Chapter 1
I wanted a child of my own. So I managed to get into Aladia University and started dating Ethan Lewis, who was both handsome and smart.
When I found out I was pregnant, I texted him and broke up with him suddenly, no warning at all.
A week later, my best friend Lily went with me to my prenatal check-up. Right before we walked in, I realized my ex-boyfriend was actually my doctor.
Damn it, Ethan. He actually tricked me into thinking he was just some regular college guy.
I tugged Lily along, planning to slip out quietly, but the door suddenly swung open from inside.
A slender, graceful hand caught my collar, and behind me came Ethan's voice. It was playful, but with a hint of anger grinding through his words.
He said, "Where do you think you're going?
"So that's why you dumped me and did the whole block-and-delete routine in one go.
"You cheat on me, right?"
*****
My name was Angela Reed. I was twenty-six, and my goal in life was simple: I wanted a child of my own.
And the dad was not important.
My parents were a resentful couple, spent their whole lives fighting and making each other miserable.
The only thing they ever agreed on was not getting divorced, because they both thought that would be letting the other off too easy.
Growing up in that mess, I steered clear of marriage. But I had an almost obsessive desire for someone who was truly mine, someone with my blood running through their veins.
So I came up with my foolproof plan to get pregnant.
I zeroed in on Aladia University. The college guys there were young, healthy, and smart.
Best of all, they were innocent enough to be easily fooled, and I was easy to walk away from when it was all over.
After a whole month of checking out the scene, I settled on Ethan.
He was a second-year grad student in biology, rumored to be a genius with an IQ of 150.
His looks were perfect, clean-cut, fresh, with a sharp nose and eyes that would curve up at the corners whenever he glanced at someone.
I posed as an auditing student, orchestrated a few "accidental" encounters, and made sure to act gentle, intellectual, and just a little bit clumsy in front of him.
It didn't even take a month before Ethan became my boyfriend. He treated me so well that sometimes I actually felt guilty.
He'd remember whatever I casually mentioned craving and show up outside my office with it the very next day.
When I worked late, he'd time it perfectly and send me late-night snacks. The way he looked at me, his eyes always sparkling, like they were filled with stars.
Even as I soaked in all that tenderness, I was still coldly keeping track of my cycle and ovulation days.
Three months later, the pregnancy test showed two clear lines.
Looking at those two lines, my hands trembled. Half of me was ecstatic that I'd finally gotten what I wanted, the other half was already mourning what I was about to give up.
I hid in the bathroom, took a few deep breaths, and then tapped on Ethan's WhatsApp profile picture.
"Let's break up." I hit send.
Then I blocked him and deleted his contact, all in one go.
After it was all done, I leaned against the cold tile wall, my heart felt like someone was squeezing it in their fist, making it hard to breathe.
My phone buzzed. It was a message from Lily. [Did you do it?]
I replied. [It's done.]
Lily shot back instantly, [Congrats! Are you ready to be a mom? Let's go out tonight and celebrate. I'm treating you to dinner.]
I looked at my red-rimmed eyes in the mirror, forced a smile, and typed, [Okay.]
Goodbye, Ethan. Goodbye, my short-lived, make-believe love.
A week later, Lily went with me to my first prenatal check-up.
For the baby's future, I made sure to snag an appointment with the top specialist at the city's best private hospital.
Word was, this doctor was young, just back from abroad with a PhD, and a total genius in OB-GYN.
Getting a slot was nearly impossible. And I had to pull some strings with my boss just to make it happen.
Standing in front of the sign that read "Obstetrics and Gynecology Chief Physician Ethan Lewis," Lily and I both froze in shock.
I blinked hard, then leaned in for a closer look.
There, in the photo, was a guy in a white coat, looking totally focused and sharp. Wasn't that my supposedly naive, easy-to-fool college ex?
My mind went blank, and I grabbed Lily, pulling her to leave in a hurry.
"Come on, come on, let's get out of here. We shouldn't stick around," I urged.
"Damn, Angela, what kind of luck is this? You thought you were fishing for a player, but you ended up catching the ultimate boss." Lily was still stunned as I dragged her along. "Wasn't he just a student at Aladia University?"
"How would I know? That sneaky bastard." I gritted my teeth in frustration.