Chapter One

Tasha's POV

I sat in the quiet, sterile room of the hospital, the faint smell of antiseptic filling the air as I clutched the envelope in my hands. My heart pounded against my chest as I stared at the results. The test I had taken only a few days ago had confirmed it, but seeing the official confirmation from the hospital made it all real.

I was pregnant. One month pregnant.

A mixture of emotions swirled inside me, excitement, fear, and relief. I ran my hand over my flat stomach, imagining the life growing inside me. I was carrying Daniel’s baby. The thought made my heart swell with joy. This was the news that could change everything. After all the distance between us, after all the arguments and tension, maybe this would be what finally brought us back together.

I imagined his reaction, the way his eyes might light up when I told him he was going to be a father. Daniel, the strong, confident billionaire, heir to the Sterling family empire, with all his power and wealth, would finally have something that couldn’t be bought, a child.

This was the moment I had been waiting for.

As I left the hospital, the sun felt a little warmer on my skin, and for the first time in weeks, I allowed myself to smile. I had been worried about our marriage, the way things had shifted between us since Vanessa had returned. But this baby… this was our future.

I couldn’t wait to tell him.

***

By the time I walked through the door of our lavish penthouse apartment, I felt a small flicker of hope that maybe, just maybe, this news could heal everything. Daniel was sitting in the living room, his back to me, deep in conversation on the phone. His voice was low and serious, business as usual. But there was something about seeing him there, in our home, that made me feel safe. Like everything would be okay.

I stepped forward, the envelope still clutched in my hand. "Daniel?" I called softly.

He held up a finger, signaling for me to wait. "I'll call you back," he muttered into the phone, his tone sharp. He hung up and turned to me, his expression unreadable. "What is it, Tasha? I'm in the middle of something important."

I faltered for a moment, my excitement dimming slightly. But I swallowed my nerves and stepped closer, holding up the envelope. "I have something to tell you," I said, my voice quiet but steady. "It’s good news."

He frowned, eyeing the envelope in my hand with mild interest. "What is it?"

Just as I opened my mouth to tell him I was pregnant, Daniel’s phone rang again. He glanced at the screen and stood up abruptly, his face tightening. Without a word, he slipped his phone into his pocket and grabbed his jacket.

“Daniel, wait,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “I need to talk to you. It’s important.”

“I can’t right now, Tasha,” he muttered, not even meeting my eyes as he moved toward the door. “I have to go.”

“Where are you going?” I asked, frustration bubbling up inside me. But he didn’t answer. He didn’t tell me where he was going, didn’t ask why I wanted to talk. He just… left.

I stood there, the words trapped in my throat, my hand still clutching the envelope with the test results. My chest tightened with the familiar feeling of being pushed aside, like I was always waiting for him to choose me. But I already knew where he had gone.

It had to be Vanessa.

Ever since she’d returned from London, it was as if she had taken over our lives. First, she came back with her sob stories about how much she had changed, how she regretted leaving Daniel all those years ago. Then came the mysterious illnesses—always sick, always in need of attention. And as if fate had some cruel joke in mind, her blood type, HR, was rare.

Rare enough that I was the only one who could donate for her.

I sat down on the couch, staring at the envelope in my hand, trying to hold back the bitterness rising in my chest. I should have been happy, excited even, but how could I be when my husband wouldn’t even give me a moment of his time?

Hours passed, and I sat in silence, waiting for him to come back, waiting for a chance to finally share the news. But instead, my phone buzzed on the table. I reached for it, my heart sinking when I saw the message.

Daniel: Come to the hospital now!

There was an address, one I recognized all too well. My stomach churned as I imagined what awaited me. Vanessa. It was always Vanessa.