it was hard to breathe. “I… I don't u-understand…”

I thought…. I thought three years was enough to make him fall in love with me. I did everything. I gave up my job, cooked for him, took care of him when he was sick, took care of his grandmother, even helped him with some of his patients. 

I showered him with more love than anyone could possibly give so why… why…

“Where is he?” My voice came out broken. “If he wants to divorce me, he should at least say it to my face, don't you think?” 

“This agreement was drafted three years ago. He has already arranged a comfortable life for you with lots of money as compensation. I tried asking him about it when the papers arrived today but he dismissed me, telling me not to bother him and do what needs to be done,” Ralph sighed. 

My heart was breaking. The tears were filling my eyes to the brim but I still couldn't bring myself to just take it. 

“Where is he, Ralph? Answer me!” I demanded. 

“The hospital,” he answered. “He came back a week ago.” 

“Wow!” I chuckled bitterly. As usual, I am the last to know, aren't I? I said nothing and simply hurried out of the house. 

“Mrs Crownell wait… your dress…” I heard him call but I couldn't stop. My world was crumbling apart, who cares if I was in a night gown?

I got into the car and ordered the driver to take me to the company. Throughout the ride, I was biting my nails nervously, praying that this was a prank. 

But every time I stared at that brown envelope, my hope dwindled away. The car finally came to a stop but I was already jumping out of the car. 

In my haste, I completely forgot to wear shoes but that was the least of my worries. Several pairs of eyes followed me as I ran through the doors with the brown envelope but everyone already knew who I was so no one tried to stop me. 

My heart raced wildly in my chest as I took the elevator to the executive floor.

Chaise’s office was the only one on the floor. I was out, running down the hall as soon as the elevator opened. But just as I reached the office, I found it slightly open. 

“Easy, Chaise. You're hurting me…” a familiar female voice rang out. Soft and teasing.

My blood ran cold. 

He was in there with a woman?

I stepped closer, pushing the door open only slightly and that was when I saw them. 

The blond-haired woman I knew all too well. Rachelle. Sitting on my husband's lap. In that moment, it suddenly became clear why he couldn't be bothered by the divorce. 

His one true love was right there in his arms. I gripped the envelope as the tears streamed down my cheeks. I couldn't confront them. 

I was the one who stupidly fell in love with a man who wanted nothing to do with me.

Gathering my dignity, I turned around and left. I wiped the tears falling down my cheeks furiously as I hurried out of the building. 

Just as I was about to enter the car, my phone rang. It was an unknown number. I swiped the answer button without thinking. 

“Hello?”

“Little princess…” an emotional voice came from the other end of the line. “...we fi

nally found you.” 

“Huh?” I blinked, confused. 

“Did you forget your big brothers already?”