Chapter 1

Caleb Graham's heart lurched into his throat, and his voice trembled as he asked, "What's going on?"

Danielle Sutton finally broke her silence, her tone cold and indifferent. "The truth is, Yale is infertile. I had a child with you so he could become a father.

"Even the joy I felt when I first discovered I was pregnant was because Yale could finally have a child of his own."

Caleb felt as though a bolt of lightning had struck him. Did Danielle mean that the child they had together was supposed to call Yale Lawson "Dad"?

Before Caleb could fully process her shocking confession, the call abruptly disconnected.

The very next moment, Danielle walked through the door. Beaming with delight, she reached into her bag and pulled out a report.

"Caleb, I'm pregnant."

Seeing how happy she was, Caleb could hardly believe it. This was the woman he had fallen in love with at first sight at 18, the woman he had defied the whole world to marry at 25. Yet, all along, she had seen him as nothing more than a means to give another man a child.

Danielle sat beside him and nestled into his embrace. She gently ran a hand over her belly as a smile touched her lips. "We're finally going to have a baby."

But who was she truly so happy for—him or Yale?

"Danielle," Caleb asked hesitantly, "our child will stay with us forever and grow up happy, right?"

Danielle paused for a moment before replying with absolute certainty. "Of course. Our child will always stay by our side."

Her words were filled with tenderness and conviction. Caleb closed his eyes, feeling as though the pain in his chest would tear his heart apart.

By nightfall, Danielle was fast asleep, her breathing slow and steady.

Caleb, however, was wide awake. He picked up his phone and sent a message to Future Danielle. "When… did you two get together?"

A reply came moments later. "I only agreed to marry you back then for the five million dollars. I needed the money to cover Yale's infertility treatment."

Caleb's hands shook as he typed another message. "What else have you been hiding from me all these years?"

The message was delivered, but no response followed.

The following day at noon, Caleb found Danielle busy preparing for a family gathering. The moment she saw him step through the doorway, she greeted him in a gentle voice. "Caleb, you're just in time. We've all been waiting for you."

As soon as she finished speaking, party poppers exploded, scattering colorful streamers through the air.

She then slowly wheeled a beautifully decorated cake toward him, her eyes gleaming with warmth. "Today marks one year since we got married. Happy anniversary."

As Caleb met her radiant gaze, he felt nothing but revulsion toward her hypocritical charade. Still, with the guests watching them expectantly, he had no choice but to offer a perfunctory response. "Thank you—"

"Ellie." Before Caleb could say another word, Yale, who was standing beside Danielle, abruptly cut in.

"Why doesn't Caleb seem happy at all? If I were in his shoes, I'd be over the moon."

Caleb no longer bothered to hide his disdain. A cold laugh escaped his lips as he fixed Yale with an icy stare. "What, are you jealous of me because you can't have children?"

Danielle's brows instantly drew together. "Caleb, how did you know—"

Before she could finish speaking, the entire living room suddenly went dark. The guests broke into startled whispers as the housekeepers hurried off to check the electrical system.

While the staff worked to restore the power, Caleb received another reply from Future Danielle. "There's something even more scandalous I haven't told you. Like… how we sneaked into your bedroom when the power went out on our first anniversary."

For a fleeting moment, Caleb felt as though an iron fist had clamped around his heart. A crushing wave of pain swept through him, leaving him gasping for breath.

Despite the violent tremors running through his body, he forced himself onward, inching toward the master bedroom with only his phone's faint glow to light his way.

As expected, Yale's voice drifted through the closed door, sharp and distinct, mercilessly stripping Caleb of the last remnants of his dignity.

His heart sank into an abyss of despair. He no longer wavered. He pulled out his phone and sent his mother, Lydia Ford, a resolute message. "Mom, suspend all business collaborations with Danielle's company. I've made my decision… I want a divorce."

Yet after he sent the message, Lydia, who had always cherished him more than anything, failed to reply for an unusually long time.

A growing sense of unease settled over Caleb. Just then, another message from Future Danielle flashed across his screen. "But what I regret hiding from you the most… is what happened to your mother."