Chapter 1

On my fourth IVF cycle, I finally got pregnant.

Ethan was more excited than I was. Every day, he made me organic soups, tracked my blood pressure, and wouldn't even let me walk down the stairs without holding my arm.

I thought he had finally changed.

But during my prenatal checkup, the lead OB-GYN asked me a question that made my blood run cold.

"Mrs. Miller, you signed the embryo donor consent form, correct?"

"Yes," I replied.

She hesitated. "Then... are you aware that this embryo's paternal blood type does not match Ethan’s?"

I didn't understand.

She put it in plain English. "The child you are carrying has a different biological father. It is highly unlikely to be your husband’s."

I thought the lab had made a mistake.

But when I went home and confronted Ethan, he stayed silent for a long time. Then, he looked at me and said calmly:

"The embryo belongs to a friend of mine. His wife is infertile, and I promised to help him."

"Your uterus has the best medical indicators. You had the highest success rate."

"Don't worry. Once the baby is born, they will give us a massive payout. It's enough for us to—"

I didn't let him finish.

I stared at the ultrasound photo on the coffee table. The tiny, seven-week-old dot was still flickering with a heartbeat.

This child should never have been created.

But the one who deserved to disappear from this world was Ethan.