After five years of marriage, I was finally pregnant. I was ecstatic, practically vibrating with the need to show my husband, Jeffrey, the ultrasound photo on my phone.

However, the moment I stepped into the foyer of our Tribeca apartment, I overheard his conversation with his mother, Eleanor.

"When are you going to tell Olivia? Silene is already starting to show. The Sterling family can't be without an heir. The board is watching."

"Just give me a little more time. I'll handle it."

I was rooted to the spot, the blurry black-and-white image on my phone suddenly feeling like it was burning a hole through my hand.

So much for your promises, Jeffrey Sterling.

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1

The moment I found out Jeffrey Sterling was cheating, I should have stormed in and torn him to pieces. But I didn't. Instead, I calmly opened my laptop and began meticulously combing through his credit card statements and social media trails.

Silene Reed. A recent college graduate. An intern at Sterling Enterprises. She looked like a sweet, harmless little bunny.

Until six months ago, when Jeffrey took his team to Aspen for a corporate retreat, and she ended up in his bed.

Credit card records showed he'd booked the most expensive suite at the St. Regis that night. I pieced the truth together from the digital breadcrumbs she'd left across social media. Jeffrey's rival had tried to set a trap, arranging for a few call girls to ruin his reputation. But Silene? Somehow, she became the angel who "saved" him from the trap.

Afterward, Jeffrey tried to pay her off. She refused. But she had an ace up her sleeve: she was pregnant.

My mother-in-law, Eleanor Croft—a woman with a pathological obsession for the Sterling bloodline—would never allow an heir to be cast aside.

So, Eleanor had stepped in, "protecting" Silene in the name of the family.

It all made sense now. Jeffrey's endless "business trips," his excuses for rushing back to the office late at night—he had been running off to see Silene.

How many times had he slipped away in the middle of dinner, claiming a company emergency? Even our wedding anniversary was cut short by his supposed "overtime."

It turned out he was just playing house in his other home, with his other family.

So I waited, sitting in the living room, as still and cold as an ice sculpture.

Jeffrey came home right on cue.

"Honey, I'm sorry I'm late. But I brought you your favorite macarons."

He dangled a Ladurée box. Inside were their signature rose lychee flavor.

I glanced at the box, then slowly lifted my eyes to meet his. "Jeffrey, we need to talk."

"What's wrong, Olivia?"

He sat next to me, his arm sliding over my shoulder out of habit.

The lingering scent of another perfume, cloying and cheap, clung to him. I smiled faintly, my tone as placid as ever. "Let's get a divorce."

Jeffrey's body went rigid, the smile freezing on his face. "Where is this coming from? Who's been talking to you?"

"No one." My voice was steady, betraying no emotion. "It's just... we've been married for five years and still don't have children. You're the sole heir to the Sterling family, and I don't want you to be without an heir. It's not fair to you."

"I'm not getting a divorce, Olivia. I love you. I only want you. We can keep trying for a baby."

His words were a shard of ice in my gut. How could he say that? How could he pretend his heart was still mine?

"Eleanor has always wanted a grandchild," I said softly, feigning a retreat. "I've held you back for too long."

"I'll handle my mom. Don't listen to her." His voice was firm. "You just take care of yourself. It doesn't matter if we have a child or not. If it comes to that, we can adopt."

He paused, as if a brilliant idea had struck him. "There are plenty of girls who can't afford to keep their babies. They'd be happy for us to adopt one. You wouldn't even have to go through the pain of childbirth, and we could raise it as our own."

He gave my cheek a patronizing pat. "I'll take care of everything."

I leaned against him, resting my head on his chest. The familiar rhythm of his heartbeat brought me no peace. None at all.

Jeffrey's plan was clear as day: bring that illegitimate child into the Sterling home and have me raise it. He wanted me to be the fool, the nanny.

What a joke. As if I were the one who couldn't have children.

God, you're insatiable, Jeffrey. You really are.

I didn't bring up the baby again. Instead, I focused my attention on Silene.

She had already quit her internship and was now nesting in a luxury apartment in the West Village, complete with a full-time maid. Of course, someone like Silene, so eager to climb the social ladder, couldn't resist showing off. Her social media was filled with luxury goods and carefully curated photos of a high-end lifestyle.

Four months pregnant! Jeffrey’s mom just gifted me another Van Cleef & Arpels set! I told her she shouldn't, but she insisted. She’s the absolute sweetest!

He said this baby is the hope of the family, and I'm the angel who brought it all!

Just the two of us at Daniel. Can't wait for it to be the three of us!

Her latest post was a photo taken at the restaurant. A man's wrist appeared casually in the corner of the frame, and I recognized the watch instantly.

It was the limited-edition Patek Philippe I had given Jeffrey for his thirtieth birthday.

Bold, I thought.

He hadn't even bothered to take it off. Too absorbed in the moment? Or did he just assume I'd never see it?

Using a burner account, I left a comment under her post:

The watch is very chic. My husband has one just like it.

Five minutes later, when I refreshed the page, the post was gone.

I put down my phone, a slow smile spreading across my face.

Ah, so she does know a mistress is meant to stay in the shadows.

But that didn't scare Silene off. Instead, she sent me a friend request.

I clicked on her profile picture: a lazy Persian cat lounging in some luxurious apartment.

Jeffrey hated animals. Once, I had suggested getting a cat to keep me company, but he had flatly refused, claiming to be "allergic." Now, with Silene, his allergies were cured? Apparently, his so-called principles evaporated in the face of a new temptation.

I accepted the request. Almost immediately, she sent me a private message:

Mrs. Sterling, I don't want to ruin your marriage. I just want to have this baby. Every life is a gift from God, and it's innocent.

The nerve. She couldn't wait to announce her pregnancy, framing it as some kind of noble act. I left her on read. A few minutes later, another message arrived:

Mrs. Sterling, I'm serious! Jeffrey loves this baby very much.

By then, I had already saved all her posts and photos. Screenshots for evidence.

Finally, I replied:

What are you talking about? You're pregnant? With Jeffrey's child?

The typing bubble popped up, flickered a few times as she typed and deleted, and then her message finally appeared:

I'm sorry, I thought you knew...

I shot back: Don't play these little games with me. Having a baby is your business. Whether Jeffrey acknowledges it is his problem. It has nothing to do with me.

She didn't reply, probably thinking I was just another bitter high-society wife who would swallow her pride to save face.

The next day, I scheduled an appointment to terminate the pregnancy. Then I called Cathy, New York's most vicious divorce lawyer and my best friend.

Jeffrey and I had always been that model couple, the perfect pair in everyone's eyes.

No clingy mistresses, no gold-digging women. I truly thought our union was born of love. I never imagined he would betray me so cruelly, and with an illegitimate child.

Cathy Pierce almost dropped her phone when she heard the news.

"Olivia, have you lost your mind? Did that bastard drug you?"

"He has someone else," I said, my voice flat as I gazed out at Central Park. "She's four months pregnant."

Cathy was furious. "That bastard. Give me five minutes alone with him and a dull knife. I'll neuter him myself."

I raised a hand to stop her. "Calm down, Cathy. He's not worth it. I just want the money. He's the at-fault party, and we have a prenup."

She stared at me for a long moment, then pulled me into a hug. "Olivia, you don't have to hold it in. If you want to cry, just cry. I'm here."

But the tears wouldn't come. The pain was too sharp for that. It was just a raw, open wound, already beginning to scar over, hardening into something cold inside me.

"Cathy, I want a divorce. I want him to leave with nothing."

"No problem. Leave it to me. I'll make sure he can't even afford his own underwear."

An hour later, I showed up at my parents' house with the draft of the divorce agreement.

When I told them about Jeffrey and the baby, my father, a Wall Street titan, rarely let his anger show, but I could see a storm brewing in his eyes.

"Olivia, do whatever you need to do. The Prescott family will always have your back," he said in a firm voice. "As for that Sterling boy, I'll make him understand the price of betraying us."

"And as for... the baby you're carrying, it's your decision, my dear," my mother added softly.

I placed a hand on my stomach. A life had already begun to grow here, not even eight weeks along.

If Jeffrey hadn't woven his web of lies, we might be celebrating this moment right now.

But my mind was made up. I refused to let my child be born into a broken family, or to face an illegitimate half-brother six months his senior from birth.

My parents respected my decision. They let me handle the divorce on my own but made it clear: if the Sterling family caused any trouble, they would intervene.

After leaving my parents' house, I headed to a private clinic on the Upper East Side for a pre-op checkup. There were just some things I had to take care of first.

In the waiting area, through the frosted glass, I saw Eleanor leading Silene into a VIP room. A bitter wave of nausea rose in my throat, but on pure instinct, I followed them.

"Silene, I told you, Jeffrey cares about you. Don't overthink things," Eleanor's voice drifted from the room. "He's not saying anything right now to keep Olivia calm. The Prescotts still have business with us."

The words made me sick. I turned and walked away.

At the end of the hallway, I came face-to-face with Jeffrey.

The moment he saw me, he froze as if struck by lightning. Panic flashed across his face. "Olivia? What are you doing here? Are you not feeling well?"

He feigned concern, but his eyes betrayed him, darting to the Bonpoint gift bag in his hand.

I said nothing, just stared coldly at the bag with its little cherry logo. Jeffrey's eyes darted to the bag, and his face turned deathly pale. "This is for a colleague," he stammered, his voice suddenly dropping as he rushed to change the subject. "She just had a baby. I was just dropping off a gift."

"What about you? Why are you at an OB-GYN clinic?"

Jeffrey didn't seem to realize that when he was nervous, his fingers would restlessly fiddle with his cufflinks.

I gave a faint smile. "I'm here for a routine check-up. You know, I haven't been feeling well lately."

A look of relief washed over his face. "Where are you headed? I'll give you a ride."

"No need. You're busy. It's for your colleague, after all. Wouldn't want people saying the CEO of Sterling Enterprises lacks basic courtesy. Forgetting to deliver it, or delivering it late... that wouldn't look good at all, would it?"

My words left him stunned, but I didn't wait for a response. I just turned and walked away.

Once outside, I took a deep breath of fresh air. Back home, without a moment's hesitation, I had a moving company pack up all of Jeffrey's personal belongings and send them directly to the front desk of Sterling Enterprises.

This was my house. It was an asset my parents had given me before the marriage. If anyone had to leave, it wasn't going to be me.

An hour later, Jeffrey burst in, his tie askew, his face flushed and frantic. He found me in the kitchen, calmly pouring a glass of water.

"Olivia, I can explain! It was a misunderstanding!" he said urgently, trying to grab my hand.

I sidestepped him and looked up. "I gave you three chances, Jeffrey."

"The first was the day you came back from Aspen. You had a mark on your neck. I asked, and you said a branch scratched you while skiing."

"The second was when I told you I wanted a divorce because I didn't want you to be without a child. You swore you didn't care about children, that you only wanted me."

"The third was today. You claimed that Bonpoint bag was for a colleague, that you were just being a good boss."

I let out a soft sigh and placed the water glass on the marble island. "I'm not generous enough to stand by while my husband builds a second family behind my back and plays me for a fool."

"Jeffrey, we're over."

"No!" Jeffrey panicked, his hands gripping my shoulders tightly.

"Olivia, I love you! She was just a mistake. Mom has already agreed; we'll keep the child, but I swear, I'll send it away as soon as it's born! To a boarding school, or abroad! Silene will disappear too. She won't interfere with our lives. You will always be the one and only Mrs. Sterling!"

I looked at the man I once loved and felt nothing but pity for the pathetic creature he'd become.

I patted his shoulder and broke free from his grasp. I calmly handed him a document. "I don't believe you. Not unless you transfer all your shares in Sterling Enterprises to my name."

His gaze shot to me, filled with shock and hesitation. But I pressed on. "I don't have a child; I only have you. But you? You have a child out there and another home waiting for you. How can I believe you when you say you only love me?"

Jeffrey stared at the agreement, the silence stretching as the seconds ticked by. When he finally spoke, his voice was a hoarse, trembling whisper. "Pulling that many shares from the company... it would require board approval and could affect operations."

"Then let's just get a divorce, Jeffrey," I said coldly, turning to leave. "Our prenup has an additional clause. If I release evidence of your infidelity and illegitimate child, plus how you misappropriated company funds to book a room for your mistress that night in Aspen... trust me, the board will oust you themselves."

"You... you know about Aspen?" His face instantly lost all color.

"I know everything. You can't bear to part with me, and you can't bear to part with your CEO position. But you can't have both."

I slid the divorce papers across the table.

Jeffrey didn't even look at them. He tore them to shreds. "I agree! I'll give you everything!" he said, holding me tight. "Olivia, I won't let you down again. Once she has the baby, this will all be over."

Over? The word was so absurd I almost laughed in his face.

Jeffrey was tragically naive. Silene came from a humble background; a man like Jeffrey was the best she could ever hope for, and she would never let go easily. Getting pregnant, ruining someone's marriage, and posting those smug hints on social media—she was determined to secure her position.

To my surprise, Jeffrey moved quickly. Three days later, he brought a lawyer, and all the shares were transferred to my name.

Just as he finished signing, my phone rang. It was the hospital, reminding me of my surgery time.

Almost simultaneously, Jeffrey's phone rang too.

"Olivia," he was already halfway out the door, "there's an emergency at the company. I'll be back to be with you as soon as I'm done."

"Go on," I said sweetly, practically ushering him out.

The moment he was gone, I grabbed my bag and rushed to the hospital.

Before the surgery, I made a point to walk past Silene's room.

I clearly heard him gently promising her, "Don't be afraid, Silene. I'll never leave you. This is my first child, and you're his mother. No one can tear us apart."

Those words hurt more than I expected. I thought I was already numb to it.

Jeffrey, you really think you can have it all, don't you?

In the pre-op room, the doctor's voice was steady and firm. "The procedure is about to begin. Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes. I'm sure," I replied, closing my eyes. "Let's begin."

This child... I wouldn't keep it. And its father? I was done with him, too.