Chapter 1

Back then, just to be with James Hill, I ignored all opposition from my family and married him under a false identity. My dad—the Don of the Gerald family in North Atlantis—saw how determined I was and made a wager with me. If, after five years of marriage, I wasn’t happy, I’d return home and inherit his position.

At that time, I had sworn to him that James would never let me lose. However, in the end, our love couldn’t even last five years, and now, I was packing to leave him.

[If you’re unhappy, don’t force it. I’ll always be waiting for you, and so will the family.]

Tears welled up as I read the message Dad had sent.

Just then, James came home. Seeing me in tears, he quickly pulled me into his arms. “Pia, it’s been a tough year for you. Why aren’t you asleep yet? Were you waiting for me?”

He didn’t know that on all those nights he “spent” with his sister-in-law, Hilary Cook, I never really slept. I always left a light on in the living room, listening for the sound of the door opening, hoping he’d come home.

Tonight, he came back earlier than usual, wearing fresh clothes. Even so, I saw the faint hickey marks on his chest.

Disgusted, I shoved him away. “Don’t touch me. You make me sick.”

His face instantly paled. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. After a long pause, he stepped forward again, trying to take my hand.

“Pia, I dreamed of my brother last night. He begged me to raise his child, and I promised him. I just hope you and our son, Xavier, can understand.”

I remembered that day, a year ago, at the funeral of his twin brother, Luke Hill. James had looked at me with red-rimmed eyes and said, “Pia, I have to pretend to be my dead brother. I need to protect Hilary and help her secure her position.”

Now, staring at him, I said quietly, “You don’t need me or Xavier. So why should we understand you?”

Just then, another message popped up on my phone.

[Tomorrow, the helicopter will take you and the boy away.]

James caught sight of the message. In a panic, he asked, “Where are you going?”

“I’m planning to take Xavier on a short trip,” I replied plainly.

“Alright,” he said. “Next time, when I have time, I’ll go with you.”

I locked my phone screen. The wallpaper showed a family photo of the three of us together. It was taken a year ago, on Xavier’s third birthday. James had canceled all his work that day and spent three hours that morning baking a cake by himself.

With one arm holding Xavier and another around my shoulder, he said, “Once I’ve fulfilled Luke’s last wish, I’ll take you both to the seaside for a month.”

Back then, his eyes were full of love for me and our child; now, his shirt smelled like Hilary’s perfume, and the hickey on his chest was barely covered. Even when he lied, he didn’t bother to look away. That promise from a year ago was nothing but empty words now.

My fingers brushed over the photo, and my heart felt like it was being ripped open. Some things had shattered quietly inside the web of his lies.

Then, a new message appeared on the screen. It was from Hilary.

“The baby’s awake. He’s crying and wants you to hold him.”

The moment James read it, he became so worried that even his voice trembled. “Did you call the doctor? Why is he crying all of a sudden?”

Before he could say more, he realized I was still sitting on the bed. He reached out to smooth my hair.

“Pia, I’ll be right back. Give me half an hour, okay? When I come back, we’ll talk properly.”

I watched his hurried silhouette as he left, and suddenly, I remembered he was the same way a year ago. Every time he came out of Hilary’s room, he’d say he was handling family business. However, he never noticed the lamp I left on every night in the living room, waiting for him to come home.

He never cared how I felt. He only needed me to stay quiet and to wait for him to “finish his duty” or “have the time”.

I forced a faint smile, my voice calm. “There’s no rush. Stay with them as long as you want.”

He didn’t catch the meaning in my tone. Before leaving, he even turned back and said,

“Wait for me. It won’t be long.”

He must have forgotten that when I was pregnant with Xavier, he was too busy with the family matters to attend even a single prenatal checkup. His decisive departure only made it easier for me to take our son and walk away without hesitation.

After all, the heir of the Gerald family in North Atlantis should never have to live in someone else’s lies, waiting for a promise that would never come true.