CHAPTER 1— THE RETURN

Seraphina Vale.

His first love. The woman who took a bullet meant for him when his father's enemies tried to kidnap him. The woman who was declared dead after she disappeared from the hospital.

She was supposed to be dead.

She was standing in my living room.

"Aria," Lorenzo said. His voice was not the voice of a husband coming home to his wife. It was cold. Guarded. Guilty.

Seraphina stepped forward, and Lorenzo's hand immediately went to the small of her back to steady her.

I know this is a shock, she said, her voice soft and weak. Everyone thought I was dead.

What... how? I managed to say. My hand was still on my stomach.

I was in a coma, Seraphina whispered, her eyes filling with tears. In a private clinic in Switzerland. I woke up a month ago. The first thing I said was your name.

I forced myself to look at my husband. Lorenzo, I need to talk to you. Alone. It's important. About us.

Lorenzo's jaw tightened. He didn't look at me.

Seraphina is very sick, Aria, he said quietly.

The chemo they used to save me after the bullet destroyed my bone marrow.Now I have AML. The doctors say it's terminal. Six months. Maybe a year if I'm lucky.

I'm so sorry, I whispered.

I just had one wish before I die, Seraphina said. I told Lorenzo... I wanted to spend my last days as his wife. To know what it would have been like if I had lived.

Then he finally turned to me. His grey eyes were completely empty.

Aria, you have always been reasonable, he said. You have always understood duty.

What are you saying? My voice cracked.

I'm asking you for a divorce,he said, as simply as if he were asking me to pass the salt. I owe Seraphina my life. She died for me once. I will not let her die alone.

My child fluttered deep inside me. No, not yet, it was too early, but I felt it.

I had imagined telling him tonight. I had imagined him dropping to his knees, putting his hand on my stomach, crying.

Instead, he was standing in front of me, holding another woman.

How long have you known she was back? I asked.

A week, he admitted.

A week. For seven days, he had known his dead lover was alive.

Slowly, I walked to the velvet box on the table which contain the result. I held it tight in my palm. For a second, I wanted to scream I'M PREGNANT!

But then I saw Seraphina's face. If I told him now, she would say I used a baby to trap him.

So I slipped the box into the pocket of my dress.

It was nothing, I said, my voice dead. Just a gift. But you don't need it anymore.

I walked into the bedroom. I pulled my suitcase from the closet, the same cheap suitcase I arrived with three years ago when I had nothing.

Aria, don't be dramatic, l Lorenzo said, following me. My lawyer will prepare a generous settlement.

I don't want your money, I said, not looking at him. I packed only what was mine. I left every diamond, every designer gown he had ever bought me on the bed, sparkling like trash.

Where will you go? he asked.

Away from you.

At the door, I stopped.

You are taking this very well, he said quietly.

I turned and looked at him for the last time as his wife.

I'm not taking anything, Lorenzo, I whispered. I am leaving you with nothing.

I walked out.

In the elevator, alone, I finally broke. I sank to the floor, holding my stomach, sobbing silently.

My phone buzzed.

It was a message from Dr. Evans:

Mrs. Blackwood, your blood work confirms you are 4weeks pregnant. Congratulations! please rest and come in next week.

I was carrying a baby. And their father had just divorced me.