Chapter 2

2.

I watched him with a detached coldness. I had let him find out on purpose because I knew his little secret.

Maya Vance wasn't just his secretary; she was his college sweetheart. And more importantly, she was infertile.

Caleb was desperate for an heir, and he wanted to use my body as a vessel before running off with his goddess. Well, he was in for a surprise.

I wanted him to watch his dreams crumble. I wanted him to see how his precious goddess would be the one to ultimately destroy his legacy.

He took the afternoon off and drove me back to our estate. He spent an hour acting like a madman, checking the house for anything that might be "unsafe."

While he was busy ordering the maids to throw out my favorite scented candles, Maya walked through the front door.

She didn't knock. She just punched in the security code and strolled in like she owned the place.

The staff didn't even blink. They greeted her like she was the lady of the house.

I looked at Caleb, my voice laced with ice. "Since when does your secretary have the keys to our home?"

Caleb froze, refusing to meet my eyes. He started to stammer an excuse, but Maya beat him to it.

"Mrs. Sterling, I asked for the code," she said, her voice sweet and manipulative. "Caleb is so forgetful with his files, I often have to drop them off after hours."

She looked at me with a fake pout. "If it bothers you, I won't come by anymore."

I shrugged, playing along. "So, what brings you here today, Maya?"

She pulled a laptop and a stack of folders from her bag, moving with a practiced grace. Since lunch was already served, I invited her to join us.

The "nutritionist" Caleb had hired arrived soon after. I already knew he was the hypnotist Caleb mentioned in the office.

I had my own investigators dig into his background the moment I heard that conversation. He wasn't a doctor; he was a shark.

I sat at the head of the table and pointed to the two seats together. "Maya is our guest, Caleb. Why don't you sit by her and make her feel welcome?"

Throughout the meal, Caleb was the image of a perfect husband, serving me soup and cutting my steak.

But under the table, I could see the movement. Maya's black stiletto was pressed firmly against his crotch.

Caleb's eyes were glazed with a mix of discomfort and lust, but he didn't pull away. He was terrified of losing the baby I was carrying.

The sight of them disgusted me. I put down my fork and stood up. "I'm tired. I'm going to take a nap."

To give them some "privacy," I told the staff they could take the rest of the day off. "The master will be home to look after me," I said.

I saw Caleb's breathing hitch as the maids filed out. I walked upstairs slowly, savoring the silence.

A few minutes later, I heard their footsteps heading toward the study. They didn't even wait for me to fall asleep.

I leaned against my bedroom door, listening to the muffled sounds of their betrayal. The moans and the laughter made my stomach churn.

I ran to the bathroom and got sick, my eyes stinging with tears I refused to let fall.

I thought about our years together. Every touch, every "I love you" had been a calculated lie.

I had been a fool, but I wasn't going to be a victim anymore.