Chapter 1

Phoebe's Point-of-View

Mateo Spencer, my husband, had impregnated Lily Shepherd, his sister-in-law, to repay his late brother, Maverick Spencer. For Lily's sake, he had even ruthlessly driven me away.

He later found out about my plane crash and lost his mind, searching for me in a fit of desperation.

…

Lily held her hand up to the light, admiring the massive oval diamond ring from every angle.

When she noticed me watching, she flashed a shy, demure smile and leaned into Mateo, asking, "Isn't this the wedding ring you shared with Phoebe, Mateo? It's no wonder Phoebe likes it so much. It looks stunning on me, doesn't it?"

Mateo stroked her hair with open affection. "I'll get you a bigger one if you like it, since you're bearing an heir for the Spencer family. I've also transferred half of the Spencer family's assets to you, Lily."

Lily beamed with joy but quickly masked it with a look of hesitation, feigning reluctance. "I can't do that, Mateo. I'm sure half of the Spencer family's fortunes belong to Phoebe. It wouldn't be right for me to take that for myself, Mateo."

Only then did Mateo realize I was standing beside them. He gently let go of Lily and walked over to me, a smear of Lily's lipstick still staining his neck like a brand.

"You know as well as I do," he said calmly. "If it hadn't been for Maverick, I would've been the one who died in that car crash, Phoebe. I think it's only right for Lily to get her share of the assets. You're not going to make a scene about it, are you, Phoebe?"

I remained silent, knowing fully well that even if I spoke up, they would still go ahead with transferring the assets—and likely accuse me of being ungrateful. It seemed like they had forgotten that more than half of the marital assets I shared with Mateo had actually come from my own family.

Lily, seeing my silence, flashed a disingenuous smile. "I already told him I didn't want it, but Mateo insisted, and I couldn't refuse, Phoebe. I only made a casual comment about how beautiful the ring was, and he insisted I wear it. I'll take it off now, so please don't be upset."

She made a show of slipping the ring off while saying, in a voice dripping with provocation, "You've really lucked out to have married such a wonderful husband, Phoebe. Mateo is such a thoughtful and attentive man."

I scoffed inwardly.

Mateo had always maintained the reputation of a devoted and considerate man, a model of what a husband should be. Yet this "paragon of virtue" had impregnated his own sister-in-law.

Lily tugged at the wedding ring several times, her efforts only succeeding in making her finger red and swollen. She choked back a sob, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. "I can't take this off, and it hurts so much, Mateo."

Mateo immediately stopped her. "You don't have to take it off if you can't. You can even keep it if you like it so much. I'm sure Phoebe won't have a problem with that, Lily."

He then turned to me and said, "You should just let Lily keep the ring, especially since she's pregnant and shouldn't get upset. I'll make it up to you and buy you a new one some other time, Phoebe."

I looked at him with bloodshot eyes and said, "You know as well as I do that that's our wedding ring, Mateo."

It was then that Olivia Howard, my mother-in-law, stepped forward to chime in with disdain. "If you're so dissatisfied, then you should bear an heir for the Spencer family, Phoebe Duncan! You've been married for three years, yet you've never once been pregnant!

"Lily, on the other hand, is the capable one here. She's the one saving the Spencer name from becoming a public embarrassment! She rightfully earned both the assets and the ring Mateo gave her!"

Mateo stepped forward as well, trying to comfort me. "I owe Lily and feel very guilty toward her. I'm the one who made her a widow, so this is the least I can do for her, Phoebe. You've always been so understanding. Don't make a fuss over a simple ring and hand it over to Lily."

Olivia continued to rattle on. "How dare you insist on keeping the ring when you can't even bear a child for the Spencer family? You're an embarrassment to the Spencers, Phoebe!"

It was a classic "good cop, bad cop" routine. Olivia played the villain while Mateo played the peacemaker, but beneath the theatrics, their goal was identical—they both wanted me to surrender.

I stared at the ring. It was the very same one Mateo had slid onto my finger with his own hands on our wedding day. I remembered him kneeling before me, swearing to love only me for the rest of his life.

I even remembered him telling me that there was only one ring like it in the world, representing a love that was one of a kind.

Yet, that token of true love was now adorning Lily's finger.

I fixed my gaze on the wedding ring, noting that its cold radiance no longer looked beautiful; it only served to mock me, the glare stinging my eyes.

I suppressed the ache in my chest and managed to pull off a fake smile. "I don't mind at all. It is Mateo's gesture of affection toward you, after all. And since you've also done your part of bearing an heir for the Spencer family, the ring naturally belongs to you, Lily."

Olivia's frown instantly eased. Mateo, however, felt anything but relieved.

He understood the weight of that ring better than anyone, after all. He had expected me to make a scene—to throw a tantrum and beg him not to give our token of love to someone else—only for me to remain composed throughout.

He thought that my calm acceptance was so out of character that it actually made him feel uncomfortable.

That evening, Mateo did something he rarely did—he sought me out in the kitchen. He wrapped his arms around my waist from behind, his lips grazing the sensitive skin behind my ear.

"I know I've been neglecting you lately since I've been so preoccupied with Lily's situation. Now that she's pregnant, I've done my duty. I can properly spend time with you from now on, Phoebe."

I continued with my work without stopping and ignored him entirely. I knew what was going on when he didn't even bother to hide the lipstick stain on his neck.

I didn't feel loved being held by a man like that. It just made my skin crawl.