Chapter 1

"Jackie, I'm pregnant. Eugene's the baby's father. You've been married to him for three years and still haven't given him a single child. But I got pregnant after just a few nights with him. You're pathetic, Jacklyn."

The moment Jacklyn Stinson read the message from her sister, Penelope Stinson, she glanced down at the pregnancy test in her hand. The two pink lines stared back at her.

She gently touched her lower belly. A faint smile played at her lips, but her eyes were ice-cold.

Three years ago, she married Eugene Lloyd.

Everyone in Swanford used to say Eugene adored her and wouldn't even let her shed a single tear. They all said Jacklyn must've saved the world in a past life to land a man like him.

But no one knew the truth.

Back when Eugene was still the unwanted illegitimate son of the Lloyd family, Jacklyn couldn't bear to see him treated like dirt and trapped in what felt like hell on earth.

Without hesitation, she took the troubled young Eugene's hand and led him out of that hellhole.

She stayed by his side as he clawed his way through the cold, profit-driven world of the Lloyds, helping him seize a sliver of hope. Finally, he became the powerful head of the Lloyd family, who could call the shots in all of Swanford.

And when it was all said and done, Jacklyn said yes to his proposal.

Eugene threw her a grand wedding and spoiled her into the perfect Mrs. Lloyd, who was envied by every woman in town.

Jacklyn had thought their days would continue in quiet, steady happiness.

When did Eugene start to change?

It must've been about three months ago.

…

The night was ink-dark. Jacklyn went to the private club Eugene often frequented to surprise him.

She was just about to step inside when she heard his buddies laughing and teasing him.

"Eugene, are you planning to stay loyal to Jacklyn forever? Don't you want to sample other women?"

"Come on, man. What guy doesn't fool around? Especially someone like you who has made it. If you don't keep a few side chicks, you're doing it wrong."

Eugene's smile faded as he heard those words. He leaned back lazily on the couch and swept a chilly gaze over the group.

"Don't talk crap about my wife. Are you tired of living?"

The room went dead quiet. Everyone in Swanford knew that Jacklyn was Eugene's bottom line.

His friends, who had just been joking, went pale as ghosts. They were even ready to get on their knees and slap themselves in front of Eugene.

But the next second, Eugene's tone shifted. "But… I'm quite curious about what other women might taste like. Sticking to just one woman does get boring. You guys know Jackie's kind of old-fashioned.

"It's just the same few positions every time, and she doesn't even know how to flirt. Anyone would find that dull. And now that I've got Lloyd Group in my hands, people would laugh at me for having just one woman."

The energy in the room shifted again.

Eugene's childhood friends crowded around him, going on about the thrill of sleeping with another woman and urging him to stop wasting his prime years on just one woman.

Eugene seemed to enjoy every word but still added, "Jackie can't find out about this. Or don't blame me for what happens next."

He just wanted to try other women to satisfy his desires. It didn't mean he didn't love Jacklyn. She would always be the woman he cherished most, his one true love in this lifetime.

He loved her so much, so she should understand him. He was a man, not some saint with no desires.

Outside the door, Jacklyn heard every word. She didn't cry or cause a scene. She simply walked alone in the cold wind. By the time she got home, she was burning with a high fever.

Eugene panicked. He didn't leave her side for three whole days and tended to her without a moment's rest.

When Jacklyn woke up, she said nothing. She remained tender with Eugene, as if nothing had ever happened.

Eugene felt bad for Jacklyn, so he stayed at home with her for an entire week to take care of her.

On the seventh day, Eugene got a phone call. A soft female voice echoed through the line. When he hung up, he said he had something urgent at the company and left Jacklyn behind.

Jacklyn didn't flinch.

That same day, she called her friend, Irene Wooten. "Fake a car crash for me six months from now. I'm leaving Eugene. Before that, I'm taking everything from him. He deserves it."

After knowing the whole story, Irene asked, "Are you sure? Maybe Eugene just had a moment of weakness. What if—"

"There's no what if."

With that simple sentence, Jacklyn sealed their fate.

She had started this love story, and it came to a definitive end because of Eugene's betrayal.

She began it, and now, she was bringing it to a close.

…

It had been three months since Jacklyn made that decision. In those three months, she carefully packed away every piece of their past.

There were nearly a thousand photos, tens of thousands of words in love letters, and a pile of expensive gifts. She locked them all up in a vault, planning to give Eugene a "surprise" on the day she vanished.

The more she packed, the calmer she became.

But when she started vomiting frequently and her period didn't come for three months, a ripple of uncertainty stirred in Jacklyn's mind.

Right after she saw the positive pregnancy test, she got that provocative message from Eugene's mistress. And that mistress was none other than her biological sister, Penelope.

She had told Eugene that Penelope had set her up more than once. She was the very person responsible for the childhood trauma she still carried.

A sharp pain hit Jacklyn in the chest, and her vision blurred. Then came the nausea.

She lurched up and ran to the sink, retching violently.

Suddenly, her phone rang.

With red-rimmed eyes, Jacklyn looked down and saw the caller ID—Gene.

Her stomach turned again.

She didn't pick up right away. Instead, she turned on the tap and splashed cold water on her face. After calming herself, she finally pressed "Answer" when Eugene called a second time.

The moment she answered, his panicked voice came through on the other end, "Jackie, why didn't you pick up? Are you feeling okay? Are you sick or—"

"I'm fine." Jacklyn sniffled and tossed the pregnancy test into the trash before walking out of the bathroom.

Eugene caught her thick, nasally voice and grew even more worried. He asked gently, "Have you been crying? Did someone upset you? Just tell me who it is. I'll handle it."

Ever since becoming the head of the Lloyd family, Eugene had always maintained a calm and polished image in front of others.

But if anyone dared to upset Jacklyn, he'd stop at nothing to make them pay. That was when the ruthless side of him truly showed.

At the thought of the methods Eugene used to deal with those people, a faint curl tugged at Jacklyn's lips—cold and humorless.

She suddenly found herself wondering what Eugene would do if he knew the people who upset her were himself and Penelope.

With that thought swirling in her mind, Jacklyn answered, "Yeah, someone did upset me."

That someone was none other than Eugene.

Eugene's voice sharpened with a flash of anger as he asked, "Who had the nerve to upset you?"

The smile on Jacklyn's face grew more mocking, and tears brimmed in her eyes.

Just as she was about to speak, her phone vibrated. A new message flashed on the screen.

"Jackie, I told Eugene I'm pregnant. Do you think he'll choose to spend your wedding anniversary with you, or will he choose to be with me… and the future heir of the Lloyd family?"

The tears in Jacklyn's eyes welled up until they blurred her vision.

"Eugene… You're the one who upset me."