At the hospital.
"Congratulations, Mrs. Lopez. You're pregnant. The baby looks healthy."
Emily gripped the report tightly. The doctor's words rang in her ears, and her face went blank with shock.
Pregnant? She was stunned—and thrilled. It felt unreal.
Her health had always been fragile, making it difficult to conceive. In the three years since their wedding, her belly had remained flat. She’d carried the guilt of not being able to give her husband a child.
And now, out of nowhere, the universe had decided to give her this gift—right on their third wedding anniversary.
Seeing the joy spread across Emily’s face, the doctor continued, "I’ll go ahead and set up your file. Make sure to bring the baby’s dad with you next time. A lot of things during pregnancy, he needs to hear too."
Stepping out of the exam room, Emily gently laid a hand over her still-flat belly. There’s already a little life in here. The overwhelming emotion finally reached her eyes. She blinked quickly.
I have to tell Aaron. Right now!
She instinctively pulled out her phone and tapped the first contact in her list.
But after just one second, the call dropped automatically.
That’s odd.
She thought about texting him instead. Her fingers started moving, but halfway through the message, she stopped. Then deleted everything.
No. She wanted to tell him in person.
Walking out of the hospital, she flagged down a cab and gave the driver the address of Aaron’s office.
It was right around lunchtime—perfect timing to surprise him and grab a meal together.
When she arrived on his floor, she noticed something off. The secretary’s desk, which was usually occupied, was empty. David’s probably out for lunch?
She glanced toward the CEO's office and saw the door slightly ajar.
Without thinking twice, she headed straight for it.
She rarely came to his office like this, but today… he’d be happy to see her.
She walked up to the door and raised her hand, about to knock—when a sweet, sugary giggle rang out from inside.
“Come on, just give it to me.”
It was a girl’s voice—soft, flirtatious.
Emily froze.
Then came a lazy, low male voice.
“Be good, don’t make a fuss.”
Her pupils shrank.
That voice—she’d never mistake it. It belonged to the man who slept beside her every night.
Aaron Lopez.
Her husband.
Blood surged through her body, boiling hot.
No. No way.
There had to be some kind of misunderstanding.
She forced her emotions down, lowered her hand from the door… and wrapped it around the handle instead.
Then she pushed it open.
The big office fell into an eerie silence. Only the hum of the AC remained.
And in the very first second, Emily saw it.
A woman was perched sideways in a man’s lap, eyes wide with innocent surprise, tugging playfully at his tie.
His loose, almost-falling-off tie.
The whole scene was… intimate. Way too intimate.
Emily felt like the blood in her veins reversed direction, rushing to her head. Her voice trembled.
“What are you two doing?”
Aaron’s brows knit together instantly, his voice sharp and cold.
“WHAT are you doing here?”
What am I doing here?
Emily bit her lip and swept her gaze across the two of them, her hand still gripping the doorknob so tightly her knuckles turned white.
Aaron gently patted the woman’s waist.
“Get up.”
She pouted, clearly not wanting to, but finally slid off his lap with a reluctant, “Fine…”
Once she stood up, her full face was in view—And Emily’s heart skipped a beat.
She couldn’t believe her eyes.
This woman… looked SO MUCH like her.
Similar bone structure, Similar body type, even the same hair color.
The only difference? Their eyes. The color, the shape—slightly off. But everything else?
Practically a mirror.
A memory flashed through her mind.
One of Aaron’s friends once joked that his ex looked a lot like her. She’d laughed it off at the time, never thinking twice.
After all, he married her. That meant he’d left the past behind.
And the past three years? Their marriage, their bond—It couldn’t have been fake… could it?
Aaron used to say how good she looked with brown hair. She’d dyed it again and again, even though she was naturally blonde.
In bed, he always blindfolded her. She thought it was just kink.
But now?
A wave of nausea slammed into her. She barely managed to slap a hand over her mouth.
“What’s wrong?”
Aaron’s voice, and the woman’s startled gasp, came at the same time.
Hold it together.
Emily repeated it to herself, again and again.
Stay calm. You’ve got a baby now. You need to be calm.
Aaron came over and tried to guide her to the couch.
He still cares. It was just a misunderstanding.That thought clung to her like a lifeline.
The second she looked up, she caught the woman’s gaze—sharp, smug, arms crossed over her chest.
That fragile little act from earlier? Gone.
She was behind Aaron. He couldn’t see. But Emily could.
Emily tore her eyes away and looked at Aaron, “Who is she?”
Her voice was low but steady. She locked eyes with him—desperate, clinging to the tiniest hope.
Just SAY it was nothing. That it’s not what it looked like. That he’s STILL the father of the child inside her.
But…
Aaron’s expression was unreadable. “You’re pale. I’ll get my assistant to take you to the hospital.”
The last thread of her sanity snapped.
Emily raised her voice, “I asked you—WHO IS SHE?!”
She stood, pointing toward the corner, her hand shaking. Her feet moved on their own, taking her closer and closer.
The woman blinked, startled for a second. Then her brows pulled together and she slipped back into her innocent act.
“Aaron…”
Her eyes welled with tears almost instantly.
Aaron, who had been standing behind Emily, moved fast—rushing between them with his arms spread out, facing his wife like a shield.
Like he was protecting the other woman.
“Emily, calm down.”
Calm down? He never called her that. He always said Em.
Now it was Emily?
Emily watched as the woman behind him reached out and touched his arm.
Her chest burned.
She let out a bitter laugh, “Is it really that hard to answer one question?”
Just yesterday, this man had been in bed with her—holding her, loving her.
Now? He looked at her like she was insane. Confused. Cold.
“It’s not what you think,” he said flatly. “Stop making a scene. Ami just accidentally sat on my lap. It wasn’t intentional. You’re overreacting.”
Ami…
Emily felt her heart freeze, piece by piece.
He waited until she snapped before offering an explanation—barely even that. He wasn’t worried about her. He was worried about that woman.
“You guys, please don’t fight over me… it’s all my fault…” Amelia tugged at Aaron’s sleeve, her voice soft and self-blaming.
Aaron sighed, turning toward her, “Don’t worry about it. Go home for now, alright?”
Emily’s fists clenched so tight her nails dug into her palms. Every word out of their mouths made her stomach churn.
She glared at them, her voice like ice, “You don’t need to leave. I’LL GO.”
Emily couldn’t stand there another second. She turned to leave—but a hand clamped down hard on her arm.She immediately tried to yank free, but couldn’t. She spun around, eyes bloodshot, and snapped, “Let go of me!”Aaron’s grip only tightened, “STOP IT. This is a workplace!”Emily gritted her teeth, her voice sharp and deliberate, “Oh? Did you remember this is a workplace when you were all over her in here?”She stared at him down, unafraid.Aaron’s expression started to crack under the weight of her words. His mouth twitched—then twisted with anger.“YOU’re being completely irrational! When did you turn into this?”Ha.Emily let out a cold scoff. Anger wasn’t even the loudest thing inside her anymore—just this overwhelming numbness. So many things she could say, and yet none of them mattered.Her eyes dropped to his hand still gripping her arm, tight and unkind.No gentleness. No care. Just pain.But even that couldn’t compare to how much her heart hurt.He could speak to that woman
Divorce?Aaron visibly froze. His eyes flickered—just for a split second—but he quickly masked it with his usual calm.“That’s not a word you should throw around lightly.”He thought she was just being emotional, saying something she didn’t really mean. He reached out, trying to touch her cheek.“DON’T touch me.”Emily leaned back against the headboard, jerking her head away from his hand. Her gaze locked onto the bed sheets.Yeah… in the past three years, they’d barely fought. A few small arguments here and there, but he’d always been the first to make peace. She never imagined it would spiral to something like this—divorce.Was it her?Was she overreacting? Saying something that serious over just one incident?But the truth was—The moment the word left her lips, it was like a massive weight lifted off her chest. For the first time that night, she could actually breathe.Aaron’s fingers slowly curled into a fist, then dropped to his side. Emily didn’t even look at him. The tension b
Back when Emily had just graduated, she landed a job at Aaron’s fashion brand. As a junior employee, there was no reason she’d ever cross paths with the CEO—But six months in, at a company anniversary party, she accidentally ran straight into him… and spilled a glass of red wine all over his suit.Emily was fresh out of school and nearly scared to death. If he asked her to pay for it, there was no way her tiny paycheck could cover the cost of that custom, high-end suit.But Aaron didn’t get mad.He just asked her to leave her contact info—clearly just an excuse. When he did reach out later, he never mentioned compensation. Instead, he started asking her out to dinner, taught her how to play golf, and even took her out on his yacht.What did she know back then? Only that a successful, good-looking man—five years older, charming and mature—was showing interest in her. Her heart didn’t stand a chance.Later, when her grandma suddenly fell critically ill and needed emergency heart surger
Not possible?Emily felt the blood in her veins freeze. It was like being dropped into a snowstorm—her ears went numb, her mind blanked out. Nothing registered.She stared at him in disbelief. WHY was he so sure?Sure, her health had always been fragile, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t get pregnant. They’d been sleeping together regularly, and since they’d both agreed to try for a baby, they hadn’t used protection…For a second, she questioned her own memory. But she had just seen the doctor yesterday.
Three and a half years ago, Grandma Ruth had undergone major heart surgery. Her right coronary artery had been completely blocked—her complexion so pale she looked like she’d lost all her blood.Emily had been shaking all over, terrified she wouldn’t get the chance to repay the woman who raised her… terrified Grandma wouldn’t live long enough to enjoy any peace or happiness.The doctors had initially said she might need open-heart surgery—a huge risk. But the moment Aaron found out, he stepped in without hesitation. He had her transferred to a private hospital and brought in a top international cardiac specialist.Instead of traditional surgery, they opted for a minimally invasive catheter procedure using imported stents. Three were placed in total, and it saved her l
Would he be a good father?It was a question Emily had asked herself just days ago—and now, she had her answer.No. Aaron would never be a good father.His need for control was too strong. All it took was one threat of divorce, and before she could even make another move, he’d already tightened his grip on her, like it was effortless.Convincing her to quit her job had been the first step. Emotionally and practically, she lost her independence, leaving her with no choice but to rely on him.Did she regret it?Regret letting herself get too comfortable, letting her wings get clipped?
Emily was so furious at her brother’s constant backtalk that she felt like she was going to pass out. A sharp pain twisted in her stomach—a warning. There was still a baby inside her. She couldn't let anger take over.“I told you to find a real, stable job—not to mess around PLAYING entrepreneur with your friends.”“Mess around?” Francie shot back. “I’ve got a whole plan, okay? And Aaron’s already said yes! He’s a business genius. If he thinks it’s a good idea, what makes you think you know better?”His smug tone made Emily’s blood boil. A mix of betrayal, disappointment, and rage surged through her. Aaron had never once mentioned helping Francie o
“Em, don’t do this. I really have to go.” Aaron looked genuinely anxious, but he didn’t yank his coat free from where Emily was gripping it.“We were in the middle of talking about Francie. Didn’t you just say we’re family? That you wanted to take care of us?” Her voice was tight, almost pleading. She already had a good idea who was on the other end of that call—she just wanted to see if Aaron would stay.Even with that hope in her eyes, Aaron didn’t change his mind.“Your brother’s NOT in any danger. Ami fell. I NEED to check on her.”Emily let out a cold, hollow laugh. She fell, and that was enough to make
"The location for the bar, have you decided?" Aaron asked."Yeah, I’ve got a spot in mind," Francie replied. He and Jett had checked out a few places, and one stood out—a storefront right on Bar Street, with great foot traffic, perfect for a new bar. Of course, the rent wasn’t cheap."But..." Francie hesitated."Don’t worry about it. Wherever you’ve chosen, I’ll invest," Aaron said, his voice hoarse from all the drinking the night before.Francie was a little surprised. Aaron was still willing to invest in him? But honestly, rent wasn’t his biggest concern right now. His head was a mess. What he really worried about was his sister—if she found out he was still taking money from Aaron, she’d explode.
Frank finally relaxed after hanging up the phone. He’d had quite a bit to drink himself and was feeling dizzy, but instead of crashing the moment he got home, he’d insisted on staying up until Aaron’s driver confirmed everything was fine.Cecelia handed him a glass of ice water. “I honestly don’t get you tonight. You knew Ami and Aaron still have feelings for each other, so why stop her from taking him home?”Frank took a sip, the cold water doing little to clear his head. “Think about it—they’re both still married.”“So what? They’ll both be single soon enough.”His grip tightened around the glass, eyes darkening. “How do you know?”&ld
It was already late, and Emily had long since changed into her pajamas, ready for bed. She had just transferred to a new team at work, with plenty of adjustments to make. And beyond the changes at the office, she’d been dealing with Aaron—and his family.The way they found out about the divorce still made her feel guilty.But no matter how much her mood was affected, she couldn’t let it mess with her routine.So when her phone rang at that hour, and she saw it was one of Aaron’s friends, she didn’t really want to answer. Out of politeness, though, she picked up—pretending at first not to know who was calling.In the dimly lit booth at the bar, not a single sound was made.Aaron sat off to t
Teddy’s words echoed in Aaron’s ears—If you don’t truly love Emily, you’ll never be happy together.But did he not truly love her? Then why was he so furious, even devastated, when she asked for a divorce? Why did it hit him so hard, why did it drive him mad seeing how eager she was to cut him off completely?Frank and Teddy exchanged glances, both unsure of what to say. If Aaron didn’t even know where his heart stood, who were they to weigh in?Aaron couldn’t make sense of it. His mind was a fog, a mess he didn’t want to untangle. He hated feeling even remotely sober right now. His lips pressed into a tight, hard line as he reached again for the bottle in front of him.&ldquo
In a private room of a city bar, Aaron had been drinking nonstop from the moment he stepped in, downing glass after glass like it was water. Tonight was clearly no casual get-together. He’d only called two people—Frank and Teddy.Teddy, who had never seen Aaron like this before, gave Frank a look. “You gonna say something?”Frank was just as unsettled. Aaron sat there with a stone-cold face, pouring alcohol into himself like he was trying to drown something ugly. The last time Frank had seen him drink like this was five or six years ago—when Amelia’s engagement had hit him like a freight train. He’d locked himself in a bar for three straight days.Tonight was starting to feel the same. Was
Sadie, of course, knew who Amelia was. The moment that long-forgotten name resurfaced, she blurted out, shocked, “You’re saying Amelia came between you two?”The words had barely left her mouth before she realized how poorly they landed. She’d only just returned to the country after receiving news of Aaron's divorce.The moment she got off the plane, she’d gone straight to see her father—who had reportedly fainted upon hearing about the split. The doctor said it was nothing life-threatening, just a spike in blood pressure from the emotional shock.Once she confirmed the old man was stable, she rushed to find Emily. A divorce was serious. The longer this dragged on, the worse things would get between them. She knew comin
Emily clutched her chest, startled. “Jesus, you scared the hell out of me.”Still shaken, she hadn’t even had time to ask what Aaron was doing there. A cigarette butt smoldered at his feet—still giving off a thin wisp of smoke. Emily instinctively covered her nose, already wanting nothing more than to get inside and shut the door.Aaron stamped out the cigarette with his shoe and stepped in front of her door. He looked tired, drawn. “Em, I’m not here to cause trouble.”“I don’t care why you’re here,” Emily said coldly, automatically taking a step back.“Please, just hear me out.” Aaron’s voice was softer than usual. “Grandpa fainted just now… after hearing about our divorce.&
Theo had his assistant notify HR to send Lilian a formal warning—an official period on the day’s mess. Some coworkers packed up and headed home, while others, hungry for gossip, pulled together an impromptu dinner gathering."Wait for me in the parking lot," Theo leaned in and murmured to Emily before walking off with his assistant. Once they were out of sight, Emily made her way toward the exit.Bella darted back to grab her bag and quickly caught up to Emily, thumping her chest in mock panic. “You good? I was seriously about to die from secondhand anxiety. I was so tense I didn’t even get a good look at the boss’s face—and he’s seriously hot.”It was the first time she’d ever seen him that close—sharp jawlin
Theo’s assistant, John, came rushing over with a stack of wrinkled papers—maybe twenty or so—and handed them to Theo. “Sir, these were found in Lilian’s bin. They’re all Emily’s drafts.”Nobody expected a new development this late in the day. It was almost 6 p.m., time to go home, yet not a single person moved. Feet stayed glued to the floor. Everyone exchanged glances, unspoken but unanimous—they needed to see how this played out.Emily hadn’t expected Theo to actually have someone retrieve the tossed designs. But as she recognized the pages—clearly hers, complete with her signature—she realized something:Theo had probably been aware for a while that something wasn’t right with how she was being treated. It was only after hearing L