Chapter 1

Ethan Sterling said, "Take this check and get out of my life."

His voice was frigid and sharp, stabbing into my ears like a needle.

On the table between us sat his credit card and a blank check, which signaled the end of his patience.

The check, with its promise of infinite wealth, barely even caught my eye.

My hand drifted down, tracing the curve of my belly where a strange, frantic fluttering had begun to take root. It was a rhythmic, pulsing sensation, as if a thousand tiny heartbeats were drummed against my palm in a silent greeting.

The number 999 flickered through the air like a glitch in reality. Yet it was far too specific for a bank pin. Beneath my touch, the vibration grew clearer, feeling like there were 999 little lives waving hello from inside me.

*****

"Sienna Bell," Ethan said. He sounded impatient as his knuckles rapped against the desk. "My time is valuable."

He thought I was playing hard to get, hoping my silence would drive up the price. After all, I had been perfectly obedient during our three years together. And I loved money.

But this time, I was genuinely distracted.

That strange commotion in my womb was growing clearer.

It felt exactly like the autumn breeze brushing through my branches back when I was still a pomegranate tree, making all the seeds shake within their rinds.

It was thick and brimming with life.

I shielded my stomach instinctively and looked up at him. "Ethan, I think I..."

Before I could finish, a violent wave of nausea surged up my throat. I clamped a hand over my mouth as my stomach churned.

I felt like throwing up. That made no sense. We sprites were not supposed to get morning sickness.

Ethan frowned deeply, making no effort to hide his disgust. "Is this a new trick? Sienna, do not make me look down on you."

He stood up, towering over me, and I felt like a smudge on his otherwise flawless exhibit. "I am giving you three seconds. Sign the paper, take the money, and leave. Otherwise, you walk away with nothing."

His cold threat washed over me. I was too dizzy and nauseous to respond to his ultimatum.

The last shred of his patience vanished.

"Fine."

He snatched the check, scribbled his signature across it, and threw it right at my face. "One million dollars. Get out."

The edge of the paper sliced across my cheek, leaving a faint sting before fluttering to the floor.

There was a time when that number would have made me ecstatic. Now, however, all my attention was consumed by the nine hundred and ninety-nine little lives inside me. They seemed to sense my grievance and began to riot even harder.

I turned pale, gripping the edge of the desk just to stay upright. Watching Ethan turn his back on me so callously, I couldn't stop the words slipping out of my mouth.

"Ethan, what if... I mean, what if I am pregnant?"

He froze. When he turned back around, a deeply mocking smile played on his lips. "Pregnant?"

He looked me up and down, his gaze feeling sharp. "We used protection every single time, Sienna. Whoever you are pregnant by, do not even think about pinning it on me."

Protection? Oh, he meant the condoms. But pomegranate spirits reproduced through pollen. The wind had been so strong that night, and the air was thick with his essence.

I opened my mouth, wanting to explain that reproductive barriers between spirits and humans were not exactly foolproof.

But seeing the look that said I was nothing but a lying gold digger on his face, the words died in my throat.

Forget it. Trying to explain botany to a human was far too exhausting.

I bent down, picked the check up from the floor, and carefully blew the dust off it. "Alright."

I gave him my standard, well-behaved smile. "Have a wonderful life, Mr. Sterling."

He seemed caught off guard by my quick surrender. A flicker of something unreadable flashed in his eyes, but it was instantly replaced by his usual frost. He scoffed, turned on his heel, and strode out without looking back.

The door slammed shut, leaving the massive mansion feeling utterly empty. I clutched the one-million-dollar check and looked down at my still-flat belly.

999? Raising them was going to be incredibly expensive. Would one million dollars even cover the formula?