Chapter 1

Before the wedding, the doctor made it crystal clear: Thomas Sterling was born without sperm. He'd never be able to have kids.

Linda Sterling, the matriarch of the Sterling family, held my hand and said, "Rebecca, I'm sorry you have to go through this."

My heart softened, and I agreed to marry him.

Three months into our marriage, I started getting morning sickness.

At the hospital, the doctor burst out excitedly, "Congratulations. You're having triplets!"

My mind went blank, and my legs turned to jelly.

Just then, Thomas called, his voice eerily calm, "Which hospital are you at? I'm coming over now."

I stared at the three little dots on the ultrasound, my palms slick with sweat.

*****

The pre-wedding medical report was clear as day.

The doctor spoke to me and my future mother-in-law, Linda, in a tone that felt almost like a sentence, "Mr. Sterling has congenital azoospermia. Medically speaking, there is zero chance of natural conception."

Linda was always elegant and perfectly made-up. At that moment, I saw clearly that the light in her eyes dimmed in an instant. She squeezed my hand tight, her touch icy and trembling.

As we stepped out of the doctor's office, her eyes were red. She clung to my hand, her voice slightly choked. "Rebecca, our Sterling family has let you down. And Thomas... He's had it rough.

"If you regret this now, I won't blame you. We can call off the engagement, and the Sterling family will make sure you're well compensated."

I caught the regret in Linda's eyes, and couldn't help but think of Thomas, always so aloof and distant, but whenever his gaze met mine, the coldness seemed to melt away.

He was the golden boy, the only son of Richard Sterling, the richest man in the city, and the rightful heir to Sterling Holdings. He had everything, except the chance to be a father.

I had to admit, my heart softened. Or rather, from the moment I fell for him, having kids was no longer what mattered most to me about choosing him.

I gripped Linda's hand back, my voice soft but steady. "Linda, I love Thomas for who he is, not for anything else. I'll marry him."

The wedding was the most lavish anyone had ever seen.

Everyone envied me, Rebecca Sterling, a regular girl from an ordinary family who overnight became the city's most envied bride, marrying Thomas, the man every woman in Silvergate City dreamed of.

But only I knew the heartbreaking secret hidden behind all that grandeur.

Life after the wedding was calm and sweet.

Thomas spoiled me rotten. He remembered every little thing I mentioned in passing.

When I was on my period, he'd awkwardly try to make me some hot tea. And whenever I kicked off the covers in the middle of the night, he'd gently tuck them back around me, over and over.

The more he spoiled me, the more my heart ached for him.

Often, I'd lie awake at night, watching his handsome face as he slept, and I couldn't help but wish he could have a child of his own. He'd be the best dad in the world.

But I'd always force that thought down. It was like a knife twisting in his heart, and I could never let myself bring it up again.

We were like any other couple who'd decided not to have kids, enjoying the sweetness of our little world together.

But then, nearly three months into our marriage, my body started to feel strange.

At first, I was only tired all the time, and greasy food suddenly made me queasy. I figured it was the weather getting colder, maybe I was coming down with something.

But Thomas was more worried than I was. Every day, he'd have the kitchen whip up all sorts of appetizing dishes for me.

Then one morning, as soon as I caught a whiff of his crisp cedar cologne, my stomach churned violently. I bolted to the bathroom and threw up violently.

Thomas followed me in, gently rubbing my back, his brows knitted in concern. "Rebecca, you look unwell. I'll have Alex book us an appointment at the hospital. We'll go get you checked out this afternoon."

I rinsed my mouth, then weakly nestled into his embrace and nodded.

That afternoon, the Sterling family's driver took me to the best private hospital in the city.

Thomas was stuck in an emergency international meeting, but he kept calling, telling me not to worry, that he'd take care of everything.

After I hung up, my heart felt all warm and fuzzy. Sitting outside the OB-GYN clinic, I couldn't help but smile, thinking it was probably a stomach bug. Thomas was totally overreacting.

When it was my turn, I walked in.

A kind female doctor, Grace Warren, greeted me. After I told her about my symptoms, she smiled, "Mrs. Sterling, how long have you and Mr. Sterling been married?"

I was caught off guard for a moment, but answered truthfully, "Almost three months."

"When was your last period?"

I tried to remember, and felt my face go pale. My period was almost two weeks late.

My heart suddenly skipped a beat. Wait, could it be? A wild, impossible idea flashed through my mind out of nowhere.