Chapter 1

Noah Ashford was Thornbridge's most notorious heir. He was reckless, entitled, and uncontrollable. But for reasons no one could ever understand, he fell desperately in love with Isabelle Spencer, a powerless girl with no status or background. She had only been 15 years old when he discovered her wandering the streets, with no place to call home. From that day until she was 25 years old, he gave her nearly all the affection and tenderness he had to offer. Isabelle loved playing the violin, so he dropped all his responsibilities and accompanied her overseas to study music. Even when he lost more than 100 million dollars in stocks, he did not care. To prove how deeply he loved her, he sent her fleets of luxury gifts. He even live-streamed his proposal every single day for 999 consecutive days, just to win her hand. In order to marry her, Noah endured three days of harsh family punishment. He finally broke the social barriers of their prestigious family and gave her a wedding that felt like a dream. Isabelle was envied by everyone. However, that same Noah now made her kneel outside in the snow in nothing but a thin nightgown, all because of a woman he had only known for six months. He believed Isabelle had driven that woman to block his number and disappear without a word. Noah sat across from her while holding a wine glass and looking at her casually. "Darling, tell me. What did you say to Amber?" His gaze was colder than the snowstorm outside, yet his tone was unusually gentle. It was as if he were simply asking if she found the snowy view beautiful. Isabelle's body had gone numb from the cold. Her teeth chattered as she tried to speak. "Noah, I haven't even seen Amber," she said. Her voice was trembling. Noah looked at her and gave a slight smirk. "Darling, you're not being honest." He curled his finger, and a bodyguard stepped forward with a phone. Noah played a video. On the screen, Isabelle's critically ill younger brother was having his oxygen tube removed. His face turned purple from the lack of air, and his limbs twitched uncontrollably. Isabelle instantly burst into tears and clung to Noah's legs. "Noah, he is my only family. Please don't hurt him. Please believe me. I really didn't say anything. I don't know where she went." Noah leaned forward and gently wiped away her tears. "I remember telling you Amber is important to me as well. Now, be good. You have 50 seconds left. Your brother can only survive two minutes without oxygen," he said, tapping the screen impatiently. Isabelle shuddered violently. Her heart felt as if it had been struck hard. He had said Amber Scott was important, but she had never wanted to believe it. After all, he had loved her so deeply once. At that moment, Isabelle suddenly felt ridiculous. She had really believed she was irreplaceable in his eyes. In truth, she had only ever met Amber once. It was at an auction, where Amber had been working as a hostess. Amber blocked Isabelle as she tried to head to the lounge. She raised her chin defiantly and said, "Mrs. Ashford, I've told you—I don't like him. Your husband has already caused enough trouble in my life." That was when Isabelle realized who Noah's so-called "cute little thing" really was. It was Amber. Amber was born with weak vision in her left eye but possessed extraordinary artistic talent. She rose to fame online as a gifted young painter who overcame her disability with determination. Unlike others, Amber did not live-stream product sales. Instead, she worked part-time jobs and served at various high-society events. She was confident and radiant, instantly catching the eye of Noah, who was an investor. The more Amber rejected him, the more Noah pursued her. His relentless chase became the talk of the city. Isabelle confronted Noah that same day. He did not deny anything. He simply held her lightly and said, "It's just a game. All my friends have played it. I only wanted to see how much it would take to win her over. Don't worry, darling. I'm only playing with her. You are the one I love the most." Isabelle still asked, "What if I can't accept that?" Noah gently stroked her hair. Her pale face was reflected in his gentle eyes. "Darling, be good. You will always be my Mrs. Ashford." Isabelle was silent. She knew she had no right to refuse. She could only wait for Noah to give up, but instead, she learned they were officially together. Amber did not ask Noah for money. She accepted his pursuit only if they could date like an ordinary couple. Noah agreed without hesitation. He accompanied Amber on live streams while she painted, visited art galleries with her, took her to amusement parks, and even ate street food and junk food at her side. He brought her along to every public event. They were inseparable, and he posted sweet couple photos on social media like any ordinary boyfriend. Every time Isabelle saw them, it felt like her heart was being torn apart. She had cried, screamed, and even brought up divorce. However, he never took it seriously. All he said was, "Be good. I like my wife to behave. Stop making a scene." Isabelle forced herself to calm down. She tried to believe him, hoping he would eventually get bored and return to her. But now, Amber had suddenly blocked his number without warning. Not long ago, she had even mentioned meeting Isabelle. Isabelle knew perfectly well this was Amber making a statement, but she could not explain herself, and Noah refused to believe her. "Darling, aren't you going to say something? Your brother doesn't have much time left. Ten, nine, eight..." Noah threatened, leaning in closer. His breath was warm against her ear, yet she had never felt so cold. "I'll talk," she gasped. Her voice trembled as panic surged through her. She snapped out of her daze, feeling a sharp ache in her throat. For the first time, she lied to Noah. "I told her to leave you. I told her to stop clinging to you..." Her voice trembled as tears blurred her eyes. Her arms slowly slipped away from Noah's, falling limply to her sides. Noah looked down at her broken expression and gently stroked her ice-cold cheek as if to comfort her. "Darling, don't make decisions on your own again. Think about your brother." Isabelle's eyes went blank. She nodded mechanically as if something inside her had shattered. The pain surged through every inch of her body. Her legs gave out, and a wave of dizziness struck her like a blow. Her body crumpled to the floor, and as she collapsed, she felt a sudden warmth between her legs. At that moment, one of Noah's men rushed into the room and reported that they had found Amber. She was currently teaching a group of children with disabilities how to paint. The man glanced at Isabelle before adding, "But Mrs. Ashford told her not to see you anymore. She wants you to leave her alone." Noah's face lit up with joy. He completely ignored the second half of the report and immediately arranged a trending headline for Amber, praising her beauty and kindness. Isabelle lay crumpled on the floor, writhing in pain, but Noah didn't even look her way. "Noah, my stomach hurts..." Isabelle whispered through gritted teeth. She reached out toward his back as he walked away, but he disappeared from view without ever looking back. Once inside the car, Noah casually called Joe Bailey, the butler, and told him to lock Isabelle away somewhere quiet so she could think things over. Joe glanced at Isabelle, who had collapsed in the snow. There was a bright red pool beneath her. He quickly reported, "Mr. Ashford, I think Mrs. Ashford is having a miscarriage. She's bleeding heavily..." Noah's face instantly darkened. "She's pregnant? She's getting more and more out of control. That child should never have existed." Joe let out a heavy sigh. He didn't dare go against Noah's orders. Without another word, he carried Isabelle into the secluded room and locked the door. The pain jolted Isabelle awake. A sharp, tearing sensation in her lower abdomen wracked her nerves. She could feel the life inside her slipping away. She dragged herself to the door and began pounding on it with everything she had. "Let me out! Take me to the hospital! Noah, please save our baby! Someone, please!" After what felt like forever, only Joe's voice came from the other side of the door. "Mrs. Ashford, this child isn't part of Mr. Ashford's plans. Without his permission, no one can take you to the hospital. Please calm down and reflect on yourself." It felt like all the strength had drained from Isabelle's body in an instant. She thought of the look on Noah's face as he turned and walked away. Her heart caved in. She had only wanted a child who belonged to the two of them. But because he didn't want it, she had no right to carry one. All for the sake of his new lover, he had stopped caring whether she lived or died. Even while she was still carrying his child, he chose to lock her away without a second thought. Isabelle clutched her stomach. She wanted to cry, but no tears came. The pain was so suffocating that it left her gasping for breath. Each wave of agony dragged her closer to the edge. Her vision darkened, and her thoughts began to scatter. Just before she passed out, she whispered, "Noah, the baby's gone… and now, so am I."