Chapter 1

1.

Getting a room at the best maternity hospital in the city was almost impossible. It had taken everything I had to finally reach the top of the waitlist for a suite.

On the day I was admitted, my husband, Preston Barrett, brought along Millicent Finch, our pregnant nanny.

"Millicent's due soon too, and her husband's away and can't get back. She might as well share the room with us."

I froze. Cradling my belly, I looked around the private suite I'd only managed to get by burning through every connection I had, and asked.

"A private suite can't take an extra bed. Where do you expect Millicent to sleep?"

Millicent kept her head down and spoke timidly.

"Mrs. Barrett, I'm sorry to put you in a hard spot, but I'm doing this for my baby. I can just sleep out in the hall. I promise I won't disturb your rest."

Preston hurried to steady her and cut in.

"What do you mean, sleep in the hall? You'll sleep in the room, where it's comfortable and quiet."

I couldn't hold it in anymore.

"Preston, if Millicent gets the room, what about me? I'm eight months pregnant. Am I supposed to go sleep in the hall?"

Preston started getting impatient.

"Enough. This is a good deed we're doing. Listen to me. Millicent takes the bed, you make a spot on the floor next to her, and I'll manage a few nights sitting out in the hall."

"You're about to be a mother, and you're still this petty. Millicent's carrying a boy. Show a little generosity."

"If you keep being this small-minded every single day, this family's going to fall apart sooner or later."

To protect an outsider, he was willing to curse his own marriage.

I didn't say another word. I went straight to the hospital and had them change the emergency contact.

This VIP room was one I'd only landed by pulling strings through my own family.

Without my signature, no one was taking my bed. Every last one of them could get out of this hospital.

...

Seeing me go quiet, Preston assumed I'd caved. He patted my shoulder.

"That's more like it. I always have to lecture you before you'll listen."

"Oh, right. Where's that jar of premium nutritional supplements your friend brought back from overseas? Millicent hasn't had much of an appetite these past couple of days. Go get it for her."

I glared at him, furious.

"My friend went to a lot of trouble to track that down for my pregnancy. I'm drinking it myself."

Preston let out a scornful laugh.

"It's because it's hard to find that I want you to hand it over to Millicent. You do fine at home with a little creamy dessert soup, don't you? Do you really have to nickel-and-dime the nanny over something like this?"

He paused, then added.

"Go look in a mirror when you get the chance. You've gotten as fat as a pig, and you're still thinking about food."

I'd put on weight naturally from the pregnancy, and he was calling me a pig.

When he saw my face go pale with anger, his tone softened a fraction.

"I just say things straight, that's all. Don't take it to heart. Millicent had a miscarriage before. It wasn't easy for her to get pregnant again, so she needs some good food to build her strength."

"Can't you spare a thought for the baby in her belly? If you want the supplements, I'll buy some for you when I have time."

Because getting pregnant hadn't been easy for Millicent, she came first.

And because this was my first pregnancy, I was just supposed to make do with her leftovers.

Why should I?

"There's no need for 'later.' If Millicent wants the supplements, you go to the pharmacy and buy them for her right now. This bed is registered under my name. Who stays in this room is my call."

Preston's face darkened all at once.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

I looked at him. "You tell me what it means."

He gave a snort.

"Keep this up and..."

"You can't keep going like this, is that it? Then let's not."