Chapter 1

My best friend, Charlotte Winters, who had gotten divorced and come back from another country, was crashing at my place for now.

The day she was hospitalized with stomach cramps, she weakly said she wanted some sweet things to eat. I drove halfway across the city to find it, but my car stalled out on the way, so I had to head back to the hospital.

Outside the hospital room, I overheard my brother Samuel Donovan softly comforting her, "Hang in there a little longer. I'll talk Kinley into backing off and let you have what you deserve."

Through the crack in the door, I saw Dallas Keller, the man I'd been with for seven years, sitting by the bed, his eyes red as he gently placed his hand on Charlotte's still-flat belly.

Charlotte sobbed, admitting she was carrying his baby. She felt sorry for me and said she wanted to end the pregnancy.

Dallas immediately pulled her into his arms. "It's not the baby's fault. And the one I've always loved is you.

"Back then, the marriage certificate I gave Kinley was fake. Because I was waiting for you to come back. She was never really my wife, and you were never the other woman."

It turned out my seven-year marriage was nothing but a sham, and I was the only one who didn't know.

Even my own brother, the one who always protected me, was in there, planning their future together.

I didn't go in to confront them.

Instead, I tossed the cake into the trash and called Alaina Cortez, my director. "I'll take the North Sea Wind Project in Dantarcna. I'll be stationed there for eighteen months, leaving in five days."

Alaina paused for a moment on the other end of the line. "Are you sure? Last week, you said your family needed you at home."

"It's okay now."

"Then swing by the office tomorrow morning to sign the assignment papers. The project site isn't great, so maybe talk to your family first."

I watched through the crack in the door as they held each other close. "No need to talk it over."

After I hung up, I heard Samuel's voice from inside the room. "Kinley's stubborn. We can't drop the bomb on her that the marriage certificate was fake.

"She's always put this family above everything else. If we hit her with the truth all at once, she'll break down."

Dallas asked, "So how long are we supposed to keep this up?"

Samuel said, "At least until Lottie has the baby. I'll talk Kinley into getting a divorce, and then you can finally tell her whom you've really loved all these years. She'll freak out for a bit, but she'll eventually accept it."

Charlotte choked out. "She's always been so good to me."

Samuel gently reassured her, "That's exactly why you need to stay strong. Kinley's tougher than you. She's got a solid job and her own place. Even if she walks away from Dallas, she'll land on her feet.

"But you just got divorced. You've got nothing to fall back on, and if anything happens to the baby, what will you do then?"

So being strong meant I was the one who got sacrificed.

Ever since we were kids, Samuel always told me the same thing: "Lottie's parents passed away early, so you should give her some leeway." "Lottie's not in good health, so you should look after her."

And "Lottie had a tough time after marrying far away, so don't hold it against her for leaning on us now that she's back."

After twenty years of always putting Charlotte first, now I was expected to give up my husband and marriage for her.

A nurse pushed a treatment cart down the hallway. As I stepped aside, the wheels scraped against the corner, and the noise caught the attention of the people inside the room.

The door suddenly swung open.

Dallas stood there, the look of concern on his face still lingering.

When he saw me, he froze for a moment. "Kinley, when did you get back?"

Just got here." I lifted my empty hands for him to see. "My car broke down halfway, and the shop had already closed up, so I couldn't get any cake."

Charlotte was already lying back in bed. Samuel sat nearby, peeling an apple. There were no tissues in the trash, and not a single trace that anyone had been crying.

Charlotte gave me a weak smile and said, "It's alright, Kinley. Thank you for going there to buy the cake."

Dallas came over and took my bag, like it was second nature after seven years of hospital visits together. "You could've let Sam handle it, but you had to go yourself. Kinley, your hands are freezing."

He took my hands in his, trying to warm them up.

Moments ago, those same hands were pressed against another woman's belly, and his baby was inside her.

I forced myself not to pull away.

Samuel handed me a piece of apple. "Good thing you're back, Kinley. You can stay here tonight and keep Lottie company. Dallas and I have a meeting to go to."

Charlotte jumped in. "No, really, Kinley's got a lot going on at work lately."

"She's the one who always looks after you best. I wouldn't trust anyone else to stay with you," Samuel said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

I took the apple and bit into it. It was way too sour.

I said, "I've got something to do tomorrow morning, so I can't stay tonight."

Samuel frowned. "What could be more important than Lottie?"

"Work."

"If you take a day off, the company won't fall apart. Lottie's preg..." He suddenly stopped.

Dallas said, "Her stomach cramps could flare up again at any time."

Charlotte kept her head down, her hand protectively covering her belly.

I stared at her for a couple of seconds and then set the rest of the apple down on the table. "Then get a nurse."

Samuel's face darkened.

I didn't argue with him. I grabbed my bag and walked out.

Dallas caught up to me at the elevator. "What's going on? Are you okay?"

I said, "My car broke down. I'm tired."

"Lottie's been in pretty rough shape since she came back. We need to take care of her a bit more. She'll move out once she finds a place."

The elevator doors mirrored the worry on his face.

I asked, "So what happens after she finds a place?"

Dallas said, "What?"

"Nothing."

The elevator arrived.

He held the elevator door for me and leaned down to kiss my forehead. "Come home early tonight. I'll head back after I look after her."

I stepped into the elevator, not bothering to remind him that the place he called home was in my name alone.