Chapter 1

It was our fifth wedding anniversary. I came home early, planning to surprise my husband with a gourmet feast.

Instead, I caught him carrying his little assistant into our bedroom. They were tangled together, lost in their own world.

I heard the girl whisper. "When are you going to give me her uterus?"

Sterling's voice was ice cold. "I'll have her do a check-up tomorrow. I've already arranged for a doctor to tell her she has cervical cancer. We'll just take it during the surgery."

"But listen to me," he added. "If anything happens to my wife, I won't let you off the hook!"

I stood there, paralyzed. This was the man who claimed to love me more than life itself. Now, he was plotting to mutilate me for his mistress.

He had no idea that I was already carrying his child.

1

"Don't overthink it. I know you feel bad for her. But don't you want a child of our own?"

Serena lay across Sterling's lap, her voice like honey as she tried to soothe him.

"Shut up!" Sterling's face darkened instantly. "I'm only letting you carry it because I don't want Valerie to suffer the pain of labor. Know your place!"

He pinned her down on the bed. The room was soon filled with a scent that made me want to gag.

Serena noticed me standing by the door. She didn't scream. Instead, she flashed me a mocking, triumphant smile.

I stood frozen in the hallway. My blood felt like it had been replaced with liquid nitrogen.

I looked down at the diamond ring on my finger. I remembered the day he proposed, swearing his eternal loyalty.

"I, Sterling, swear to love only Valerie for the rest of my life. If I ever betray her, may lightning strike me down!"

Watching their shadows merge on our bed, I felt nothing but bitter irony.

So this was the man of my dreams. Five years of marriage meant nothing compared to a fresh body.

Suddenly, Sterling glanced at the clock on the wall.

"Valerie will be home soon. Get out of here before she sees you!"

Serena licked her lips and smiled. "Next time, Mr. Sterling, I want to try it right next to her while she's sleeping."

Sterling's throat bobbed. He was thinking of me, but he didn't say no.

"You little devil," he cursed under his breath.

I knew that tone. He had agreed to her twisted games.

Sterling left to drop Serena off. The moment the front door clicked shut, my tears finally broke through.

I choked back a sob and dialed my old university mentor.

"Professor, it's Valerie. I want to join the Antarctica research mission."

"Are you serious? This project is top-secret. You won't be able to contact your family for a long time. Sterling treats you like his whole world. Will he let you go?"

That was exactly why I wanted to go. If I went to the frozen edge of the world, he would never find me.

I went silent for a moment, then spoke with total certainty. "I've made up my mind."

"This is my life. It doesn't matter what Sterling thinks."

After hanging up, I pulled the pregnancy test from my bag. I crumpled it into a ball and threw it into the trash.

Sterling had always wanted a kid. My health wasn't great, and it took five years to finally conceive.

I had planned to tell him tonight as a surprise. Now, there was no point.

I pulled out my phone to schedule a procedure to end the pregnancy. Then, I started packing.

A little while later, the front door opened. Sterling rushed in, his eyes red and his voice panicked.

"Are you really going to Antarctica? Why would you leave me? Did I do something wrong?"

He reached out to pull me into his arms. I stepped back, avoiding his touch without making it obvious.

"Don't read too much into it. I just want to focus on my academic research."

The worry in his eyes looked so real. It was terrifying.

How could he look at me with such love while planning to steal a part of my body?

Tears started rolling down my cheeks again. Sterling panicked and pulled me into a tight embrace.

"Don't cry. It kills me to see you like this."

"Forget the research mission, okay? You have me. Why go to some frozen wasteland? Valerie, I'd go insane if I lost you for even a day."

I thought to myself, you'll only go insane because you won't get my uterus.

My heart was like stone, but I kept my voice soft. "I just need a change of pace."

Sterling let out a long breath of relief.

"Then you definitely don't need to go to Antarctica. I've been working too much lately. I've been a terrible husband."

"After your check-up in a few days, if everything is fine, I'll take you on a vacation abroad. How does that sound?"

"It's our anniversary. I'll give you anything you want."

His sweet talk didn't move me anymore. I just stared at him. The more guilty he felt, the more he overacted to cover his tracks.

Despite the crushing pain, I finally forced the words out.

"Sterling, let's get a divorce."

His hand jerked. He looked at me as if I had just sprouted a second head.

"Valerie, that isn't something you joke about."

"You know how much I love you. Saying that is like asking me to die."

Love me? The bitterness in my chest nearly choked me.

"I just think it's time for us to go our separate ways."

"Why? What did I do? Just tell me, Valerie. Don't play with me like this."

"You weren't supposed to marry…"

My words were cut short by the buzzing of his phone. The caller ID read: "Little Vixen."

Sterling looked flustered. He glanced at my face, but I kept my expression blank.

"It's work. I need to take this," he whispered.

He walked out to the balcony. I saw the look on his face through the glass. It was full of heat and desire.

I had only ever seen that look when he was in bed with Serena.

If this were yesterday, I would have screamed. But since I was leaving, there was no point in exposing his lies.

Sterling came back inside a moment later, looking solemn.

"Valerie, something urgent came up at the office. I have to go."

"I'll make up our anniversary to you tomorrow, okay?"