Chapter 1

Kathryn’s POV

I've been locking myself in the bathroom throwing up for half an hour. I know it's one of the early signs of pregnancy.

The father of the child who should have been ecstatic was now irritatedly yelling at the door.

“How many more centuries will you need, Kathryn? You've disappointed me enough already. Are you trying to embarrass me at such an important party?” I heard my husband, Wilhelm, harshly knock on the door a few times. 

He didn't know about the baby. I was looking for the right moment. Or maybe I hadn't thought about telling him yet.

Three years into our marriage we couldn't conceive a child, our relationship was going down the drain.

When I finally had a child, I was hesitant to tell him, since he had been treating me less and less like his wife.

I controlled my rapid breathing, feeling a sense of dread that this had to happen when we only had an hour left before the dinner party started. 

The doctor had already advised me ahead; this would be more frequent in the months to come, I need to be as less stressed as possible. 

It wouldn't be surprising if it was due to the stress I felt the entire time. But I didn't realize that sickness could be so bad.

From warmth to cold as ice, I stifled my tears as I remembered that we’d gone so far from the newly wedded couple that we were three years ago. 

I wanted this marriage to last, but I didn’t know where to start fixing our relationship. Things are about to change, and I know this child is the key to our marriage. 

“Just give me a few seconds,” I said after I did a few touches to my make-up and straightened my dress.

Once I opened the door and Wilhelm saw my dress, a line of disappointment formed on his mouth. 

“Is that what you’re planning to wear for the dinner party?” he asked, his voice cold and unfeeling.

I felt sorry for myself for bearing my husband’s irony, but nodded my head anyway. 

“Don’t you like it?” I asked while I looked down at the old, brown dress that I bought a few years back. At that time, I thought this marriage was a happy one. “I had no time to buy a new one while managing this place, I’m so sorry.” 

“No time?” he questioned, his tone irritated, his blue eyes cold and calculating every word that I’ve just said. “Kathryn, you’re in this villa 24/7 doing god knows basic work as my wife. We have at least ten servants that you could ask for help or pick up a dress for you. How could you say that you don’t have the time to buy a new one?” 

He let out an exasperated sigh. “Our family is one of the most successful business houses in this country. As the biggest funder at this party, how are you going to convince anyone that you're my wife and not a maid?!” 

I frowned. It’s true that I’m a housewife, but surely he shouldn’t discredit the things that I do to manage this place like he made it sound. 

Bowing my head, I mumbled my agreement. “I understand and I apologize. Would you like me to change my dress?” 

“There’s no time,” he snapped and swiped a glance at his limited edition Rolex. “We’re going to be late.” 

Wilhelm walked out of the door and slammed it shut. Within a minute, I heard the car’s engine roar along with the metallic clanking of the gates being opened. 

My shoulders slumped as I gave up the pretense of feeling disappointed for not meeting his expectations of what a billionaire’s wife should look like.

This is all my fault. If only I’d told him that I was pregnant, his mood wouldn’t have soured the way it was now. Or would nothing change?

Alone and left behind, I lay on the cold floor, my head placed on top of my knees as I wrecked my brain on what to do next, unless I wanted to sign divorce papers soon. 

My hand found its way to the flat surface of my belly, my sadness rendering me completely silent. 

What do I do now? 

My mouth was acrid as I coughed to clear my throat, the aftertaste of my vomit making me more nauseated. I grappled with the fact that I needed to compose myself in order to come out as presentable as I could as the billionaire’s wife. 

After all, it was the only reason why he decided to take me to this dinner party.

Wil was by my side, and he sported the all-too-familiar smile he had on his face whenever he was in an important gathering like this. 

“Wilhelm! I’m glad to see you around,” one of the men said. 

“Ah, Mr. Brooks,” my husband nodded in the man’s direction. “I hope your start-up company is doing well.”

“It should be doing fine by the end of the month,” Mr. Brooks grinned. “And who might be this woman on your side?”

He glanced my way. I squared my shoulders and put on my best smile, already expecting to be introduced as his wife, but it seemed that Wil had another plan in mind. 

“I’m glad your company is doing well,” he finally said, his eyes gazing back at Mr. Brooks who seemed keen to go along with the conversation. “Why don’t we talk more about your plans for this year’s bazaar?” 

I froze, my whole world crumbling down. My heart thundered in my chest, and it was the only sound that I could hear. Catching the reflection of myself in a nearby window wasn’t helping things. 

Wil walked further away with Mr. Brooks. I was left alone, pondering my existence.

Sure, I was far from being presentable. And I got that he was ashamed to let everyone know I am his spouse. But would it hurt to introduce me as his wife?

“If you’ll excuse me,” I mumbled, unsure if anyone had heard me. “I need to get some fresh air.”  Either way, I excused myself and headed to the nearby balcony to get a breather in some way and wipe my tears in secret. 

“Madam, what’s wrong?” Anna, my favorite maid, asked in concern. “Are you alright?”

Anna is the one who witnessed the whole process of cold violence on me in this home. But there was nothing she could do about what was happening to me.

“I’m fine,” I tried to smile. “You just go ahead and enjoy the rest of the party.” 

“Madam Kathryn,” one of my husband’s bodyguards bowed to me. “This way, please. Sir Wilhelm sends a message that you’re not to embarrass him by shying away in the balcony.”

“Sure thing,” I grumbled sarcastically as I entered, annoyed by Wilhelm's lack of understanding of personal space. “Show me where we're going.”

How could I embarrass Wil when people didn’t know who I was to him in the first place? 

As I went back into the room, I turned my head to the sound of all-too-familiar laughter. 

I blinked, confused by what I was seeing. I found myself standing opposite my husband—who happened to have a glamorous woman by his side, with his head tilted back in a boisterous laughter I had never seen him do in front of me before. 

The woman had blonde hair that dazzled with the chandelier’s light, and her height on par with Wil’s. 

I felt pain in my chest. Admittedly, they both looked good by each other’s side.

Compared to what I was wearing, her dress was easily the most flattering piece of clothing I’ve ever laid my eyes upon, with the lavender complimenting her tan. And as much as I hate to admit it, it suited her defined body. 

I clenched my fist and let out the breath that I’d unintentionally been holding. None of them had yet noticed my presence, their eyes locked in a gaze that no one could break, while inside me, a simmering rage that I had suppressed for far too long began to unfurl.

It hurt to see him happy in the company of another woman. Because as a fact, Wil had never looked at me that way before. I burned with an immense amount of rage while approaching my husband. Finally, Wil turned his head in my direction.

“Darling,” he faked a smile. “You’re finally here. Where have you been?” 

The woman beside him turned to face me. “Oh, madam! We have been looking all over for you.”

I was silent for a while, my gaze focused on her hand that never left my husband’s arm. 

“I needed to get some fresh air,” I answered casually without any hint of amusement in my voice. 

“That must’ve been very quiet,” the woman commented. 

I smiled. “It would’ve been if Anna wasn’t keeping me company,” I looked behind me. “Isn’t that right, Anna?”

Anna bowed her head in agreement.

“Ah, I'm terribly rude for forgetting to introduce you,” my husband shifted his gaze to the woman beside him. “This is Rosamund Fitzgerald, a friend of mine from college.” 

“Rose for short,” she reached out her hand, and I stared at it. The only response I could get out of my system was a smile—and it held every promise and curse that I could think of at the moment. 

I stood completely still, feeling as if icy water had been poured all over me. I wasn’t foolish, and anyone in the room could confirm that they were more than friends in any sense. 

Suddenly, my heart grew cold as a sense of dread enveloped me. The realization hit me hard: there was a life growing inside me, and my husband knew nothing about it. As I stood there, the people in front of me seemed like a threat to our marriage.