My Husband Chose Her Heir Over Our Baby

Nine months pregnant, my body was a ticking time bomb, the baby ready to arrive at any moment.

But my husband, Emil von Adelson, the heir to an old-money European family, locked me away. He confined me to a high-tech, soundproof safe room in the manor and had doctors inject me with labor-suppressing drugs.

I screamed in agony, but he coldly told me to endure it.

Because his older brother Frederick's widow, Penelope, was expected to give birth at the same time.

Family tradition dictated that the first-born boy of this generation would inherit absolute control of the family’s empire.

"That inheritance belongs to Penelope's child," he said, his voice softening. "Since Frederick died, she's all alone. You have me, Aurora. You have all my love. I just need to see her through this. Once she delivers safely, it will be your turn."

The torment of the drugs was relentless, leaving me in excruciating pain. I begged him to take me to a hospital.

He gripped my chin, forcing me to meet his icy gaze.

"Stop acting. I know you're fine. You're just trying to steal the inheritance."

"You'll stop at nothing to get ahead of Penelope, will you?"

Cold dread washed over me. A shudder wracked my body as I whispered, my voice ragged with desperation.

"The baby is coming... I don't care about the inheritance. I only care about you—about our child being born safely!"

He sneered. "If you were truly so innocent, if you had a shred of love for me, you wouldn't have forced Penelope to sign that agreement, to give up her child's inheritance rights."

"Don't worry, I'll be back for you after she gives birth. After all, you're carrying my flesh and blood."

He spent the entire night outside Penelope's delivery room.

It wasn't until he saw the baby in her arms that he remembered me.

He finally sent his Chief Operating Officer, Grant, to release me. But when Grant finally called, his voice was trembling.

"Sir... Mrs. von Adelson... and the child... they're both... gone."

In that moment, Emil von Adelson broke.

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1

The heavy steel door boomed shut, catching my wrist. Bone snapped with a sickening crack, and agony shot through my entire body.

A new wave of agony, eclipsing the torment of the drugs, ripped through me. A piercing scream tore from my throat.

But Emil's thoughts were with Penelope. He was deaf to my pain.

Suddenly, a warm gush of fluid ran down my legs. My water had broken.

A cold, primal terror seized me.

My only light was the faint, ghostly glow from the emergency exit sign above the door.

I forced myself to stay calm, pounding on the door and screaming for help.

But this was Emil's private safe room, isolated and completely soundproof. I was trapped in near-total darkness, with no windows to the outside world.

No one could hear my weakening cries.

The baby inside me kicked violently, as if trying to break free from this cold prison.

I was drenched in a slick mixture of sweat and, I feared, blood.

The drugs suppressing my labor were draining my strength, pulling the life from me with every passing second.

With the last of my strength, I let out a final, desperate scream.

Finally, I heard the electronic whir of the lock disengaging from the outside.

"Please, help me!" I shrieked, my voice raw and hoarse. "I'm locked in the safe room! I'm going into labor!"

I repeated it over and over, thinking my savior had arrived.

But the voice that answered was laced with cruel amusement.

"Well, well, Aurora," she cooed. "Look at the pathetic state you're in. Emil should have put you in your place long ago."

It was Emil's sister, Isolde.

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to keep my voice steady. "Isolde, please, let me out. The baby is coming. I can't hold on."

Isolde shoved the door open and glared down at me, her face a mask of pure contempt.

For a fleeting moment, I thought she would help.

The next second, her foot slammed viciously into my ribs. The blow knocked the air from my lungs, and stars exploded behind my eyes.

Her voice was sharp as a razor's edge.

"Let you out? So you can upstage Penelope's delivery?"

"Stay put, Aurora. Emil sent me to watch you."

"You don't deserve to be Emil's wife. He sent me to make sure you stay put and think about what you've done. He has enough stress with Penelope's delivery without you adding to it."

"Penelope's child will be the heir to this family. Your little tricks won't change that."

Another violent contraction ripped a scream from me.

Through a flood of tears, I gasped, "My child won't be involved in the family business. I'll give up everything! Just give Emil a message. Let me go. I'll disappear from this family and never look back. I swear it."

My screams only seemed to enrage her further.

She scowled. "Who's the performance for, you slut? All this screaming... it's pathetic."

Then she picked up her phone and called Emil.

The twin agonies of the drugs and impending labor were tearing my soul apart.

"No problem, Emil, don't worry. I'll keep an eye on her," she answered.

A flicker of hope ignited in me when I heard Emil's name. He must care. He must care about our child.

I screamed with all my might, "Emil! The baby's coming! It's happening now! Please, let Isolde take me to a hospital! Now!"

I cried out, my voice weak and trembling uncontrollably.

Isolde hesitated. I heard her whisper into the phone, "Emil, I... I think this might be real. The way she's screaming... I don't think she's faking it."

"Maybe I should take her to the hospital. This is your only child, after all. If something happened..."

Emil paused for a few seconds, seeming to consider it.

Then his tone softened. "Alright, then take her to..."

Just then, a delicate voice murmured from his end of the line.

"Emil, darling, I'm thirsty. Could you get me some champagne? The doctor said I need to relax so I'll have the strength to deliver our little prince."

"Oh, is Aurora in labor? It's fine, darling. It doesn't hurt at all. Honestly, I feel like I could run a marathon. Aurora is a strong woman. She'll be fine."

Of course it didn't hurt for her.

The family's entire medical team and resources had been moved to her lavish, top-of-the-line private delivery suite.

She was being treated like a queen.

Penelope's few words changed everything. Changed Emil's mind.

His voice turned to ice.

"What could possibly happen? She's acting. She's trying to trick you into letting her out. Don't fall for it. Trusting her will only make you look like a fool."

The phone clicked shut.

Stung by Emil's rebuke, Isolde took her anger out on me.

She pulled a syringe from a medical kit and stepped toward me.