Chapter 1 I'm Pregnant Thea Dawson hadjust learned she was pregnant.

Leaving the hospital, she could barely contain her excitement as she clutched the test results and hurried to call her husband, Jerred Willis.

"Jerred..." Her voice trembled, her palms damp against the paper in her hand. "I... I need to tell you something."

On the other end of the line, Jerred's response carriedan unexpected chill. "Interesting. I have something to say to you, too. Make sure you're back home by seven."

Before Thea could reply, the line went dead, leaving her with the flat tone buzzing in her ear.

A tightness spread through her chest.

Something about Jerred's voice was amiss-it was far colder than usual.

She drew in a steadying breath and patted her cheeks, forcing a small smile. She urged herself not to think too much about it.

Jerred was the CEO of Braptin's largest multinational company; the weight of constant pressure was bound to make him feel frustrated sometimes. His cold tone didn't necessarily mean he was upset with her.

When the clock struck seven, Thea was already seated at the perfectly set dining table, her eyes flicking to her watch as each minute dragged.

Wanting to ease what she imagined might havebeen a grueling day for Jerred, she had carefully prepared all of his favorite dishes.

Yet, to her surprise, the man who prided himself onpunctuality was late today.

An hour later, at last, the front door of the house opened.

Jerred stepped inside, his presence immediately filling the space with authority. The evening chill clung to his coat as he shrugged it off and passed it to the waiting maid.

Thea stood quickly, her smile soft and welcoming. "What kept you so late?"

"Got held up with something," he answered curtly.

With a folder in hand, he moved toward the table, his stridecomposed. He then lowered himself into a chair, legs crossing with casual elegance. "You said you wanted a word with me?"

His unreadable eyes lingered on Thea, cold and probing, while the untouched food sat between them. His voice was cold as he said, "Go ahead; say it."

His icy demeanor made her fingers curl against her lap, and the news of her pregnancy stuck in her throat.

Her lips twitched into a forced smile."You also said you wanted to tell mesomething. Why don't you start first?"

For a long beat, he didn't answer. His stare remained locked on her, steady and suffocating. Then, in avoice slow and deliberate, he said, "Jaylynn's back."

Thea felt those words crash over her like an icy tide, leaving her stunned.

The Jaylynn he mentionedwas none other than her cousin, Jaylynn Dawson.

Jaylynn had grown up alongside Jerred, their deep bond forged from childhood.

A year ago, Jaylynn had been the one destined to become Jerred's bride.

But for reasons unknown, Jaylynn had vanished thenight before the wedding.

To shield both families from scandal, the Dawson family had dragged Thea out of her quiet countryside life and thrust her into Jerred's arms instead.

Thea had always known Jerred's heart belonged elsewhere. The moment Jaylynn returned, she'd be expected to step aside.

She had just never imagined that day would come so abruptly.

Her fingers curled around the crumpled pregnancy test results hidden in her pocket. "So..."

Her voice trembled as her eyes flickedto the document on the table. "Is that a divorce agreement you've brought?"

"It isn't," Jerred replied, his tone flat. "I'm not filing for divorce-at least not yet."

A faint breath escaped Thea's lips, but the brief relief tightened into dread just as quickly.

His words carried the weight of inevitability, hinting that her marriage was already counting down to its end.

With her chest tight, Thea let out a quiet sniffle. "Then what is this document..."

"Jaylynn told me she disappeared because she thought she was dying," Jerred said evenly. "She didn't want to burden me with her illness. She didn't come back to rekindle anything between us this time."

He then slid the document across the table toward Thea, unfolding it with deliberate precision. "She needs your help."

Thea froze for a moment.Her gaze then dropped instinctively to the page.

The bold heading made her pulse stutter-it was a bonemarrow compatibility report.

Her eyes traced the lines until the truth slammed into her chest: her bone marrow was a perfect match for Jaylynn's.

As her eyes traced the words, a stab of pain shot through her chest.

She racked her memory, unable to recall ever having such a test.

Except...

Her throat tightened as she pieced it together. Forcing down the rising pain, she lifted her eyes to Jerred, sorrow etched across her face. "Two monthsago, when your assistant said I needed a check-up... was that test for this?"

Jerred gave a clipped nod. "That's right. I kept it from you because Jaylynn's return had to remain confidential."

Each word that left his lips struck her heart with brutal force.

That check-up-the only time in over a year of marriage he had shown even a shred of concern toward her-hadn't been about her at all.

She had been elated then, convinced it meant their relationship was finally moving forward.

Now, in hindsight, she must've seemed both patheticand laughable at that time.

What she had once believed was a breakthrough in their relationship now revealed itself as nothing more than Jerred arranging a test for the woman he had truly cherished all along...

Lifting her head, Thea locked eyes with Jerred across the table he hadn't even noticed she had painstakingly set. "I'm not doing it," she declared, her voice firm.

Her fingers driftedprotectively to her still-flat belly.

The tiny life in there, just two months along, was too fragile and too precious to endure something like this.

Jerred was caught off guard by her outright refusal, his expression hardening as his brow knitted together. "I'll arrange for the best medical team. Everything will be handled with precision. You won't be at risk. Jaylynn's situation can't wait."

Thea held his gaze, her composure steady despite the storm gathering inside her.

After a long, tense silence, she drew a breath and said slowly, "Jerred... I'm pregnant."

Chapter 2 Mommy Will Protect You Jerred's taunt sliced through the room like a blade. "You'd spin any excuse just to avoid donating bone marrow to Jaylynn."

Silence lingered for a beat before he added with a mocking curl of his lips, "We've been using protection for an entire year. You can't possibly be pregnant."

Thea's face froze. Then, her expression turned intoa strained, bitter smile.

Her mind flitted back two months, to that day his assistant had dragged her out for the so-called check-up. That night, Jerred had shocked her by waiting for her at home with an extravagant bouquet of scarlet roses.

He had drunk a lot, and their intimacy had been wild.

She had reminded him of using protection, but Jerred, reeking of alcohol and grinning wickedly, had leaned close toher ear and murmured, "Tonight, I want to be closer to you."

Swept along in the deceptive haze, Thea had believed every gesture from him-the flowers, the sudden tenderness, even the intimate recklessness-meant he was finally softening toward her.

Only now did the truth hit like a bucket of ice water. All of it-the odd check-up, the roses, the intense passion-hadn't been for her at all. It was because Jaylynn had returned.

Only Jaylynn could unravel Jerred, the man who was usually so composed and reserved, driving him to act impulsively. He had forgotten about everything the next day because he had been too drunk.

Thea's silence only fed Jerred's convictionthat her pregnancy was nothing more than an excuse to dodge the bone marrow donation.

"Thea," he called out, his brows drawing tight as his voice hardened. "I know you've never felt any real bond with Jaylynn, even though she is your cousin."

While speaking, he set a sleek black card down on the table, the gold-embossed J gleaming under the light. "There's ten million on this card. Consider it compensation."

Thea's eyes lingered on the glittering card, a self-mockingsmile breaking across her face.

In their year of marriage, every allowance, every so-called gift Jerred had ever offered her had barely amounted to a single million.

Yet for the woman he truly cherished, he could toss away ten million as if it meant nothing.

"If you want something else instead," he added, his tone flat. "Just name your terms."

Jerred pressed on when Thea stayed silent. "If you agree to donate, I'll make sure you're compensated in every way I can."

Lifting her gaze, Thea studied Jarred as if he were a stranger.

His distant, businesslike tonereduced the moment to nothing more than a cold negotiation.

Their shared year-the fleeting tenderness, the fragile warmth-suddenly felt like a story she had invented for herself.

Yet the undeniable truth was that shecarried his child.

Bitterness welled in her chest when she thought about that, her lashes lowering as she shut her eyes for a moment.

When she opened them again, determination steadied her expression. Her voice came firm as she said, "I don't care how youthink of me because of this. I'm not donating my bone marrow."

Jerred's brows drew tight, but Thea's gaze only sharpened with a fierce resolve. "If you think I'm heartless or selfish, we can end this marriage."

The title of Jerred's wife had never truly belonged to her-and neither had his love.

The only thing she could claim without question was the fragile life growing inside her.

She would never risk her child's safety for Jaylynn, a woman who meant nothing to her.

The atmosphere in the dining roomgrew heavy, silence pressing down like a storm waiting to break.

A sense of unease stirred in Jerred's chest; he had a nagging fear that something precious was slipping away from him.

For a year, Thea had played the obedient wife-soft-spoken, accommodating, smiling as she accepted every request he tossed her way.

Tonight, though, she was transformed into something fierce, bristling with defiance, challenging him at every step, and even daring to throw divorce in his face.

Just then, the suffocating quiet was shattered by the abrupt ringing of Jarred's phone.

"Jaylynn." He quickly answered the call, his voice shifting at once-gentler, almost tender. "What's wrong?"

The house was so quiet that Thea, sitting rigid at the table, could hear the fragile, trembling voice on the other end of the line.

"Jerred, I'm in so much pain..." Jaylynn sobbed, her voice breaking. "When I tried to stand, I banged my hand against the metal frame of the bed. The IV came loose, and blood's spilling everywhere. Am I not going to make it through the night..."

"I'm coming overnow." Jarred'sreply was urgent.

He stood abruptly, chair scraping against the floor, and while murmuring words of comfort into the phone, he strode toward the door.

As he reached the doorway, he paused, turning back to glance at Thea, who was still frozen in place.

His voice stayed calm, but his words were edged in steel. "Marriage isn't some toy you toss around when you're upset. I'll pretend I didn't hear that talk about divorce. As for the bone marrow donation, I expectyou to think it over seriously. I won't be back until later. Don't wait up; just get some rest on your own."

With that, he strode out, the heavy door soon slamming shut behind him.

The crash of wood meeting frame splintered Thea's chest, as if the sound itself had cracked her heart.

Her eyes drifted closed, andher trembling hand moved protectively across her belly.

"Baby," she whispered softly, voice quivering with fragile strength. "Don't be afraid. Mommy will protect you."

Given that Jerred had chosen Jaylynn over her, she decided at that momentthat she would never choose him again.

Chapter 3 End Your Marriage To Her Now Outside, rain hammered the windows, the steady roar filling the night.

Thea lay restless beneath the covers, her body shifting, sleep refusing to come. A year of memories with Jerred replayed in her mind, unbidden and relentless.

Their grandfathers were close friends, binding the Dawson and Willis families together. That bond hadplaced Jerred in her life when she was very young.

Even as a boy of eight, Jerred had carried himself with a solemn maturity, dressed sharply in a blacksuit, aloof and distant from the world around him.

At five, Thea had been his opposite-bright, clingy, always tugging at his sleeve,desperate to pull his attention her way.

Jerred's innate courtesy never let him brush her aside. He had stayed near, tolerating her chatter, even taking on the quiet role of her protector.

One summer afternoon, her reckless play had ended in disaster when she tumbled into a lake, sinking under frigid water. Jerred had leapt in withouthesitation, dragging her to shore and forcing breath back into her lungs.

When her eyes finally fluttered open through the haze of cold and fear, she thought she was staring at an angel as her eyes landed on Jerred.

After her parents' tragic accident, though, she was left in her grandparents' care, and the Dawson family came to see her as a burden.

They carried her off to the countryside, and from then on, she had never again returned to Braptin nor crossed paths with Jerred.

It wasn't until a year ago that her uncle finally tracked her down in the small, weathered cabin where she had been living all that time.

People all assumed she had married Jerred to escape the hardships of life in the countryside and to claw her way into wealth and status.

But only Thea knew the truth-how her heart had pounded with joy when she first learned she would become Jerred's bride.

Even so, she understood the marriage for what it was: a fleeting dream granted by fate, fragile and short-lived.

Now came the moment to wake up from that dream.

Outside the house, the storm raged across the night sky, lightning splitting the darkness while thunder rolled like cannon fire.

Curled beneath her blanket, Thea pulled the covers tighter around her, her heart gradually calming down.

The next morning, it was the shrill buzz of her phonethat pulled her from sleep.

Jerred's mother's voice cut through Thea's drowsiness like a blade, dripping with disdain. "Still in bed at this hour? How did my son end up stuck with someone so lazy like you?"

For a full year, Thea had endured Maggie Willis' barbed remarks without a word in return.

Her silence had never come from weakness.

She had held her tongue because clashing with Maggie would only make Jerred's life harder.

As the head of Braptin's most powerful company,he already shouldered enough weight; she had never wanted to add family strife to his burdens.

But today, something inside her shifted. She was done enduring something like this.

Maggie's scorn only deepened. "If my family hadn't been desperate last year, I'd never have agreed to you marrying my son. You don't deserve to be with him. You'll never be good enough for him-"

Thea sat up, her voice calm but edged with steel. "You're right. I've never been worthy of Jerred. But marriage isn't only about one person; it's about both of us."

Drawing a steady breath, she continued, "If I'm such a disappointment, then tell your son to divorce me and marry someone you think is worthy. Jerred married me a year ago because he had to, but now, those problems your family was facing are gone, aren't they? He can divorce me."

Maggie froze, her tongue knotted. She was stunned by Thea's retort.

She couldn't believe that the woman who had always been submissive and quiet now had the guts to snap at her.

Was Theaout ofher mind?

Just then, Thea's voice echoed again, sharp and unyielding. "Did you really call me just to scold me, Maggie? If you have that much free time, maybe use it to convince your son to divorce me. I'm not wasting another second on you. I'm going back to bed. Bye!"

She ended the call in one decisive motion, leaving Maggie no chance to reply.

Maggie's fury spiked when Thea ended the call, her chest heaving.

Not only had Thea brushed off her scolding, but she'd also dared to show not the slightest shred of respect toward her.

That insolence gnawed at Maggie until her temper boiled over.

Seething, she dialed Jerred's number. The instant he answered, she unleashed her rage, exclaiming, "Has your wife lost her mind? I called to wake her up, but she snapped at me instead-told me to tell you to divorce her! Who does she think she is, acting so arrogantly?"

In the hospital corridor, Jerred stood motionless, gaze drifting to the rain-washed leaves outside the window. A faint crease deepened between his brows as frustration pricked at him. "Thea really said that?"

"She did!" Maggie spat the words like daggers. "Jerred, I've told you over and over again this past year to divorce her, but you always make excuses to avoid it. Now that she's the one bringing it up, it's the perfect chance. I don't care what excuses you have; you need to end your marriage to her now! Do you have any idea how many people in high society laugh at our family behind our backs just because you married her? You-"

"Mom," Jerred interjected, his frown remaining. "The storm last night probably kept Thea awake with all that thunder. She was probably just in a bad mood."

He flicked his eyes to the glinting metal watch on there's nothing urgent today. Why disturb her rest?"

As the words left his mouth, his gaze shifted toward the ward's doorway, where a frail figure in a hospital gown stood leaning against the frame.

His expression tightened, and he lowered his voice. "Something's come up. I'll hang up now."

Sliding the phone into his pocket, he walked toward Jaylynn. "Why are you out of bed?" he asked, his voice edged with concern.

Looking pale and weak, Jaylynn offered him afaint smile. "I overheard your mom saying Thea wants a divorce... Is it because of me?"

Tears shimmered in her eyes asshe looked at him. "Jerred... Should I never have returned?"

Chapter 4 It's Been Some Time Jerred cut Jaylynn off with furrowed brows, saying, "Don't read too much into it. Thea had a spat with my mother; she was just riled up and blurting out whatever came to her mind."

He steadied Jaylynn with a firm hand as he guidedher back to the hospital bed. His voice was resolute as he said, "I'm not divorcing her for now."

At his unyielding tone, a faint shadow crossed Jaylynn's eyes.

She lowered her head, her lashes trembling, her voice nasal from crying. "You've already been married for over a year. If word gets out that you divorce the moment I return, everyone will think that I ruined your marriage..."

Jerred remained quiet for several seconds before giving a short, final nod. "Yeah. We can talk about that later."

The heaviness in Jaylynn's expression lifted slightly at his reply.

Once tucked beneath the sheets, she let her gaze drift to the horizon, where sunlight spilled into the room. "I've been trapped in here day after day..."

Her eyes slid back to Jerred, her tone softening, almost coaxing. "Could you take me shopping today? I'm about to step back into the public eye; I need new clothes and jewelry."

Her hand brushed the brim of her hat as she tilted it back to expose a small patch of newly shaved scalp. Her voice quivered slightly as she admitted, "I can't let anyone see me like this."

The sight of her bare scalp softened Jerred's expression, a flicker of sympathy passing through his eyes. "Alright," he murmured, his tone unusually gentle.

**

It was the weekend today.

After ending her call with Maggie, Thea tried to sink back into sleep, but no matter how she shifted beneath the sheets, rest refused to come.

Irritation mounting, she eventually rose, wandering through the house before distracting herself with chores and packing.

She had spoken of divorce the night before. Jerred hadn't given her an answer, but she knew in her bones he'd agree to it eventually for Jaylynn.

So, she needed to pack up her things and be prepared for it.

Determined, she folded clothes neatly into her luggage, her movements sharp with purpose. While she was tidying the dining room, her eyes landed on the black card Jerred had left on the table.

With the servants in the houseat all hours, she didn't want to leave it there and lose it.

Just as Thea slid the card safely into her bag, ready to give it back to Jerred later, her phone buzzed with a call.

The name flashing on the screen made her chest loosen slightly-it was Brielle Dale, her close friend.

"Thea, tell me everything!" Brielle's warm voice quicklycame through the line. "Did your husband lose his mindwith excitement when he found out about your pregnancy?"

Brielle and Thea had known each other since kindergarten, and after Thea's parents passed, Brielle and her family had been the ones making the long trips to the countryside to keep her from feeling alone.

Thea had never kept any secret from Brielle.

Thea kept her tone even as she muttered, "Brielle, I've decided to divorce Jerred."

On the other end of the line, silence stretcheduntil Brielle's stunned reply slipped out. "What happened? Why are you suddenly saying this?"

Only yesterday afternoon, Thea had been hummingwith anticipation, filling her cart with fresh ingredients to cook Jerred's favorite dishes.

Yet now, in less than a day, she wanted to divorce him?

Thea sank into a chair, exhaustion pressing down on her. "Jaylynn's back."

"Unbelievable!" Brielle's tone hardened, slicing through the air. "She really chose the exactday you find out you're pregnant to come back?"

"Not exactly," Thea said, pressing her fingertips against her throbbing temple. Her voice steadied as she explained the situation. "She's actually been back for two months. I just found out about her return yesterday."

It almost felt like fate was giving her a sign.

When Jaylynn cameback, she conceived Jerred's baby.

And on the very day she learned of her pregnancy and wanted to share the news with Jarred, she discovered Jaylynn's return.

Fate offered her a real family just before her marriage would end.

Brielle, unsure how else to console Thea, said in a low voice, "Thea, how about we hit the mall? Let's go shopping."

Maybe wandering aisles and trying on clothes could lift Thea's mood.

Thea agreed withouthesitation.

Yet she had never imaginedshe would run into Jerred and Jaylynn in the mall.

When her eyes caught them, she happened to be standing in front of a mirror, trying on a beautiful dress.

She had never dared wear something so form-fitting before, always thinking ittoo bold for her image as Jerred's wife.

But Brielle had coaxed her, saying that with divorce around the corner, she no longer needed to play the dutiful wife; it was time for her to try something daring.

"That figure of yours is truly gorgeous!" Brielle exclaimed, circling Thea with her phone and snapping photos.

Heat rushed to Thea's cheeks at the blunt praise. She was about to laugh it off and tell Brielle to stop when her gaze lifted and landed on Jerred and Jaylynn walking side by side.

Jerred cut a sharp figure in a long black coat, his polished demeanor radiating a cold, untouchable authority.

At his side, Jaylynn clung to his arm, her frame delicate and frail. Illness had drained the color fromher face, yet her every movement remained graceful.

A small entourage trailed them-bodyguards laden with shopping bags.

The sight stirred a bitter pangin Thea's heart.

She couldn't help remembering the time she had asked Jerred to go shopping with her.

It had been only a month into their marriage when Brielle had urged her to use the outing to draw closer to Jerred.

But Jerred hadn't even paused before refusing, his voice firm, dismissing the idea as a waste of his valuable time.

But with Jaylynn, his time seemed hers to use freely.

"What's got you staring so hard?" Brielle asked, her brow arched.

She caught Thea's lingering stare and followed her line of sight. Herlips then curled into a cold smile.

"Talk about bad luck. We're just trying to shop, and we run into them." Her tone was edged with mockery, loud enough to draw curious glances from nearby shoppers.

Both Jaylynn and Jerred turned at the sound.

Jerred's gaze landed on Thea, and for a splitsecond, his expression shifted. In the sleek, form-fitting dress, she looked breathtaking.

He had known her body's every curve, kissed and touched every inch of her, but he had never expected her to look so radiantwhen she wore a dress cut to flatter her figure so perfectly.

The subtle change in Jerred's look didn't escape Jaylynn's notice.

A sting of jealousy flared inside her, but she smoothed it over with a practiced smile as she said to Thea, "Fancy seeing you here, Thea. It's been some time."

Chapter 5 Her Sudden Defiance Thea's smile came tight and brittle as she focused on Jaylynn's forced warmth. "It really has been some time, Jaylynn."

A decade had slipped by since their last meeting-when Jaylynn had dragged her into their aunt's new salon, insisting she be the practice model for erasing the butterfly-shaped birthmark on her chest.

"So, are you two out shopping?" Jaylynn asked breezily, her arm still looped through Jerred's as if it belonged there. Her smile remained as she gave Thea a slow once-over. "That dress is too extravagant, too daring for someone like you."

After a pause, she added with a tilt of her head, "Something simpler,more modest would suit you better."

Then, angling her face up toward Jerred towering beside her, she inquired sweetly, "Jerred, don't you agree?"

The sweet inflection in her voice made it feel as if she,not Thea, were Jerred's wife.

Jerred's gaze traced Thea's bare shoulders and collarbone, his brow knitting as if the sight unsettled him. "The dress indeed doesn't suit her."

In his eyes, Thea-so often quiet and restrained-had no business standing out in something so bold.

"Why not?" Brielle countered sharply. She hooked an arm around Thea's shoulders. "She's got the body for it. Why shouldn't she show it off in such a dress?"

Her eyes then flicked to Jaylynn, cold and mocking. "Or maybe you'd rather she hide her great figure because you're jealous. After all, you have no curves."

Jaylynn's face drained of color at that. Her fingers clamped tighter around Jerred's arm, her voice unsteady. "It's true. I've dropped so much weight this year. No matter what I do, I can't..."

She faltered, her tone weakening into a whisper. "I can'tcompare with Thea's figure..."

Tears welled up in her eyes as she turned toward Thea, her words breaking into a sob. "But I wasn't jealous, I swear. I just thought the dress didn't match your style. I only meant to give honest advice."

Brielle snorted, folding her arms and saying, "What a performance, Jaylynn. Crying right on cue."

Her gaze cut into Jaylynn with open disdain. "You know exactly whether that was advice or a smug little jab at Thea."

Jaylynn's tears came down in torrents at Brielle's sharp words.

"Thea." Jerred's frown deepened,his tone edged with ice. "Tellyour friend to watch her mouth."

Then, with a gentleness that made Thea's chest tighten, Jerred patted Jaylynn's trembling hand. He tried to comfort her, saying, "Don't cry. Don't let this upset you. Your health is already fragile."

From where she stood, Thea caught the tender flicker in his eyes-an expression she had never once been on the receiving end of.

A jagged stab of pain ripped straightthrough her chest.

In the year they'd been married, whether she had been sick, exhausted, or quietly hurting, Jerred's gaze towardher had always been cool, distant, untouched by concern.

She had once thought that it was just because of Jerred's reserved nature, that he wasn't good at expressing emotions.

But now, seeing how he looked at Jaylynn, sheunderstood everything.

The contrast was brutal-love and indifference were separated by nothing more than a moment's gaze.

Thea, after wasting a year bleeding love into their marriage, realized she'd been nothing but stupid before.

A heat rose in her chest,burning away the silence she had usually clung to.

She leveled Jerred with a frosty gaze, her voice cutting through the air. "Mr. Willis, you pride yourself on being a seasoned and perceptive businessman. Surely you can hear the contempt dripping from Jaylynn's tone when she speaks to me."

Jerred's eyes narrowed, but he offered no reply.

Thea continued, "When someone humiliates me and my husband keeps his mouth shut, why can't my friend say something? She's standing up for me. Tell me, why would I stop her?"

Her words fell like stones into still water, stilling the murmurs of the onlookers.

Brielle's shock froze her in place, her eyes wide. She looked as if she couldn't process what she had just heard.

Thea, once as bold and spirited as Brielle, had lost her fire after her parents' deaths, becoming quiet and reserved.

Whenever others mocked or bullied Thea and Brielle stood up for her, Thea used to tug at Brielle's sleeve, whispering for her to drop it.

She had always claimed it was simpler to swallow her grievances than stir up trouble.

But now, Thea stood her ground, her spine straight, her tone cutting through the tension as she voiced her frustration.

And the person she confronted wasn't just anyone-it was Jerred,the man she had loved for years.

Jerred clearly hadn'tforeseen such defiance from Thea, either.

He looked at her, irritation sharpening his tone. "Turns out my mother was right about you. You're nothing like yourself today."

Before, Thea had always been compliant, taking every slight with quiet patience.

Now, she wasn't like that anymore.

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The phone dies in my hand, the dial tone buzzing like a swarm of bees.

Jerred hung up before I could say I'm pregnant.

I stand frozen in the hospital hallway, the test results crumpled in my fist.

Outside, Braptin's skyline blurs through rain-streaked glass.

I should've known.

He's never answered when I needed him.

Back home, I set the table like a ritual—his favorite dishes, candlelight, the silverware aligned just right.

Maybe tonight, I thought, he'd see me.

Maybe tonight, he'd stay.

But he arrives late, coat damp with evening chill, eyes colder than the storm outside.

He doesn't touch the food.

Just slides a folder across the table.

'Jaylynn's back,' he says.

My breath catches.

Jaylynn.

His first love.

My cousin.

The woman who vanished before their wedding.

Then he tells me why she returned.

Illness.

Bone marrow.

A match.

Me.

He didn't ask.

He assumed.

I clutch the pocket where the test hides, my pulse roaring.

This baby—our baby—is two months old.

Fragile.

Real.

And I know, with a clarity that cuts through years of silence, that I won't let anything happen to it.

Not even for him.