Chapter 1

Nine months pregnant, I walked into a private wing of the hospital—and straight into my husband, Beckett Shaw, the ruthless heir to a crime empire… and the woman carrying his other child.

The moment I picked up my medical file, I saw them laughing together, hands intertwined over her stomach, celebrating the life they were building—without me.

Delaney played innocent, her voice syrup-sweet.

“Beckett, you shouldn’t be here with me. If Evelyn finds out, she’ll be devastated. She’s pregnant too. Aren’t you scared she’ll make trouble?”

Beckett smirked, cold and careless—the same smile that once ruled the city through fear.

“If she dares stir up chaos,” he said lazily, “I’ll just discard her. A wife is replaceable.”

In that second, I understood the truth: I was never his partner. Only a convenient pawn in his bloody empire.

If the notorious Beckett Shaw no longer wanted us, then I would raise my child far from his shadows—even if it meant disappearing from the mafia world forever.

I called the only man powerful enough to protect me—my father, once a feared kingpin himself, now living in exile overseas.

“Dad,” I whispered, shaking, “I’ve made my decision. I’m divorcing him. I’m taking the baby and coming to you.”

After the call, I booked the earliest flight out of the country.

Two weeks. That was all I needed. Two weeks before I vanished from Beckett Shaw’s world for good.

So then why…

Why did that same merciless mafia king show up at my wedding months later with bloodshot eyes, kneeling before me in front of everyone—begging me to take him back?

--

At nine months pregnant, I never expected to collide with the Don of my life and the woman who had replaced me—inside a private hospital wing reserved for crime royalty.

The moment I collected my medical file from the nurse’s station and turned the corner, my world shattered. There they were—my husband, Don Beckett Shaw, heir to one of the most feared families in the underworld… and Delaney Cross, the woman cradling his other unborn child. They stood close, whispering softly, hands protectively hovering over her stomach like proud parents awaiting their future.

Delaney noticed me first. Her lashes fluttered as she put on a performance of false hesitation.

“Don Beckett… you shouldn’t be escorting me here,” she murmured, voice sugar-coated with fake worry. “If your wife finds out, she’ll be distressed. She’s expecting too, after all. Aren’t you afraid she’ll react badly?”

Beckett didn’t even blink. A low, mocking laugh slipped from his throat.

“If she loses control and makes noise,” he replied coldly, “I’ll cut her loose. A wife can be replaced.”

Each word struck me like a bullet.

In that instant, I finally understood my position in his empire. I was never his queen—only a convenient figurehead. If the Don no longer wanted me or the child I carried, then I would not humiliate myself begging for scraps of loyalty. I would leave with my dignity intact and raise my baby beyond the reach of his blood-soaked world.

With trembling hands and a heart already breaking apart, I called the one man powerful enough to shield me from Don Beckett Shaw—my father, who had once ruled his own syndicate overseas.

“Papa,” I whispered, fighting tears, “I’ve decided. I’m ending my marriage. I’m taking the baby and coming to you.”

His voice came steady and unshaken through the line.

“You should have done this sooner. The Shaw family may control half the city, but our name still carries weight. If staying puts you in misery, then leave. I’ll protect you and my grandchild.”

After the call ended, I booked the fastest flight money could buy.

Two weeks. Just fourteen days. That was all it would take for me to disappear from Don Beckett’s world forever.

And yet…

Why was it that months later, that ruthless Don appeared at my wedding with bloodshot eyes, on his knees before everyone—begging me to come back?

Earlier that same day—while my baby shifted heavily inside my body—I had received my prenatal results. That was when I saw them together inside a secured wing of the hospital. My husband was not attending my appointment like a loyal man should… he was escorting his first love instead.

Delaney clung to his arm as if she had every right.

“Don Beckett,” she said softly, pretending to hesitate, “you shouldn’t keep appearing beside me so openly. If Evelyn discovers this, she’ll crumble. She’s due to give birth soon too. Doesn’t that worry you at all?”

Beckett leaned down and brushed his lips against her belly—an intimate gesture meant for a devoted father—before replying without remorse,

“She doesn’t have to know. Her emotions have been unstable lately anyway. I won’t allow her to disturb your peace.”

Delaney lowered her voice, pretending fear.

“We can’t stay hidden forever. If she uncovers the truth—”

“She won’t do anything,” he interrupted. “I must fulfill my responsibility to you. This is my blood inside you. And if my wife dares stir chaos? I’ll sever the marriage without hesitation.”

The calm cruelty in his tone turned my entire body cold.

If Don Beckett Shaw had already chosen to erase us, then I would strike first. I would vanish before he could discard me like damaged property.

With shaking fingers, I contacted my father once more.

“I’m done, Papa. I’m divorcing him. I’ll bring the baby and live with you.”

“You’re finally seeing clearly,” my father answered firmly. “The Shaws hold power, yes—but our legacy does not bow. Come home. You’ll never be alone again.”

After ending the call, I secured the soonest flight out of the country.

That same morning, I had asked Beckett to accompany me to my appointment. He had claimed Don business demanded his presence. Now I understood—his loyalty was never at work. It was with her.

Throughout my entire pregnancy, not once had that man sat beside me in a hospital room.

Three months earlier, Delaney’s engagement had collapsed. The moment she returned to the country, Beckett began responding to her every summons. Our home became empty. Our marriage turned silent. Every message from her made him abandon everything—including me.

He embraced her openly in front of my eyes.

I confronted him more than once. Every time, he fed me the same excuse—that she was fragile, grieving, unstable, and needed protection. He claimed he was only helping her survive in the cruel world again. He said her pregnancy placed a moral duty upon him.

Yet he ignored the truth completely:

I was pregnant too. And I was further along.

For months, I suspected the child she carried belonged to him. I hinted carefully. I even told him that if his heart was no longer mine, he should say it directly. Every question was blocked with irritation. When I finally dared ask whose child Delaney carried, his fury exploded.

Still, he kept reassuring me until I chose to trust him.

I told myself he was simply kind.

That he had not fallen out of love with me.

But the truth stood bare before my eyes now—her baby had always been his.

They had used me as their shield, hiding their betrayal behind the title of marriage.

When Beckett casually mentioned divorcing me, I caught the slight gleam of triumph in Delaney’s narrowed gaze.

“I never wanted to steal you from your wife,” she said softly, tears gathering. “If my engagement hadn’t collapsed, none of this would have happened. I only wanted to protect my dignity. If you hadn’t stood by me when I returned… I don’t know what would have become of me.”

Her tears fell gently. Beckett pulled her into his arms without hesitation.

“I told you already—you’ll always have me,” he murmured. “If it weren’t for you back then, I wouldn’t even be alive today. Taking care of you is only right.”

“She’s your wife,” Delaney whispered faintly.

“And she should understand,” Beckett replied flatly. “Even if she finds out, I won’t abandon you.”

Just then, the doctor exited the exam room and smiled at them warmly.

“You’re truly blessed, Mrs. Shaw. Your husband never misses a check-up. He treats you with such devotion.”

Delaney blushed shyly. Beckett nodded as if it were his rightful role.

I stood frozen, nails cutting into my palms, watching the Don of my life play husband to another woman.

Two weeks.

Just two more weeks—

and I would vanish from Don Beckett Shaw’s empire forever.

Chapter 2

Don Beckett soon followed the physician into the private office to retrieve the prenatal results. Delaney, however, paused in the hall, claiming she needed the restroom—yet she never actually left. She simply lingered in place like she was waiting for a curtain call.

Once the office door shut behind them, she finally turned her head lazily and called out,

“You can stop hiding already. You’ve lurked there long enough. Or were you hoping to enjoy the show a little more?”

I stepped from the shadows without responding, my face devoid of any trace of emotion.

My silence seemed to irritate her. The sweetness drained from her eyes, replaced by sharp ridicule.

“What’s wrong?” she sneered softly. “Lost all sense of embarrassment? You knew from the beginning that Don Beckett never loved you—so why are you still clinging desperately to the title of Mrs. Shaw?”

A quiet, icy laugh escaped my throat.

“And you,” I replied calmly, “feel no shame at all being a kept woman while fully aware he has a wife?”

The corners of Delaney’s lips lifted with confidence.

“I knew Beckett long before you ever entered his life. If I hadn’t left the country, you would’ve never had the chance to marry into his family at all.”

She stroked her stomach slowly, showing it off like a trophy.

“But I’m back now. And this child carries Don blood. So really… it’s time you step aside, don’t you think?”

From the first day I married into the Shaw crime family, I had known there was a woman buried deep in Beckett’s heart. But I never imagined she still ruled his soul so completely.

The agony in my chest struck so violently that my knees nearly buckled. My fingers curled tightly around the medical report in my hand as if it were the only thing keeping me upright.

That was when Delaney noticed the paper.

She lunged without warning and snatched it from my grasp.

Her eyes skimmed the diagnosis—and then she burst into unrestrained laughter so loud it echoed down the corridor.

“Cancer?” she scoffed cruelly. “Tell me, then—do you think you’ll live long enough to push that child out? Or will the two of you be buried together?”

Her laughter drilled into my skull like warning sirens. Something inside me finally shattered.

I stepped forward and struck her across the face with everything I had.

She cried out, stumbled dramatically, then sank hard onto the floor as if she had been gravely wounded.

“Evelyn! I never meant to hide this from you! But I’m carrying his child! How could you hit me in my condition?!”

Tears spilled instantly from her eyes, grand and theatrical. Before I could even react, a savage shove slammed into my back.

I lost my footing.

My body crashed forward, and my stomach struck the icy tile with terrifying force.

Pain exploded through me as Beckett seized my arm and dragged me upright. My vision was still spinning when his enraged voice thundered in my face.

“Have you completely lost your mind?!” he roared. “How dare you touch Delaney?! She’s pregnant!”

I stared at him as if I’d never seen this man before.

Before a single word could leave my lips, Delaney sobbed weakly,

“Beckett, please don’t argue with Evelyn because of me. I shouldn’t have asked you to bring me here today. This is all my fault. As long as the baby is safe… she can hit me as much as she wants.”

She clung to him, pitiful and fragile—every inch the tragic heroine.

Beckett’s jaw clenched. He turned toward me slowly, his gaze sharp as a blade.

“You’ve gone too far this time, Evelyn,” he said coldly. “Apologize. Now.”

The absurdity of it crashed over me.

I laughed—bitter and hollow.

“You want me to apologize?” My voice shook. “Don Beckett… do you even know what this document says?”

With trembling hands, I shoved the report against his chest, choking on the words I could barely force out.

He never read a single line.

Instead, he ripped it clean in half and hurled the pieces aside with furious disgust.

“I don’t care what’s written on that paper!” he snapped. “All I see is that you’ve crossed a boundary! You’re pregnant yourself, Evelyn—how could you be so vicious toward another woman?”

Tears finally slid down my cheeks, scorching hot and unstoppable. My entire body shook—not from fear, but from rage so intense it stole the air from my lungs.

For a fleeting moment, Beckett hesitated when he saw me crying. His expression softened just enough to hurt even more.

“Enough,” he exhaled more gently. “Just apologize, alright? I admit I’ve neglected you these past months, but I’ll make things right after the baby arrives. I promise.”

Then, without the slightest shred of dignity, he pushed me toward Delaney.

She cast me a sidelong glance—her eyes shimmering with undisguised victory.

I stared back at Beckett, stunned at how easily the man who once swore eternal devotion had transformed into a stranger the second she returned. Had every vow spoken on our wedding day meant absolutely nothing?

I drew in a long breath, steady and controlled.

“No,” I said quietly. “I won’t apologize. And Beckett… you’ve truly shown me who you are.”

Then I turned my back on them both—and walked away.

Chapter 3

The moment I turned my back on them, Don Beckett’s expression instantly darkened. For a split second, true alarm flickered in his eyes. He even took a step in my direction—as if something inside him had panicked.

But Delaney chose that moment to clutch her stomach and cry out in pain.

“Beckett… it hurts…” she whimpered weakly, then forced out a trembling smile soaked in false generosity. “But Evelyn matters more. You should run after her.”

Beckett hesitated—only briefly—before shaking his head with finality.

“No,” he said flatly. “Forget about her. Your condition comes first right now.”

He cast a glance down the empty hallway in the direction I had disappeared and muttered impatiently,

“She’s just throwing a fit. Eight months pregnant and emotional—of course she’s scared of being divorced. I’ll deal with her later.”

Then, without another thought spared for me, he lifted Delaney into his arms and carried her straight into the hospital room—like she was the only woman that mattered.

When I returned to the Shaw estate, I stood frozen outside the gates for a long while, staring up at the mansion that was once supposed to be my home. Since Delaney’s return to the city, Don Beckett had barely set foot inside. The warmth that once lived within those walls had long since vanished.

I stepped inside, walked straight to the wall, removed our wedding portrait, and dropped it mercilessly into the trash.

I wanted no trace of myself left behind. Not a single illusion. Not one memory of the woman I used to be.

Every couple item—our shared belongings, photos, gifts, mementos—I gathered them all and shoved them into a large trash bag. I was already making my way down the staircase when the front door abruptly swung open.

Don Beckett entered, carrying Delaney in his arms.

The moment his eyes landed on me standing silently near the door, guilt flashed across his face—gone as quickly as it appeared.

“She felt unwell after what happened earlier,” he said, as if that single sentence justified everything.

“Unwell?” I scoffed sharply. “Then why isn’t she lying in a hospital bed? Why bring her here? Do you take this house for a refuge for your mistress?”

“Mind your mouth, Evelyn,” he snapped coldly. “I’m trying to handle this situation. Whether you like it or not, Delaney will be staying here.”

Delaney lifted her hand and placed it tenderly over her belly, her voice soft but deliberate.

“It’s true. There’s nothing improper between Beckett and me. I’m only here for the baby’s sake.”

Every word was chosen to provoke me.

The fire in my chest surged violently. I locked eyes with Beckett and said with unwavering force,

“This is our home, Don Beckett. I refuse to let her live here.”

For a moment, he hesitated—conflict tightening his features.

Then Delaney reached out, grasped his hand, and pressed it gently onto her stomach.

That single gesture shattered every trace of doubt in him.

When he looked back at me, irritation had fully taken over his face.

“That’s enough,” he barked. “You’re pregnant too—how can you be so heartless?”

“You shoved her,” he continued sharply. “I’m only making sure she and the baby are safe. If you can’t tolerate her presence… then perhaps you are the one who should leave.”

Those words struck harder than any slap.

I stared at him in disbelief as the blood drained from my face. My entire body shook—not from fear, but from the unbearable weight of his decision.

Then I spoke, slow and steady.

“As you wish.”

Tonight would be the final night I ever spent under this roof. After this, I would disappear from his world completely—and Don Beckett Shaw would become nothing more than a closed chapter in my life.

With my decision sealed, I tightened my grip on the trash bag and walked straight out the door.

Behind me, Delaney’s voice floated after us, drenched in feigned concern.

“Don’t argue because of me, Beckett. Look at her—she’s so angry she even threw away your wedding photo.”

Beckett’s voice rumbled with annoyance.

“She’s just acting out. Once she understands I won’t indulge her games, she’ll come crawling back.”

A single tear slipped silently down my cheek.

I stepped into the cold night air and dumped the trash into the bin—along with the last remaining pieces of love I had ever held for that man.

Chapter 4

The moment I pushed the door open, the sound drifting from the nursery made my blood ignite.

That room had been rebuilt brick by brick the instant Don Beckett learned I was expecting. No expense had ever been spared. Imported furniture. Hand-stitched bedding. Shelves lined with rare toys. Every detail had been chosen by his own hands. That space was meant for our child.

And now… he intended to hand it over to Delaney.

The fury hit me so hard it stole the air from my lungs. I rushed down the corridor and threw the nursery door wide open—only to find Delaney stretched comfortably inside the crib itself, as if she already owned it.

Before logic could catch up to my rage, I dragged her up by the arm. My hands were shaking with uncontrolled anger. But before a single word escaped me, Don Beckett seized my wrist and wrenched me backward.

“What is wrong with you?” he barked. “You walk in here acting unhinged like you’ve lost your mind.”

Then he noticed the tears streaking down my face. His grip faltered—just barely.

My voice cracked as I looked at the room behind her.

“So this is it?” I asked raspily. “You’re really giving her this nursery?”

Beckett’s brows knit together.

“She said she liked it,” he answered flatly. “It won’t kill you to let her stay here for a short while.”

“Do you even remember—”

“Enough, Evelyn!” he snapped harshly, cutting me off mid-sentence. “Every move you’ve made these past days has been nothing but trouble. If you keep behaving this way, I’ll be forced to reconsider this marriage altogether.”

His gaze hardened into pure ice.

“You wouldn’t want your child to come into the world without a father, would you?”

The threat was unmistakable.

He wasn’t warning me.

He was forcing me.

I looked at his face—the familiar angle he always turned away when he was finished crushing me—and felt years of memories unravel in an instant. The vows. The promises. The quiet confessions meant only for the dark. All of it burned away in a matter of months.

He once swore that this room would belong to our child forever.

He once promised that both the baby and I would be protected for life.

And yet here we stood.

I didn’t argue anymore.

I simply turned and walked out.

My legs felt hollow beneath me as my palm instinctively covered my belly, feeling the faint, living movement inside.

“It’s alright, sweetheart,” I whispered softly. “We don’t need that room anymore. I’ll build you a better one. Far away from here.”

Behind me, Don Beckett stood motionless. For a fleeting instant, that same shard of guilt from the hospital crossed his face again—sharp, fleeting, and quickly buried.

Then Delaney called his name from the nursery.

And just like that, he turned back to her.

Later that night, alone in the master bedroom, my phone buzzed.

One message.

Then another.

Then several more.

They were all voice recordings—from Delaney.

I played them one by one. And as Beckett’s gentle, indulgent tone filled the room, the truth settled into my bones with crushing clarity.

Everything he had ever shown me… had been rehearsal.

He had practiced tenderness on me.

He had practiced becoming a father on my body and my unborn child.

All of it was preparation—for Delaney’s baby.

Every nourishing soup he once urged me to drink.

Every expensive gift sent for my pregnancy.

Every soft-spoken piece of advice he shared about raising a child.

Practice.

All of it.

Even the nursery itself—the room I had believed was sacred—had been designed, not for my baby… but for hers.

I realized then that my child and I had never been more than training material. He didn’t want Delaney to suffer through his learning mistakes. So he used me instead.

I replayed the messages again. And again.

The ache inside my chest grew until it swelled into something unbearable—until a laugh tore out of my throat.

Not because it was funny.

But because the pain had nowhere left to go.

Everything I had cherished since the day I learned I was pregnant… every bit of pride, every fragile hope… it had all been a lie.

Beckett’s affection toward my child had never once matched the devotion he poured into Delaney and the life inside her.

My fingers crushed around my phone until my hand trembled. Breathing became difficult. The only thing I could do was whisper, again and again:

“It’s okay… it’s okay… it’s okay…”

Because soon—we would be free.

It would just be me and the baby.

And we would survive.

As if understanding, my baby kicked gently.

I wrapped both arms around my stomach and held tight.

I stayed that way for a long time—until the shaking stopped… and I could finally breathe again.

Chapter 5

From the moment Delaney took up residence inside the Shaw estate, Don Beckett became her shadow. Wherever she went, he followed. Whatever she needed, he provided.

As for me?

The second the truth became undeniable, I stopped waiting for anything from him.

Late one night, I went downstairs for a glass of water. As I passed the guest wing, Delaney’s voice floated through a door left slightly ajar.

“Beckett,” she murmured sweetly, “I heard the Saint Christopher medal your family protects works wonders. The baby keeps me awake every night… could I wear it for a while?”

That medallion was not ordinary jewelry.

It was a Shaw bloodline relic—proof of legitimacy. A symbol that declared who truly held the title of Mrs. Shaw.

On the night of our wedding, Beckett himself had fastened it around my neck. He told me then that it would belong to me for life. That there would never be another woman who carried that title.

His voice pulled me back to the present.

Through the narrow opening, I watched him lean down and brush his lips against Delaney’s cheek, smiling with indulgent warmth.

“Of course,” he said gently. “I’ll get it from her. You can wear it however long you like—at least until the baby arrives.”

The pain that stabbed through my chest was sharp and immediate.

I couldn’t even remember the exact words he had once sworn to me anymore. But it didn’t matter. Because he clearly didn’t remember them either.

I took a step back—but the floor betrayed me with a soft creak.

The door opened.

Beckett came out and found me standing there. Surprise flickered across his face… followed quickly by guilt. He gently closed the door behind him and guided me farther down the corridor.

“Evelyn…” he said cautiously. “You heard that, didn’t you?”

I remained silent.

After a brief pause, he continued, carefully choosing his words.

“Delaney hasn’t been able to sleep well. Could you let her use the medal for a little while?”

I gave a slow nod—but at that exact moment, a sharp pain twisted through my side. I winced and forced it down.

“I’ll give it to her,” I said quietly. “But only if you agree to one condition.”

His face brightened instantly, as if I had just granted him absolution. He stepped toward me, arms ready to pull me into an embrace—but I stepped back before he could touch me.

Delaney’s fragrance clung to him.

It made my stomach churn.

“I knew you’d understand eventually,” he said with visible relief. “Once Delaney gives birth, I’ll return it to you. Don’t overthink it—your position in the Shaw family is secure.”

So he hadn’t forgotten what the medal symbolized.

“I don’t care whether she gives it back or not,” I replied calmly. “I just need you to sign something first.”

Then I turned and went upstairs.

A moment later, I returned with the divorce papers already opened to the page highlighted for his name.

“There’s no need to upset yourself like this,” he said softly, mistaking everything. “Delaney won’t keep it forever. Like I promised—I’ll hand it back after the baby is born.”

Without reading a single line, he signed.

The instant I held the finalized papers in my hands, the storm inside me faded into silence. I never imagined it would be this simple.

Beckett smiled faintly.

“I know I’ve neglected you these past months. Go buy whatever you want. I’ll cover everything.”

So that was why he signed so easily.

He thought I was just bargaining for money.

Without another word, I unclasped the medal from around my neck and placed it into his palm.

For a moment, he hesitated. Then his fingers slowly closed around it.

“Don’t worry,” he said again, as if needing to reassure himself. “Once the baby’s born, it’ll be yours again.”

“It doesn’t matter anymore,” I replied flatly. “Let her wear it as long as she wants.”

Moved by emotion, he pulled me into a sudden embrace. I pushed him away at once, but he didn’t seem to mind. He turned immediately and headed straight back into Delaney’s room.

A heartbeat later, her delighted laughter rang through the hallway.

I stayed where I was, standing silently by the window.

Tomorrow… I would leave.

And this time—I wouldn’t look back.