Chapter 1

Grace's POV

By the time I got home, it was already 9:00 pm.

Ethan Mercer frowned the moment he saw me walk through the door. "Why haven't you been answering my texts? If this is about the prenatal bills, just send them to me. I'll cover half."

He looked up at me, and irritation flickered across his face.

"But don't just tell me you're tired and expect me to figure out what you want."

When Chloe Hart asked him for 3,000,000 dollars, he saw it as her belated attempt to act spoiled and get his attention.

However, when all I said was that I was tired, Ethan immediately assumed I wanted something from him.

"I wasn't asking you to pay me back." My fingers tightened around the test results in my hand, my voice barely above a whisper. "I spent the whole day at the hospital by myself.

"They took seven vials of blood, and I spent four hours sitting around waiting for my turn. I just… had a rough day. I wanted to hear you say, 'That sounds exhausting.' That's all."

Ethan fell silent for a few seconds before his frown deepened.

"Plenty of pregnant women go through prenatal appointments. You're hardly the only one. Aren't you always going on about how you're a strong, independent woman? So, why does being pregnant suddenly mean everyone has to drop everything and fuss over you?"

I stared at him, too stunned to speak.

Six years ago, when Chloe disappeared with every cent Ethan had to his name, he'd been so broke he could barely afford a meal.

On our first date, I'd suggested splitting the check because I didn't want to embarrass him.

During the hardest winter we'd ever had, I came down with a terrible fever and still made sure my half of the rent reached him on time.

Back then, Ethan had held me in his arms and promised, "One day, when I have money, I'll make sure you never have to live like this again."

Eventually, he did make money.

Yet somehow, my independence had become his excuse for never taking care of me.

Meanwhile, all the pain Chloe had put him through had softened with time into the romantic tragedy of the woman he'd loved but could never have.

As if suddenly remembering something, Ethan pulled out a small gift box. "Your birthday present. I promised I'd make it up to you last month. Things have been crazy lately. I almost forgot."

I opened the box.

Inside was a silver necklace that cost 99 dollars.

Ethan took it out and held it against my neck, apparently pleased with his choice. "It's simple. Classic. Suits you. You don't really go to fancy events anyway. There's no point spending a fortune on jewelry you'll barely wear."

Before I could respond, the phone he'd left on the table suddenly lit up.

A message from Chloe popped up, along with a photo.

She was wearing a limited-edition diamond necklace.

"Got your gift. 999,900 dollars. Look at you, Mr. Big Shot. Business must be treating you well. I mentioned liking this necklace once six years ago. I can't believe you actually remembered."

Ethan had forgotten my birthday just one month ago.

Yet he'd remembered a necklace Chloe had casually mentioned six years earlier.

Mine cost 99 dollars.

Hers cost 999,900 dollars.

Exactly 10,000 times more.

Then again, maybe that was exactly what I was worth to Ethan.

One ten-thousandth of Chloe.