Chapter 1Eight months pregnant, I was drugged. Blood everywhere.
My husband ran every red light crying, called in the top OB-GYN in Manhattan—all to save my life.
I actually believed he cared.
Until I woke up mid-surgery and overheard the truth:
"We agreed JUST the abortion. Why'd you rip out her uterus too?!"
That was Kieran. My brother.
Then came Caspian's ice-cold voice.
"Eight months was generous enough."
"Only MY kid with Celeste deserves the Wolfe fortune."
"Wren owes Celeste this. She's just paying her debt."
Oh.
So my perfect marriage? A lie.
He loved HER the whole time. The fake heiress. My sister.
Fine. You want her that bad? Awesome. My leaving shouldn't be a problem then.
...
"Those pills were brutal. Wren's body is wrecked—she'll never have kid."
"With Orion backed by us, his heir position is unshakable."
"When she wakes up and realizes the baby is gone, and her uterus too—"
"Jesus, Caspian, Wren'll lose it!"
Silence.
Then Caspian's voice cut through, cold and final.
"For Celeste, I'm eliminating every risk."
"Wren owes her this."
"Besides, they're sisters. Celeste's kid gets raised by her—what's the problem?"
My incision felt like it was tearing open again.
"This is insane. You're gonna regret it. I know you have feelings for Wren." Kieran snapped.
"If it weren't to make it up to her, Celeste wouldn't have insisted on breaking off our engagement and run to Europe—refusing to come back for YEARS." Caspian's tone was flat.
"Letting Wren carry my kid once was already Celeste's compromise."
"I owe Celeste everything. I'll never be able to pay her back."
Kieran sneered.
"Then why the hell didn't you just marry Celeste in the first place?!"
The air froze.
I was lying there, tears streaming down my face, not making a sound.
"Why isn't she awake yet?"
Caspian's hand brushed my forehead, gentle.
"It was just a uterus. Sleeping this long won't cause damage, right?"
He'd butchered me, and he was acting like it was nothing.
Monster in a husband's skin.
I slowly opened my eyes. His gaze turned soft instantly.
All this time I'd believed that face. That gentle, loving face.
I thought he loved me the way I loved him.
So when the blood started pooling beneath me, I fought like hell to save our baby.
I even used needles on lethal pressure points—risking my own life—just to stay conscious.
Just to have the strength to deliver.
Turns out HE was the executioner.
HE poisoned my food with those pills.
HE caused the hemorrhage.
HE paid the head surgeon at Wolfe Hospital to finish the job.
Heartless!
My perfect husband. My perfect marriage.
All lies.
Caspian murdered our baby—his own blood—for a bastard.
All so the fake heiress who stole eighteen years of my life could inherit the Wolfe dynasty.
And he said I OWED her.
My body started shaking.
The pain from my incision turned my face white.
But it was nothing compared to the pain ripping through my chest.
Chapter 2
Caspian could read my emotions.
He pulled me into a tight embrace, voice dripping with tenderness.
"Wren, I know we lost the baby. But I promise I'll always be here for you."
"Trust me. Sometimes losing something means gaining something else."
He kissed my forehead, my eyelids, so gentle it made me sick.
"However much pain you're in, I'm in ten thousand times more."
I clenched my fists. Blinked hard.
Anything to hide the hatred burning through me.
"How much pain are you in?"
"Unimaginable pain."
"The second our baby died, my whole world went dark."
"Thank God you're still here. Otherwise, I'll go die with you."
What a performance.
No wonder I never realized he'd been in love with Celeste this whole time.
When I first got pregnant, Caspian posted on IG nonstop.
Practically shouting to the world he was gonna be a dad.
When my appetite tanked during the pregnancy, he learned to cook for me.
Turns out it was all part of his long game.
For the bastard.
Caspian went downstairs to grab food from the cafeteria. Left his backup phone behind.
I tried my birthday as the passcode. Wrong.
Tried Celeste's birthday. Unlocked.
The chat logs hit me.
"Caspian, this isn't fair to my sister."
Eight months pregnant, and Caspian had been flying back and forth "on business trips." Barely home.
I felt bad for him.
Never complained about the doctor visits, the morning sickness, any of it—doing my best not to burden him.
Turns out every single trip abroad was to be with Celeste.
Her checkups. Her ultrasounds. Her delivery.
The chat was endless.
Every milestone of HER pregnancy, he was there.
Scrolling further up, I Found them arguing about custody.
Eventually Celeste agreed to let me raise the kid—but only because she wanted to "pursue her career" overseas.
I closed my eyes.
I remembered the day our true identities were revealed. Celeste smiled at me:
"I don't blame you for taking Mom and Dad. I want to see the world anyway."
"And don't worry—I'd never fight you for Caspian."
Then she ran off to Europe to chase her dreams.
Mom and Dad resented me for driving her away. Barely showed up to my wedding.
And Caspian KILLED my baby just to pave the way for hers.
Everyone loved her. No one loved me.
Fine. Time to go.
I set the phone down, numb, and texted Dr. Thorne.
"I ageed your offer. I'd come back in a month.
"Hospital food's garbage, so I cooked for you myself. See if you like it."
Caspian fed me spoonful by spoonful.
My tears dropped into the bowl.
He wiped them away gently, teasing.
"Aw, my little crybaby. You're that touched?"
I didn't answer. Just stared at the blanket.
I wasn't touched. I was devastated.
This treatment?
Only because Celeste demanded he take care of me.
Seeing me this heartbroken, Caspian pulled me close again.
"Wren, are you thinking about the baby?"
That did it. I broke down completely, tears breaking free.
Caspian panicked, then suddenly lit up like he'd had a brilliant idea.
"Wait—I heard your sister had a baby abroad too."
"She's always moving around anyway. What if we brought her kid back here and raised him as ours?"
"We could tell everyone you gave birth. That way both our parents are happy, and you won't have to endure gossip."
I looked up at him, dazed.
If I didn't know everything, I might've actually believed he cared.
But I'd already decided to leave.
"Sure. Sounds perfect. Everyone wins."
Chapter 3
Caspian's face lit up. He pulled me close.
"I swear, Wren. I'll spend the rest of my life making you happy."
"When the kid's older, we'll travel everywhere."
"You've always wanted to see where you grew up again, right?"
He kept talking about our perfect future, unaware it would never happen.
Because I was leaving.
Within days, Caspian flew Celeste and the baby back, and threw a family dinner.
"Your parents should meet him. And I figured you missed them too."
He watched me nervously. Scared I'd be mad.
At the Bennett estate, Mom and Dad were all over Orion.
First-time grandparents, absolutely glowing.
Celeste sat between them like their precious little girl.
Mom cooed at the baby while stroking Celeste's hair.
"My poor Celeste, suffering alone abroad. Don't you worry—this baby's a Bennett."
My chest tightened. But I smiled and walked over.
Their warmth died instantly.
"What's with the attitude? Trying to kill the vibe?"
"Look at Celeste—so much sweeter than you."
"I don't get you. About to pop and you ate something bad?"
"Now the baby's dead and Celeste has to fix YOUR mess."
"The Wolfes are coming and you dress like you're going to a funeral?"
"You've never made this family proud. And poor Celeste couldn't come home for YEARS because of you."
I knew they despised me.
Ironic, since their golden child wasn't even their real daughter.
They only tolerated me after Celeste left and the Wolfes demanded to marry me.
But they hated me more than ever.
Dad didn't walk me down the aisle.
Mom sat there stone-faced through my entire wedding.
Caspian used to defend me.
Now his eyes were locked on Celeste. Soft. Loving.
He had forgetting HE was why my baby died. HE poisoned me.
Celeste walked over with Orion, smiled sweetly.
"Wren, look how cute he is."
He was. Had her eyes. Caspian's mouth and chin.
I touched the baby's cheek. Rage burned through me.
Why did HE get to live, enjoying everything, while MY baby was murdered before he drew his first breath?
"Orion?"
"Yeah. Caspian's friend said the name's supposed to bring him prosperity and honor."
When I was pregnant, I'd spent hours searching for the perfect name.
Something protective. Meaningful.
Caspian mocked me back then.
"Names didn't matter—fate was already set."
Then dropped millions on a fortune teller for Celeste's kid.
Bitter. I forced a smile. "Nice name."
The baby's face looked wrong. I reached for his neck—
Celeste screamed. "What are you doing to my baby?!"
Caspian shoved me to the ground.
"What the hell's wrong with you?! Lost your kid so now you wanna hurt hers?!"
I hit the floor hard. Palms scraped raw.
But Caspian didn't look at me once.
He and Celeste held the crying baby between them. Perfect family.
Mom and Dad rounded on me.
"We've tried with you, Wren, but look at yourself. You're NOTHING compared to Celeste. Going after a baby? You're sick."
"Get out. You're ruining everything."
The Wolfe elders arrived and heard what happened. Looked at me with pure disgust.
"Losing the baby wasn't your fault. Being infertile—we weren't divorcing you over that."
"But hurting an infant? Unforgivable."
"Celeste's son is joining the Wolfes whether you like it or not. Go home and reflect on yourself."
I wanted to stay silent.
But the baby was innocent.
"The red string around his neck," I said quietly. "Choking hazard."
Celeste checked. The string left red marks. Her face flushed.
Caspian waved it off. "Celeste was just worried. Not personal."
Mom snapped. "If you saw something, why wait? Always playing victim."
"Besides, if you hadn't been cursed enough to lose your baby, Celeste wouldn't have sacrificed hers. You should THANK her."
Everyone sided with Celeste and turned on me like I was the villain.
Tears blurred my vision. I said nothing, just went upstairs, and fed the printed divorce papers into the shredder.
No divorce.
They didn't love me. Didn't believe me. Fine.
I'd disappear completely.
I didn't want any of you anymore.
