Chapter 1

I was abducted on my birthday and put through hell for three straight days. By the time I was finally rescued, my clothes were in tatters, and I was caked in dirt. Connor Searle rushed to the scene and barked at the reporters, pushing them back. His eyes were heavy with sorrow as he drew me into his embrace and proposed to me right then and there. I dozed off into a deep sleep in his car on the ride back. Somewhere between being awake and asleep, I caught fragments of his conversation with his bodyguard. "Mr. Searle, don't you think that was too much? Drugging Mrs. Searle and arranging for those men to assault her? Even if you needed to ruin her reputation for the sake of that other woman, surely there was another way to handle it, wasn't there?" Connor stroked my back as he answered in a deep, steady voice, "A woman's virtue is her most precious asset. There's no other way to ruin her utterly. But it doesn't matter. I'll give her the marriage she's always wanted and spend the rest of my life making it up to her. That will be enough." Tears streamed silently down my face as my heart turned cold. The happy marriage I'd dreamed of was nothing more than a gilded cage. "Mr. Searle, let's take Mrs. Searle to the hospital under Searle Group. Our people there can—" "Take her to the public hospital." "Public hospitals are overcrowded. Those reporters have probably already camped out there. Who knows what kind of twisted stories those shady media outlets will cook up about Mrs. Searle!" "The crowd is exactly what we need. We've come too far to back out now. The final step has to be carried out perfectly. Only then will Evan cut all remaining ties to Hannah. Only then can Sienna step into her rightful role as his wife, Mrs. Lanier. No more talking. I'm exhausted. I need to rest." I bit my lip hard, stifling any sound that might slip out. Connor's warmth pressed close against me. It was painfully familiar, yet it sent a chill through me. This car, once filled with our shared laughter, now felt like a prison I couldn't escape. Finally, it all made sense—why Connor, the golden boy who seemed destined for greatness, had relentlessly pursued me after Evan Lanier's betrayal and our divorce. Now it was crystal clear. Connor had never loved me. He'd only been paving the way for Sienna Lycett. I had spent half my life giving my heart to two men, and both had given theirs to the same woman. Unfortunately, that woman wasn't me. A wave of nausea swept over me at the realization, knotting my stomach tightly. I couldn't hold it back any longer. Gripping the seat, I bent over and retched violently. The sounds startled Connor awake. He quickly leaned over, gently patting my back as he quietly asked, "Where does it hurt, darling? Just hang in there a little longer. We'll be at the hospital soon." As he spoke, he grabbed the water bottle tucked beside the driver's seat, the one I used daily, and passed it to me. The water inside was perfectly lukewarm. Connor always had a way of nailing those small details. "Take it easy, darling," he murmured, shifting closer. The way he kept calling me "darling" sent another wave of nausea rolling through me. A few minutes later, the dizziness began to fade. I sat up straighter and looked out the window as the car passed a hospital under Searle Group. Connor briefly stiffened, but just as quickly, he relaxed. He drew me into his embrace and tucked the loose strands of hair behind my ear. He said softly, "Darling, the healthcare at Searle Group's hospital isn't up to the standard you should have. Now that you're back with us, I'm not taking any chances. "I've set up appointments with the best specialists out there. They're going to give you a thorough checkup. And don't worry. I'll keep the reporters away, just like I did earlier."