Chapter 1
It was Christmas Eve, the night meant for family reunions. Nicole Reed was pregnant with Alex Ford's child. She waited for him to come home, but ended up catching him celebrating the holiday with his first love, Flora Lane.
Her heart died inside her. Keeping everything secret, Nicole went to the hospital alone to end the pregnancy, and then decisively asked for a divorce.
Alex brushed it off at first, but when he learned the truth, he was overwhelmed with regret and began his long journey to win her back. But Nicole's heart was already cold. She would never come back to him.
*****
It was Christmas Eve. Snowbridge was buried under a heavy snowfall. Every home was lit up with bright lights, and the air was thick with the delicious scents of food. Even the wind seemed to carry the warmth of family reunions.
But Ford Manor stood cold and distant, like an island cut off from the world. There were no festive decorations, and even the single warm light inside looked lonely. There wasn't the slightest hint of Christmas cheer.
My name was Nicole Reed. I was twenty-four, and I'd been Alex's wife for exactly one year.
To outsiders, I was Mrs. Ford, living on top of the world. I was married to the most powerful man in Snowbridge, enjoying a life of luxury and ease.
But only I knew the truth: the title of Mrs. Ford was a gilded cage, slowly suffocating me for a whole year.
Alex Ford, the head of Ford Group, was handsome, cold, and ruthless. He was the man every socialite fought to marry, and the one I'd secretly loved for eight years.
Ever since I was sixteen, when he sheltered me with his umbrella on a rainy night and gently wiped the water from my face, I fell for him, loving him for eight years deeply and humbly.
Our marriage was never about love. It was a deal.
Alex's grandmother was seriously ill, and her only wish was to see him settle down. But his heart belonged to Flora, his first love, the one he kept closest to his heart for years.
He couldn't bear to let marriage hold her back, so he picked me, the girl who loved him so much. I'd always do as he said, never question him, never fight back.
The day Alex and I made the deal, he sat behind his desk with a pen between his fingers, his eyes cold as ice.
He spoke to me, every word sharp and clear, "Nicole, this marriage will last two years. You'll have the title of Mrs. Ford, 30 grand a month, and all the respect the Ford family owes you.
"But remember, don't meddle in my affairs, don't expect my love, and don't try to make yourself noticed in front of Flora. Just keep your head down and behave. When the deal ends, we'll divorce, and I'll give you compensation."
I held that cold contract, my fingers trembling, but I signed it without hesitation. Even though I knew I would just be a substitute trapped in a gilded cage, I still wanted to be close to him.
I always believed that if I was good enough, gentle enough, patient enough, maybe I could warm his heart, and maybe he'd finally pay attention to me.
Over the past year, I shaped myself into the perfect wife Alex wanted.
I was obedient, sensible, and quiet, never causing trouble.
Alex never stayed the night. I was always the only one in the huge master bedroom. I grew used to sleeping right on the edge, leaving his side untouched, fooling myself into believing he might return one day.
He never ate with me, but I still cooked his favorite dishes every single day, reheating them over and over till they went cold. His phone was always off-limits.
I never reached out first, afraid to annoy him, afraid he'd think I was difficult or clingy.
When Flora fell ill, he dropped everything to take care of her, and I hid in Ford Manor, pretending I didn't know, quietly nursing the heartbreak all alone.
My friends always told me I was being stupid, wasting my life in a marriage without love, that it wasn't worth it. But I still clung to a tiny bit of hope—what if, just maybe, one day he'd get tired of everything else and finally notice me?
Three days ago, when I held the pregnancy report in my hands and stared at the words "6 weeks pregnant", my hands shook so badly that I could barely hold the report, and my tears fell instantly.
I was pregnant with Alex's child.
For the first time, I felt like fate had finally smiled on me. I thought this baby could be the bond between us, the chance to break the ice in our cold marriage, and the hope that this lifeless manor could finally feel like home.
I carefully hid the pregnancy report, gently caressed my belly every day, and talked to the little one inside. I hoped that on Christmas Eve, I could finally share this good news with Alex.
I thought, even if he didn't love me, maybe for the baby's sake, he'd show a little more tenderness.