Chapter 1

"Elena, don't you like my baby?"

Chloe curled up against Julian like she was scared of me. But over his shoulder, she shot me a smug look.

I didn't answer.

Under the blanket, I rested a hand on my flat stomach.

When the crash happened, Julian went straight for Chloe in the passenger seat.

She cried that her stomach hurt, and he carried her into the ambulance without looking back once.

I was trapped in the crushed back seat. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get free.

When smoke started pouring into the car, I looked through the shattered window. Julian was outside, holding Chloe and trying to calm her.

"Don't be scared. The baby is going to be fine."

He never looked back at me. Not once.

A stranger smashed the window and dragged me out.

I was unconscious for three days.

During that time, I had a dream that felt more like a memory.

In the dream, I lost my baby.

But I still wouldn't let Julian go.

I fought Chloe every step of the way. I threatened divorce, made scenes, and begged Julian to choose me.

He only hated me more for it.

Later, to avenge Chloe, he drove my parents' company into bankruptcy and drove everyone who cared about me away.

Even my closest friend, Sasha Bennett, who had protected me since childhood, was killed in a rigged car crash after standing up for me.

At the end, I carried my baby's urn from cemetery to cemetery. No one would sell me a burial plot.

Chloe stood before me, holding her toddler son's hand and smiling.

"Look, Elena. Our son is alive and well. Yours didn't make it. What a shame."

The pain had felt real. So had losing my baby.

Even after I woke, cramps still tore through my stomach.

The doctor examined me and told me I was almost nine weeks pregnant.

"The pregnancy is stable for now, but you just survived a car accident. Stay in bed and avoid any more stress."

I held the ultrasound printout and cried for a long time.

My baby was alive. And I'd been given a chance to change everything.

This time, I wouldn't lose everything because of Julian.

"Elena. Chloe asked you a question."

Julian's impatient voice snapped me back to the hospital room.

I lifted my head.

He had an arm around Chloe and was looking at her with a tenderness I hadn't seen in years.

"Chloe is young, and this is her first pregnancy. Of course she's anxious.

"You're three years older than I am, and we've been married for years. Give her a break."

I was three years older than Julian.

When we were younger, he followed me everywhere. He called my name so often that I could barely get a moment alone.

Whenever he got into a fight or drank too much, he came running to me. Even after taking over Whitmore Group, he'd show up at my door whenever a deal went wrong.

On our wedding day, his eyes had been red as he told me, "Elena, you're the only person in this world who's willing to keep me in line."

Everything he once admired about me—my maturity, my calm, my careful nature—had become reasons to criticize me.

Chloe was young, so she could get away with anything.

But I was older, so I had to be the bigger person. Apparently, that included cleaning up Julian's messes and raising the baby he had with another woman.

"All right."

I gave a small nod.

Julian stared at me. He clearly hadn't expected me to agree.

Chloe froze too, then clung tighter to his arm.

"You'd really be okay with me having this baby?"

"I am."

I looked at her and smiled, perfectly calm.

"I hope the three of you are happy forever."

Julian frowned.

"What do you mean, the three of us? You're my wife.

"Chloe will give birth, you'll adopt the baby, he'll call you Mom, and one day he'll inherit the company. What more could you possibly want?"

I didn't explain.

He knew nothing about my baby. He also had no idea I was leaving him.

That was exactly how I wanted it.

After they left, I tucked the ultrasound printout deep into my bag and texted my parents in London.

"Dad, Mom, I've decided to get a divorce. Meet me at Heathrow in five days. I'm bringing the baby home."

Mom called almost immediately.

The second I saw her face on the screen, I burst into tears.

My family had moved to London years ago. I was the only one who had stayed behind for Julian.

Not anymore. I was going home.