Prologue

"I'll protect you." Kael Villafuerte's voice was deep. "I will not let you face this alone."

Serena Valencia's world seemed to stop.

She stood outside the slightly open door of the private consultation room, her whole body stiff while staring at the scene in front of her.

The man she married two years ago... The man who promised to love only her forever... Is hugging a pregnant woman tightly.

A tear slowly fell on her cheek. She felt like her lungs were slowly losing air.

She could not hear her own heartbeat. She could not feel her shaking hands.

The only thing clear to her were Kael's arms tightly wrapped around another woman.

She looked down.

She tightly held the white envelope she had been hugging earlier. That envelope contained an ultrasound photo and three pregnancy tests.

And news she dreamed of telling her husband all morning.

She is also pregnant with Kael's child.

She closed her eyes. Just earlier she was thinking about how she would tell her husband the happiest news of their lives.

Now, she does not know if it still makes sense.

"Trust me. I'll fix everything." He gently stroked the woman's hair. "You don't have to cry anymore."

Serena felt like a hand tightened around her neck so she had a hard time breathing. Her chest felt tight but the tears did not want to come out. And no matter how much the scene she is seeing right now hurts, she could not speak to get mad at her husband.

The only thing she could hear was the slow crumbling of all the dreams they built.

Damn it!

She tightly hugged the white envelope she was holding. Her fingers were shaking.

Just earlier she could barely sit still from so much happiness. She made sure of the result three times. She used three pregnancy tests. And the ultrasound request she just got from the doctor a few minutes ago.

She is pregnant. Kael is going to be a father.

She thought over and over how to tell this. Would she buy small shoes? Would she prepare a candlelight dinner? Or would she just give the pregnancy test while they drink coffee later tonight?

She was even smiling on her way here. But she did not expect that on the same day, all the reasons for her to smile would die.

A weak sob escaped her lips but she quickly covered it. She did not want to be heard. She did not want Kael to know she was there because if what her eyes saw was clear, what is the use of an explanation?

She slowly stepped back. But in her hurry, the envelope slipped from her hand.

Along with its weak sound on the floor was the fall of a small picture. The ultrasound request inside the envelope. Followed by the three pregnancy tests.

She looked down. She just stared at it for a long time. It felt like something was blocking her throat. She gently picked them up and arranged them one by one.

She wiped the slightly wrinkled paper. Then she pressed it tightly to her chest.

It seemed like that was the only reason left for her to stay strong.

She turned her back and did not look back anymore. She also did not wait for her husband to see her.

With every step out of the medical center, she felt like a part of her heart was left inside that room. She did not notice that the rain was pouring outside.

She did not bring an umbrella but she did not care. She let her whole body get wet while quietly walking out of Verde Medical Center.

Along with the rain was the nonstop falling of her tears. And for the first time since she met Kael, she made a decision that would change both of their lives.

She will not tell him about their child. Never again, because if he can hug another woman while she carries another's child, the child she is carrying no longer has a place in his life.

Even if that child is the true heir of the Villafuerte family.

That night, a woman disappeared from Isla Verde. She will take her child far away from this island!