Chapter 1

Five years after my husband’s vasectomy, I found a reservation confirmation for a luxury postpartum recovery retreat on his phone.

The mother’s name: Lacey Sterling.

How ironic.

She was my adoptive sister, the fake heiress who had been kicked out of our family years ago.

Seeing he could no longer hide it, Julian Vance laid his cards on the table.

"Lacey won't threaten your position, Serena. Once the baby is born, he will only call you Mom."

"If you agree to this, we can go on as we always have. I'll take you to Aspen for Christmas. If not... then we have no choice but to divorce."

Julian was absolutely certain I couldn't bear to leave him.

But before he could even finish his speech, I had already signed the divorce papers.

In my past life, I refused to let go. I spent my entire life fighting Lacey, got breast cancer from the sheer stress, and didn't even make it to thirty-five.

So in this life, I played along. I secretly slipped long-term contraceptives into Julian's food.

Yet, Lacey still got pregnant.

I almost laughed myself to death.

Julian, you wanted to take me to see the ocean? I hope you like drowning in your own lies.