Chapter 1

I lied to my husband, Tony Mercer, about working overtime and spent a month moonlighting at an upscale club.

My coworkers were itching to land a sugar daddy or a rich cougar.

All I wanted was to save up enough to buy him a nicer watch.

He was in sales.

A designer watch could spare him plenty of condescending looks and snide remarks.

Scrimping on meals, working two jobs, I'd lost a lot of weight.

My best friend Clara teased me for being lovesick.

She didn't understand.

How happy it made me to build a life side by side with the man I loved, working hard together.

That evening, I carried a fruit platter to the door of a VIP suite and heard a familiar voice.

"Tony, did you sign a prenup with Bianca?"

"Obviously not. Otherwise how's he supposed to keep up the broke-guy act?"

"So when you two divorce, Cinderella walks away with half your fortune? How generous of you!"

I heard Tony scoff.

"Generous? There's no legal marriage between us. How exactly would we divorce?"

A thunderclap split through my skull. Every drop of blood in my body froze solid, and an icy chill shot through me from head to toe.

Only one thought echoed in my mind.

Tony, what kind of joke is this?

Chapter 1

The sound of a glass shattering inside the suite snapped me back to my senses.

"You two aren't legally married? That can't be right. Five years ago you posted your marriage license in the group chat!"

Someone's voice cracked with shock.

"No way, bro. You went that far? Your family actually forged a county marriage license?"

I clenched the fruit platter with everything I had, fighting to keep my legs from buckling.

He had to be joking. Otherwise, how could I explain the seven years we'd spent together?

The first time we met, he'd passed out drunk on the sidewalk. I held an umbrella over him and stayed until dawn.

Later, we moved into a run-down apartment that cost $900 a month.

I worked as an office clerk. He was in sales, always on the road.

Money was tight, but we savored every moment of it.

With both of us working hard, we'd finally moved into a nicer apartment this year, one that cost $1,200 a month.

And yet, this was the same man who used to warm my hands and feet on cold winter nights.

He was lounging in the seat of honor now, a cigar between his fingers, his smile cruel and flippant.

"When I registered the marriage with her, I used my twin brother Julian's ID."

"After our parents' divorce, he went abroad with our mother. Heard he joined Doctors Without Borders. Don't even know if he's alive."

He exhaled a slow stream of smoke.

"At first I thought she was targeting me on purpose. On a whim, I played the poor guy and strung her along. Didn't expect the stupid woman to fall deeper and deeper, begging me to marry her, even saying she wanted to have my kids."

"The marriage license was easy enough. But children... a Mercer heir? No way I'd let some broke nobody carry that."

"So I swapped her vitamin pills for birth control."

"Broke nobody." "Birth control." Every word cut like a blade, and I couldn't stop shaking.

I crouched down and set the fruit platter on the floor. My trembling fingers pressed against my lower belly.

Earlier this year, I'd been diagnosed with infertility. Had he been behind that too?

But when I told him I wanted a baby, he'd seemed just as excited...

Early to bed, early to rise. Jogging, working out. Going along with every part of my fertility routine.

After the diagnosis, I locked myself in the bedroom and cried for days on end.

Tony held me and said it was fine if we couldn't have children. I was his one and only.

Those sweet words now felt like a slap across the face.

They left me reeling.

Inside the suite, a chorus of impressed voices erupted.

"Brilliant!"

"Hold on, I heard your family's arranging a marriage with the Hawthornes. When are you going to come clean to Bianca?"

Tony took a sip of his drink and sneered. "Why would I come clean?"

His eyes carried a lazy arrogance, his tone careless.

"The arranged marriage goes ahead as planned. As long as Julian doesn't come back, I'm Bianca's husband. Why not have the best of both worlds?"

"And if the truth ever gets out, the name on the marriage license is my brother's. Nothing to do with me."

The suite erupted in laughter again.

"Classic Tony. Always three steps ahead with the exit plan. No wonder my mom tells me to learn from you."

"Poor Cinderella. I almost feel sorry for her, but that's not going to stop me from enjoying the show..."

Through the door, the clinking of glasses mixed with their gleeful mockery.

I felt as though every shred of dignity had been stripped from me. I slumped to the floor like a rag.

No. I couldn't let Tony see me like this.

I hauled myself up and braced against the wall, shuffling to the break room.

"Bianca? What happened?"

Meeting a coworker's worried gaze, I let myself pass out.

Chapter 2

Somehow, I was pregnant.

When the doctor heard I'd been regularly taking birth control pills, his first reaction was disbelief.

"Are you sure? If you got pregnant while on the pill, that baby is one little fighter."

The doctor's words stirred a faint spark of hope.

Maybe Tony wasn't as heartless as he'd made himself sound.

Torn between despair and hope, I drifted home in a daze.

As I walked through the door, a trending notification popped up on my phone.

#HawthorneHeiressHintsAtWeddingBells#

In the photo grid, Clara and a man stood hand in hand, fingers intertwined.

Only a sliver of the watch on his wrist was visible, but I recognized it instantly. I'd saved three months' salary last year to buy it for Tony.

There was also a handwritten draft of a wedding invitation. The date was set for August 8th.

The Hawthorne heiress marrying into Tony's family was Clara Hawthorne, my best friend.

I stared at Clara's radiant smile, a dull ache throbbing through my chest.

Shortly after meeting Tony, I'd crossed paths with Clara by coincidence.

We both loved movies, and we gradually became close friends.

She was the one who'd recommended my office job.

When she heard I wanted to earn extra money, she set me up with the moonlighting gig at the club.

So she'd been positioning herself close to me from the very beginning.

Watching from the sidelines as Tony made a fool of me.

Now that the two families' union was approaching.

She'd thrown me a bone.

Letting me discover Tony's grand deception on my own.

My husband and my best friend had both been treating me like a fool.

I steadied myself against the doorframe and gathered my thoughts.

I needed to pull myself together. There was still something to verify.

I placed the vitamin pills I'd been taking next to a newly purchased bottle and compared them.

There were subtle differences.

Without looking closely, they were impossible to tell apart.

The vitamins had definitely been switched!

Ever since I'd heard those lies the night before, something cold and heavy had been sitting in my chest, pressing down without relief.

Until that moment of confirmation.

I couldn't hold it in any longer. I sobbed and screamed without restraint.

I remembered the night I woke up burning with fever. Tony carried me on his back all the way to the hospital and stayed at my bedside for a full day and night without sleep.

I'd saved up to buy him a discounted designer coat. He was so happy he scooped me up and spun me around like a little kid.

In our most intimate moments, he'd whisper in my ear, "Once I make it big, I'll buy you a huge house."

All of it was fake.

His identity was fake. His poverty was fake. His love for me was an act.

I wiped the tears from my face and texted Arthur Romano, someone I hadn't contacted in years.

If Tony ever heard that name, he'd probably break into a cold sweat demanding to know my connection to him.

The most powerful crime boss on the East Coast, the very man Tony's family wanted desperately to avoid, was my half-brother.

Ten years ago, after both my parents passed away, the rumors started.

Everyone said my mother was a scheming homewrecker who'd clawed her way into the Romano crime family for power.

Unable to bear the whispers, I wanted nothing more than to escape that cage of power struggles and gossip.

So I dropped my father's surname and lived as an ordinary person.

After meeting Tony, I believed I could build a simple, happy life alongside the man I loved, sharing every hardship together.

Until the naked, brutal truth was laid bare before my eyes.

If cruelty and conflict were inescapable no matter where I went, then instead of running, I would face them head-on.

This time, I would confront every scheme and every betrayal.

No one would control my fate.

And right now, there was a battle to fight.

I disposed of the newly purchased vitamins and put the old bottle back in its place.

Tony was always careful. I couldn't afford to give myself away.

Chapter 3

That evening, Tony came home carrying a box of my favorite strawberry cake.

The bakery was across town, a long drive away.

I'd mentioned it in passing the night before, and today he'd gone and bought it.

I caught a glimpse of his cuffs. The same ones from Clara's photo earlier that day.

I couldn't help a bitter laugh. The man was quite the schedule master, seamlessly juggling two women.

"Home early today? No overtime?"

He scooped up a spoonful of cake and held it to my lips.

I forced it down, fighting the nausea. "Mm. Finished up early."

"Oh, by the way, where did we put our marriage license? Everyone's showing theirs off online. I want to do it too."

I asked as casually as I could, watching his reaction closely.

Tony's guard went up. He froze for a few seconds, then forced a smile that was meant to look natural.

"I burned it the day we got it."

He pulled me into his arms and nuzzled against my ear, his voice soft and soothing.

"You only need a marriage license for a divorce. And there'll never be a divorce between us. Only 'til death do us part."

That's right. Tony and I would never divorce.

I dug my nails into my palms and forced my rigid body to relax before he noticed anything off.

Before bed, he brought me a glass of warm water as usual, a white pill resting in his palm.

I held it between my fingertips without putting it in my mouth.

"My stomach's been bothering me lately. Can I skip it?"

He frowned, but the smile returned quickly. He stroked my hair.

"It's a multivitamin. Specially prescribed by a doctor. Stopping would be worse for you. Be good."

He pried my fingers open, took the pill, and pressed it to my lips.

He hadn't touched me, yet he was desperate to keep me on the birth control.

Tony Mercer, just how scared are you of me getting pregnant with your child?

I opened my mouth, tucked the pill under my tongue, took a sip of water, and pretended to swallow.

Satisfied, he drew his hand back and pressed a kiss to my forehead.

"Good night."

He stepped out to put away the glass.

I hurried to the bathroom, flushed the pill down the toilet, and rinsed my mouth three times.

I sank down against the cold tiles, my forehead pressed to my knees, perfectly still.

The pill had been in my mouth for barely ten seconds, but something in my belly seemed to clench.

I rested my hand gently on my lower abdomen and whispered a silent promise.

Don't worry, little one. You're Mommy's treasure. I will never let anyone hurt you.

Tony pushed the door open without warning.

"I thought I heard you throwing up. Are you okay?"

His expression was tense, his eyes darting to my stomach before he could stop himself.

I steadied myself and managed a weak smile.

"Probably just the cake. Too rich for my stomach."

Tony started to press further, but the doorbell rang.

He frowned and turned to leave.

I let out a breath of relief, walked out of the bathroom, and noticed my phone screen lighting up.

My brother had texted back.

[I told you before you left. You will always be my sister. The doors of the Romano Family are always open for you. Come home whenever you're ready.]

My eyes stung with tears.

My brother...

A muffled scream, quickly stifled, pulled me back to reality.

I crept to the bedroom doorway and heard Clara's voice.

"I gave you time to come clean to her about our engagement. Why haven't you said anything?"

Tony kept his voice low, trying to calm her. "Everything is on track. Stop making a scene."

"Who's making a scene? Are you going to treat our families' $1.5 billion partnership like a joke?"

Clara burst through the door, her eyes locking onto mine.

She lifted her chin with cold superiority and smirked.

"Bianca, did you see my post? I'm sure you've figured out who my fiance is by now."

Chapter 4

Tony went white. He rushed to stand between us, trying to cover up the scene.

"Your friend had too much to drink and showed up here to cause trouble. You're not feeling well, right? Go rest in the bedroom. I'll get rid of her."

Clara didn't give him the chance to smooth things over.

She pulled up her post, held the phone in front of my face, and when Tony wasn't looking, laced her fingers through his, perfectly recreating the photo.

She leaned into his ear and murmured,

"Darling, I'm not her best friend. I'm your fiancee. You set the wedding date with me yourself just this morning..."

Confronted with undeniable proof, Tony frantically shook her off and reached for me, his eyes wild with panic.

"Let me explain. This was all arranged by the family. I had no choice..."

I watched him deliver his masterful performance of innocence and devotion in silence.

If the setting had been different, I'd have given him a standing ovation.

Last night he'd been scheming about having both of us. He hadn't counted on Clara forcing the issue in person. With no way left to hide it, his instinct was to play the victim in front of me.

I stepped back, dodging his reach.

Something dripped as I moved.

Startled, I touched my face and found tear tracks. I'd been crying without realizing it.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and spoke coldly.

"If you're going along with your family's arrangement, then let's end this on good terms."

A triumphant smile spread across Clara's face. She gave me a loaded look.

"Smart girl. All my careful planning wasn't wasted on you."

Tony ignored Clara's provocation and kept pleading.

"We've been together seven years. You know what kind of person I am. Trust me. Once I sort things out with my family, I'll give you a proper explanation."

I stared at the obsessive look in his eyes and went still for a long moment.

Hadn't he said just last night that I was nothing but a "broke nobody" he was toying with?

Why was he so desperate for my forgiveness?

Was he actually afraid of losing me?

Just as I nearly caved, I heard Clara's frantic demand.

"You actually fell in love with her, didn't you? You can't let go? Right now! Choose! One of us!"

Tony stood frozen. He looked at me long and hard, then finally turned to her.

"Go home. We'll talk about it tomorrow."

Clara's smile froze on her face. Tony's hesitation shattered what was left of her composure.

She charged straight at me like a woman possessed.

Tony's hand shot out on instinct, shoving me toward the bedroom.

I pitched forward with no warning.

In the instant before my belly hit the floor, I threw out my hand to break the fall. My entire left arm went stiff and numb, unable to move.

In the chaos, Clara bumped her forehead and immediately clutched the spot, screaming.

Tony snapped to his senses and roared at her.

"Are you insane? If you'd hurt her, you'd be facing criminal charges!"

Clara kept wailing, demanding that Tony take her to the hospital.

Tony looked at me, sitting in bruised silence.

After a few agonized moments, he scooped Clara up and tossed me a hollow promise.

"Trust me. We'll talk when I get back."

Then he was gone.

The dull ache in my arm was nothing compared to the pain in my chest.

Moments ago, I'd actually believed that despite all his lies, after seven years of sharing everything, he couldn't truly bring himself to abandon me.

But in the end, he chose someone else.

Even what looked like a move to protect me had really been about saving her.

Watching his retreating figure, there wasn't a trace of longing left in my eyes.

I struggled to dial a number with my right hand.

Half an hour later, a black Rolls-Royce Cullinan pulled up outside the building.

Edmund Bennett, the Romano Family's steward, noticed my frozen left arm. His expression shifted, and he helped me into the car with extreme care.

The car pulled away smoothly, leaving everything behind.

A text from Tony popped up on my phone.

"You're not feeling well. Get some sleep. I'll be home soon. Love you."

The throbbing ache in my left arm drew a cold laugh from me.

For the sake of my precious baby, I'd been willing to walk away quietly.

But he'd put my child at risk for the sake of another woman.

Then he could wait for me to settle every last score.