All Chapters of His Forbidden Truth: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Chapter 1: The Wedding That Wasn'tMy wedding dress cost more than my car. Funny how that's what I fixated on as I stared at its pristine white fabric, now crumpled in the corner of my hotel suite like discarded tissue paper. Twelve thousand dollars of hand-beaded lace and silk, tossed aside just like my dignity.Three hours. I was supposed to walk down the aisle in three hours."Sophia, baby, let me explain!" James's voice carried through the door, accompanied by another round of desperate knocking. "It's not what it looked like!"I pressed my hands against my temples, smearing expensive makeup across my freshly manicured fingers. The image wouldn't leave my mind: James pressed against Rachel's naked body in the bridal suite's changing room, her red lipstick smeared across his neck. Rachel—my maid of honor, my best friend since college, the woman who'd helped me pick out that twelve-thousand-dollar dress."Go away, James," I said, my voice cracking. "Or I'll call security.""Please,

Chapter 3: Family Dinner DisasterTwo months of dodging James's calls had given me a false sense of security. So when his name lit up my phone for the hundredth time, I almost declined it out of habit. Almost."What?" I answered, balancing my phone while sorting through client files at my desk."Soph, please don't hang up." The desperation in his voice was new. "Mom's worried about you."Victoria Henderson. The woman who'd treated me like a daughter for two years. My chest tightened. "I'm fine.""She wants you to come to dinner. Just family—the way it used to be. Dad's finally back from his London trip, and you know how Mom gets about her Sunday roasts."I closed my eyes, remembering warm Sunday evenings in the Hendersons' elegant dining room. Victoria fussing over portions, James's younger sister Emma sneaking her vegetables to their golden retriever. They'd been my second family."James—""As friends," he added quickly. "I know I screwed up. Monumentally. But you were part of this f

Chapter 5: The TestThe first test was a mistake. Probably a faulty batch, I told myself. Cheap drugstore brand. I'd buy a more expensive one tomorrow.The second test came from the pharmacy two blocks from my office. Digital. No room for misinterpretation. Two clear blue lines. Pregnant.The third test was from the expensive medical supply store downtown. The kind doctors recommend. The kind that leaves absolutely no doubt.Positive.Definitely, irrevocably, terrifyingly positive.My life had become a series of bathroom visits. Not the glamorous kind you see in romantic comedies, where the heroine looks perfectly put together while discovering her pregnancy. No. This was raw, visceral, utterly unglamorous morning sickness that made me question every life decision.I'd always been the girl with a plan. Color-coded planners. Five-year career strategies. Meticulously organized closets. And now? Now I was the girl who couldn't predict what would happen in the next five minutes, let alone

Chapter 7: Family ShadowsVictoria Henderson's stilettos clicked against marble like a metronome of doom. I heard her before I saw her, that distinctive rhythm that sent junior executives scurrying for cover. Of all the days for her to visit our corporate office, it had to be today—when morning sickness had me clutching my desk like a life raft."Sophia, darling."Her voice dripped honey-coated venom. I forced myself to look up, praying my complexion wasn't as green as it felt."Mrs. Henderson." Professional. Distant. Perfect.She perched on the edge of my desk—a power move I'd seen her use countless times. Her Chanel suit probably cost more than my monthly rent."James misses you." Direct hit. No warm-up.I kept my expression neutral, even as my stomach churned. Whether from pregnancy or her presence, I couldn't tell."That's unfortunate," I replied, shuffling papers I didn't need to shuffle. "But irrelevant."Her perfectly manicured hand caught mine, stilling my movement. "Nothing a

Chapter 9: Secrets UnraveledThe silence in my apartment was deafening. Victoria's smile, James's confusion, and Marcus's voice still shouting through my phone created a surreal tableau of impending disaster."Darling, do put the phone down," Victoria purred. "This is a family matter."I ended the call, knowing Marcus was probably already on his way. But would he make it in time?"How did you get those?" I nodded toward the medical records.Victoria's laugh was crystalline. Dangerous. "Money opens all doors, dear. Even confidential ones."James moved closer, his face a storm of emotions. "What's going on, Sophia?""Yes," Victoria echoed. "Do tell him what's going on. Or shall I?"My hand instinctively moved to my stomach. The gesture wasn't lost on either of them."You're..." James's voice cracked. "You're pregnant?"Before I could respond, my apartment door burst open. Marcus filled the doorway, power radiating from every inch of his frame."Get out," he commanded. Not to me. To them