Chapter 1

"Congratulations, Ms. Lovelace. Your blood test results show that you're seven weeks pregnant. Make sure to get plenty of rest and eat nutritious meals. Also, do remember to take your folic acid, and come in for regular checkups." Sara Lovelace took in the doctor's words, her hands instinctively moving to her abdomen. It was hard to believe that a tiny life was growing inside her. She'd been feeling queasy lately, with no appetite and waves of nausea coming and going. She had thought it was just a stomach bug and had come to the hospital expecting a prescription. Pregnancy hadn't even crossed her mind. As Sara clutched the test results, she stepped out of the hospital, uncertain of whether or not to tell Spencer Tiernan the news. She pulled out her phone and opened his profile—the one etched into her heart—then closed it, only to open it again. Back and forth she went, unable to make up her mind. Finally, she sat on a bench by a flowerbed near the hospital entrance. Three years ago, Sara's grandfather, Neil Lovelace—the only family she had left—fell seriously ill. She'd brought him to the city for treatment, where they'd met another elderly man at the hospital. It turned out that Neil and the elderly man, Oswin Tiernan, had been comrades-in-arms, and Neil had once saved Oswin's life. Oswin was also Spencer's grandfather. Neil and Oswin's reunion was deeply emotional after decades of lost contact. However, by then, Neil's condition had worsened, and with Sara's future on his mind, he'd entrusted her to Oswin's care. The moment Oswin saw Sara, he decided that she would be his granddaughter-in-law. So, he quickly pressured Spencer into marrying her, and Neil passed away not long after their rushed marriage. Oswin had asked Sara if she would marry Spencer at the time. She'd softly nodded, her cheeks flushed. Sara did like Spencer, though she wasn't sure when it had started. Maybe it was during their first meeting at the hospital when he'd pushed open the ward door. Sunlight had streamed through the window behind him, illuminating his sculpted features. His striking eyes were sharp yet mesmerizing. Needless to say, he was absolutely breathtaking. Sara assumed that Spencer had married her of his own accord. But only later did she learn he had only agreed under Oswin's pressure. In reality, Sara and Spencer's marriage was nothing more than a contractual arrangement. Three years ago, the night before their marriage registration, he handed her an agreement to sign. "Grandpa made quite a scene just to force me to marry you. Since you seem desperate for it, I'll give you the title of Mrs. Tiernan, but that's it. Nothing more. We'll divorce in three years." The agreement spelled out the terms—they would split after three years, and having kids was off the table. Sara would also receive the shared villa along with a generous divorce settlement. Sara realized that she was the only one who had truly wanted the marriage when she saw the agreement. She didn't read the terms. She couldn't bear to let Spencer see how she really felt or humiliate herself further. Quickly, she signed her name and handed it back to him. The next day, they got their marriage certificates without a wedding. "Sara, I'm sorry you have to go through this. We'll have to postpone the wedding ceremony for now," Oswin told her. Spencer had agreed to the marriage but refused to consider a wedding. It left Sara feeling wounded. "It's alright, Grandpa. I understand," she'd said softly. After marrying, they moved into Spencer's private villa. Since Spencer didn't like having outsiders around, they decided not to hire a maid. Left without a job, Sara spent her days cooking at home and waiting for Spencer to return, though he rarely did. More often than not, she ate alone. The first year passed without any real problems. They slept in separate rooms and only saw each other on weekends when visiting the Tiernan residence for dinner. Spencer's parents had died in a plane crash when he was young. It left Oswin with a grief so overwhelming that it'd nearly broke him. At the time, Spencer had just started middle school and was old enough to understand the loss. Soon, his once cheerful nature faded into silence from then on. Even so, it was Spencer who gave Oswin the strength to keep going. Oswin had raised the boy alone, and Spencer proved himself worthy and eventually built a successful company after graduation. It was an achievement that made Oswin incredibly proud. As the company's CEO, Spencer was constantly busy. So, Sara often visited Oswin to keep him company. She couldn't help but feel the same warmth around him that she'd once felt with Neil. The change between them likely began about a year into their marriage. One night, Spencer had come home very late, completely drunk. Sara had rushed to steady him when the driver helped him inside. Together, they brought Spencer to the master bedroom—the room Sara had been sleeping alone in. She couldn't risk revealing the truth about their arrangement with the driver still around. After settling Spencer on the bed, the driver left. Sara then carefully unbuttoned his clothes. However, a sudden warmth rose to her cheeks as Spencer's chest was gradually exposed. Sara was about to leave when his hand caught hers as she stood up. Having lost her balance, she fell onto him. "Don't leave me," Spencer murmured while holding her tightly. Sara froze, unsure of how to respond. Suddenly, Spencer rolled over and pinned her beneath him. His glassy eyes lingered on her face for several seconds. His usually sharp features appeared almost boyish, as if softened by the alcohol. Then, he kissed her without warning. Sara's mind went blank as she surrendered to his touch. … The next morning, Sara woke up early, dreading the awkwardness of facing Spencer. She pushed aside the discomfort, showered, and made breakfast before he emerged from the bedroom. "Last night—" he started. "Breakfast is ready," Sara quickly interrupted, unwilling to hear whatever painful words might follow. She already knew it had been nothing more than a mistake. With that, they ate together in silence. "You should get emergency contraception later," Spencer finally said. Sara looked up. "We can't risk a pregnancy," he added, unusually direct. "I know. I'll handle it." Sara's heart ached, but she managed a faint smile. From that day on, something changed between them. They went from strangers sharing a roof to something resembling a real married couple, though love remained absent. They began sharing a bedroom, sleeping in the same bed to maintain the appearance of a normal marriage. However, their intimacy was limited to those nights when Spencer came home late. He would slip into bed and pull Sara into his arms from behind. Later on, Spencer began sending WhatsApp messages to let Sara know whether he'd be home for dinner. Their visits to the Tiernan residence increased in frequency too. Oswin was growing older, and he naturally longed for a great-grandchild. He asked increasingly persistent questions about when they would have children, especially as their third wedding anniversary approached. Just then, the ping of a WhatsApp notification snapped Sara from her thoughts. "I won't be home for dinner." The message came from Spencer. "Alright," Sara replied by text. Then, upon remembering his sensitive stomach, she added, "Try not to drink too much." No reply followed. Sara still couldn't bring herself to tell Spencer about the pregnancy. Their relationship had grown closer over the past two years, but she knew the truth—he'd never once said he loved her, because he didn't. This left Sara with countless uncertainties, but one certainty remained—she would keep the child. With Spencer away for the night, she decided to visit the Tiernan residence to see Oswin. She hadn't been able to visit ever since she'd started feeling unwell.