I was in the delivery room, in labor, when my husband called. “Isla,” he said, his voice calm and matter-of-fact. “I’m cheating on you.” “Let’s get a divorce now, before the baby is born.” “Ruby is young. She can’t handle the scandal and the gossip.” “I have to make it official with her.” “And don’t even think about using the baby to trap me.” “You of all people should know how painful it is for a child to be born unwanted.” I looked at the photo he sent me and nodded, my heart strangely quiet. I didn’t scream or have a hysterical breakdown like I had before. And I didn’t tell him that the precious, innocent girl he was so desperate to protect… Was a party girl with AIDS. And that after all his… indulgence, he probably wouldn’t even live to see the divorce finalized. 1 When Declan Lancaster came to the hospital with the divorce papers, I had just given birth. It was a difficult delivery. I was barely hanging on. He looked at my pale, drawn face and frowned, a flicker of annoyance in his eyes. There was no concern, no tenderness. Only irritation that I had gone against his wishes. “I told you not to have this baby.” “Ruby doesn’t like the idea of a child competing for my attention.” I looked down at the sleeping infant in my arms and managed a weak, tired smile. “Couldn’t be helped. You called a little too late.” “By the time you were proposing to your Ruby, I was already on the operating table.” The baby wasn’t due yet. But a package from Ruby containing a dead rat had sent me into premature labor. While I was at the hospital, waiting, I called Declan countless times. He never picked up. As I was being wheeled into the operating room, the sky outside exploded in a shower of fireworks. I looked closer. It was Declan, trying to make his little mistress happy. A multi-million dollar proposal. A path of roses, a sky full of light. And there, spelled out in the darkness by a fleet of drones, were the words: “I love you, Ruby.” I gave birth to our child amidst the crackle of his celebration. The doctors issued multiple critical condition notices. My phone calls went unanswered. In the end, I had to grit my teeth and sign the surgical consent form myself. And what a coincidence. He showed up right after the baby was born. Not out of concern for me or his child. He was here to rush me into signing the papers. To tell me to take the baby and get lost, to make way for his new love. I sighed a silent, weary sigh. But I forced a smile and took the divorce agreement from his hand. As I shifted to sit up, the movement tore at the stitches on my stomach. Bright red blood instantly soaked through the gauze. Declan’s frown only deepened. “Don’t bother playing the victim with me, Isla.” “I’m not a heartless man. I’ll be generous with the money.” “Just sign the papers, and I’ll pay the child support in one lump sum. You’ll be comfortable.” My hand, holding the pen, paused. I looked at his cold, handsome face and felt… nothing. Not even a pang of sadness. I suppose I had already cried all my tears. I remember when I first found out he was cheating. I had cried, screamed, even threatened to kill myself. I had one foot out the window, and he just stood there, his expression bored. “Stop crying, Isla. I lost feelings for you a long time ago.” “Your tears used to break my heart.” “But now… they just make me sick.” That night, he left without a backward glance, rushing off to Ruby’s side. He left me to cry myself unconscious. I cried for a long, long time. And I finally understood just how cruel a man can be when his heart has moved on. Fueled by a bitter desire for revenge, I started digging into Ruby’s background. I was going to burn his world to the ground. I wanted everyone to see the ugly truth behind his perfect facade. But the moment I saw her picture, everything changed. All the hatred, all the resentment, it all just… evaporated. Because I recognized her immediately. The pure, innocent angel in Declan’s eyes was a former patient of mine, one I had treated for AIDS. Declan has a congenital heart condition. An infection like that could kill him. In that instant, I felt a sense of release. Fate has a way of making the unfaithful pay. All I had to do was wait for the right moment to give it a little push. So, I stopped fighting. I stopped making scenes. I focused on my pregnancy, playing the part of the polite and dignified Mrs. Lancaster. And I waited, quietly, for the day Declan would die. 2 My hesitation was clearly starting to annoy him. He tapped his fingers impatiently on the table. “What are you stalling for now, Isla?” “Did you think having the baby would make me see you differently?” “Let me be clear. I don’t love you. And I could never love a child you gave birth to.” “If you refuse to sign, I’ll file for divorce myself, and I’ll make sure your child grows up with the same miserable life you had!” It’s always the ones who know you best who can hurt you the most. When I was eighteen, my parents divorced. My father forced my mother out with nothing and publicly disowned me. He forbade me from using his name, inheriting his wealth, or having any connection to him whatsoever. I became the laughingstock of our social circle. An outcast, ridiculed and alone. Back then, Declan was the only one by my side. He walked me to and from school every day. He stood in front of me when others tried to bully me. He held me when I was heartbroken and told me, “You’re the best, Isla.” “Even if the whole world abandons you, I will always be here.” “I love you. And I will give you the happy, complete family you deserve.” Because of that promise, I gave up my dreams of literature to study medicine, all to cure him. I stood by him through a brutal and dangerous battle for his inheritance. I sacrificed my career and my ambitions to become a stay-at-home wife, trying to start a family. I thought we had finally made it through the worst of it. But then, while I was pregnant, he got lonely. He cheated on me with Ruby. When I found out, there was no guilt in his eyes. No shame for his betrayal. He just looked at me calmly and said, “I can’t help it, Isla. I didn’t want this to happen.” “But the other day, when I saw the stretch marks on your stomach, I suddenly felt… disgusted.” “I can’t feel any desire for you. But I’m a man. I have needs.” “And Ruby… she gives me a thrill, a feeling I’ve never had before.” “So, she deserves a title. She deserves respect.” The Lancaster family was old-money, with strict rules. Declan had always prided himself on his clean image. He looked down on men who kept mistresses and had messy affairs. So, he simply asked for a divorce. At the time, I was only a few weeks pregnant. To get what I wanted, to see him pay for what he had done, I swallowed every last bit of my pride. Even when he started taking Ruby to public events. Even when he told the press I was a desperate, clingy shrew. I endured it all. For this moment. I picked up the pen and signed my name on the divorce agreement with a firm, steady hand. Just then, his phone rang. It was Ruby, her voice a sweet, cloying pout. “Declan, are you done yet?” “I’m all dressed up and waiting for you.” “You’re not getting soft just because she had the baby, are you? You’re not backing out of the divorce?” “If you are, I’m never speaking to you again!” He glanced at the risqué photo she sent. His breath hitched, and his voice dropped to a low murmur. He soothed her with the same soft, careful words he used to use on me. Then he snatched the signed papers from the table and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. The sharp edge of the paper sliced a thin, red line across my palm. The loud bang of the door startled the baby, who immediately began to wail. A doctor rushed in to see what was wrong. Declan never once looked back. I sighed and was about to comfort the baby when the doctor grabbed my hand. “What happened to your hand? Did he do that?” “Come with me, we need to run some tests. Don’t you know he has…” He couldn’t bring himself to say the word. But I looked up, a genuine smile spreading across my face. “I’ve been managing Declan’s health for years. Of course, I know.” I had received his test results yesterday. They were exactly what I expected. HIV-positive. The virus had already begun to attack his cardiovascular system. A simple cold, a sneeze, a moment of exertion… Any of it could be enough to kill him. So, for the next month, the closer he got to Ruby, the closer he got to his own grave. 3 While I was recovering in the hospital, Declan and Ruby were celebrating. He bought her a mansion and a diamond ring, announcing to the world that she was the true Mrs. Lancaster. It was like he was a teenager again, caught in a whirlwind romance. They partied in exclusive clubs and made promises of forever under the Eiffel Tower, as if I had never existed. I ignored their antics and focused on my next steps. Once I was strong enough, I took the baby to the Lancaster estate. To secure my inheritance, to gain a foothold in the family company, I needed to win over the patriarch, Old Man Lancaster. As I entered the house, I was met with the sound of a furious argument. Mr. Lancaster threw a teacup at Declan, his voice a roar. “You disgraceful fool!” “You raised hell to be with that woman in the first place, and now, after all this time, you want a divorce?” “You’ve shamed the Lancaster name for generations to come!” Declan’s lips were a thin, tight line. He stood silently, protectively shielding Ruby behind him. The stubborn set of his jaw gave me a flash of déjà vu. Years ago, he had knelt before his grandfather just like this, begging for permission to marry me. As the sole heir, a more suitable match had already been arranged for him. But Declan refused. He was determined to be with me. He had knelt there, just as defiantly as he was standing now, until the entire family relented. He hadn’t changed at all. The only difference was the woman standing beside him, the woman he loved. It wasn’t me anymore. I hesitated, unsure if I should interrupt. Just then, the baby in my arms began to cry. Declan turned at the sound, but he made no move to help. He just glared at me, annoyed that I was disturbing him as I fumbled to soothe the baby. Finally, the housekeeper, Mrs. Gable, took pity on me and took the baby from my arms. The sight of his great-grandson did nothing to soften Mr. Lancaster’s expression. He tossed a photo onto the table in front of me. “I don’t care about your petty squabbles.” “But you will not damage this family’s reputation or the company’s stock price.” “Explain this!” It was a screenshot from one of Ruby’s live streams. As a former influencer, she never missed an opportunity to flaunt her wealth and new relationship. During a broadcast the day before, a viewer had spotted a box of HIV medication on her vanity. It was a small detail, but it had caused a stir online. The Lancaster PR team had managed to suppress it, but not before it reached the old man. I looked at Declan’s pale, strained face and stepped forward. “It was a misunderstanding,” I said calmly. “It’s a new drug my research team is developing.” “I will issue a statement to the media and clear this up. The Lancaster name will not be tarnished.” My composed, responsible response seemed to satisfy him. He nodded, then gave Declan a long, meaningful look. He took out a small golden locket and placed it around the baby’s neck. “Don’t you worry, Isla.” “You have given this family its heir. We will not let you be mistreated.” “If Declan here causes any more trouble, you come to me. I’ll teach this arrogant boy a lesson he won’t forget.” I no longer needed anyone to fight my battles. When my marriage first fell apart, everyone—the Lancasters, my friends—they all took his side. They criticized my flaws, accused me of not being understanding enough. Declan himself had said to me, his voice full of contempt, “You’re just the girl your family threw away. Who are you to challenge me? I can make or break you with a single word.” That’s when I understood. Love, affection… it’s all fleeting. The only things that are real are power and money. After finally calming Mr. Lancaster down, I was ready to leave. I hadn’t even reached the end of the driveway when Declan’s hand swung out and connected with my face.
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