CHAPTER ONE“Six years of marriage, and my wife is still getting tested like some lab rat. No miracle yet. Happy anniversary to me, guys.”Briar Welson laughed at his own joke, and his family quickly joined in.Cassie sat beside him, gripping her napkin. Six years of doctors, painful tests, medicine, and hope, and this was how her husband spoke to her on their anniversary.Briar patted her hand. “Oh, honey, I’m joking. You know I love you.” He grinned. “Even if you are defective.”The table burst into laughter. Cassie forced a smile and looked down. Her own husband had just called her defective in front of his family.Across the table, Fiona Ross, Briar’s assistant, covered her mouth, hiding a smile. “Briar, that’s terrible,” Fiona said softly, though her face showed she didn’t mean it.Briar chuckled. “What? I’m joking. Cassie knows I love her.”Cassie looked at him. “Do I?”“It’s terrible, but true,” Briar said. “We’ve spent six years trying to fix you. Doctors, treatments, and mill
Last Updated : 2026-08-23 Read more