Chapter 1
Zachary Conrad’s secretary was pregnant.
At the banquet celebrating our ninth wedding anniversary, he brought her back home and casually said. “She’s particular. Make sure she gets
something different every meal.
“She’s jumpy and hates to sleep alone. Pack your things and move to the guest room.”
I didn’t argue. I picked up the suitcase I had already packed days ago and walked toward the door without a word.
me
The butler tried to stop but Zachary scoffed. “Let her go. She’ll come crawling back in three days anyway.”
Everyone around us burst out laughing. Right in front of me, they placed a two–million–dollar bet.
They were sure I, Queenie Snowden, would be crying at Zachary’s door before the night was over, begging for him to let me in.
But they didn’t know that someone had already sent a Maybach to wait. outside.
This time, I was leaving for good.
Just as I reached the gate, Zachary called out to me.
“Queenie, leave the crystal bracelet. Ruby has been having nightmares lately.”
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That bracelet was the last thing I had from my deceas
parents.
When he noticed my red eyes, his voice turned cold. “Just name your price.”
How much was a nine–year marriage worth when it had always felt worthless?
I didn’t bother doing the math.
Back at the ski resort, I refused to lend Ruby Newman my goggles.
Zachary punished me by leaving me stripped and alone on the mountain.
I took off the crystal bracelet and handed it to Ruby. I said to her, “Hope your baby comes into this world safe and sound.”
Zachary gave me a rare moment of kindness when he heard my blessing.
“Queenie, as long as you behave, my child will be yours too.”
Just as he finished, the bracelet slipped from Ruby’s hand and shattered on the floor.
A piece of crystal sliced her leg, and Zachary rushed to scoop her into hist
arms.
He ordered the butler to call the family doctor right away.
He looked so worried that everyone around started watching me like it was a joke.
They weren’t the only ones who found it laughable. Even I thought the whole scene was absurd.
Last night, I had a heart attack. Zachary was getting ready to watch
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Crupter 1
shooting stars with Ruby.
While I lay on the floor foaming at the mouth, he stepped right over me without blinking.
Before I blacked out, I heard him tell the butler, “Clean the living room. I don’t want Ruby smelling anything gross when she gets back.”
I grabbed the suitcase handle and turned to leave, but he suddenly grabbed my wrist coldly.
“Apologize.”
“What…”
Before I could finish, he dragged me down, forcing me to kneel in front of Ruby.
My knees scraped over the shattered crystals, leaving streaks of red on the
white floor.
When he saw the blood, he finally let go, his face filled with disgust.
“You broke Ruby’s bracelet and made her bleed. Don’t you owe her an apology?”
Since I married Zachary, saying sorry has become my habit, almost like breathing.
After saying sorry to Ruby, I turned to him indifferently and asked softly, “Is that enough?”
He stared at the blood on my lips, breathing harder than usual.
“Queenie, my grandpa–the one you always count on–isn’t here right now. So who are you trying to fool with that fake helpless act?”
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Chapter 1
Before I could say anything, the family doctor rushed in.
Zachary shoved me aside without a word and brought the doctor straight to Ruby.
While his eyes were full of nothing but her, I quickly headed toward the door.
The moment I stepped outside the villa, I heard two quick honks.
Spotting the silver car parked by the gate, I sped up.
But just before I could reach it, two bodyguards suddenly showed up and dragged me back inside by force.
