Chapter 1

"From today onward, I start anew!" As I waited for my test results at the hospital, I scrolled through my husband Gavin Gould's ex, Mandy Green's, social media post. She had proudly shared a picture of her divorce certificate with a declaration of newfound freedom. I was still in a daze when the doctor's cheerful voice broke my thoughts. "Congratulations, Grace Summers! You're pregnant!" I looked up sharply, stunned, unable to believe I had just heard. A flood of joy overwhelmed me. After a year of trying, I was finally pregnant with Gavin's child! My hands instinctively moved to my lower abdomen, a mixture of happiness and subtle melancholy swirling within me. Who would have thought that the moment I had been longing for—having a baby—would coincide with Mandy's announcement of a fresh start? "Congratulations, Ms. Summers," the nurse, who had grown familiar with me during my countless visits to the hospital, beamed with genuine excitement. "You have to tell your husband the good news right away! He'll be thrilled!" Smiling, I nodded, gently stroking my stomach. "Yes, he's been waiting for this moment for so long too." "Make sure he comes with you for the prenatal checkups from now on," she teased. "You're the family's VIP now! No matter how busy he is, nothing's more important than you." I smiled at her warmth, though her words stirred a bittersweet feeling. Over the past year, I had been the one making all the visits to the hospital alone. There was nothing wrong with me physically, yet there had been no sign of pregnancy. The doctor had even hinted it might be Gavin's issue, suggesting a low sperm count, and recommended he undergo a checkup. But I couldn't bring myself to risk his pride. Instead, I begged the doctor for ovulation-stimulating medication, which I had been taking for months without success. And now, after a full year, it had finally happened. Thrilled, I bid farewell to the doctor and nurse and hurried out, clutching my test results. I couldn't wait to share the news with Gavin at his office. As I reached my car, my phone buzzed. It was my mom, Elizabeth Wells calling. I composed myself, inhaled deeply, and answered cheerfully, "Hi, Mom!" "Grace, weren't you planning to visit the hospital with Gavin today? When will you two get here? I asked Alex to meet you at the entrance," she said, her voice weak but warm. Ever since her late-stage liver cancer diagnosis, my mother had been longing to see me and Gavin have a proper wedding. She couldn't let go of me, her only worry. Although Gavin and I were legally married, we had delayed the ceremony, because his grandfather, Walter Gould had fallen seriously ill. I had told my mother the marriage certificate held more legal weight than a wedding. But to her, the wedding meant everything. Outside of Gould family events, Gavin rarely brought me along to social gatherings, and my mother knew her time was running out. Her greatest wish was to see us walk down the aisle. To grant her peace of mind, I mustered my courage and asked Gavin to prioritize the wedding. Thankfully, he agreed, and we had been busy planning it ever since. "Mom, don't let Alex run around too much. We'll call him when we arrive," I reassured her. "Alright, take your time. And if Gavin's too busy with work, don't push him too hard. You can come alone to see me," she said, her concern evident. "Don't worry, Mom. Gavin promised he'd come to see you with me. He won't let you down." "That's good to hear. That's good." After hanging up, I got into the car. Nathan Clarke, our driver, was already waiting. "To the office," I instructed. Nathan hesitated. "Mrs. Gould, isn't Mr. Gould not too fond of you visiting his office?" Smiling, I placed a hand on my abdomen. "I have urgent news for him." "But…" He seemed uneasy. "Why not give him a call first?" His hesitation didn't surprise me. After all, it was Gavin who paid him, not me. And Gavin had made it clear that he didn't like me showing up at work unannounced. I wavered, unsure whether to call Gavin or surprise him, when my phone rang. It was him. Overjoyed, I answered immediately. "Honey, I—" But before I could finish, his calm voice cut in. "Gracie, I'm working late tonight. Don't wait for me. Have dinner by yourself." "Then, honey, are you…" I began, only to hear a faint gasp—a woman's voice—in the background. "I'm busy. Talk later." He hung up abruptly before I could respond. The dial tone echoed in my ears as my chest tightened, weighed down by an invisible stone. My heart raced, and my mind unwillingly replayed Mandy's earlier post announcing her fresh start. As if possessed, I reopened Mandy's profile and found a new update. "A special visit." The post was accompanied by a photo of a man standing by a massive floor-to-ceiling window, phone in hand. Even though it was just a silhouette, I recognized him immediately. It was my husband—Gavin Gould. He was with Mandy. … The Gould Group towered over the bustling commercial district of Fuvine. As we approached the company building, I couldn't help but notice the massive LED screen outside the Gould Group headquarters displaying the strikingly beautiful face of Mandy Green. She wasn't just a famous actress but also my husband's childhood sweetheart—his first love and now the spokesperson for the Gould Group's products. Stepping out of the car, I felt a bitter smile tugging at my lips. Gavin disliked my coming to his office unannounced, so in our two years of marriage, my visits to the company were rare. Naturally, I didn't know about this, and no one had ever bothered to tell me. Perhaps it was because no one felt the need to tell me. "Mrs. Gould, what brings you here?" As soon as I entered the building, Caleb Reed, Gavin's assistant, approached with a subtle hint of nervousness on his face. "Mr. Gould is in a meeting. Shall I take you to the lounge to wait for him?" "There's no need. I'll wait for him in his office." When I opened the door to Gavin's office, the face I had just seen on the LED screen greeted me in person. Mandy Green was here! "You are…?" She looked at me with a mix of surprise and curiosity. She must have come straight from work, her makeup flawless and her high-end designer dress accentuating her figure perfectly. I glanced around the room but didn't see Gavin. "You're Gracie, aren't you?" Mandy seemed to recognize me finally, smiling brightly. She carried herself with the composure of someone who felt right at home. "You're here to see Gavin? He's in a meeting." Ignoring her, I turned to Caleb, who was standing by the door. "When will Gavin be back?" Caleb was momentarily taken aback, as if surprised by my calm demeanor. "Around ten. In about half an hour." I nodded, then walked straight to Gavin's desk. "I'll wait for him here." Mandy seemed unfazed by my complete disregard for her. She casually crossed her legs and resumed playing a game on her phone, her posture relaxed and unbothered. Not long after, the office door swung open, and Gavin walked in, fresh from his meeting. He was dressed in a tailored charcoal-gray suit that highlighted his sophisticated and commanding presence. But when his gaze landed on me, his brows furrowed slightly. "What are you doing here?" Suppressing my emotions, I didn't want to show weakness in front of Mandy. I stood up, hooked my arm around his in an intimate gesture, and said with a smile, "I missed you and wanted to see you." Gavin glanced down at my hand but didn't say anything further. Instinctively, I looked toward Mandy. Her gaze was fixed on my hand wrapped around Gavin's arm, her expression fleeting and unreadable. It was so brief that I couldn't fully grasp it before it vanished. Drawing my attention back, I took a deep breath and mustered a smile, ready to share the news of my pregnancy while asserting my position. "Honey, I—" But before I could say the word "pregnant," Mandy let out a sudden exclamation. The next moment, there was a loud crash as a glass slipped from her hand and shattered on the floor. "Sorry, I wasn't holding it properly," Mandy apologized quickly, bending down to pick up the broken shards. Gavin's expression shifted instantly, and before I knew it, he released my arm and rushed toward her. "Don't move." "Ouch…" Mandy suddenly drew back her hand, her brows furrowing as she held her finger, now bleeding. "I told you not to touch it!" Gavin scolded her, his tone laced with frustration as he grabbed her hand to inspect the cut. "Why are you always so careless? Why did you even pick up the glass?" "Geez, why are you so harsh?" Mandy replied, her voice a mix of defiance and playful innocence, though her eyes glimmered with amusement. "I didn't do it on purpose." Standing there, I could still feel the residual warmth of Gavin's hand on mine, but now that hand was holding someone else's. I froze, watching their interaction, feeling like an unwelcome outsider in my own husband's office. Ten years of unrequited love and two years of marriage—I had always thought Gavin's reserved and distant demeanor was simply his nature. I believed that, like a block of ice, he would eventually warm up. But I had never imagined seeing such urgency and concern on his face. It was painfully clear how love—or the lack of it—could be so obvious. "Honey, should we take Ms. Green to the hospital? If we're too late, the cut might heal," I finally said, unable to suppress the sarcasm in my voice. Gavin seemed to realize the inappropriateness of his actions. He frowned at me briefly before letting go of Mandy's hand. "You're a grown woman. How can you still be so clumsy?" Mandy chuckled lightly, giving him a playful look. "You're always like this. You've been fussing over me since we were kids. Poor Grace must be so jealous." She turned to me, her face radiant with a carefree smile but tinged with boyish charm. "Grace, don't blame Gavin. He's just always been like this—overly cautious. You must know that by now, being married to him." I forced a smile, though my heart felt hollow, as if an icy wind was whistling through it. No. The Gavin I knew wasn't like this. Seeing how much he cared about Mandy felt like a sharp thorn piercing my heart. "Well, I have another shoot to attend. I'll leave you two lovebirds alone now," Mandy said, grabbing her bag from the couch and walking out without looking back. Caleb quickly escorted her out, closing the office door behind him. Now, it was just Gavin and me in the vast office, though the space felt suffocatingly narrow. My chest felt tight, and my stomach churned uncomfortably. "What's wrong? Are you really jealous?" Gavin asked, stepping closer. The faint scent of makeup lingered on him, and it churned my stomach even more. Unable to hold it back, I turned and rushed to the restroom, leaning over the sink as nausea overtook me. "Gracie…" Gavin frowned as he stood behind me. "Could it be that you're pregnant?"