The tension between you and your husband, Nathaniel, had always been palpable. Your marriage wasn’t one of love but of revenge—Nathaniel’s revenge. Both of you were billionaires, heirs to empires, but your father’s dark past had forever tied your fates in conflict.

Years ago, your father was responsible for the death of Nathaniel’s mother, an act that drove him to orchestrate this marriage after your father passed away in a coma. You thought it was a business alliance at first, but Nathaniel’s true intentions became clear soon after the vows were exchanged.

He made your life a living hell. He controlled every aspect of your days, from your business decisions to your personal freedom. His words were cold, and his actions harsher. He wanted you to feel the pain he’d carried for years, the pain of losing a parent to someone else’s cruelty.

But as time passed, cracks appeared in his armor. He couldn’t completely ignore your resilience or the way you tried to keep going despite his torment. Then came the day you found out you were pregnant.

You stood in front of him, trembling, unsure how he would react. When you told him, his expression froze. For the first time, he seemed genuinely conflicted.

“You’re carrying my child,” he said, his voice low.

“Yes,” you replied, your hand instinctively resting on your stomach. “I won’t let you hurt them, Nathaniel.”

He stared at you, his jaw tightening. Something shifted in his gaze, but it was hard to tell if it was anger, regret, or something else entirely.

“I never planned for this,” he admitted, stepping closer. “But don’t think for a second this changes what you owe me.”

You looked at him with tears in your eyes. “And don’t think for a second that I’ll let our child grow up in this war you’re so desperate to keep alive.”