God granted my wish for a child in the fifth year of my marriage to Archie Knight, a renowned hotelier and owner of The Royal Oak Hotel Group. I thought it was a blessing—a long-awaited happiness finally within my grasp. But none of it mattered when I discovered the truth. My husband never wanted a child with me.

I awoke in a hospital bed, my body weak, a sharp pain stabbing through my abdomen. Instinctively, my hand reached for my stomach—only to find it empty.

My child… gone.

A fall in the bathroom. Blood. Darkness.

I struggled to remember, but something held me back. And then, from beyond the hospital door, I heard a voice. A voice I knew all too well.

"Wendy doesn’t need to know. Let her believe the miscarriage was her own carelessness."

The breath caught in my throat. It was Archie.

"You’re fucking insane!" That was Dr Dallas, my obstetrician—Archie’s best friend. "She’ll despise you when she finds out the vitamins she trusted to protect her pregnancy killed her child. And you—" his voice wavered with disgust "—you are the one responsible."

My body turned to ice. Vitamins?

I remembered how Archie had always been so insistent that I take them. He claimed they would keep me strong, ensure a healthy pregnancy. And I had trusted him. Every dose, every pill—I had taken them diligently, never questioning.

But every time, my stomach had burned. A slow, creeping heat, a sensation I had dismissed as normal. Until that night.

The night I collapsed in the shower, blood pooling at my feet. The night it all ended.

Archie had planned it from the start.

I wanted to storm through that door, to demand the truth, to scream at him. But his next words shattered me completely.

"Claire has just given birth," he said, his tone composed, almost gentle. "I’ll convince Wendy to adopt our baby. By then, my son with Claire will be part of our family."

My body froze. Claire.

My cousin.

His ex-girlfriend.

My mind reeled back to our wedding day, five years ago. Archie was never meant to marry me. He was meant to marry Claire. But she had disappeared just before the ceremony, and at Grandfather James’ insistence, I had taken her place.

And now she had returned—bringing Archie’s child with her.

"I married her because of Grandfather’s will," Archie continued, his voice devoid of warmth. "I thought I loved her. But not anymore—not after what she did."

My breath hitched.

So that was all I had ever been? A stand-in? A convenient replacement for the woman he truly wanted?

I had believed him. I had loved him. I had dreamed of building a family together.

I clenched my fists beneath the sheets, blinking back tears.

He thought he had won.

I would let him believe that. For now.

The door opened, and Archie stepped inside, his face a mask of concern, his expression carefully crafted.

"Wendy, you’re awake." He rushed to me, wrapping me in an embrace, pressing kisses to my face as if I meant something to him. As if I mattered.

I did not respond.

He had never cared for me—not truly.

But I would make him pay.

Three days passed before I was discharged from the hospital. I stood at the entrance, staring at the empty driveway. Archie had not come to collect me.

Instead, he had sent his assistant.

"Come, Mrs Knight." Caleb, the man who had long been tasked with handling my affairs while Archie busied himself with his empire, gestured towards the waiting car.

I swallowed my disappointment—an emotion I had grown far too accustomed to. Without a word, I stepped into the vehicle. Caleb shut the door behind me, and the journey home began in silence.

To distract myself, I reached for my phone. A notification appeared. A post on social media.

I tapped it open— and my world crumbled all over again.

A photograph.

Archie and Claire.

They stood side by side in front of a maternity hospital. She was smiling—radiant, joyful. Archie, though turned slightly away from the camera, was unmistakable. He held a newborn wrapped in white, his posture protective.

The caption beneath the image twisted the knife deeper.

[Welcome, our little son. The most beautiful gift of our lives.]

My hands trembled.

Archie wasn’t even trying to hide it.

Tears burned at the back of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.

I had been clinging to a sliver of hope that somewhere, buried beneath all the cruelty, he still cared for me.

But I had been wrong.

Foolishly, painfully wrong.

I curled my fingers into fists. No more tears.

Not for the man who had destroyed me.

I was sitting on the bench in the back garden, letting the afternoon breeze cool my skin when the sound of approaching footsteps reached my ears. I didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.

"What are you doing out here alone?" Archie’s voice was light, almost as though nothing had ever happened between us.

I shrugged, keeping my gaze fixed ahead. "Just needed some fresh air."

He nodded slowly before settling beside me, cradling a tiny baby wrapped snugly in a blue blanket.

"I hope you don’t mind me bringing him along," he said, offering a small smile. "He’s still too little to be left on his own."

I turned my head slightly, feigning curiosity as I regarded the sleeping infant. "Whose baby is this?" My tone was deliberately flat.

Archie hesitated before finally answering, "An acquaintance’s… He couldn’t take care of him, so I was considering adopting him."

I glanced at him then, arching a brow. "Adopt him?"

He nodded, his expression growing serious. "Yes, Wendy. His name is Zac. I know losing our baby was devastating for you. I felt it too." His voice softened, as though he were carefully choosing his words. "But maybe this is a second chance for us. We could raise him together—as our own child."

I looked at the baby, then back at him. "Are you sure this is what you want?"

"Yes," Archie said with quiet conviction. "He needs a family, Wendy. And I think we could be good parents to him."

I suppressed the cold smile that threatened to form on my lips. Did he really think I wouldn’t see through this? That I would blindly accept a child—his child—without questioning its origins? How stupid did he think I was?

I let out a soft sigh, pretending to waver. "I don’t know, Archie… Adopting a child is a big decision. I need time to think."

His expression softened, as though he truly believed I was considering it. "I understand. I don’t want to pressure you," he said gently. "But I do think this could be a new beginning for us."

A new beginning.

I lowered my gaze, masking the chill in my heart behind a thoughtful façade. If he thought I would fall for his game, he was sorely mistaken.

Sunday

The towering glass façade of Ravenwood Law reflected the golden hues of the late afternoon sun as

I stood before it, my resolve solidified. Today, I was filing for divorce from Archie Knight.

I stared at the entrance, my breath steady yet weighted. For too many years, I had allowed myself to be a fool, trapped in a marriage that had been nothing more than a carefully constructed illusion. But no more. If Archie had chosen his path with Claire, then I would carve out my own.

With purposeful steps, I entered the building, my heels clicking against the polished floor of the near-empty lobby. The receptionist directed me upstairs, leading me to an office at the end of a long, cool-toned corridor. The air-conditioning was crisp, but it did nothing to quell the fire in my chest.

I took a seat in a sleek leather chair, my hands clasped in my lap, fingers curled into fists. It wasn’t long before the door opened, and a man stepped inside, a file in hand.

"Good afternoon, Mrs Knight," came his deep, measured voice.

I turned towards him—and felt the ground shift beneath me.

Leon Aldrich.

For a moment, the world around me blurred. I knew him. Not just as a lawyer. He was someone from my past. Someone from a time before my life had become entangled with Archie Knight.

His gaze flickered with recognition, but it was brief—quickly replaced with the cool professionalism he had always exuded. He pulled out a chair across from me, placing the file on the desk before him.

"It’s been a long time," he said, his tone quieter now. "I never expected you to walk into my office as a client."

I swallowed, willing my emotions into submission. "I didn’t expect to see you here either."

Leon studied me for a moment, as though searching for something beneath the mask I wore. "So, you want to file for divorce from Archie?"

I straightened my spine. "Yes. I can’t continue in this marriage any longer."

His expression remained unreadable. "Are there specific terms you want to include in the settlement? Asset division? Custody arrangements?"

I exhaled slowly. "I don’t want anything from Archie. I just want to walk away."

Leon frowned. "No claim on the estate? Wendy, you do realise who your husband is. You know he won’t let this end quietly."

I met his gaze, unwavering. "I’m ready for whatever comes."

He studied me for a beat before allowing a small, knowing smile to ghost across his lips. "You haven’t changed. Still as stubborn as ever."

A humourless chuckle escaped me. "And you’re still the same. Always able to see straight through me."

Leon’s gaze lingered a moment longer before he sighed, leaning back slightly. "Very well. I’ll handle everything."

He picked up a pen, flipping through the documents in front of him with the same precision I remembered from years ago. His sharp eyes scanned the legal text—the papers that would officially sever my ties to Archie Knight.

"Tell me everything I need to know, Wendy," he said, his voice calm but firm. "The more I know, the better I can protect you."

I bit my lip, hesitating before speaking. "I want this over as quickly as possible, Leon. I don’t care about the money, the properties—any of it. I just want to be free."

His eyes darkened slightly. "Are you sure? You’ve given years of your life to this marriage. Don’t let him dictate how it ends."

I shook my head. "There’s nothing to fight for, Leon. It was all an illusion."

He let out a slow breath, closing the file momentarily.

"Alright. But you do realise Archie won’t let this go easily. He’ll either try to hold onto you—or make your life hell for trying to leave."

I had no doubt about that. Archie never relinquished control willingly.

"I’m prepared," I said firmly. "No matter what he does, I won’t change my mind."

Leon studied me once more before nodding. "Then we’ll begin immediately."

He slid a document across the desk, placing a pen beside it. "Sign here. This is the formal petition for divorce."

I took the pen, my fingers trembling ever so slightly. Not out of fear or hesitation, but because this was it—the moment I was finally taking control of my own life.

With a deep breath, I signed my name.

Leon took the paper back, glancing at my signature before meeting my eyes. "You’ve just taken the first step, Wendy."

I nodded. "I know."

Something flickered in his gaze—an unreadable emotion he quickly concealed. I ignored it, focusing instead on the weight lifting from my chest.

"Is there anything else you want me to arrange?" Leon asked, his voice quieter now, as though sensing the storm still brewing within me.

I met his eyes, my resolve hardening. "Yes," I murmured. "I want a new identity. I don’t want Archie to ever find Wendy Clark again."

Leon’s brows lifted slightly, but he masked his surprise well. And then, after a brief pause, he nodded. A silent promise that my request would be granted.

A slow, knowing smile played at his lips. "Welcome to your new beginning, Wendy."

I let out a breath I hadn’t realised I was holding.

Yes. This was a new beginning.

And I would never look back again.

My steps halted in the doorway, my chest tightening at the sight before me. Archie sat on the sofa with a woman beside him—Claire. The very woman who had torn my household apart.

I shouldn't have been surprised. I knew this would happen. Yet, seeing it with my own eyes made my heart feel as though it were being crushed.

Claire sat gracefully, her sweet smile unwavering, as if she had done nothing wrong. In her arms, she cradled a baby—a baby that wasn’t just any child. It was Archie's. The child of the man who was still my husband.

As my gaze met Archie's, I saw the shock in his eyes. He immediately stood up and approached me, attempting to act as though this situation were entirely normal.

"Wendy, where have you been?" His tone carried a hint of irritation, yet his lips still curled into a smile, as if everything was perfectly fine.

I didn’t answer. I didn’t even want to acknowledge him at that moment.

Instead, my attention shifted to Claire, taking note of the way she looked at me—an expression difficult to decipher. There was pride in her eyes, as though she had just won something.

Archie, noticing where my gaze had landed, quickly spoke.

"Oh! Claire has just returned from Scotland," he said in a casual, almost excited tone. "She's here to see our son."

Our son.

The words echoed in my mind.

"That’s not our son, Archie," I said firmly.

Both Archie and Claire appeared taken aback, exchanging glances.

Before Archie could respond, I continued, "But if you want him to be part of this family, I don’t mind."

My words seemed to confuse them even further.

I didn’t care what they thought. I was done pretending.

I knew Archie wouldn’t find it easy to reveal Zac’s true identity.

"Welcome, Claire," I greeted her with a polite smile. "I hadn’t realised you were still in contact with my husband. Ah, I mean, your former lover—the one you left at the altar."

Claire’s smile faltered slightly, though she managed to maintain it. She gazed at me with that ever-pleasant expression, yet I could see something calculated lurking beneath.

"Yes, we’ve remained on good terms," she replied lightly. "Besides, weren’t we best friends before all that happened?"

Best friends, she said?

Yes, we had been. Archie, Claire, and I were once inseparable at school. Claire had always liked Archie, which had put a strain on our friendship. They had created their own world, shutting me out of it. And yet, fate had eventually made me part of Archie’s life instead.

And now, Claire had returned—after causing chaos at the wedding ceremony five years ago—acting as though she had done nothing wrong?

"Of course, I haven't forgotten," I said ambiguously. "If you want your world back, I'll gladly step aside."

Without waiting for a response, I stepped into my bedroom, shutting the door behind me. Pressing my back against it, I exhaled deeply, the tightness in my chest creeping back in.

Did they take me for a fool?

Did they truly believe I would welcome their child with open arms and love it as if it were my own? No. I would not waste my life. I would not waste a lifetime on them.

How could I love their baby when mine lay buried beneath the damp, dark earth?

Just as I was about to compose myself, my phone vibrated on the nightstand. I frowned as I saw Leon’s name flash across the screen.

[Tomorrow. Harvest Café. Nine o’clock. I’ve got what you need.]

My heart skipped a beat. He had done it.

A new identity.

An identity that would erase Wendy Clark from this world.