Chapter 1

Three years of trying, seven grueling rounds of egg retrieval, and I finally gave birth to a healthy baby.

But on our daughter's third birthday, I accidentally found a DNA test report hidden in the depths of my husband's closet.

The report showed that the egg didn't belong to me. It belonged to Melanie Carter—my husband's first love, his precious "one that got away."

I was nothing but a glorified surrogate for them.

That night, my husband, Julian, wrapped his arms around me from behind, his voice dripping with tenderness.

"Honey, you've been so exhausted lately looking after Lily. It just so happens that Melanie is free. Why not let her babysit for a few days so you can get some well-deserved rest?"

I violently shoved him away and slammed the DNA report right onto his chest.

"How much longer were you planning on keeping this from me?"

His warm smile instantly froze. He let out a long, helpless sigh.

"Melanie is a professional ballerina, Chloe. She couldn't afford to ruin her body by getting pregnant. Don't be so petty. Lily is still going to grow up calling you mom."

Looking at Julian's face, I felt a chilling sense of dread. He felt like a complete stranger.

We had been married for six years, and I genuinely believed I knew this man inside out.

He was my college senior—gentle, refined, and endlessly attentive.

When I underwent those seven agonizing rounds of egg retrieval, my back so sore I couldn't even stand straight, he had held me with teary eyes, swearing we would never try again if it hurt me this much.

When my morning sickness was so severe that I was hospitalized for dehydration, he stayed by my bedside all night, never once closing his eyes.

I thought that was true love.

But in the end, it was all a sick, calculated joke.

"Julian, say that again."

I stared straight into his eyes.

Julian frowned, reaching out to grab my hand.

"Chloe, calm down. Melanie was in a tough spot. She has dedicated her entire life to her dancing career. A pregnancy would have absolutely ruined her body."

"Just look at it as doing her a favor. Lily is still growing up by our side. She’s still your daughter."

I took a step back, dodging his touch.

"Doing her a favor? You mean to tell me that I spent three years being pumped with hormones, endured seven rounds of agonizing needle punctures, and almost died on the operating table just to carry a baby for your goddess?"

Julian’s expression darkened.

"Don't make it sound so ugly. What do you mean by 'goddess'? Melanie is just like a sister to me."

I let out a cold, sharp laugh.

A sister.

What a beautiful word to hide a mistress behind.

"A sister? So you lent her your sperm to make a baby?" My voice shook as I tried to suppress my raging fury. "So you just saw me as an incubator?"

"I never saw you as a tool!"

Julian’s voice raised, defensive. "Have I not been good to you? Have I ever denied you anything you wanted? When your family's business was on the brink of collapse, I didn't hesitate to write a million-dollar check to bail them out. When your mother got sick, I flew in the best specialists in the country. Have you forgotten all of that?"

I stared at him, feeling as though a dagger had been driven straight through my chest.

Yes, he had been good to me.

But all of that kindness was built on a foundation of cruel manipulation.

"Julian, I’m going to ask you one thing. Give me an honest answer."

He fell silent for a few seconds, then nodded slowly.

"When you pursued me in college, was it because you actually loved me? Or was it because you targeted my healthy womb?"

Julian froze.

He didn't answer immediately.

And that brief, agonizing silence gave me all the answer I needed.

A wave of intense nausea washed over me.

This man had been put on a masterclass performance for six long years.

Every warm embrace, every passionate kiss, every sweet promise—it was all a trap to trick me into birthing a child for him and his precious Melanie.

"Chloe, I admit I had my own selfish reasons at the very beginning, but my feelings for you later on became genuine—"

"Save it."

I cut him off, unable to listen to another word of his lies.

Genuine?

How much was his "genuine" love even worth?

I turned on my heel and walked toward the door.

Julian shouted behind me, "Where do you think you're going?"

I didn't answer.

"Chloe Vance, stop right there!"

He chased after me, grabbing my wrist with a grip so tight my bones ached.

I whipped around, glaring at him. "Let go of me."

"You are not leaving. We are not done talking."

"There is nothing left to say. I want a divorce."

Julian was stunned.

Clearly, he never expected me to utter those words.

"Are you out of your mind? A divorce? What about Lily?"

"She is your child, yours and Melanie's. What does she have to do with me?"

I violently shook off his grip. "The egg belongs to Melanie anyway. I was just the surrogate. Lily doesn't share a single drop of my blood. Go enjoy your perfect little family of three."

Julian’s face went completely black.

"Chloe, can you be reasonable for once? I admitted I was wrong, and I've confessed everything to you. What more do you want?"

Looking at his self-righteous face, I shook with pure rage.

He actually had the audacity to ask me what more I wanted?

He swapped my eggs with another woman's, let me suffer through three years of physical torment, and now he thought a cheap "I'm sorry" could just sweep it all under the rug?

"Julian, do you honestly think I'm a pushover?"

"No, I don't..."

"Listen closely. I am divorcing you. You two can keep the kid. I don't want a single dime from you. I only pray that I never have to see either of your disgusting faces ever again."

With that, I shoved him out of my way and stormed out of the bedroom.

A loud crash echoed behind me.

Julian had punched the drywall.

"Chloe Vance! If you walk out that door, don't you dare come back!" he roared.

I didn't look back. I packed a single bag and drove away from that godforsaken mansion in the dead of night.