Chapter 1 Congratulations!

"Congratulations! The report shows that you're now 15 weeks pregnant."

My hands trembled as I held the report, never once expecting this. When I married Grady, the doctor had already mentioned it was not easy for me to conceive.

Even after years of marriage, there was still no news, and I was gradually losing hope that I could ever conceive naturally. Yet, with my busy schedule over the past few months, I hadn't been keeping track of my period cycle.

And now, I was blessed with such a surprise!

To calm my racing heart, I took a few deep breaths as the doctor explained, "The baby is developing healthily, but the embryo is not in its ideal position. Rest well, but avoid being emotional and any intense activity."

I gently touched my slightly rounded belly, feeling a sense of peace and contentment. My recent weight gain, I figured, was due to my continuous struggles to maintain my figure, but it turned out to be my baby—the one Grady and I had anticipated for the last five years.

I pulled out my phone, about to tell Grady the good news when I suddenly remembered something. Breaking into a smile, I decided that I would want to share this with him in person.

Knowing that Grady was under immense pressure at work and not having a proper diet, I headed home to whip up Grady's favorite dish—cream of yam and millet.

The bubbling pot released a fragrant steam, filling the air with the sweet scent of millet. Spotting my gentle reflection in the mist, I felt my heart swelling with happiness.

…

I carried the thermos to Grady's company. When I punched the elevator button for the executive floor, a cold female voice answered, to which I explained that I was delivering food.

The woman scoffed. "The elevator is broken. Use the stairs."

Such an unfamiliar tone caught me off guard, but I didn't care much about it. I figured it could be Grady's new assistant.

His office wasn't situated on a high floor, so I decided to take the stairs after pondering momentarily. It would be bad if I disturbed Grady when he was swamped with work.

I was sweating buckets by the time I arrived in front of his office and was about to open the door when someone rudely slapped my hand away.

Caught off guard, my hand was in tremendous pain. I resisted snapping, recalling the doctor's advice to keep my emotions in check.

"I'm here to bring lunch to Grady," I explained.

The exquisitely dressed woman in front of me looked me up and down, then laughed disdainfully. I had chosen to wear loose clothing to be comfortable for the baby, and after climbing the stairs, I probably looked a bit disheveled.

“I’ve met plenty of women with that excuse before. It doesn't mean that you can have your shot at Grady just by climbing a few flights of stairs," the woman said, casually fiddling with her manicured nails. “Do you think your looks are enough to win him over?"

"I'm his wife. I have to tell him something, so please let me in." I didn't want to argue with her and reached for the door handle again.

She shoved me back, yanking me all the way to the stairwell. In the scuffle, she scratched my skin, leaving a few bloody marks While safeguarding the thermos with one hand, I used the other one to protect my belly.

"I'm Grady's first love," came her response. "When I went abroad to study, he promised he'd wait for me. I had no idea he was already married. So, who are you to think you can replace me?"

So, she was Melissa Angeles, the lover Grady had when he studied abroad.

She pushed me so hard that I fell to the ground, the thermos rolling away beside me. I was just inches away from tumbling down the stairs, so I reached for the banister.

Yet, she was relentless, tugging at my hair and causing my eyes to well up with tears from the pain.

"No, I'm pregnant with Grady's child. Let go of me, or he'll make you pay for this."

I felt her grip falter for a second before she adopted a scornful tone. "Who do you think you are to be Mrs. Winters?"

Without any hesitation, she pushed me once again, causing me to lose my balance and fall off the stairs, yelling. A sharp pain shot through my abdomen as I lay curled on the floor.

Melissa calmly walked over in her heels. "Spare me the act. I've seen plenty of women like you."

I heard the thermos pop open but struggled to lift my head.

The scalding soup poured down on me as she feigned sympathy. "This is my favorite cream of yam and millet, you know. In a way, I'm letting you off easy."

The thick, hot soup dripped down my hair. The pain was so intense I could barely breathe.

"What's going on, Mel?" a voice queried from the staircase, causing Melissa to panic.