Chapter 1

Ella Montgomery stared at the two pink lines on the pregnancy test, her heart hammering as a dozen emotions rushed through her.

Pregnant?

How on earth?

She and Lucas had only been married for half a year, and they’d only been…intimate once. And that one time didn’t even count; he’d been as drunk as a sailor on shore leave. So, how could she possibly be pregnant?

Just then, a voice came from outside the bathroom door, making her jump. “Mrs. Montgomery, sir is back.”

Ella's heart skipped another beat. She quickly tossed the pregnancy test into the trash, feeling absurdly guilty—like a thief hiding evidence.

But why should she feel guilty?

She was Lucas Montgomery’s legally wedded wife, and she was carrying his child. If anyone had explaining to do, it was him.

After a deep breath to steady herself, Ella stepped out of the bathroom, determined to share the news, but as soon as she saw him, her courage faltered. Lucas was by the door, kicking off his shoes, looking like he had something on his mind. She opened her mouth to tell him, but he spoke first.

“Ella, I’ve been thinking,” he started, his tone softer than usual. “You’ve always talked about wanting a family…so, I’ve decided I want to have a child. What do you think?”

Ella’s jaw nearly dropped. “You…already know?” she blurted out, her mind scrambling.

Lucas blinked in confusion. “You know too?”

“Uh, yeah, I just found out,” Ella said, feeling a rush of relief. So he wasn’t going to be upset after all. In fact, he’d somehow known before she even told him! Her heart felt warm as she realized that maybe, just maybe, he did care about this little life they’d created.

“So,” Lucas said, his eyes softening as he looked at her, “you’re okay with keeping the child?”

Ella blushed under his gaze, nodding. “We were going to have a family eventually…if it happened now, maybe it was meant to be.”

Lucas smiled, an expression that almost made her believe there was something real between them. He took her hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze. “I was worried you’d be upset. But don’t worry, I’ll make sure the child sees you as his real mother.”

Wait…what? The words jarred her out of her blissful moment. “What do you mean by ‘see me as the real mother’? I am this child’s mother, Lucas.”

“Oh,” he said casually, as though he were explaining the weather, “I was talking about the child. You know, from earlier.”

The child? Confusion turned into a sickening feeling in her stomach. “Lucas…what child are you talking about?”

Lucas seemed surprised, almost as if she’d interrupted his train of thought. “Didn’t you already know? Amy is pregnant. We had planned on keeping the baby, and I want to bring him here to be raised as part of our family. I’ll give her a settlement and make sure everything’s arranged.”

The world felt like it was tilting around her. “Amy? Pregnant? With your child?”

Lucas looked slightly irritated, his brows drawing together. “Didn’t you say you already knew? I thought we were on the same page about this.”

Ella felt a chill rise through her body. Everything around her seemed distant, like it was happening to someone else.

For as long as she could remember, she’d known that Lucas wasn’t in love with her.

He’d always loved his high school sweetheart, Amy, the perfect girl-next-door. They’d broken up ages ago, but Ella knew that Lucas had never moved on.

In fact, she’d suspected their marriage was just a way for him to get his family’s company out of a rough spot.

Despite that, she’d dared to hope that maybe, over time, they could build something real together.

But now…this?

Six months into their marriage, Lucas had not only reconnected with Amy but had also decided to bring her child into their home—their home—and expected Ella to play stepmother?

Her silence must have given her feelings away, because Lucas’s tone softened, as though coaxing a skittish animal. “Ella, I know you’re a generous person. Just treat this child as if he were your own, and I promise, I’ll take good care of you.”

The polite mask she’d always worn in front of him shattered. Before she knew it, her hand had reached out, and smack—the slap landed with a force that even surprised her.

The housekeeper poked her head out of the kitchen, eyes wide with shock. “Ma’am, sir…is everything alright?”

“Please, Mrs. Jenkins, give us a moment,” Lucas said, waving her away.

When she was gone, he turned to Ella, rubbing his cheek, his voice tense with barely contained fury. “So, what’s this about? If you didn’t know about Amy’s child, what did you mean by the child you mentioned earlier?”

Ella took a shaky breath, debating if she should keep up the pretense. But she knew there was no hiding it now. “I meant that I’m pregnant.”

Lucas froze, staring at her like she’d spoken a foreign language. “That’s…impossible.”

Ella scoffed, crossing her arms. “Oh, don’t worry. If you can fool around, why shouldn’t I? Maybe this baby has nothing to do with you.” She didn’t mean it, but it felt satisfying to watch his expression shift from confusion to outright fury.

“Are you trying to provoke me, Ella?” Lucas said, voice tight with rage. “This baby is from that night when we—”

“Oh, I think you’re mistaken, Mr. Montgomery,” she interrupted. “You were so drunk that night you barely knew where you were. And by the way, I suggest you get a paternity test for Amy’s child, just to be sure.”

After six months of being the perfect wife, this felt like liberation. Lucas had never seen this side of her, and she could tell her words were hitting their mark. He looked ready to explode. “Ella…”

“Oh, were you going to hit me?” She raised an eyebrow. “Go ahead. But know this: I’ll sue you for everything you’re worth if you even think of touching me.”

“Do you want a divorce?” he asked, the words seeming to come out reluctantly.

“What do you think?” she shot back. “Do you want me to stay here and raise another woman’s child while you play happy family with her? No, thank you.”

She took a deep breath, her decision feeling final and oddly empowering. “I will contact a lawyer, and you’ll be getting the divorce papers by tomorrow. Sign them, or we’ll take this to court.”

With that, Ella turned and headed for the door, her heart thudding with every step. She was done with Lucas, done with pretending, and done with this sham of a marriage. Just as she reached the doorway, though, he grabbed her wrist.

“Think about this carefully, Ella,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “You’ll regret it once you step out of that door.”

Regret? She glanced down at his hand, disgusted, and shook herself free. What was there to regret about leaving a man who’d lied and betrayed her?

Without looking back, she walked out, each step a declaration of her freedom. But as soon as the cool night air hit her face, she felt her facade crack. Tears she’d held back finally spilled over as she walked away, feeling both powerful and utterly broken.

He would never know that she hadn’t married him just because her family had wanted it. He’d never know that she’d actually loved him once, for four long years, waiting, hoping, believing in a love that had never been real.

Just as she tried to hold back another sob, her phone rang. It was her father’s assistant, his voice strained. “Miss Montgomery, I’m afraid there’s been an accident. Your father…he passed away on the spot.”

The world around her turned black as she dropped the phone, her knees giving out as reality came crashing down.