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 surgery, Aaron didn’t hesitate. He had her transferred to the best suite at a private hospital and flew in one of the top specialists from overseas.
That same year, she said yes to his proposal. She stopped wondering if she was “good enough” for him. When a man does that much for you… what’s left to question?
She was completely swept away by LOVE.
And with her grandma needing long-term care—which Aaron took full responsibility for—
she willingly let herself become his porcelain doll.But that dream? It shattered yesterday.
If she wasn’t someone’s replacement, maybe she could’ve kept lying to herself. Maybe she could’ve kept living in the fantasy.
Looking back over the past month, Aaron had been coming home late way more than usual. He told her he was busy launching a new fashion line at work, and she hadn’t doubted him.
But now that she thought about it…Amelia probably came back a month ago. She just didn’t find out until yesterday.
So stupid.
After their fight, Aaron had slammed the door and stormed out. He didn’t return to their room all night. The maid had told her that morning he’d slept in the study.
“You don’t need to tell me next time,” Emily said coldly.
Mia blinked, caught off guard, but nodded. “Okay.”
Emily looked down at the breakfast on the table. She was starving—stomach practically eating itself—but she couldn’t bring herself to pick up the fork.
“Oh, and going forward… keep it low-oil. And no cream-based stuff.”
“Ma’am, are you not feeling well?”
Emily lowered her gaze, “Just some stomach issues. No need to tell him.”
Of course, chances were it’d reach Aaron before noon. He had a grip on everything. Big or small, nothing in the house escaped his control.
Was that called being attentive… or just obsessive?
But with changes in her body…he hadn’t noticed a thing.
She finished the fresh avocado toast Mia had brought over. The maid took her plate but left the usual glass of milk behind.
That glass of milk had become one of Aaron’s habits of control too. He always said it was for her health.
Back when he was still home in the mornings, he’d sit and watch her drink it. But ever since his schedule changed, the job fell to the maid—who now had to gently encourage her to drink it instead.
Emily didn’t hate milk…But somewhere along the way, it started tasting bitter. Maybe it was the pregnancy—Not just cream, but anything dairy made her queasy now.
Still, she didn’t want to make things difficult for Mia.
“I’ll take it upstairs.”
Mia looked like she wanted to say something. After all, Mr. Lopez had personally instructed her to crush up a vitamin B tablet every morning and mix it into the milk—saying it was for stress and fatigue.
And if he wasn’t around, it was her job to make sure his wife drank it. That rule had been in place since Mia first started working here.
But if Mrs. Lopez said she’d drink it in her room, there was no room to argue. She’d been doing it this way for weeks now, and nothing had happened.
Later, just like always, Mia would go up to collect the empty glass from her room.
Emily carried the glass of milk upstairs, poured it down the sink, then set the empty cup aside.
She changed her clothes, and when she glanced up at the mirror, she noticed her face looked a little sunken. She ran her fingers through her hair—the same brown shade that resembled Amelia’s—and felt a wave of disgust.
Too bad she couldn’t dye it. In the first trimester of pregnancy, it’s best to avoid hair dye—hormones make the skin more sensitive. She could only endure it for now.
She put on a long-sleeved dress. It was still a bit chilly in February, so she threw on a coat. After slipping into flat shoes, she stepped outside—only to be stopped by security at the gate.
“SORRY, ma’am. Mr. Lopez said you can’t leave the house without his permission.”
Emily didn’t even bother to lift her eyes. She kept walking.
“Please, ma’am,” one of the guards said, clearly uneasy, “don’t make this harder on us.”
She let out a cold scoff. “What, I need approval now just to visit my grandma?”
The guards looked awkward but stayed silent.
“FINE, you want his permission? I’ll call him right now.” She pulled out her phone and dialed.
Unlike yesterday, the call connected quickly.
“Em? What’s going on?”
The background was quiet. His voice echoed slightly—it sounded like he was in a meeting. Still, he picked up. And this time, his tone wasn’t as stiff as yesterday.
“I’m going to see my grandmother. Tell your people to let me out.” Emily wasn’t in the mood to circle around the point—she said it straight.
There was a beat of silence. Then she heard the scrape of a chair, the sound of a door opening, then closing.
“I said I’d go with you, but I’m tied up today. Tomorrow—”
“AARON.” She cut him off, voice rising. “Is it really that hard to just let me leave the house? You seriously want to control even where I go now?”
“Em, I don’t want to argue with you.” His voice was tight, like he was holding back frustration.
“Great. Neither do I. So just one thing—let me leave.”
“NOT today.”
The second the words left his mouth, Emily hung up.
Absolutely absurd.
He just wanted to keep her like some caged canary, locked away from the world.
This wasn’t a life—it was a prison. They weren’t even speaking like people anymore. Just anger. Just control.
Emily walked back into the house, her hand drifting instinctively to her belly. She couldn’t just think about herself anymore—she had someone else to protect now.
Pulling out her phone, she typed a message to Aaron:
“Come home earlier tonight. There’s something important I need to tell you.”At 6:30, she heard the front door open. Aaron stepped in, draping his coat over his arm. He showed up earlier than she expected.
Emily was already seated on the couch, waiting for him.
Even though he was still pissed about being hung up on earlier, he honored her message and came back sooner than usual.
He walked over, long strides steady, and sat down beside her.
“What did you want to tell me?” he asked.
SUDDENLY, she felt nervous.
She’d meant to tell him yesterday. But after everything—the way they spoke to each other, the way they fought—whatever joy she once had about this news was long gone.
Still, she’d thought it through.
No matter what happens between them—whether they stay together or not—he’s still the baby’s father. He deserves to know.
And maybe, just maybe, if he found out… he’d loosen his grip on her a little.
Emily clutched the fabric of her dress, licked her dry lips, and looked up at him.
“I’M PREGNANT.”
Her heart pounded in her chest. She stared into his eyes, watched his pupils widen—just a fraction—then shrink right back down. Like nothing happened. Like it meant nothing.
Then, suddenly, his lips curved.
A quiet laugh followed.
“That’s NOT possible.”
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
Georgia looked a little thrown by Emily’s reaction—clearly, they had more to talk through. “Let’s find a coffee shop and sit down for a bit,” she said gently.“Sure.”They stepped into a cozy local café just around the corner. Georgia glanced at the menu and asked with a smile, “Still a latte girl?”Emily was touched she remembered, but shook her head. “I can’t have coffee right now. I’ll just get an orange juice.”Georgia raised her brows, surprised, but kept her questions to herself for the moment.It had been a while, and now that they were sitting across from each other again, a bit of awkwardness settled between them. Still, Emily took t
At Emily’s request, Georgia handed over her own phone—and sure enough, her message thread was complete, clear, and made perfect sense.Emily stared at it, her eyes darkening. The fury in her chest surged like a wave she couldn’t hold back.How dare he.Aaron had gone through her phone, deleted messages, forged replies… and nearly cost her one of the best friendships she’d ever had.“I just hope you’re not mad after reading it now,” Georgia said gently. “I really should’ve worded it better back then.”Emily’s heart felt twisted in knots. “I didn’t e
Emily wanted to keep talking with Georgia, but she had to be home before six—she didn’t want to risk Aaron noticing she was out and stirring up trouble. Georgia made plans with Emily to invite over next time to see her baby.On the way back, Emily pretended to stop by a clothing boutique, but she actually ducked into a different shop to buy a new phone and SIM card.That night, Aaron didn’t come home.It felt like her heart had sunk to the bottom of a lake. Was he not even pretending anymore? No matter how badly they’d argued before, no matter how late it got, Aaron always came home. Maybe not to the master bedroom—but at least the study.But now? No
"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