Chapter 1

1.

On the day I received the confirmation of my pregnancy, I made a rare visit to Declan’s company.

Through the floor-to-ceiling glass walls of the conference room, I watched the scene inside and couldn't resist dialing his number.

However, I saw the young female assistant sitting beside him pick up the phone lying on the table.

She hung up without hesitation.

Then, she skillfully unlocked the screen, her fingers flying across the keyboard.

My phone screen lit up. A message from "Hubby" popped up:

"I'm in the middle of a board meeting. Don't bother me with these trivial matters."

I stared at that line of text for a long time.

When I looked up again, that woman was adjusting his crooked tie in front of everyone, her movements intimate and practiced.

Expressionless, I typed back:

"Are you two coming out, or am I coming in?"

...

The moment our eyes met, a look of panic flashed across the woman's face.

She leaned down and whispered something in Declan’s ear.

Her movements weren't technically crossing the line, but they exuded the careful vulnerability of someone who had been wronged.

When Declan looked up at me, he instinctively frowned.

He patted her shoulder reassuringly, then stood up and strode toward me.

"What is so urgent?"

His voice was cold, laced with the annoyance of having his work interrupted.

The dark blue tie around his neck was one he had been wearing often lately.

I didn't buy it, and he didn't buy it for himself.

I heard his assistant gave it to him at the company Christmas party to thank him for his "guidance."

But what I didn't know was that the assistant he mentioned was this young, vibrant blonde woman.

I looked at the woman still lingering in the conference room.

"Why didn't you ask her to come out too?"

He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.

"I told her to hang up the phone, and I told her to send that text."

"Lyla just graduated from university. She’s a bit impulsive, but she did it for the sake of work."

"Harper, don't take your anger out on a young girl who just started."

In five years of marriage to Declan, I had rarely heard him say so many words at once.

And it was all to defend another woman.

A woman who knew his phone passcode before his lawful wife did.

The joy of the new life growing inside me, which I had felt on the way here, dissipated completely.

I let out a scoff.

"Declan, do you think I'm blind?"

I took a step forward, forcing him to look at me, trying to see the true emotion in his eyes.

"Call her out here."

Before the man could refuse, a slender figure blocked my path.

"Mrs. Vance, I'm right here."

Lyla’s innocent, pure face was written all over with stubbornness and confidence.

"You may not know this, but this meeting is crucial for the Vance Group."

"From your perspective, I hung up on the CEO's wife. But from Declan's perspective, this is about the company's professional image and rules."

"Although I am just an assistant, I have an obligation to ensure Declan’s work isn't disturbed by personal matters."

"Mrs. Vance, if you have an issue, you can tell me directly. Don't make things difficult for Declan."

Seeing the look of appreciation in Declan’s eyes, I suddenly felt the absurdity of it all.

There had been many women hovering around Declan over the years.

I had watched from the sidelines, and I had quietly cleaned them up in the background.

I just never expected that he would protect someone like Lyla as if she were family.

"Tell you? Fine."

I glanced at the ID badge hanging around her neck.

"Lyla, right? As of this second, you're fired."

The arrogance on the woman's face cracked instantly.

"On what grounds can you fire me? This is the Vance Group. I am employed directly by Declan!"

I sneered.

"On the grounds that I am his lawful wife, and the largest shareholder of this company besides him."

Lyla’s eyes turned red instantly, tears swirling in them.

"Harper, have you made enough of a scene?"

Declan’s voice was icy.

"This is my company, not the Sterling family's private playground."

"It was just a missed call. Did the sky fall? Tell me what happened, I'm listening."

The usually calm and restrained man was red-eyed with anger.

Even when we faced that home invasion robbery years ago, and he took a bullet for me, I had never seen him lose control like this.

Behind him, the conference room door was open. A room full of executives didn't dare to speak, exchanging glances.

From today on, I, the rarely seen Mrs. Vance, would become their laughingstock.

Thinking of this, I calmly stuffed the pregnancy confirmation report back into my coat pocket.

Seeing my movement, Declan frowned.

"What is that?"

"Nothing. Just a piece of scrap paper."