Chapter 1

At two in the morning, Darryl Farrell's call woke me up with a start.

His voice was low and hoarse, with a hint of panic. "Rosalie, something's happened."

I was stunned for a moment. "Aren't you on a business trip? What happened?"

He paused for a long time, as if trying to find the words. "Bella... she's pregnant. Eight months."

My mind went blank. "Wait, you and her?"

"No," he said quickly. "We never slept together."

Before I could even catch my breath, Darryl went on, "The doctor just called. She passed out, and her phone listed me as the emergency contact. She's still in the ER."

When I got there, the doctor was just coming out. Thankfully, it was nothing serious.

"The baby's stable. Looks like she fainted from malnutrition," the doctor said.

Darryl slumped against the wall, his voice low and strained, like something was stuck in his throat. "She did something reckless."

"She used my sperm," he said, barely audible.

I spun around. "What?"

"Remember that joint experiment I did in Uniham a few years ago? We all left samples for genetic screening, and she... she took mine," he explained.

"She said she didn't want anything from me, not a relationship, not money. She just wanted to have my child," he added.

"She knew you couldn't have kids, and she knew I... I really wanted a child," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

My mind was buzzing. I couldn't tell if I was furious or if this was just too absurd.

This was the deepest, most silent crack in our marriage, something we'd always agreed to ignore.

And now, someone else had crashed right into it, in the most messed-up way.

In the hospital room, Bella slowly opened her eyes, and the first person she saw was me.

She struggled to sit up, her hands shaking as she gripped my arm. Her voice was hoarse but determined. "Rosalie, I never wanted to come between you and Darryl.

"I know I'm not in a position to ask for anything, but this child deserves to be born.

"I do love him, but I respect you more.

"I just wanted to give him a child, and then I'll step back and let you two have your life together.

"Please, just let me keep the baby."

I stood there, looking into her tired yet determined eyes, and it felt like the air had been sucked out of my lungs.

Darryl was right behind me, his voice barely above a whisper. "Rosalie, the baby didn't do anything wrong. Neither did she."

I let out a bitter laugh.

"Darryl, you waited until she was eight months pregnant to tell me. You really know how to keep me in the dark," I said.

He didn't say a word.

I'd always known Bella was different from everyone else.

She was the orphan of Darryl's mentor, and ever since she was entrusted to the Farrell family at nineteen, she'd always been on the fringes of our lives.

All these years, Darryl had not only paid for her schooling and looked after her day-to-day life.

He even set her up in an apartment just three subway stops from our place, and would personally pick her up and drop her off all the time.

She never bothered to hide her feelings.

All those 'coincidences' she kept pulling.

She'd text me for help in the middle of the night, then show up at my door in barely-there pajamas, saying her place had a water leak.

Every time I was out of town, she'd conveniently fall ill and need Darryl to take care of her.

She got more daring every time.

But Darryl never really had it in him to shut her out for good.

He'd act distant and say it wasn't appropriate, but he never truly cut her off.

"She's my mentor's only child, all alone in the world. I can't just turn my back on her," he'd say.

He thought he was making things obvious, but he just didn't get it.

For a woman who'd been crushing on him for years, any leeway was enough for her to build castles in the air.

I nodded. "The baby isn't my concern. It's your decision. If you want to keep it, that's up to you."

I was all over the place emotionally, and it just so happened I had a research project lined up, something to keep me occupied for a while.

By the time I got back, the baby had already been born, a little boy.

I stood at the doorway of the hospital room, and laughter drifted out from inside.

Darryl used to say, "You're the one I cherish most in this world."

But right now, he was gently picking up the swaddled baby, his voice soft and tender.

"Don't cry, my precious one. You're the one I love most in this world," he cooed.

Bella was flipping through a parenting book. "He's got your nose, but those eyes are all mine."

Darryl grinned. "Yeah, let's just call him Brice. He's a chip off the old block."

I stood right there in the doorway, but it was like I was invisible. They were so wrapped up in the moment that neither of them noticed me at all.

I couldn't help myself and let out a soft cough.

Darryl looked up, his eyes landing on me. His smile faded instantly. "Rosalie."

I walked in, and the room went dead silent.

"Rosalie, if you don't accept me, I'll raise the baby by myself. We won't be part of the Farrell family," Bella said, her voice trembling.