Chapter 1On our wedding night, I caught my husband in bed with his adopted sister.
They cried, begged, blamed it on being drunk. Promised it would never happen again.
My husband slit his wrist, his adopted sister became a nun.
Eventually, I caved. Didn't file for a divorce.
For the next seven years, David became the perfect husband—gentle, attentive, and devoted.
Everyone said he'd changed.
Until my mother-in-law's birthday banquet.
His six-year-old sister Tessa wrapped her arms around his leg and pouted.
"Why isn't Mommy here yet?"
Smiling, I pointed at my mother-in-law behind me.
"Sweetie, isn't your mom right there?"
She immediately shook her head. "I mean my real mommy!"
I froze. Looked at David.
His expression never changed. Looking straight at me, he said calmly,
"Claire, there's something I've never told you."
"Tessa isn't my parents' daughter."
"She's mine."
...
My mind went completely blank.
Like someone had just hit me over the head with a sledgehammer.
"What... what did you just say?"
David set Tessa down gently, patted her back.
"Go to Grandma, sweetheart."
Tessa skipped over to my mother-in-law, who scooped her up immediately. Her eyes darted everywhere except toward me.
David turned back to face me. His expression was cold, detached.
"Tessa is mine and Nina's."
"That night—after what happened—she got pregnant."
"Nina took her vows. She'll never have another child. So we decided to keep the baby."
He paused, watching Tessa play with his mother's hair. Said it like he was discussing what to have for lunch.
"We were planning to keep it from you forever."
I stumbled backward, grabbed the edge of the table to keep from collapsing.
"Then why... why are you telling me now?"
My throat felt like sandpaper. Every word tasted like blood.
Before David could answer, my mother-in-law stood up.
She looked at me, voice heavy and deliberate.
"It was my idea."
I stared at her.
"Tessa is six now. We're getting old. We can't raise a child properly anymore."
"We can't keep living this lie!"
I couldn't breathe. It felt like someone had their hand wrapped around my throat.
My mother-in-law suddenly put Tessa down, nudged her toward the bedroom.
"Sweetie, go play for a bit. Grandma will be right there."
The moment the bedroom door closed, her entire demeanor changed.
"Claire, don't blame David for this."
"If you hadn't insisted on divorce back then, Nina wouldn't have run off to that convent."
"WE told Nina to have the baby."
She paused, completely shameless. "This is a Brennan family heir!"
My mind went blank.
David had told me his parents had a late-life baby, worried about gossip, so they went to Europe for the birth. Said he went along to help for an entire year.
I thought he was being a dutiful son.
Turns out it wasn't his mother having a baby.
It was Nina.
I looked up at David.
This man I'd loved for ten years.
We met in college, got married after graduation. I thought we were meant to be.
But on our wedding night, he was in bed with his foster sister—my best friend.
I asked for a divorce. He got on his knees, begging, slamming his forehead against the floor over and over.
Nina knelt beside him, sobbing until she couldn't breathe.
When I refused to budge, he slit his wrists the next day.
I rushed to the hospital—he was lying in that bed, white as a sheet, but still gripping my hand like a vice.
"Claire, I messed up... please don't leave me..."
"I'll die without you..."
I gave in.
That same day, Nina joined a convent upstate. Said she'd spend the rest of her life seeking forgiveness.
Everyone told me:
"He slit his wrists. She became a nun. What more do you want?"
It took me a whole month. I convinced myself to forgive him. To forget that night. To love him again.
And I did.
Seven years. I buried it all, gave him everything.
I thought he'd actually changed.
Turns out it was all a lie.
After a long silence, I looked up at David. My voice was ice-cold.
"David, let's get a divorce."
The moment those words left my mouth, my in-laws' faces went white.
David froze too, his brow furrowing even tighter.
"Over THIS?"
He turned his head away, voice dripping with irritation.
I laughed. Felt tears burning behind my eyes.
"This?"
"David, you had a child with someone else and raised her under my nose for SIX YEARS, and you call that 'this'?"
He sighed, turned back to face me. His eyes were flat, emotionless.
"Claire."
He looked down at my stomach.
"Are you sure about this? You really want our child to grow up without a father?"
Chapter 2
I felt like someone had just punched me in the gut.
"What did you just say?"
David looked up at me, face completely blank.
"Got your test results back last week. You're pregnant."
"Your dad's got stage four liver cancer. Doesn't have much time left."
"All he wants before he dies is to see you have a kid. Right?"
My legs nearly gave out.
Seven years. Seven goddamn years I'd been asking David about having a baby.
Year one: "Career's just starting. Let's wait."
Year two: "Want to enjoy just the two of us a bit longer."
Years three, four, five—always "too busy," always "not the right time."
I thought he just didn't want kids.
Thought he was thinking about our future.
Now he's using my baby—OUR baby—against me.
I kept seeing Dad in that hospital bed.
Saw him just last week. Barely recognized him, he'd gotten so thin. But he was still smiling, still holding my hand.
"Claire, sweetheart, I've got no regrets left. Just want to see you have a baby."
"You and David have been together seven years now. It's time."
I couldn't say anything. Just sat there.
He patted my hand, face lighting up. "Don't worry. I can hang on a while longer. Still got it in me to help with babysitting."
Right now, I really wanted to scream.
My mother-in-law moved closer, voice going soft.
"Claire, you and David have been together for seven years. You really want to throw all that away?"
My father-in-law shuffled over, wouldn't look me in the eye. "David made a mistake. We know that. But these past years... you know how he's treated you."
"Think about the baby. Meet each other halfway here."
I stared at them.
Has David treated me well?
Yeah. He has.
After that wedding night, he was perfect.
Every single morning—crisp, ironed shirt waiting on my nightstand.
Whatever I wanted to eat, he'd learn to make it. Didn't matter how complicated.
Late nights at work—he'd leave a light on, soup warming on the stove.
When I got sick and ended up in the hospital, he didn't sleep for three straight days.
Everyone said I was lucky.
"Your husband's incredible. Never seen anyone so thoughtful."
"You two are perfect together. You'll be together forever."
Even his parents bent over backwards for me after what happened.
Every holiday, his dad would cook all my favorite dishes himself.
When my parents came over, his mom would go shopping with them all day without complaining once.
I thought he'd really changed.
Thought the guy who knelt in front of me with bloody wrists was actually sorry.
Turns out it was all an act.
I looked up at the three of them standing there. Voice came out hoarse.
"So what do you want me to do?"
David pulled out some papers from his bag. Handed them over.
"Property division agreement."
I looked down. Every word felt like a knife twisting.
It said no matter how many kids David and I ended up having, 70% of everything would go to Tessa.
Including the house my dad left me.
I stared at him. "You want me to give most of our assets to your daughter?"
David didn't even blink. Completely shameless.
"Claire, you don't like Tessa. You'll never treat both kids the same."
"I'm just making sure she's protected. What's wrong with that?"
I wanted to laugh. Wanted to cry.
He wants to protect his kid with his mistress by screwing over mine?
Why the hell should I?
I was about to say something when the doorbell rang.
My mother-in-law went to answer it.
A woman stood there in regular clothes, soft smile on her face.
"Mom."
"I left the convent."
Chapter 3
Nina's voice echoed into the living room.
Everyone froze.
My in-laws looked shocked for half a second, then their faces lit up like Christmas morning.
"Nina? Really?"
David's eyes actually got wet. He took a few steps toward the door without thinking.
Nina walked in, took my father-in-law's hand first. Voice gentle. "Dad. I'm home."
Her eyes swept the room. When she saw me, her smile locked up tight.
"Claire. Didn't know you'd be here."
I forced something resembling a smile onto my face.
Seven years. Nina looked exactly the same.
Just traded the habit for normal clothes, eyes a little softer maybe.
Then the bedroom door flew open.
Tessa came running out at the sound of voices.
Saw Nina and lit up like a sparkler, threw herself into her arms.
"Mommy! You're finally here! I missed you SO much!"
Nina scooped her up, eyes drowning in affection.
"Mommy missed you too, baby."
Tessa wrapped her arms tight around Nina's neck, looked over at David. Sweet little voice.
"Daddy misses you too. He looks at your picture every single day."
Nina glanced up at David. Eyes like warm honey.
I watched their happy little family reunion and felt ice spreading through my entire body.
Then I just... laughed.
They all knew.
Every single one of them knew except the idiot standing in the middle of the room.
I looked straight at Nina. Voice cold enough to freeze water.
"Don't I deserve an explanation?"
"You promised you'd never show your face around me again. Remember that?"
Nina's smile died.
She handed Tessa to my mother-in-law, turned to face me. Struggling to find words.
"Claire, I'm so sorry, I—"
"ENOUGH!"
David cut her off, practically yelling. Rushed to Nina's side, glaring at me.
"Claire, Nina just got back and you're already trying to chase her away?!"
His parents snapped out of their daze, immediately turning on me.
"Claire, Nina's been gone for SEVEN YEARS. What more do you want from her?!"
"Exactly! This is OUR house. If anyone's leaving, it's YOU!"
Tessa broke free from her grandmother, ran over and shoved me hard.
Screaming. "You're MEAN! Don't be mean to my mommy!"
I looked at their united front.
At David's face twisted with disgust.
Felt the last tiny piece of warmth in my chest get crushed to dust.
"Fine. FINE. I'll leave!"
Eyes burning, I grabbed my bag and slammed the door behind me.
Left his parents' house. Got in my car.
Hands shaking so bad I could barely get the key in the ignition.
Hit a red light. Grabbed my phone.
Saw David's Instagram post.
A photo of the three of them. Nina holding Tessa, David's arm around her waist. All smiles.
Caption: My happy family
I let out a bitter laugh.
Liked the post. Left a comment:
[Older sister becomes mistress, little sister becomes daughter. Yeah, real happy.]
Not even a minute later, David's call came through.
Soon as I picked up, he was screaming.
"Claire, what the HELL?! Delete that comment RIGHT NOW!"
I gave a cold laugh. "Why? Isn't it true?"
"You bitch—" He sputtered. "Fine! Don't say I didn't warn you!"
He hung up fast.
I tossed my phone on the passenger seat. Floored it.
Got to the hospital, rushed upstairs.
Nurses pushing a gurney toward the ER at full speed.
When I saw the person on it, I froze.
The person on it was my dad!
What happened?!
I immediately followed them, phone already at my ear, I screamed into it.
"What the fuck did you DO?!"
