Chapter 1
The day I found out that my heart disease diagnosis was a mistake. It was one of the best days of my life. I was practically bursting with joy as I rushed to find Sean.
But what did I find instead?
He was walking down the hall with his little secretary on their way to her prenatal checkup.
As they walked by, I overheard her soft mocking laugh.
“What if your wife finds out I’m pregnant? What if she gets so upset that she tries to
kill herself?”
Sean gently rubbed her pregnant belly, his face unreadable. “Who told her to have
heart disease?” he said, his tone calm. “The doctors said if she has the baby, it’ll be hereditary. I can’t let the family line end,
can I?”
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Then, he leaned closer to her, whispering, “Besides, if neither of us says anything, how will she ever know?”
I froze. Our eyes locked, and the color drained from his face.
“M–Michelle,” he stammered, “don‘ t misunderstand. She’s Grayson
Bradford’s girlfriend. He was too busy to come, so I came instead.”
I didn’t flinch. I didn‘ t even blink.
Instead, I pulled out my phone and dialed Grayson’s number. “Grayson, do you have other ‘girlfriends‘ besides me? Don’t you dare lie to me I swear, God is my witness!”
I could almost hear his smirk on the other end of the line. “Looks like someone’s using me as a shield again, huh?” he said lightly, almost teasing.
Then his voice dropped a notch, a mischievous tone creeping in. “Baby, I’ve
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booked us a hotel room. Your husband got another woman pregnant. How about I help you take revenge on him?”
Grayson Bradford–Sean‘ s best friend- had been interested in me for a while.
Normally, I would‘ ve been furious, blocking him immediately for talking like that. ‘How can you say that? Do you have no respect for Sean? I’m his wife!”
But this time? I didn’t.
Instead, I smiled and said, my voice steady, “Give me the room number.”
There was a brief pause on the other end, and I could practically feel Grayson’s grin spreading.
“If Sean finds out you‘ ve been swayed by me, he’ll regret it so much. His stomach will be in knots,” he chuckled.
I hung up and saw Sean pacing nervously in the hospital corridor. Every few seconds, he glanced over at me. The guilt was
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written all over his face.
When he saw me standing there, watching him silently, he froze.
Then he walked toward me, hesitant.
“Michelle, baby,” Sean said, his voice tense. “What are you doing here? Is your heart acting up again?”
He reached out for my hand, but I pulled it away. His face showed concern, real. anxiety–and for a second, I almost believed him.
He looked like he cared. But then I remembered how he’d been holding Veronica‘ s waist less than an hour ago, and the tenderness on his face made me sick.
Less than a month ago, I’d been
diagnosed with heart disease.
The doctor had asked me, “Do you have children?”
Sean‘ s face had gone pale. “What‘ s
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wrong?”
“If you don’t have kids, it’s probably for the best,” the doctor had said bluntly.
“Your heart condition is entirely
hereditary. For the sake of your future.
child, you really need to rethink having kids.”
Sean had been sad for a while, but he recovered quickly. He comforted me,
“Michelle, even if we can’t have kids, I’ll love you with all my heart.”
He promised me we could have a beautiful life together–just the two of us, forever.
That was less than a month ago.
And now? He was here, taking another woman to her prenatal checkup.
Just a few minutes earlier, I had received a call from the hospital. The test results had been mixed up. I didn’t have heart disease at all. I was completely healthy.
But I wasn’t going to tell him the truth.
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Not yet.
I forced a smile as I replied, “It‘ s nothing, just some cramps. I came to get some medicine.”
Sean sighed, probably thinking I came to track him down. “Michelle, you‘ re not overthinking this, are you? I already told you,” he explained flatly. “Veronica‘ s not just my secretary. She’s also Grayson’s girlfriend. You know how close we are. beGrayson was too busy to come, so I came
with her today for the checkup. I was worried you’d misunderstand.”
Sean looked sincere, and his eyes showed no hint of deception.
But to me? It was a joke. He really could lie so casually.
Grayson was waiting for me at the hotel.
Had Sean even thought to check with him before coming up with this excuse?
