Chapter 1

Grant Whitaker's first love got blackout drunk and disappeared for a wild, scandalous night with five strangers.

To protect her reputation, Grant told everyone that the woman from that night was me.

I became the laughingstock of high society. Even the unborn child in my womb was branded a bastard.

When I grabbed his sleeve, my voice trembling as I confronted him, he just brushed it off.

"Lila isn't married yet. If this gets out, her life is ruined."

Staring at the man I had loved for six years, it finally hit me.

He had probably never loved me at all.

"What about me?"

I screamed at him, my vision blurring red. He was holding Lila, whispering into her hair while she shrank against his chest like a frightened doe.

Grant glanced back at me. A flicker of guilt crossed his face.

I raised my hand and slapped him hard. The sharp crack echoed through the room. Lila immediately threw her arms open, shielding him.

"Tessa, stop! He's just trying to help! How can you be so selfish?"

Grant gently pushed Lila aside and reached out, pulling me into a careful embrace.

"Tessa, calm down. Lila isn't married. If word gets out about that night, her life is over."

I stared at him in pure disbelief.

"And mine?"

"Do you know what people are saying about me out there? They're calling me a slut! They're calling our unborn baby a bastard!"

Guilt pooled in Grant's eyes, but he didn't say a single word to defend me.

Lila swayed on her feet, looking as though she might faint.

"It's my fault, Tessa. I'll go explain everything to them right now."

Grant caught her instantly, holding her tight. He looked back at me, his expression torn.

"Tessa, as long as I don't care about the rumors, they can't actually hurt you. But Lila is different. She had too much to drink and made a mistake. If this gets out, she's ruined."

Lila wiped her tears, her voice trembling. "But Grant, your child will be called a bastard."

"I'll explain it to everyone. I made a mistake, and I should bear the consequences."

My throat felt like sandpaper. "You don't care, but what about your child? Are you really going to let our baby be born with that kind of stigma?"

A flash of pain crossed Grant's eyes. His voice wavered. "It's fine. By the time the kid is old enough to understand, no one will even remember this."

I couldn't hold back the tears anymore.

"Is she really that important? So important that you'd destroy your own wife and child just to save her?"

"What am I to you?"

Grant hugged me tighter, his voice hoarse. "I'm sorry, Tessa. But Lila saved my life once. I can't just abandon her."

I pounded my fists against his chest, kicked him, fought with everything I had to break free from his grip.

He owed her a debt, but I was the one paying the price.

Grant acted like he couldn't feel the blows, locking his arms around me like a vise.

"I won't let you suffer for long. Once Lila gets married, I'll tell everyone the truth."

Looking at his resolute expression, all my bitterness hardened into a single, cold decision.

Chapter 1

Grant Whitaker's first love got blackout drunk and disappeared for a wild, scandalous night with five strangers.

To protect her reputation, Grant told everyone that the woman from that night was me.

I became the laughingstock of high society. Even the unborn child in my womb was branded a bastard.

When I grabbed his sleeve, my voice trembling as I confronted him, he just brushed it off.

"Lila isn't married yet. If this gets out, her life is ruined."

Staring at the man I had loved for six years, it finally hit me.

He had probably never loved me at all.

"What about me?"

I screamed at him, my vision blurring red. He was holding Lila, whispering into her hair while she shrank against his chest like a frightened doe.

Grant glanced back at me. A flicker of guilt crossed his face.

I raised my hand and slapped him hard. The sharp crack echoed through the room. Lila immediately threw her arms open, shielding him.

"Tessa, stop! He's just trying to help! How can you be so selfish?"

Grant gently pushed Lila aside and reached out, pulling me into a careful embrace.

"Tessa, calm down. Lila isn't married. If word gets out about that night, her life is over."

I stared at him in pure disbelief.

"And mine?"

"Do you know what people are saying about me out there? They're calling me a slut! They're calling our unborn baby a bastard!"

Guilt pooled in Grant's eyes, but he didn't say a single word to defend me.

Lila swayed on her feet, looking as though she might faint.

"It's my fault, Tessa. I'll go explain everything to them right now."

Grant caught her instantly, holding her tight. He looked back at me, his expression torn.

"Tessa, as long as I don't care about the rumors, they can't actually hurt you. But Lila is different. She had too much to drink and made a mistake. If this gets out, she's ruined."

Lila wiped her tears, her voice trembling. "But Grant, your child will be called a bastard."

"I'll explain it to everyone. I made a mistake, and I should bear the consequences."

My throat felt like sandpaper. "You don't care, but what about your child? Are you really going to let our baby be born with that kind of stigma?"

A flash of pain crossed Grant's eyes. His voice wavered. "It's fine. By the time the kid is old enough to understand, no one will even remember this."

I couldn't hold back the tears anymore.

"Is she really that important? So important that you'd destroy your own wife and child just to save her?"

"What am I to you?"

Grant hugged me tighter, his voice hoarse. "I'm sorry, Tessa. But Lila saved my life once. I can't just abandon her."

I pounded my fists against his chest, kicked him, fought with everything I had to break free from his grip.

He owed her a debt, but I was the one paying the price.

Grant acted like he couldn't feel the blows, locking his arms around me like a vise.

"I won't let you suffer for long. Once Lila gets married, I'll tell everyone the truth."

Looking at his resolute expression, all my bitterness hardened into a single, cold decision.