Chapter 1

Four years into our marriage, Zach and I finally succeeded with our IVF treatment.

Just as I was about to share the joyous news, I found him wearing a tuxedo, standing at the altar with someone else.

Worse, the baby growing inside my belly did not share a single drop of my blood.

Zach shielded his tearful childhood friend behind him. "Riley is dying. Can't I just help her experience the two most important milestones of a woman's life?"

After going home, I tore up our marriage certificate and erased every single trace of him from my life.

1.

Our IVF had finally succeeded, and I could not wait to share the news with Zach.

The baby I had prayed for day and night was finally resting safely in my womb.

Yet unexpectedly, over a dozen phone calls went straight to voicemail.

An ominous feeling crept into my chest.

He had specifically taken the day off just to stay by my side for the final embryo transfer.

However, the moment I walked out of the operating room, he was nowhere to be found.

Growing anxious, I dialed his younger sister, Josie.

"My brother had an urgent errand to run. Why are you making such a huge fuss?"

The background noise coming through the receiver froze my blood instantly.

"Let us congratulate the handsome groom, Zach Lewis, and his beautiful bride, Riley Brooks!"

I used a lost-person tracking feature to locate his phone, speeding straight to the banquet hall of a luxury hotel.

A few of Zach's closest buddies were standing outside the entrance.

Their faces drained of color the second they saw me.

"Nora, what are you doing here?"