CHAPTER 1

Yasmin Katz stormed out of the hospital, with her hands trembling for the unknown. Right there beneath her eyelids were evidence of tears welled up and ready to pour, which she fought hard to keep back.

She just wasn't so sure if she should laugh or cry by the doctor's report.

"Miss Katz, you are three months pregnant." The doctor's voice once more rang so loud in her memory.

Yasmine had married Leonard Crawford, he was the young master to a prestigious family that was the envy in the whole of Eastcliff and Leonard the most eligible bachelor.

On the day of her wedding every single lady had thought that she was the luckiest and happiest woman on earth, even herself had thought the same too.

A night to her previous engagement day, her younger sister Lyra had advised that they visit a club with the aim of celebrating.

Yasmin had taken it as a good idea too, trusted Lyra so much and clung to the advise, unknown to her it all was a trap.

She never knew that fate held more for her. The last she could remember was talking with an entire stranger, which she woke up the following morning in his bed.

The red bright stain brimming bright on the bed was enough to conclude that something had taken place between her and him.

Not that alone, she had seen a mark at the back of her palm which read Leonard wed Yasmin, and another part of her thumb which seemed to have gotten slit.

Yasmin tried getting a hold of herself, then she recalled how she had slit her thumb with Leonard doing the same, slurping each other blood with the promise of never leaving one another.

Before she could comprehend all together, there was a loud knock from a group of reporters waiting to get the full news of Leonard spending the night with a mysterious woman.

It was until then Yasmin could tell that the stranger in her bed was a prominent figure.

The Crawford's were a distinguished family in the whole of Eastcliff, they also were an aristocratic family with literary reputation.

The news spread like wildfire in the whole of Eastcliff and Yasmin's engagement had to be called off.

Then she realized it was her sister's ploy all along to have Steve her fiance. 

Steve had been after Yasmine since college, but she never gave him a chance. Yasmine had been this determined hearted person, even though her parents despised her she was ready to succeed without any relationship interference.

Until her final year when she saw a need to at least let someone in, and the only person who seemed eligible to be one was Steve.

He was the sweet looking, gorgeous, loving and kind hearted guy from a wealthy family.

The romantic scene was quite unique where he got to ask her out on the school field in the presence of many students.

Yasmine saw her relationship with him as a dream come true, until that night that spelt the doom of their relationship.

The moment Steve the news reached Steve, he came to Yasmine for clarity and thanks to Lyra's interference he didn't wait for her explanation before he stormed off, without looking back.

Yasmine was at the verge of losing it all, the only person that brought her joy finally parted with her.

A week later, the patriarch of the Crawford's family, Lord Lucas, Leonard's grandfather got to know about the night between Leonard and Yasmin, he announced the marriage between the two of them.

Although to Yasmin it seemed like a relieve to her pain, but in the real sense of it, it was all a mirage.

Leonard hated and despised her, even the mere sight of her was just as good enough to infuriate him.

He also had someone he loved but had to let go as a result of Lord Lucas' order.

However, Yasmine believed its his right to know about the baby, she gathered the courage and put a call across to him, but the call was declined. 

Thus, the best she thought she could do was send him a text stating that she had something very important to say, and as well hoped that he coincides to the text by coming home that night.

Ever since the day they got married, three months ago, Leonard never for once spent the night at home, he preferred spending the cold nights in the arms of strippers rather than sleep in the same room with Yasmine.

He never called back, neither did he return her text. As such, Yasmin's heart grew cold in conclusion that Leonard wouldn't be home that night either.

There was obviously nothing else left of her to do. Hence, she took her shower and was about to rest for the night, when she heard a loud bang against the door.

She shrieked in fear, yet lifted her face only to get caught in between his cold eyes, that exhumed nothing other than rage.

Cold chills ran down her spine, yet she voiced. "Leonard, you are home." She cautiously called out his name with a faint smile across her lips, when she approached him, he caught her by the wrist then threw her forcefully to the bed.

The joints of his fingers were distinct as he pinched her chin. His eyes were filled with nothing but drunkenness and rage.

Then his cold voice called out with a hint of mockery and hatred. "Yasmine, are you so desperate for a man that you took advantage of my drunken state to sleep with me?"

Instantly, her face turned pale, thinking about how he pushed the whole blame in her when it was a mistake from both sides.

"No Leonard, remember it was our fault not just…"

"Shut the trap! Shut up right now! Or I will do it for you." Yasmine shrugged out of fear, she had never been at peace right from day one when she got married to him, whenever he came around he made sure to show her hell, hoping that she would request for divorce herself one day.

That was the only way they could get separated, else with Lord Lucas still alive, he was in for it forever.

To Yasmine, living with him was just like a bird trapped in a bottle, that three months of her life has been hell, no friends or families were allowed to see her, Leonard purposely locked all out.

"If you are bent on marrying me, I'll show you what it feels like!" Those were Leonard's constant words.

Just another dagger he shot her. "When do you plan on leaving my villa, you've fed fat enough." He staggered to a seat, crossed his leg while he faced her.

"Let me remind you who you are, you are a deceptive, slutful and person of disdain, you do not deserve even a bit of my love, you aren't worth it… to remind you, I had a girlfriend before you and I'll continue loving her, if you know what's best for you, you know what to do and where to find me."

Yasmine's eyes teared, but she held it in, bit her lips faintly wobbled and told. "I'm ready to sign the divorce papers."

Those words brought a clear smile to Leonard. He was finally getting rid of the intruder, he said to himself, and put a call across immediately.

"Bring me the divorce papers." He hung up immediately.

In a few minutes, a man who looked in his fifties with just a strand of hair left at the center of his head walked in with the divorce papers, he delivered it, bowed slightly and left.

Leonard tossed the paper over to her. "Here, have it and sign!" He was impatient and couldn't wait to end things with her so he could end up with Isabel, his one true love.

Sadly, she received the papers, and said. "I have a request, Leonard."

"What other request could a sl*t like you make!" A hiss escaped his lips. "Just be quick with whatever it is."

"If you found out I was carrying your child, would you be enraged or glad?" In the real sense of it, Yasmine was not prepared to raise a child all by herself.

Several questions had propelled her to ask that. Will she be able to cope without him? What would she say when the child begins to raise questions about who his or her father is.

Whereas, Leonard thought differently. He had his mind pondering on why she would ask him such a question. 

Is she crazy? Why was she thinking of pregnancy? He never had slept with her since the time they tied the knot, and that night of a mistake, he expected her to have taken pills, if not then he would conclude that she's desperately after him.

"Are you pregnant?" Leonard asked after a moment of silence.

"Please can you answer my question, before I sign the papers?" She was reluctant to sign it until she got an answer.

Leonard stomped to his feet at once, with rage looming around him. "You shameless woman, how can you get pregnant for me!"

She couldn't remember disclosing being pregnant to him, she only asked a question, but here she was being pinned to the wall.

That alone gave her all the answers she needed to know, 

"I'm not pregnant," she lied, turning towards the divorce papers immediately in readiness to sign it. It was glaring that if she revealed it to him, he perhaps would ask her to abort it, and she was never ready for such an awful experience.

Her child would be another reason to live again she thought to herself.

Whereas, Leonard began to think that perhaps she was lying, a more reason she was quick to raise signing the papers.

What if the child was his, would he watch another raise his child? Instantly, he snatched the papers and shredded them into pieces. "Come with me right now! I'm taking you for a pregnancy test."

Leonard Crawford held her forcefully and dragged her by the wrist. "Leonard, leave me alone! I'm not pregnant, I was only asking a question."

Yasmine struggled but he was too strong for her.