Chapter 1

I stood outside the door, listening to them, my lips pressed into a thin line. Memories of my seven years with Carlos flashed through my mind.

For seven years, the Marchetti family had looked down on me because I couldn't get pregnant.

One winter, the elders tried to strong-arm me into signing divorce papers.

When Carlos found out, he stood between me and the elders and tore the papers to shreds.

"If you force me to divorce Emma, I swear I'll never marry again."

Overwhelmed by how fiercely he'd defended me, I buried my face in his chest and sobbed.

Later, after I lost the baby, I fell into severe depression.

I locked myself in my room and smashed everything I could get my hands on.

Carlos never gave up on me. He sat outside my door all day, trying to comfort me.

"Emma, losing the baby doesn't change anything for me. All that matters is that you're okay."

All that devotion had been a lie. He'd given away the baby I'd fought so hard to bring into this world just to repay another woman for saving his life.

Grief crashed over me, and darkness crept into my vision.

My legs gave out, and I went down hard against a cart beside me.

At the sound of the crash, Carlos stiffened. He ordered Eugene to take the baby away before rushing into the hallway.

When he saw me on the floor, panic flashed in his eyes. He pulled me into his arms.

He took off his coat and wrapped it tightly around my shaking body.

"Doctor! Get a doctor!" he roared down the hallway.

While the doctor tended to me, I slowly came back to my senses.

The concern on his face no longer touched me. It only made me sick.

I shoved him away and gagged.

"Emma, are you okay?

"Is your depression acting up again?"

Carlos rubbed my back to calm me down and sighed.

"This is my fault. I only came by to pick up your medication. If I'd known you were coming, I would've gone with you."

He turned to a nearby nurse. "Get her a glass of water. Hurry."

He was as attentive as ever, but all I could think about was the baby he'd taken from me.

I bit my lip and grabbed his wrist, ready to demand why he'd lied to me and given our baby away.

But just as I opened my mouth, his phone rang.

Erica's name was on the screen. When Carlos saw it, he hesitated.

He picked up right away, and I heard crying on the other end.

Carlos glanced at me and deliberately lowered his voice.

"Okay. I'll be right there."

The concern in his eyes vanished. I was still weak, but he was already passing me off to a nearby nurse.

"My assistant, Erica, says something's come up at the company. I have to go deal with it."

He wiped the tears from my face and spoke softly.

"Let the nurse take care of you, okay? Once you're feeling better, I'll take you to that new restaurant."

Then he left without once looking back at me on the floor.

As I watched him disappear, my heart sank.

I pushed away the nurse's hands and slowly got up, using the wall for support.

I took out my phone and called Arthur Pierce, my late father's assistant.

"Arrange a flight out of the country for me as soon as possible. Keep it a secret.

"Once I have my baby back, I'm leaving."