Chapter 1

I once willingly became his mistress to save my mother, even carrying his child that he had so desperately wanted.

I thought it was love, until I was forced to kneel before his wedding and lost my child.

He passed me off to others in public, crushing whatever dignity I had left.

I left with a broken heart, but he came chasing after me like a madman, saying he only loved me.

But by then, I was already in a wedding dress, holding another man's hand.

I watched him break down, and I merely smiled faintly.

"You? You dare talk about love?"

Aria's POV

In my third year with Julian Ashford, I ran into him and his newly married wife at the hospital.

In the obstetrics corridor, Julian wore a haute couture suit that clashed with his surroundings, his arms protectively wrapped around a woman.

I heard him say to her.

"I can bring any doctor you want to the house. Why must you come to the hospital?"

The woman replied coolly.

"Isn't there a top-tier private doctor stashed away in your house? I wouldn't dare ask you to bring her home."

I knew the private doctor she was talking about was me.

Three years ago, I went to Julian's mother, Helena, and asked to be with Julian without any title or status.

To the public, my identity was his private physician. But in truth, I was his mistress.

I watched Julian's lips press into a tight line.

"Ours is just a business marriage. Don't interfere in my business with Aria. We're already married. I'll handle her appropriately. She won't be a problem for you."

The woman's lips curved upward.

"You have one month before the wedding ceremony. You'd better clean up all your loose ends. Otherwise, don't say I didn't warn you."

The doctor called the woman's name, and they walked into the examination room.

I stood frozen in place, my entire body feeling as if it had been plunged into ice water.

Julian had once sworn to me that he would make Helena accept me into the family, that being his mistress was only a temporary measure.

But now, without me knowing, he had not only married someone else but also had a child with her.

Helena was right. Julian would love many people. I would never be the special one.

Five years ago, Julian was stabbed and collapsed on the roadside. I was still a university student then, and I gave him basic first aid before sending him to the hospital.

When he woke up, he began pursuing me with great effort.

A wealthy man falling for an innocent medical student became the latest gossip in high society circles.

I couldn't withstand such an offensive and quickly fell for him, accepting his confession.

But Helena didn't accept our relationship.

And Julian wasn't the devoted, infatuated prince I thought he was. Long hairs in his pockets, lipstick marks on his shirts, long periods of being unreachable.

Combined with increasingly vicious rumors at school, I eventually chose to break up with him.

But no one expected that after the breakup, Julian would become frantic about getting back together with me.

He swore he would never be ambiguous with any other woman again, even tattooing my name on his body.

Though I was moved and couldn't let go of our relationship, I knew clearly the gap between us. The biggest obstacle was Helena's opposition.

Until my mother was diagnosed with acute leukemia. With no other options, I went to Helena and offered to become Julian's mistress, nothing more.

This way, I could stabilize him while keeping everything under Helena's control.

Helena agreed to this transaction, giving me a one-time payment of thirty million dollars and promising to send me to a top research institute to continue my studies when I left.

Helena's words still echoed in my ears:

"Julian won't have only you. He'll love many people. You won't be the special one. But you're doing me a favor. Rather than letting him get involved with questionable women, having only you is more reassuring."

"If you can get pregnant with Julian's child, letting you into the family isn't impossible."

During these three years with Julian, he gave me promises and favoritism. We were no different from an ordinary married couple.

Hope had secretly grown in my heart.

Now it seemed I had been overthinking.

I raised my phone, took a photo of them walking out of the examination room, and sent it to Helena.

"Julian Ashford is already married to another woman and has a child with her. There's no reason for me to stay. Please fulfill your promise and send me to Dr. Shaw's research institute."

My mother's illness had been under control for a year now. My savings could completely support both of us. I had only stayed because I couldn't let go of my feelings for Julian.

The phone screen lit up with Helena's reply.

"Even if you hadn't discovered this, I would have told you eventually. The family business needs the South family's support. This is an obligation Julian must fulfill."

"Julian still has feelings for you. You have three days. Find a way to make Julian completely let you go, and you'll get everything you want."

Just as I finished reading the message, someone tapped my shoulder.

"Aria? It really is you. What are you doing at the hospital?"

Only then did I remember I had come to pick up my ultrasound report.

I was pregnant with Julian's child. Two months along.