Chapter 1

When I miscarried, the blood soaked into the seat of Luke Gilbert's car.

He shoved me out with disgust. "You can't even plan ahead for your own period. Disgusting."

That same night, the moment I got home, he tossed a pair of lacy, seductive panties at me.

"Hester Pruitt got hers dirty during her period. Go wash them."

I opened my phone and saw a post his childhood sweetheart had put up not long before.

"The second my period starts, my silly big brother gets more worked up than I do."

The photo showed Luke from behind, standing at the stove, simmering a bowl of brown sugar and peach gum soup.

Calmly, I dialed my boss.

"Give me the overseas project. I'll go."

...

"Are you sure? Once you're out there, it's a minimum three-year commitment."

"I'm sure."

I hung up just as Luke came out of the kitchen.

He was a good cook, though he rarely bothered.

"Who were you on the phone with?"

I didn't answer. I walked straight into the bedroom and found Hester lying in our marriage bed.

She saw me and let out a smug, coy little laugh.

"Alison Fox, this bed is just so comfortable. The second I lie down, my stomach barely hurts anymore."

"You won't mind, right?"

Luke walked in without so much as a glance at me. "Let Hester sleep here tonight. Just find another room."

For once, I didn't argue, didn't make a scene. I picked up my work laptop and left.

Behind me came Hester's pouting, honeyed voice. "Luke, that brown sugar peach gum soup you made is so good."

Luke laughed, indulgent. "If you like it, eat more."

This morning, I miscarried, and the blood soaked into the seat of Luke's car.

He assumed my period had come and threw me out of the car in disgust.

Cold and desperate, unable to get a cab, I fell in the pouring rain.

The doctor said, with real regret, that if only I'd come in sooner, the baby might have been saved.

I turned and walked into the study, opened the project lead consent form my boss had sent, and signed my name.

Luke went to the bathroom and found none of the bathwater I ran for him every night, ready and waiting.

Only then did he finally remember me.

He saw the cold, remote look on my face as I worked away in the study.

He turned to come in and see what had me so busy.

But he'd barely stepped inside when he heard Hester calling for him. The corner of his mouth lifted at once, and he went back to the room.

All night long, he didn't come out again.

The next morning.

I had just opened my door when I saw Luke coming out of the room where Hester was staying.

There was a moment of silence.

Then he offered his explanation. "Hester's stomach hurt all night. She needed someone to look after her."

I answered calmly. "I see."

I walked right past him and went to the kitchen.

Luke frowned and followed. "Alison, let me tell you something. When Hester gets up in a bit, drop this cold act of yours."

"She's naturally sweet and innocent. Don't put any weight on her mind!"

Ever since Hester came back to the country, we'd fought more times than I could count.

Every time I voiced a perfectly normal emotional need, all he worried about was adding stress to Hester's mind.

Now, I truly didn't care anymore.

I took out my phone and set it in front of him. "Don't worry. With you around, your dear little Hester won't have anything weighing on her mind."

On the screen was Hester's post from late that night.

"My silly big brother knew my stomach hurt, so he warmed his palm and kept it on my belly all night. Poor thing, he worked so hard."

The photo showed Luke asleep beside her, his big hand resting on her lower stomach.

Luke choked on his words, mouth open, trying to explain something.