Chapter 1
The media all knew Lucas Hart was a total player, always leaving a trail of broken hearts behind. But not a single one of his flings ever dared to make a scene in front of me.
That was because I was ruthless and vengeful. I always made sure anyone who crossed me paid the price.
Any woman he kept who dared to cross me would pay for it badly.
The tabloids said Lucas and I were both black-hearted, a perfect match.
But his latest fling was unusually bold.
She not only sent me bedroom photos of her and Lucas during my pregnancy to provoke me, but also stole the business deals I'd worked hard to secure.
My revenge was fierce. That night, I leaked her private photos to the press. She got banned from every platform and lost her baby.
Lucas gave his silent approval.
It wasn't until his mistress had a breakdown. She attempted suicide by slitting her wrists, went completely mad, and could only remember Lucas.
The usually cold-hearted Lucas actually started to fall for her, lavishing her with endless resources and repeatedly undermining me in front of everyone.
He even wanted me to pay for what I'd done.
He forgot that, back when he was crazy about me, he signed a prenuptial agreement for me.
If he ever let me down, he'd walk away with nothing and let me go.
*****
When we were madly in love, Lucas would fly back and forth between the East Coast and Harbor City more than 100 times a year, crossing the country to be with me.
On our wedding day, he set off a sea of fireworks over Harborview Bay and got down on one knee to make me a promise. "Claire, you're the only one I'll ever truly love and cherish in this life."
After that, I proudly announced my retirement from acting, ready to devote myself to being Mrs. Hart.
I thought Tessa Grant, one of his mistresses, was nothing more than a fling during our marriage.
For our wedding anniversary, I made a nice dinner and hoped to patch things up with him.
I waited from five in the afternoon until 11 at night, until every dish was ice-cold.
Lucas pushed the door open, drenched from the rain.
I went up to him like I always did, ready to grab a dry jacket for him, but he shoved me away, sending me sprawling onto the floor.
I shielded my six-month baby bump, trying to calm him down. "Today is our anniversary," I said softly.
I could put up with him having mistresses, but I'd never let any of them steal what was meant for my kid. That was my bottom line.
"Is this all that matters to you?" Lucas scoffed, disappointment clouding his eyes as he stared at me.
That disappointment stung even more than his anger. Suddenly, I was the one in the wrong, the one who should be begging for forgiveness.
"Claire, when did you become like this?" he asked, looking at me like I was a stranger.
"Me? Lucas, you've been out there with other women and I've always turned a blind eye. But when she tried to take what's meant for my child, I finally made a move. You know my bottom line," I shot back.
"Your line?" Lucas let out a dry, bitter laugh. "So your line means pushing someone until they went crazy?"
I couldn't help but yell, "I told you, she's not crazy. She's faking it!"
Would a crazy woman have sent me those photos of Lucas Hart kissing her just an hour ago?
"She slit her wrists and tried to jump off a building. She's bandaged from head to toe!" Lucas thundered, his voice filling the living room. "Do you even know she got discharged today?
"When I went to pick her up, she burst into tears the second she saw me, curled up in the corner, shaking like a leaf.
"She begged, 'Lucas, please, don't let Claire hit me. I'll be good.' Can you believe it? She actually thought I was going to hit her."
He was breathing heavily, his eyes bloodshot. "You've scared her into this mess, and you're still here talking to me about your bottom line?"
I started to say something, but when I saw the red in his eyes and his rain-soaked clothes sticking to him, all the fight drained out of me. I felt exhausted.
"Lucas, today is our anniversary," I repeated.
"Our anniversary?" Lucas jerked his head up to glare at me. "That's all you ever care about, your precious Mrs. Hart reputation.
"Do you even realize today was the day Tessa got out of the hospital? I should've been there with her, but I came home because you blew up my phone, saying you were waiting for me."
He stormed over and kicked the dining table, sending it crashing to the floor.
Plates shattered, bowls smashed, and the soup I'd spent three hours making spilled everywhere. Shards flew, one slashing across my calf. Blood slid down my ankle.
"I didn't want you waiting for me all night, so I came home," Lucas said, standing amid the broken shards, his eyes locked on mine.
"I pushed Tessa aside and came back for our anniversary, thinking you'd own up to your mistakes. But what did you do when I got here? You told me she was pretending, and insisted you did nothing wrong," he said.
Lucas looked completely drained, his eyes rimmed red. "Claire, if you could just say sorry, I could tell myself it was just a moment of madness, that you didn't really mean it."
He stepped right up to me, so close I could feel his breath.
Rainwater dripped from his hair onto my face, cold and sharp.
"But you didn't. You never admit you're wrong. You always think you're right. How did I ever end up falling for someone so heartless?" Lucas said.
"I'm not wrong," I replied through gritted teeth.
He grabbed me by the throat.
It wasn't the first time, but this was the hardest he'd ever done it.
His fingers pressed deep into my skin, squeezing my windpipe tighter and tighter. My throat made a raspy, cracking sound, like something inside me was about to break.
I struggled.
The baby inside me gave a strong kick, almost as if saying, "Mom, I'm still here with you."
I instinctively cradled my bump, shielding it with both hands. "Lucas, the baby," I pleaded.
Lucas noticed me shielding my belly. His grip loosened.
I slumped to the floor, hacking and choking as blood flooded up my throat, sharp and metallic.
Sprawled on the floor, I was surrounded by shattered plates and cold leftovers. Gravy smeared my nightgown, sticky and gross.