CHAPTER 1

Anastasia 

The two pink lines on the pregnancy test strip stared back at me as I held it with trembling hands.

For a moment, I just knelt there, staring at them, unable to breathe properly, afraid that if I blinked too hard they would disappear like an illusion.

I was pregnant, I couldn’t believe this.

A shaky laugh escaped my lips as I stared at the pregnancy strip in my hand. My eyes burned almost instantly, tears gathering as I pressed a hand against my mouth.

“Oh my God…”

I looked down at my stomach which was still flat beneath my dress, and something warm bloomed inside my chest. Happiness. 

For three years, I had dreamed of this moment, the moment when I finally got to prove that I was capable of carrying babies in my womb.

Brandon never pressured me about children. If anything, he always told me we had time, that we were still young, that he already had everything he needed because he had me.

And I believed him.

I smiled through watery eyes and hugged the test strip to my chest before shaking my head at myself.

I needed to tell him.

I couldn’t wait to see the look of satisfaction on his face when he finally learnt we would be having a baby.

Brandon would be so happy.

The thought alone sent excitement rushing through me.

With the happiness still blooming inside my chest, I lifted myself from the bathroom floor and hurried into the walk-in closet. I changed quickly, my movements clumsy from excitement as I picked out a cream-colored dress Brandon once told me made me look “too beautiful for human consumption.”

The memory made a smile to plaster on my lips.

God, I couldn’t wait to tell him.

After brushing my hair and grabbing my purse, I glanced at myself one last time in the mirror.

Mrs. Anastasia Moretti.

Sometimes, even now, the title still felt surreal.

Brandon Moretti and I met during my final year in college. We had bumped into each other at the administrative office in school. I still remembered the way he looked at me during our first meeting, as if I was the only woman in the world.

Back then, I knew who he was. The illegitimate son of the powerful Moretti family.

The Morettis practically ruled the business world in this country. Wealth, influence, power, they had it all on a platter. But despite being a Moretti, Brandon had always stood slightly outside the circle because of his birth.

Still, he never acted bitter about it.

He was warm and affectionate, everything Damien Moretti wasn’t.

Even thinking about Damien made me tense slightly.

The legitimate heir of the Moretti empire.

Always wearing a cold and ruthless appearance.

During the three years I had been married to Brandon, Damien had never said a word to me. The man barely acknowledged anyone’s existence unless business was involved.

Thankfully, Brandon was nothing like him. And our marriage had been blissful.

At least… I thought it had been.

Of course, not everything was perfect. My mother-in-law made sure of that.

The woman hated me for reasons I still didn’t fully understand. 

She made life difficult for me, especially when it came to children.

“You’ve been married for years and still nothing,” she liked to say. “What kind of woman can’t even give her husband an heir?”

I had cried over those words a lot of times in the past.

But now…

I placed a hand gently over my stomach as a smile spread across my cheeks.

Now everything was about change. I couldn’t help but wonder how she would react knowing that I was finally carrying a child.

I slapped myself back to reality, reminding myself that I had work to do.

After glancing at my reflection in the mirror one last time, I grabbed my keys and hurried downstairs.

The morning sun was already peaking through the clouds, painting the driveway in gold.

The entire drive to Black Holdings felt unreal.

I had practically handed Brandon control of the company to Brandon after our marriage. Brandon was brilliant with business, and my father adored him, so I trusted him to take care of the company.

I smiled to myself at the thought.

Brandon was probably buried in paperwork right now, completely unsuspecting.

Maybe I should surprise him dramatically.

Maybe I should…

My thought was cut off the moment I pulled into the company parking lot and my smile faltered.

Brandon’s car rolled out of the underground garage at an unusual speed.

My brows furrowed, that was strange.

He was supposed to have a board meeting today.

I instinctively reached for my phone to call him, but paused when I noticed how tense he looked through the windshield.

He looked… rushed.

I couldn’t help but wonder what was up with him.

I lowered my phone slowly, a strange feeling crept into my chest.

Without fully understanding why, I started my engine again and followed him, even though I could not understand why.

His car moved farther away from the business district and toward the quieter, wealthier side of town.

The deeper we drove into the residential area, the more uneasy I became.

Finally, Brandon pulled up in front of a luxurious townhouse tucked behind tall iron gates.

I slowed my car and parked several houses away.

Confusion twisted inside me as I watched Brandon step out of the car, then he walked over to the back seat and opened it.

I watched as he started pulling some items from the backseat.

My heart was beating speedily now, especially as I recognised the items to be baby items.

My breath caught throat and I froze in my seat.

No, no, no.

My fingers tightened around the steering wheel as my mind struggled to process what I was seeing.

Maybe…

Maybe it was for someone else.

Maybe a coworker.

Maybe a charity donation.

Maybe…

I swallowed hard.

My chest suddenly began to hurt.

Brandon gathered the bags carefully before walking toward the house.

From the way he walked, he was evident that he had been here before, actually, he came here frequently.

The unease inside me turned violent.

I got out of the car quietly.

My heart beat violently inside my chest as I walked towards the house, retracing every step that my husband had taken.

The front door hadn’t fully closed behind him, so I slipped inside silently.

The house was beautiful and warm, had all the requirements to make it a home.

My stomach twisted.

I moved carefully and hid behind a pillar that gave me enough cover while still providing room for me to see what was going on.

This isn’t what you think, Anastasia.

You’re overreacting.

Brandon loves you.

He would never…

I tried to assure myself, but my thoughts were interrupted as a soft laughter drifted from upstairs.

My entire body stiffened at once.

Footsteps followed afterwards.

I looked up and saw a woman standing at the top of the staircase.

My heart nearly stopped.

She had one hand resting protectively over a large baby bump as she carefully descended the stairs.

Blonde hair, slim figure, pretty face.

Recognition hit me so hard that I physically staggered backward.

Rosalie.

Brandon’s former secretary.

I had asked him to fire her a while ago because I felt she was up to no good.

My mouth hung open as I stared in unbelief.