Chapter 1

After ten years of marriage to my husband, I finally got pregnant.

But the day he found out, he blew up at me.

He yelled, "You knew Julia was already struggling after losing her baby to postpartum depression. And now you turn up pregnant—are you trying to destroy her?"

I tried to explain it was just a coincidence, but he wouldn't hear a word. He grabbed my throat, his eyes burning with resentment.

He snapped, "You're still lying. If you hadn't gone and announced your pregnancy in front of Julia, would she have lost it and spent three days straight crying her eyes out?

"You think being pregnant makes you some kind of big deal? Well, looks like the embryo lab needs a volunteer. Maybe now you can finally do something useful for humanity."

Without warning, he shoved me into the embryo lab, slammed the door behind me, and locked it with a sharp click.

By the time he finally managed to calm Julia down, he suddenly remembered me and hurried to the lab.

But when he arrived, the place was empty. The only thing left was me—immersed in a giant transparent tank, my belly still eerily swollen.

*****

When Edward handed me over to the embryo lab staff, I desperately pleaded with him, begging him not to be sent in there.

But he didn't even look at me—he just turned to Julia, speaking to her in a gentle, comforting voice.

He said, "Julia, don't worry. I promised you, I'll make sure you have a child. Once you're pregnant, everything I own will go to your baby. You and your little one will have nothing to worry about."

I was bound and pinned to the operating table as they jammed a thick needle deep into me. Inside, I could feel my baby moving in frantic, terrified bursts—like he was fighting for his life.

The ripping pain was unbearable, filling me with dread as I fought desperately against the restraints.

I begged, "Edward, please. Just let me go. I can't take it anymore; the baby won't make it. Please save our child—I promise, when he's born, he won't compete with Julia's baby for anything."

Edward glanced back at me and said coldly, "Cut the act. I'm the one who bankrolled this lab. Trust me, I know exactly what goes on here—better than anyone.

"You're a bioengineer, aren't you? Didn't you always say your biggest dream was to help life thrive? So what's wrong now? You finally get a shot at contributing, and you go chicken?"

I did say that back then.

But embryo experiments were never part of the plan.

I said, "Edward, I'm only three months pregnant—the baby can't even handle regular medicine, let alone injections. Something's wrong with whatever they just put in me. If you don't do something, both me and the baby won't make it."

As soon as I finished, Julia's soft sobbing echoed through the room.

She choked out, "Edward, every expert in this lab is top-notch—way more experienced than Claire could ever be. There's no way they'd hurt anyone.

"I know Claire's afraid I'll take the family fortune if I have a child, but I'm really not that greedy. I just want to leave your brother an heir."

After she finished, Julia broke down even harder, nestling into Edward like a fragile little bird.

Edward shot me a cold, warning look. He snapped, "Claire, drop the theatrics. I know better than anyone what goes on in this embryo lab. Just do what you're supposed to—be a good little contributor to the advancement of human life.

"When you've finally had enough and are ready to admit you were wrong, maybe then I'll consider letting you out."

With those icy words, he turned on his heel and walked off, face set in stone.

And before leaving, he barked at the staff to proceed with the experiment—no matter what happened to me.

As the heavy lab door clicked shut behind me, another enormous needle plunged mercilessly into my abdomen.

The instant it pierced my body, my whole belly convulsed. As a biologist, I knew all too well—this was a terrible omen.

I could still see Edward through the lab's glass window—he hadn't left yet.

I struggled hard, finally getting one hand loose so I could grab my phone.

When the lab staff were out for a moment, I snatched the chance and called Edward.

The call barely connected before he hung up on me.

I tried again, but this time, Edward went ahead and turned his phone off completely.

I couldn't believe it. Edward and I had been together for ten years. However angry he was with me about Julia, I still thought he really wouldn't go this far.

The lab staff came back and saw me desperately clutching my phone, a sneer curling his lips as he glanced my way.

He said, "Mrs. Harris, honestly, you'd be better off saving your energy. Mr. Harris isn't ever going to pick up your call."

I said, "No, he wouldn't. I'm carrying his child. He can't really be this heartless."

The staff member gave a mocking smirk and sneered, "Come on. If he actually gave a damn, you wouldn't be here now.

"What a shame. The brilliant scientist is about to become nothing more than a human experiment."

I shot him a hard glare and snapped, "Edward's just blowing off steam. Even if he dumped me here, if you idiots actually let something happen to me or my baby, he'll make sure you pay for it.

"None of you will get away with it."

A woman beside him tugged at his arm and said, "She's still Mrs. Harris, at the end of the day. You should at least call and double-check."

With obvious irritation, the staff impatiently punched in Edward's number.

But the moment the call connected, it was Mark's icy voice that came through.

Mark said, "That's enough. Stop ruining Mr. Harris's fun. Don't bother calling again."

I could faintly hear Edward's low, possessive growl and Julia's soft, breathless moans coming from the background.

Only then did I realize that this was the way Edward planned to give Julia a child.

I should've figured it out long ago—Edward and Julia had been making eyes at each other for ages. I was just too naive, refusing to trust what was right in front of me.

Desperate, I screamed into the phone, "Edward, are you seriously this heartless? Are you really going to kill me and our baby?"

There was a cold, heavy pause on the other end before Edward's icy voice sliced through.

He snapped, "Knock off the hysteria. This lab has everything—even the best medical experts. Quit acting pathetic already."

So he really thought I was just faking it for pity.