Chapter 1

After five years of a secret relationship,Cory Brantley unexpectedly found herself pregnant.To her shock,Marius Braithwaite—the cold and distant heir to a powerful family in Lincoln and her childhood friend—dropped on one knee and proposed to her.

She was overjoyed,convinced that her years of love for him had finally been reciprocated!

But eight months into her pregnancy,she caught him in the company underground parking lot—tangled up with his secretary in the backseat of a car.

His familiar voice,hoarse with desire,uttered words that sent her straight into an icy abyss.

“Once she gives birth,I’ll divorce her and marry you.You know you’re the only one I’ve ever truly wanted to spend my life with.”

It turned out Marius’s ex-girlfriend had broken up with him due to a congenital condition that left her unable to bear a child.Desperate for an heir,he had turned to Cory—his childhood friend who had faithfully loved him for years—to use her womb and fulfill his duty.

She had thought that ten years of devotion would be enough to melt a heart of stone.Little did she know,she was nothing more than a surrogate in his eyes.

At this moment,Cory,who had woken up from the deception,made two decisions.

First,Marius wanted to use her to have a child,but she wasn’t going to give him what he wanted.She would take the heir and leave the father behind!

Second,remarry another man who had been waiting for her for a long time.

She dialed a number.

“I’ve decided to leave Marius for good,”she began,her voice calm and cold.“You once told me you’d wait for me no matter how long it took.Now,are you willing to be the stepfather of my child?”

“Of course.It would be my honor.”

...

One month later,when Marius finally learned the truth,he was driven to madness—falling to his knees,begging Cory to come home with their child!

——

Eight months into her pregnancy,Cory caught her husband having an affair with the secretary in the company’s underground parking lot.

“Babe…slower…”

Jenelle McVicker’s breathy groans went on as Marius leaned back in his seat,one hand still resting on her thigh,his breathing heavy.

“Once Cory gives birth,I’ll divorce her and marry you,alright?”he promised.

“You’re the one I’ve always wanted to spend my life with,you know.Cory?”He scoffed.“She just got the suitable womb.”

“If only I could have children…”Jenelle said,full of regret.“I wouldn’t have had to push you toward another woman just to carry on your family line.”

She leaned into him,her voice sweet yet vicious underneath.

“But what if I don’t want to raise someone else’s child?”she asked.

“Don’t worry.The child’s just a means to an end.Once it’s born,I’ll send it off to my parents,”Marius answered.

After hearing that,Cory’s nails dug so hard into her palms that they drew blood trickling between her fingers.

Jenelle was Marius’s ex,the one he had once loved so passionately in college.

It turned out,they had never truly ended things.Right under Cory’s nose,they had picked up right where they left off.

At that moment,she saw everything clearly.

Marius never loved her.

He only wanted her womb—a tool to make sure the Braithwaites’bloodline lived on!

With shaking hands,Cory lowered her head,pulled out her phone,pressed record,and captured everything.

She didn’t confront them just yet.

After all,the baby was almost due.And she refused to let her child become a pawn in the Braithwaites’s game.

If Marius wanted to play dirty,Cory would beat him at it.

She would use his infidelity to strip him of any right to fight for custody!

He had never seen her as a wife,anyway—only as a surrogate.

But she refused to let things go his way.

She would take the child and leave the father behind!

The friendship they once shared as kids?She’d pretend it never existed.

Later that afternoon,as she exited the building after sending some documents,she spotted Jenelle waiting at the door,clutching a cup of water.

“Vice President Brantley.”Jenelle greeted her loudly as she walked past.

Cory stopped,looking at the secretary indifferently.“Do you need something?”

“Not really,”Jenelle replied.“Just wanted to remind you—women shouldn’t be too greedy.You’ve already got the position,and now you want love too?How ridiculous!”

She curled her lips and lowered her voice.“You think having a child can tie a man down?”

Cory frowned and was about to respond when Jenelle suddenly raised her hand and slapped herself hard.

“Ah!”

She collapsed at Cory’s feet,spilling water across the floor.

“VP!Why did you suddenly hit me?I was just worried about your pregnancy and wanted to say a few more words!How could you call me cheap and slap me like that?!”

Her cheek turned visibly red and swollen.

Cory’s expression turned cold,and before she could clarify things,heavy footsteps echoed through the hall.

Marius stormed in,his face thunderous.He rushed to Jenelle’s side and helped her up.

“Jenelle!Are you okay?”he asked,his worry evident in his tone.

When he saw the red mark on her face,his expression turned even more terrifying.

Jenelle bit her lip,covering her face and shaking her head.“I’m fine…Don’t blame the VP.She’s just emotional because of the pregnancy.I understand.”

“I didn’t—”Cory tried to explain.

“Shut up!”Marius’s voice lashed like a whip.

“You’re eight months pregnant.What are you even doing here?”he yelled.“Do you think being pregnant means everyone has to treat you like royalty?!Jenelle’s not in a good condition.If anything happens to her,can you take responsibility,huh?”

He protected Jenelle so naturally it sent a chill through Cory.

She stared at him,her face draining of color.

Suddenly,a wave of nausea rose in her throat,forcing her to bolt for the restroom.

Inside,she covered her mouth and dry-heaved for a long time.

Tears and stomach acid poured out together,leaving her too weak to stand.

Just then,the door clicked open.

In the mirror,she saw Marius walk in.

“Cory,”he said gently.“I didn’t mean to raise my voice earlier.But there were staff watching,and you know how it was—we cannot let anyone here suspect we are married.”

He moved closer,reaching out as if to comfort her.

“I know you’re upset.But you did scare Jenelle earlier.Her body isn’t in a great condition,so please,don’t let this happen again,okay?”

“Understood,President Braithwaite.”

He stiffened,not expecting her to address him that way.

She’d always clung to him,calling him“babe,”or“hubby.”

But now,those two words—President Braithwaite—landed between them like glaciers.

He stood stunned,wanting to coax her.But at that moment,some employees’chatter outside snapped him back to reality.

He instantly let go of her hand,his face hardening as he stepped away.

“Vice President Brantley,”he said too formally,“be mindful of where you are.You are in a workplace,not your home.”

His tone was as sharp as a blade as he went on to say,“You can act sweet to your husband,but not to me.Go home and focus on your pregnancy!”

With that,he turned and left in a hurry,afraid anyone would trace intimacy between them.

Cory stood frozen in place.

Marius had never once told anyone that Cory was his wife.

Even though they had been together for five whole years,in the eyes of outsiders,he was still that noble and aloof heir of the Braithwaites—calm,composed,and untouchable—always appearing in public as a single man.

Cory was disappointed,of course.But she never pushed for him to make things official in public.To her,simply being by his side was enough to make her happy.

She had loved him ever since that day,as a child,when he risked his life to shield her from a kidnapper and brought her home.

From then until just moments ago,her feelings had never once wavered.

The two of them had grown up almost inseparably until after the SATs.

She went abroad for university while he stayed in Nebraska.

What she didn’t know back then was that,during those years,Marius had fallen into a passionate love with Jenelle.

All she knew was that the moment she came back,the man she loved greeted her at the airport with a bouquet in his arms and a confession on his lips.

“Cory,let’s be together.”

She’d said yes,dizzy with happiness—only to later realize that Marius probably never truly loved her.

Still,she didn’t give up.She believed that as long as she was good enough,someday,he’d come to love her the way she loved him.

But she was wrong—so terribly,painfully wrong.

That was the moment she stepped right into the abyss.

She had been in a secret relationship for five years,always waiting for the day he’d finally acknowledge her.

But now,she was done waiting.

She wrapped her arms around her swollen belly—too heartbroken to even cry.

At this moment,Cory,who had woken up from the deception,made two decisions.

First,Marius wanted to use her to have a child,but she wasn’t going to give him what he wanted.She would take the heir and leave the father behind!

Second,remarry another man who had been waiting for her for a long time.

She dialed a number.

“I’ve decided to leave Marius for good,”she began,her voice calm and cold.“You once told me you’d wait for me no matter how long it took.Now,are you willing to be the stepfather of my child?”

“Of course.It would be my honor.When will we meet?”

"One week, just one week. I will finish everything here and leave completely. You can come and pick me up then."

In seven days, She’ll be gone and will never look back!