Chapter 1

Adrian Cross hated children, but I was pregnant.

That night, I cautiously asked him, "What would you do if I got pregnant?"

He kept working through his documents without looking up. "Get rid of it."

The words chilled me to the bone.

Curled up on the couch, I quietly touched my still-flat stomach.

Three days earlier, a routine medical checkup had revealed that I was pregnant. The doctor said I was six weeks along and there was already a heartbeat.

My mind had gone completely blank.

Adrian and I had been together for two years, and we had always been careful. He had made it clear he never wanted children, and I agreed that this wasn't the right time.

But it had happened anyway.

"Evelyn, come here," Adrian said.

He set the documents aside and reached for me.

I walked over as he asked, and he pulled me onto his lap.

He wrapped an arm around my waist and rested his chin on my shoulder. "What's wrong? You seem distracted."

"It's nothing," I replied.

"Liar." He gently nipped my earlobe. "Something's bothering you."

My heart raced, but I struggled to remain calm. "It's work."

Adrian turned his chair until I was facing him.

His unreadable gaze held mine. "Evelyn Blake, I don't like being lied to."

I lowered my gaze, unable to look at him. "It's really nothing. I've probably been working too hard lately."

Adrian did not press me. He simply held me tighter.

I breathed in the faint scent of his cologne, my panic mounting by the second.

What would he do if he found out I was pregnant?

Force me to go to a clinic? Or break up with me on the spot?

I couldn't bear to imagine it.

Over the past two years, I had seen how ruthless he could be toward women who tried to trap him with a baby.

Whenever I mentioned about children, his expression would darken.

I knew the subject stirred up painful memories for him.

He had been born out of wedlock, rejected by his father and mistreated by his father's wife throughout his childhood.

To him, children were nothing but trouble and a burden.

But now I was carrying one.

"Get some sleep," Adrian said. "You have work tomorrow."

He kissed my forehead and motioned for me to take a shower.

I nodded, got up, and headed for the shower.

In the mirror, my face looked deathly pale.

Evelyn, what are you going to do?

Hot water poured over me, yet I still felt cold.

This baby had come at the worst possible time.

My relationship with Adrian was already unstable. He had never once mentioned marrying me.

I was only his girlfriend. More accurately, I was his lover.

We lived together, and he treated me well, but I knew there was no real commitment between us.

Now that a baby was involved, everything had become far more complicated.

I turned off the water and gave my hair a quick, careless rub with a towel.

By the time I returned to the bedroom, Adrian was already in bed.

His eyes were closed and his breathing was steady. He seemed to be asleep.

I carefully slipped into bed beside him and stared blankly at the ceiling.

The tiny life inside me was still too small for me to feel.

But I knew it was there, quietly growing.

"Can't sleep?" Adrian asked.

His voice came from the darkness.

I flinched. "Did I wake you?"

"No." He rolled onto his side and pulled me into his arms. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I can't seem to fall asleep," I replied.

His hand moved gently over my back, and his voice was soft. "Are you feeling sick?"

I shook my head, afraid to speak.

I was scared that one word might give me away.

"If you don't feel well, go to the hospital and see a doctor," he said. "Don't try to tough it out."

The hospital...

The memory of the test results sent my heart racing even faster.

"Okay. I will," I said.

Adrian said nothing more and soon fell asleep.

I listened to his steady breathing, growing more awake by the minute.

Tomorrow was Saturday, and he had some work to take care of at the office.

I could use the time alone to figure out what to do.

Should I tell him the truth, or...

I couldn't bear to finish the thought.

Adrian left for the office on Saturday morning.

Alone at home, I tried to organize my design sketches, but my mind was a mess.

My phone rang. It was my best friend, Sophie Reed.

"Evelyn, are you free today? Want to go shopping?" Sophie asked.

I needed a distraction. "Sure. Where should we meet?"

"Westbridge Mall. Our usual spot."

After hanging up, I changed and headed out.

Westbridge Mall was packed, as it always was on weekends.

I found Sophie at the coffee shop. She had already ordered our drinks.

"You look awful. What's wrong?" she asked with concern.

I sat down, but the latte in front of me suddenly made me nauseous.

"It's nothing. Work's probably been wearing me out lately," I said.

Sophie studied me closely. "Are you sure that's all? You look like..."

She suddenly stopped mid-sentence.

"Like what?"

"Nothing." She shook her head. "I'm probably imagining things."

I picked up the latte to take a sip, but one whiff made me want to throw up.

I quickly covered my mouth and rushed to the restroom.