Chapter 1

The day my husband's mistress showed up at my door, I was three months pregnant.

She threw a stack of photos in my face, smiling like a sweet little snake.

"Honey, what's the point of being Mrs. Sterling?"

"Adrian's going to divorce you. It's only a matter of time."

"And that baby? It's just something he's using to keep his parents happy."

I was shaking with rage. We got into it, and she shoved me down the stairs.

As the blood spread out beneath me, I heard her call Adrian in a panic.

"Babe, I didn't mean to! She just lost her balance—"

He was quiet for a second. Then he said,

"Don't panic. I'll clean this up."

Now I open my eyes, and I'm back. Back on the day she shows up.

I look down at my still-flat stomach. My fingers slowly curl into fists.

Then I call my mother-in-law.

"Mom, I'm not feeling great today."

"Could you come keep me company?"

——

Mom gets here fast.

Half an hour later, the doorbell rings.

Catherine Sterling is standing on my porch with a tote bag full of food containers.

She takes really good care of herself. She's in her fifties, but she could easily pass for late thirties.

When we stand side by side, people think we're sisters, not mother- and daughter-in-law.

She grabs my hand the second she sees me. Then she looks around, sees no one but the housekeeper, and frowns.

"Where's Adrian?"

"Something came up at work. He left early."

Her face goes cold.

"You're three months pregnant, and he's too busy to stay home with you?"

I don't make excuses for him.

In my last life, I always did. I believed every single word he said.

Not until a woman named Sienna Blake threw those photos in my face did I learn the truth.

"Busy" meant buying her jewelry. Watching her try on dresses. Spending nights with her at our lake house upstate.

I help Mom sit down.

"Don't be mad, Mom. He's busy. I get it."

She opens one of the containers.

"You're too understanding for your own good."

"Being pregnant is the hardest thing a woman goes through. A man who won't take care of his pregnant wife doesn't deserve to be called a husband."

Then she calls Adrian.

"What is wrong with you? Your wife is pregnant, and you couldn't care less?"

"You're coming home early today. I mean it."

Adrian has no choice but to say yes. A minute later, my phone lights up with his texts.

Seriously, Lena? Can you stop stirring up drama?

Running to my mom is all you know how to do.

I'm WORKING. Quit making my life harder.

I read the messages and leave him on read.

I just let out a cold laugh.

Mom pours a bowl of soup and hands it to me.

"Chicken soup. I made it this morning. Drink it while it's warm."

I take the bowl, and my eyes sting.

Ever since I married into the Sterling family, Mom has been so good to me.

She knows nobody ever cared about me growing up. Every holiday, she picks out my gifts herself.

When she found out I was pregnant, she was so happy she didn't sleep all night. The next morning, she called Adrian over to the family estate and sat him down for a long talk about taking care of me.

After lunch, she tells me to go upstairs and take a nap. I don't argue.

In my room, I open the security camera app on my phone.

2:17 p.m.

The doorbell rings.

Mom is in the living room, flipping through a magazine.

Linda, our housekeeper, goes to answer it.

On the screen, Sienna Blake is standing at the door.

"Can I help you?" Linda asks.

Sienna takes off her sunglasses and peers inside.

"I'm here to see Lena."

Mom hears her voice and walks over.

The moment Sienna sees her, she freezes.

She probably didn't expect "Mrs. Sterling" to be this young and this gorgeous.

But a second later, the hatred in her eyes gets even worse.

She looks Mom up and down and snorts.

"So you're Lena?"

Mom frowns.

"Who are you?"

Sienna shoulders past Linda, her heels clicking against the floor.

"Who am I? Why don't you ask Adrian?"

Mom's face changes.