CHAPTER 1

“When do you plan to divorce her?”

Today is my sister’s cradle ceremony, but here I am, arriving so late. I spent all night in surgery, and I thought I would make it in time, but the surgery was so critical that it dragged into this morning.

To say I’m exhausted is an understatement, but I have to do this. When I arrive at my family’s mansion, I head straight to my sister’s room to surprise her with the gift I have for her, since I was told she is in her room. But as I approach her door, I hear faint voices coming from inside.

It sounds like she’s having a serious conversation with a man, but nothing is clear until I hear her talking about divorce.

I don’t know why, but it stirs a little curiosity in me.

“You know I can’t just divorce her without a good reason, babe. I’m still trying to come up with a plan…”

I nearly trip and almost let go of the box under my arm. Is it just me? Or does that baritone voice sound all too familiar? Like Damien’s?

Nah… My ears must be hearing things, because what would my husband be doing in my sister’s room, discussing divorcing someone?

“Well, plan something fast, because it’s hard enough that I had to carry your child for nine good months while keeping your secret for you. Now I’ve just given birth and I’m not ready to be a single mom, Damien…”

Wait… what?… Damien?! Did my brain just play a fast one on me, or did I really hear Damien?

“…And I don’t wish to be your second wife either! Don’t even think of making me second to her like everyone else did!!” Bianca’s voice wobbles like she’s about to cry. It’s an act she has put on since childhood whenever she wants people to do her bidding.

“You know that’s not true. You are so important to me, you and our child, and I can’t exchange that for anything else. But without a reason, I can’t just divorce Serena. You have to understand.”

Huh? Their baby?

I don’t want to believe it! I don’t want to believe that all the rumors about my husband having an affair with my sister have been true all along, even though it’s plain obvious from what I’m hearing right now.

I never realize tears have already gathered in my eyes until Damien’s next statement brings me out of my reverie.

“Trust me, she’ll soon be out of our lives in no time. I’m going to get her framed for something, and then I can rightfully ask for a divorce. How about that?!”

Hearing such words directly from the man I love so much makes my palm fly up to cover my mouth.

I don’t know which pierces my heart more: the fact that Damien uses the same hoarse, desperate tone he uses with me whenever he wants to make love to me, or the fact that he’s ready to go to such extremes to get rid of me for my sister?

Isn’t he the same man who loves and cherishes me so much despite all my shortcomings?

Could that be another Damien?

“You’d better make sure of it. I don’t want my child to be called a bastard.”

“Just a little more patience and we will be married, Bianca. Stop worrying. Now come here, babe, I need a release. Can’t you see? I’m having a terrible hard-on and I need you…” Damien says huskily.

On a different occasion, that breathy voice would turn me on, but right now it feels like my chest is being crushed while a mallet strikes it hard, again and again.

The pain is… I can’t explain it.

“You are so naughty. But I don’t mind. We both know my dumb sister could never satisfy your beastly appetite like I do.” The giggles of my sister suddenly irritate me, and when I hear the smacking sounds of lips against each other, my whole body begins to shake. My blood boils. My fists shake.

The smacking sounds continue…

I grit my teeth hard.

Then I suddenly hear the faint creak of the bed…

And that does it! I let the package fall from my wobbling hands and I slam the door open.

I am not surprised when I’m greeted by the disgusting scene of two people shamelessly munching on each other’s lips on the bed, and they’re my beloved husband and my sister.

My presence alerts them instantly and they flinch hard, like bags of ice have been dumped on them.

“What the… Serena?” Bianca shrieks while Damien scrambles away from her, his fingers scrambling over his suit to straighten the wrinkled, loosened parts.

“Serena… What are you…” Damien sighs heavily and struggles to regain his composure before speaking again, firmly this time. “What are you doing here?”

I frown hard!

“Seriously? You’re asking me that? I just caught you in my sister’s room, almost fucking each other, and that’s all you’ve got to say?!” I struggle to keep my voice steady, but it comes out wobbling.

Not that it would change anything, but at least I expected him to come up with some sort of explanation, and not such a dumb question! How could he ask me what I’m doing in my own sister’s room?!

“Well, guess there’s nothing to say if you already saw everything. I mean…” He says it coldly and shrugs like he doesn’t give a shit about my feelings… what I think… my reactions… or anything…

It’s suddenly hard to believe this is my sweet husband, the one who loved me so much and was afraid to lose me to someone else.

Though I don’t know if it’s just my gut refusing to believe this, his eyes have a soft, remorseful glow even though his attitude says otherwise.

Perhaps, with all I have heard, this seems the perfect setup for him to finally get rid of me, doesn’t it?

“Don’t be so surprised, sister…” Bianca’s voice chimes in, and I feel a surge of anger as I turn to see her standing up from the bed.

“I know it hurts, but I think it’s high time you know the truth. Damien doesn’t love you. I’m the one he loves.” She smiles innocently and walks over to wrap her arms around Damien.

And with that, the last piece of my heart breaks as I see how comfortable Damien is with it, letting his wife’s sister hold him like that right in front of his wife!! I must really be so useless to him now, and it… it fucking hurts.

“Did you have fun? Did you have so much fun fooling me, Damien? You know, I actually heard rumors about you having an affair with my sister, but I never believed them because I thought you loved me. I thought… I thought… you had some high moral standards… but… but it turns out I was fucking wrong!!!”

I’ve heard people say men are scum, traitors and cheaters, but I never expected it to be Damien.

Aside from the fact that he adores me so much, he’s a highly respected doctor in the city and a CEO as well. He controls the Hartwell hospitals and other assets.

“Oh! Please stop playing the victim card, Serena.” He fires off a tone he has never used on me before, not to mention the disgust in his eyes.

“Yes, we’ve been married for three years now, but what is there to show for it? Nothing but a series of miscarriages upon miscarriages! You can’t even birth a single child like other women do, and you want me to stick with your sorry ass? Well, I’m sorry, but your sister here has done what you couldn’t. The baby we are celebrating today is mine!”

I already know that, but I don’t know why it still hits me so hard hearing Damien say it directly to me in such a cold, brutal, unremorseful way.

Tears completely blur my vision, threatening to break free this time, but I struggle to hold them in.

I don’t want to cry in front of him, in front of them.

“Since you regret marrying me so much, I don’t think we have anything to talk about.” I keep my voice low so it won’t sound shaky, then walk firmly closer to him. “Wait for my divorce papers.”

They both look shocked after my last statement. Damien’s brows pull up and his eyes squint in a daze. Of course he didn’t expect the divorce to be this easy, huh?!

Well, there’s no need to prolong matters. He has already made it clear that he wants to get rid of me. I’d only be a fool if I stuck around to beg him. I won’t lower myself that far, and I won’t give him the satisfaction of being the one to ask for the divorce either. It would hurt too much. Besides, what should I be doing with a man who just had a baby with my sister?