Chapter 1 - His First Love

Isabel’s POV

My husband Emerson hadn't come home for a whole week. I stayed in our huge villa all alone, waiting. The grand mansion with marble floors and chandeliers felt empty and cold without him.

I placed a hand on my big belly and hoped he'd come back soon. I’ve been having strange, severe headaches lately. At 7 months pregnant, that wasn’t normal. We had to go for a pregnancy check-up.

Where was he? My heart ached with worry and fear. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong.

Our life together had always seemed perfect. Emerson, a successful businessman, had swept me off my feet. We had everything—wealth, status, a beautiful home and a baby on the way.

But recently, things changed. He seemed distant. I tried to ignore the signs. But the longer he stayed away, the harder it became to believe everything was fine.

I tried to keep myself busy. I rearranged the nursery, folding tiny clothes and organizing baby toys. Each little onesie and stuffed animal made me dream about the future with our little one. But my mind kept drifting back to Emerson. Where was he? What was he doing?

When Emerson finally returned, he wasn't alone. His first love, Lilith, was with him. She was visibly pregnant, just like me. Emerson was holding her hand. 

What was happening? Was this why he was gone for a week? Did he cheat on me, with Lilith?!

My heart dropped at the sight of them together. "Emerson?! What is going on? Why is Lilith here?!" I cried, my voice trembling with despair.

Emerson’s expression was filled with defiance. "Lilith is having my baby. You finally get the revenge you deserve," he said in a cold voice. Lilith stood next to him, looking proud. She gave me a mean, icy smile when Emerson wasn’t looking.

His words hit me like a sledgehammer. “Your baby?! What do you mean, revenge?! What have I ever done to deserve this?!” I cried. 

He didn’t answer my questions. Instead, he said in a cold, hard voice. “We should get divorced, Isabel. This loveless marriage has dragged on long enough.”

Loveless? What did he mean? Did he never love me at all?!

Lilith looked like she had about the same gestation period as I did. That means… Emerson cheated on me months ago. The ground seemed to shift beneath me. I clutched my belly, feeling the life inside me. How could he do this to us? How could he betray our family?

In my vulnerable state, I couldn't handle the pain and fear this news brought up. My vision blurred, and I felt the world spinning around me. I couldn't breathe. My heart pounded in my chest, and I felt a sharp pain in my head. The next thing I knew, I lost consciousness.

In my half unconscious state, I heard faint voices… 

“No, you shouldn’t stay, Lil, you need to rest,” Emerson said softly. “Oh but Emerson, I have to help take care of her. This is all my fault. The poor girl is pregnant, just like me.” Lilith responded in a sweet voice.

I woke up in the hospital. The room was quiet and I felt weak. I reached for the call button. But before I could press it, the door opened. It was Lilith.

"Emerson had to leave for an emergency at his company. I offered to stay behind to help you," she said with a cunning smile. I couldn't stand to see her. She was the reason for my pain.

I felt claustrophobic. Being alone with the woman who destroyed my relationship was the last thing I needed right now. Her presence felt threatening. There was something terrifying about her cold, dark eyes. I still felt weak, but I had to get out of here.

"I have to go," I said, trying to get up. Lilith looked at me with false pity. 

“Aww, you poor thing…” she said with an exaggerated tone. “Don’t you know, running away won't change anything.”

"Why are you bothering me?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. "Haven't you done enough?"

Lilith's eyes narrowed. "You never deserved Emerson. He was always mine."

"Please, Lilith, I don't want to fight," I said, trying to maintain my composure.

She laughed bitterly. "You think you're so perfect, don't you? Playing the victim."

Tears welled up in my eyes. "I'm just trying to hold my family together."

Lilith took a step closer to me. "Emerson doesn't love you. He never did."

Her words cut deep, twisting the knife in my already shattered heart. But I stood my ground. "I know you were his first love, but that doesn't mean we can't all find a way to move forward."

"Move forward?" Lilith sneered. "With you in the picture? Never."

I felt a sudden surge of anger. "Lilith, this isn't just about you and me. There are babies involved. Innocent lives."

Lilith's expression hardened. "Only one baby matters now."

I felt my heart break even more. "How can you be so cruel? We can find a way to make this work for everyone."

Lilith's laugh was cold and mocking. "You’re so naive, Isabel. Emerson never stopped loving me. He only settled for you because I wasn't available. He'll come running back to me. You'll see."

"That's not true," I whispered, trying to believe my own words. "He chose me. We built a life together."

Lilith took another step closer, her eyes filled with malice. "Your life with him is over, Isabel. He's mine."

She was standing too close and towering over me. I felt claustrophobic. This woman seemed dangerous. I had to get away.

I scrambled up to my feet, still feeling unsteady. “I have to go now. Please leave me alone.” I pleaded. I grabbed my belongings and walked out of the room.

I was waiting for the elevator when Lilith slowly walked up behind me. The elevator was too slow. Anxiety gnawed at me.  I glanced over my shoulder and found Lilith’s eyes fixed upon me with an intense, dark stare.

My heart skipped a beat. Something about her gaze sent chills down my spine. My instinct told me to leave immediately.

Deciding not to wait for the slow elevator, I turned and headed for the stairs. My footsteps echoed in the empty stairwell. As I descended, I vaguely heard another pair of footsteps behind me, quick and determined. I didn't dare look back. My gut told me to keep moving.

Suddenly, a pair of hands shoved me hard from behind. I turned just in time to see Lilith’s malicious smile. In a split second, I grabbed onto her arm to break my fall. We both lost our balance and fell down the staircase. 

We tumbled down the stairs, hard edges hitting me at every turn. Lilith held onto me and used me as a shield from the hardest hits. When I hit the floor with her on top of me, the heavy shock pushed all the air out of my lungs.  I was in severe pain. My vision blurred. Then, everything went black.