Chapter 1

Janet's POV

Eight months pregnant, I went into labor at the exact same time as my husband Jason's sister-in-law after a fall.

I lay on the delivery bed, contractions tightening one after another.

My husband Jason held my hand, his eyes full of concern.

But the words that came out of his mouth sent a chill straight through me.

"Janet, I told you the family has already accepted Rachel's child as the future heir of the Martinez family. I never expected you'd go this far—hurting yourself—just for the so-called birthright. I'm so disappointed in you."

Jason thought I had done it on purpose—to steal the inheritance right from under Rachel's child.

Because according to family rules, the first child born into the Martinez family is the future heir, inheriting everything.

Four months ago, his older brother died in a car crash.

Left behind a pregnant widow—Rachel, three months along.

At the funeral, old Mr. Martinez wept bitterly as he gripped Rachel's hand.

"Make sure this baby is born safely, Rachel. I promise you—the future heir of the Martinez family will be your child."

Everyone had already accepted it. Rachel's baby was the family's destined successor.

And I had never once thought of fighting for any of that.

The pain was too much for me to bother explaining. Then Jason's phone rang.

He answered it, muttered a few words, and when he hung up, he was already pulling away from my bedside.

"Rachel's condition is getting worse. I need to be over there. Stop obsessing over power and think about our baby instead. Ashley will take care of you."

Ashley was Jason's sister.

I wanted to stop him. But he walked away without looking back, leaving me alone with Ashley.

The moment Jason was gone, Ashley suddenly called in a bunch of guards. Before I could even react, they had me on a gurney and were moving fast.

The next thing I knew, I was being wheeled into a makeshift room in the hospital basement.

Ashley stood in the doorway, twirling a scalpel between her fingers like it was a toy.

"Don't blame my brother, Janet."

"Rachel's carrying my big brother's child—his posthumous son. The first boy of this generation in the Martinez family."

"And you—you're so scheming. You'd go this far, even hurt yourself, just to steal the inheritance from her child."

She stepped closer, needle in hand, and plunged it into my arm.

"Relax—it's just something to slow things down. Won't hurt you. As soon as Rachel's baby is born safe and sound, I'll make sure you're well taken care of."

I clutched my stomach as a fresh wave of contractions fought against whatever she'd pumped into me.

Pain blurred my vision.

"Get a doctor—I'm going into labor, I need—"

Ashley laughed.

She walked over, crouched down in front of me, and tapped my cheek with the flat of the scalpel.

"Labor? What labor?"

"That dose will buy us a good three hours. Rachel's already in the delivery room as we speak."

"So you sit tight, be a good girl, and wait. Once her son's out safe, you can push all you want."

She stood up, and the door slammed shut behind her.

The basement room had nothing but a dim emergency light buzzing overhead.

I lay on the cold floor, blood already soaking through my dress.

My phone had been taken by Jason the moment we got to the hospital.

Radiation, he'd said. It's bad for the baby.

I curled in on myself, trying to breathe through the pain.

But all I could hear was Ashley's voice echoing in my head.

"Ahhh—"

Another contraction slammed into me, stronger than before.

The drug was wearing off. The baby was coming.

I clawed at the door, pounding with every ounce of strength I had left.

"Someone—anyone—I'm in labor! Please, save my baby—"

Silence.

Then, just as my voice went raw, I heard a guard's bored voice from the other side:

"Quit your yelling. Miss Martinez said to wait."

"But my baby—"

"Miss Martinez said it's just a delay. Won't kill you."

I collapsed back onto the floor, helpless.

The basement light flickered—and kept flickering, like it was about to go out any second.