Chapter 1

All because I opened the window for some fresh air, and that made my husband's childhood sweetheart, Linnea Turner, catch a cold.

In a fit of rage, Tavian had his men tie me up and toss me into the ice cellar, even though I was pregnant.

Tavian said coldly, "Don't think carrying my child means you can push Linnea around.

"If even a single hair on her head gets hurt, you'll pay for it a hundred times over."

I was shivering all over, tears streaming down my face as I kowtowed to Tavian, begging for forgiveness.

I promised I'd do everything to serve Linnea and make up for my mistake, swearing I'd never let her get hurt again.

But Tavian just coldly ordered his men to shut the cellar door. He said, "This is a lesson that'll be burned into you forever."

A week later, Linnea finally got over her cold, and only then did Tavian remember me still trapped in the ice cellar.

"Taryn, do you truly realize your mistake? If you promise to go and kowtow to Linnea and apologize right now, I'll let you go," Tavian said.

But what Tavian didn't know was that I was already frozen stiff in the cellar.

Even the child Tavian treasured above all else was already lifeless, with not a trace of life left.

*****

Tavian snapped, "What's Taryn thinking? She knew Linnea was weak, but still opened the window and ended up making her catch a bad cold. She's definitely out to hurt Linnea."

He slammed the thermometer onto the expensive cashmere carpet.

The sharp crack of shattered glass and mercury, along with the fury in his eyes, made the whole living room feel suffocating, heavy with tension.

The servants nearby didn't dare to breathe, huddled in the corner, trembling.

Osric Thornvale, the old butler, mustered up the courage to step forward, his voice trembling just a little. "Mr. Sterling, Mrs. Sterling just felt the room was stuffy and opened the window for some fresh air.

"The wind wasn't even that strong that day. Maybe Miss Turner didn't pull up her blanket last night."

"Shut up!" Tavian cut Osric off sharply, his gaze icy cold. "You dare to speak up for her?

"Linnea has been frail since she was a kid and can't stand even a hint of wind. Hasn't Taryn figured that out by now?

"She's just jealous of Linnea's place in my heart and is using this as a chance to get back at Linnea."

The Linnea he kept mentioning was his childhood sweetheart, the girl he'd grown up with.

To Tavian, Linnea was gentle, kind, and so fragile she needed him to look after her for life, a treasure he'd guard forever.

Instead, I was just the wife he got stuck with thanks to a family deal, an unnecessary Mrs. Sterling, nothing more.

"Bring her here," Tavian ordered, his voice icy.

Soon, I was dragged into the living room by two bodyguards. I was five months pregnant, and even the loose maternity dress couldn't hide the gentle curve of my belly.

When I heard Tavian's words, my face went pale, and I struggled to explain, "Tavian, I didn't mean it. I just opened the window for some fresh air. I never thought Linnea would catch a cold."

"You never thought?" Tavian let out a cold laugh, closing the distance between us, towering over me with undisguised contempt in his eyes.

He said coldly, "Taryn, don't think just because you're carrying my child, you can do whatever you want.

"In my eyes, you're not even worth a single hair on Linnea's head. She's suffering in bed right now, and you're going to pay for it."

I was shaking all over, instinctively clutching my belly as tears streamed down my face. "Tavian, I know I was wrong.

"I swear I'll never open the window again. I'll take good care of Linnea. Please, for the sake of our child, just let me off this once."

"Let you off?" Tavian sneered, as if I'd just told the biggest joke in the world. "You'll pay back every bit of pain Linnea suffered, a hundred times over."

He ordered, "Tie her up and lock her in the ice cellar on the hill. She doesn't come out until Linnea's fully recovered."

"No," I screamed in terror. The ice cellar was always freezing, way below zero. How could I survive that, especially while pregnant?

I begged, "Tavian, it's too cold in there. I'll freeze to death, and the baby... we won't make it. Please, punish me some other way. I'll do anything you want."

But Tavian ignored my desperate pleas, turning to the bodyguards and commanding, "Carry out my orders. Anyone who tries to plead for her will face the same consequences."

The bodyguards dragged me away as I struggled with everything I had, heading toward the ice cellar in the hills.

I watched Tavian's cold, indifferent back, my heart twisting in agony.

After a year of marriage, I'd thought that if I gave him all my love, I could finally warm his heart.

But now I realized, in his eyes, neither me nor our child was worth even a single finger of Linnea.

Cold iron chains clamped around my wrists and ankles, securing me to the stone pillar at the center of the ice cellar.

The freezing chill crawled up from my feet, piercing through my thin maternity dress and sinking deep into my marrow.

The ice cellar was eerily empty, with only the slow drip of melting ice and the sound of my teeth chattering echoing in the silence.

I curled up, hugging my belly close, desperate to share what little warmth I had with the baby inside me.

"I'm sorry, baby. It's my fault you're suffering," I sobbed, my tears hitting the icy floor and turning instantly into little beads of ice. "You have to stay strong. I'll keep you safe. We'll make it out, I promise."

But the cold was like a greedy beast, slowly devouring what little warmth I had left.

My hands and feet went numb, and my mind started to blur. I thought back to the early days with Tavian. He was distant, sure, but never this heartless.

Our marriage was nothing but a business deal between the Sterling and Bush families.

And I'd been crushing on Tavian since I was young. I thought marrying him would be my happily ever after, but it turned out to be a living nightmare.

Linnea was like a thorn wedged between us. She always acted weak in front of Tavian, claiming I bullied her.

And Tavian never let me explain. He'd just jump to blame me every single time.

Last time, Linnea smashed the antique vase his mom left behind, but she cried and said I pushed her.

Tavian didn't even bother to hear my side. He slapped me and locked me up, making me go hungry for two days.

And now, just because I opened a window for some air, he was cruel enough to want me and our baby dead.

I had no idea how long I'd been in there when the ice cellar door cracked open, letting in a thin sliver of light.

I thought maybe Tavian had finally changed his mind, and I struggled to get up.

But instead, I saw Linnea standing there in a thick down jacket, looking down at me with a smug smile on her face.

"Taryn, how did you end up like this?" Linnea said, acting all surprised. "Tavian was just so worried about me that he lost his temper and punished you. You really shouldn't blame him."

I stared at her phony concern, anger boiling up inside me.

I used every bit of strength I had and yelled, "You did this on purpose. You weren't even really sick. You just wanted Tavian to punish me."

"Taryn, how can you say that?" Linnea's eyes went red, looking all pitiful. "I only came to check on you because I care, and now you're accusing me? If I'd known you'd treat me like this, I wouldn't have come at all."

With that, she turned to leave, but not before making sure to say loudly, "It's so cold in here, Taryn. You really should take care of yourself. Don't make Tavian worry about you."

The door closed once more, plunging the ice cellar back into its deathly silence.

I knew Linnea had come here on purpose. She wanted to torment me, to watch me suffer.

The cold kept getting worse, and a dull ache started in my belly. I knew it was the baby, begging for help.

I fought with everything I had, trying to break free from the chains, but they were way too strong. No matter how hard I tried, the chains wouldn't budge.

"Tavian, save me. Save our baby," I screamed with the last bit of strength I had, my voice cracked and hoarse, but my cries just bounced off the icy walls, with no one to answer.