Chapter 1I pretended to be my wealthy bestie's stand-in for her blind date, and the notorious heir of the Whitmore family fell for me at first sight.
From then on, if any man so much as looked at me, he'd break their legs and dump them in the river.
When I came clean about who I really was, he carved three gashes into the back of his hand, each one cutting to the bone.
"I don't care who you are—don't leave me. Just thinking about you marrying someone else, having another man's kids... it makes me want to kill them all."
Three years later, when I rushed home excited to tell him I was pregnant, I found him naked in our bed with my bestie.
I lost it completely. I screamed at them to get out of my house.
Declan Whitmore's eyes turned red as he slapped me across the face.
"Willa, why are you being such a brat?"
"I called off my engagement to the Carmichael family because of you. Luna's been treated like garbage by everyone because of it. She just wants a baby to secure her position—can't you be understanding for once?"
My bestie knelt on the floor, hands pressed to her stomach, begging.
"Willa, I'm already pregnant. The baby's innocent!"
I stared coldly at them both. "We're done."
Declan instantly lost it. "Who said you could break up with me?"
During a hurricane, he locked me out on the balcony and forced me to listen to them screw all night in the storm.
That night, burning with fever, I miscarried.
Declan Whitmore, this time I'm really done with you.
...
I was trapped on that balcony all night.
By the time I was about to pass out from the cold, Declan finally—mercifully—opened the glass door.
He draped a warm coat over my shoulders and pressed my frozen feet against his bare stomach to warm them.
He sighed like he was doing me a favor.
"Willa, don't blame me for being harsh. You're just so stubborn. You blow up over every little thing and threaten to break up with me. I had to teach you to behave."
"See? Who else would love you and take care of you like I do?"
Take care of me?
I almost laughed.
He knew last night's hurricane wasn't something a normal person could survive.
And he still locked me outside on purpose.
I'd banged on the glass, screaming that I'd just found out I was pregnant—that I couldn't be exposed to the cold or I might lose the baby.
But Declan only glanced up from between Luna's legs, looking mildly annoyed.
"Willa, stop lying to get my attention. I love you, but I'm not an idiot. You had your appendix out a few months ago. I didn't touch you because I was afraid you'd be in pain. So where would a baby come from?"
Blood ran down my thighs, soaking my dress crimson.
I screamed until my voice gave out, begging him to take me to a hospital—I was losing the baby.
Declan only got out of bed, opened the door, and kissed my forehead like I was a confused child.
"You love me so much you convinced yourself you're pregnant with my baby. It's sweet, really. Once Luna has her baby, I'll give you one too. We'll be a happy little family of three."
Then he reached into the nightstand, pulled out a pad, and pressed it into my palm.
"I've tracked every one of your periods for three years. I know you're not miscarrying. You just got your period, silly girl."
No matter how much I screamed after that, he ignored me.
My cries of pain only seemed to turn them on more.
The worse I sounded, the harder he went. Luna moaned louder, like she wanted me to hear.
Remembering it now, I closed my eyes to hold back my tears.
I pushed Declan's hands off me and stood on shaking legs.
My stomach cramped so badly I could barely walk.
The entire skirt of my dress was soaked red with blood.
I locked myself in the bathroom and showered for over an hour, desperate to scrub away last night's humiliation.
Just yesterday, I'd been daydreaming about our future. Planning a life with Declan.
God, I was such an idiot.
The man I thought was devoted to me had been screwing my best friend for months.
After charging my dead phone, I scrolled through my contacts and called my OB-GYN.
"Hi, doctor. I need to schedule an abortion. As soon as possible."
I booked an appointment for that afternoon, changed into clean clothes, and went downstairs.
Declan and Luna were already at the dining table.
The man who was obsessed with cleanliness and hated mess was letting Luna pick through every dish like a toddler.
Luna pouted. "Ugh, I'm pregnant and nothing tastes good. I just want Willa's mango milkshake. She makes it so good!"
I moved to pull out a chair. Declan grabbed my wrist.
"Willa, go make Luna a up of mango milkshake."
I stared at him in disbelief.
"I haven't eaten yet."
Chapter 2
"Be good. Luna's pregnant. She comes first now."
"She already picked through everything on the table, so you can't eat it anyway. I told our housekeeper to make you something fresh. You can make Luna her milkshake while you wait."
I don't even know how to make mango milkshake.
But Luna, my so-called best friend, knew perfectly well that I'm severely allergic to mangoes.
I knew Declan wouldn't listen.
So I said nothing and went to the kitchen.
By the time I came back with the bowl, my hands were swollen and covered in hives.
Declan's eyes widened. He grabbed my hands.
"What happened? Are you hurt? Why are they so swollen?"
He started pulling me toward the medicine cabinet.
Then came the sound of a bowl shattering on the floor.
Luna doubled over, retching. Tears streamed down her face.
"Willa... what did you put in this? I feel awful..."
Declan froze. Then he dropped my hands and rushed to her side.
"Willa, why would you do this?"
"Even if you hate me and Luna, the baby's innocent! How could you hurt a child?!"
He glared at me like I was a monster. I opened my mouth to defend myself.
He cut me off with a cold look, shoved past me, and carried Luna out the door.
I stood there at the dining table for what felt like forever. My blood sugar dropped. I almost fainted.
Finally, I sat down and reached for the leftovers.
Our housekeeper Maria walked over and dumped every dish into the trash right in front of me.
"Mr. Whitmore just called," she said flatly. "Miss Carmichael's in bad shape. As punishment, you're no longer allowed to eat in this house."
"The kitchen will be locked from now on. Don't go near it, or you'll be kicked out."
I laughed bitterly.
When he put this penthouse in my name, he told everyone I was the lady of the house.
That everything—including him—was mine to control.
Now he threatened to throw me out like I was nothing. Like I was a bug he could flick away.
I went to the drawer and pulled out a divorce agreement.
Declan and I never had a wedding, but he dragged me to the courthouse to get our marriage license.
He said it was because I'd lied and pretended to be Luna on our blind date—so I was clearly a schemer who might run away. He wanted to "lock me down."
For three years, he spoiled me so completely I never once thought about leaving.
But now, with Luna in the picture, everything changed.
I opened the document and signed my name in quick, angry strokes.
Then I slipped it into an envelope and took it with me to the hospital.
After the exam, the doctor looked at me seriously.
"The baby's still alive. It's incredibly resilient. Are you sure you don't want to try and keep it?"
I froze for a moment. Then I said, "No. I don't."
She sighed, unwilling to give up.
"But Mr. Whitmore really wants a child with you. He knows how hard it is for you to get pregnant. He's been afraid to bring it up because he didn't want to pressure you. If he knew... he'd be over the moon."
While I hesitated, she stepped out of the room.
I heard her call Declan. She told him I was at the maternity clinic.
Less than a minute later, Declan came bursting through the door, breathless. He looked me over frantically, and only relaxed when he saw I was fine.
"Willa, you're being ridiculous. You know I'm with Luna right now. Why did you have the doctor call me here?"
I was about to say I didn't, but Declan grabbed my arm and dragged me down the hall to another patient room.
Two people stood outside the door. When they saw me, they marched over.
Luna's father slapped me across the face.
"You ungrateful little bitch. My daughter treated you like a sister, and you tried to hurt her!"
"You took her place on that blind date, stole her spot as Mrs. Whitmore, and she swallowed every humiliation. Now that you're losing him, you want to blame her? No wonder Declan would rather introduce her as his wife than you!"
I turned to Declan, stunned.
So that's why he never brought me to any events. Why Luna was always conveniently "busy" when I tried to hang out with her.
How much had they been hiding from me?
My cheek stung. I wasn't going to take this. I raised my hand to slap him back.
"Luna was the one who begged me to go! She was going to jump off a building because she didn't want an arranged marriage!"
Declan caught my wrist. He frowned at me.
"Willa, Luna collapsed and had to be resuscitated. Just let them blow off steam."
"They're right. If you hadn't pretended to be Luna and gone on that date with me, I never would've betrayed the Carmichael family."
I stared at him, speechless.
Before I could react, Luna's mother shoved me hard. My back slammed into a metal bench. The pain knocked the air from my lungs.
She kicked me with her stiletto heel, screaming, "You're a homewrecker! You seduced Declan and framed my daughter! Every bit of suffering she went through—you're going to pay it back!"
I curled into a ball, crawling backward. I looked at Declan, silently begging him to help.
He stood there, fists clenched, eyes full of pity—but his feet stayed rooted to the floor.
"Willa... just hold on a little longer. I'll make it up to you after today."
My heart turned to ice.
Luna's father grabbed a fistful of my hair and started slapping me across the face.
I lost count of how many times I tried to dodge. Eventually, I just collapsed on the floor, too exhausted to move.
Then, from inside the hospital room, I heard a soft laugh.
"Pfft—"
Chapter 3
Declan's eyes lit up instantly. He rushed to Luna's side. "Luna, you're finally smiling."
Luna's mother dragged me in front of Luna's hospital bed.
I was covered in bruises and cuts. A complete mess.
Luna reached out with both hands and took mine gently.
She pouted. "Mom, Dad, Declan—how could you treat Willa like this? The doctor said I just fainted from severe morning sickness. Willa's my best friend. She'd never hurt me."
She pulled me to sit on the edge of her bed, just like when we used to be close.
Then she held up an ultrasound photo and pointed to the barely-formed blob on the screen, smiling brightly.
"Willa, this is mine and Declan's baby. Isn't it adorable? You always said you wanted to be the godmother to my kids, remember? Declan came up with a bunch of names, but I can't decide. Help me pick one, okay?"
"Rose Whitmore, Grace Whitmore, or Claire Whitmore? Which sounds best?"
She deliberately emphasized the name Whitmore—as if afraid people wouldn't know whose child it was.
I stared at her glowing expression and finally asked the question I'd been holding back.
"If you liked Declan, why didn't you tell me? Why did you make me go on that blind date for you? Why did you pretend to be happy for me when I told you we were together?"
Luna froze. Tears quickly slid down her cheeks. Her voice trembled.
"I'm sorry, Willa. I didn't know you'd care this much about the baby! Sleeping with Declan was wrong, but I never meant to come between you two!"
"If you blame me for ruining your relationship, then fine—I'll get rid of it right now!"
Without warning, she grabbed my hand and slammed it toward her stomach.
I yanked my hand back instinctively. But even that light touch made Luna roll off the bed.
Thud.
Blood pooled beneath her.
Declan shoved me aside and scooped Luna into his arms, eyes red as he hit the call button for a doctor.
"Willa, what the hell is wrong with you?!"
"Luna apologized! She was humble about it! And you still won't let it go? What do you want from us?! What will it take for you to be satisfied?!"
I stared coldly at Luna. "Make her get rid of the baby."
Declan stood and slapped me across the face. "In your dreams. That baby is the only thing keeping Luna safe in the Carmichael family. If she loses it, what's left for her?"
I touched my burning cheek and smiled at him.
I pulled the signed divorce papers from my bag and handed them over.
"Let's get divorced. You don't love me anymore."
Declan glanced at the papers, then tore them into pieces. His tone softened slightly.
"Willa, stop throwing tantrums and threatening me with divorce. It's childish."
"Maybe you can't accept this right now, but you will eventually. You'll get along great with Luna and the baby."
I looked at him once, said nothing, and turned to leave.
But Declan suddenly grabbed a fistful of my hair and kicked the back of my knee, forcing me to the ground.
His tone shifted—cold and vicious. "Right now, you're going to kneel outside that operating room and beg for Luna's forgiveness. You'll stay there until she comes out safe. Understood?"
The force made the room spin. After all the blood I'd lost last night, I collapsed.
Declan thought I'd fallen asleep. He grabbed a lit cigarette from a nearby guard and pressed it into my arm.
I woke up screaming. Tears filled my eyes.
From then on, every time I started to pass out, Declan burned me with another cigarette.
By the time Luna's eight-hour surgery ended, there wasn't a patch of unmarked skin left on my body.
But when Luna woke up, the first thing she did was grab my head and drag me to the roof. She smiled at me and said:
"Wanna bet? If we both fell off this roof right now, he'd save me without a second thought."
She leaned out over the edge—just a little.
A figure came barreling toward us like a madman. He shoved me aside and roared:
"Willa! Are you trying to kill Luna?!"
Declan's shove sent me over the edge.
I grabbed the ledge with the last of my strength, barely hanging on. I called out weakly.
"Declan... help me..."
He didn't even look back. He carried Luna away.
My grip slipped.
I fell.
Before I lost consciousness, I thought I saw someone turn around.
A voice screamed, raw and broken:
"WILLA!"
