Chapter 1
My husband, Alfred Wexler, insisted we live a child–free life but for the sake of pleasure, he always refused to use protection.
In only three years, I lost six chances to become a mother.
The seventh time I got pregnant, the doctor told me I’d never be able to conceive again.
But not long after that, Alfred brought home a pregnant college girl.
He even suggested I quit my job, so I could take care of her during her
pregnancy.
“She bought one of my pieces at an auction. The money from that sale is what paid for our new place.
“Take good care of her. Everything we do now is for a brighter future together.”
Before I could bring up divorce, I caught sight of the familiar college girl again. Then, glancing down at my phone, I saw a message from my billionaire father.
“Today is the final day of the three–year test.”
If she’s the richest man’s daughter, then who am I?
***
The new place was a luxurious, open–plan flat. Alfred had arranged. everything by himself.
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All I had to do was get my belongings ready and move.
He helped me out of bed daily, searched for cooking tips online, made healthy dishes, and treated me like I was precious.
But despite how lively he used to be, he now showed no interest in intimacy.
༢ ཏེ,, ས ས པི,
Whenever I mentioned it, he’d remind me of the miscarriages and say I needed time to heal.
I couldn’t figure it out.
But the day he brought Melissa Desmith over, everything made sense.
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She bore a face strikingly similar to mine, her bulging belly looks like it’s six or seven months pregnant.
Alfred pulled me aside and explained all the reasons why it was a good thing.
He thought he had everything planned perfectly. What he didn’t expect was that I already knew who Melissa was.
I was just about to leave with my suitcase when Alfred suddenly pushed me into the kitchen.
He said, “She prefers mild flavors. Make a few dishes for her and don’t add any chili. Also, avoid anything too strong for the baby.”
After giving those instructions, he walked off to take care of Melissa.
Watching how gentle and thoughtful he was with her made my heart ache.
When we first got together, Alfred always said he didn’t want kids.
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He claimed to dislike them.
But now, he’s doing everything for a woman who’s pregnant.
I wiped my eyes, turned back, and started prepping the meal.
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On the counter were fresh vegetables he had bought earlier that morning and half a beef.
Seeing it made me pause for a moment.
For six years, I had made a living selling beef pasta while being with Alfred.
With that money, I opened an art studio just for him and paid for a small two–bedroom apartment.
The day he got the deed, he showed up at my workplace and turned off my live streaming.
He told the restaurant owner that I was quitting. He said he’d never let me touch beef again.
Yet here I was, once again standing in a kitchen, preparing the beef.
When I brought the food out, Alfred and Melissa were already seated, waiting to eat.
Alfred told me to bring some soup to Melissa.
“This bone broth is good for beauty and complexion. Helena’s specialty is a beef dish, so the taste should be amazing.”
When Melissa heard Alfred say my name, she froze for a moment, as if thinking about something.
But right after, she took the bowl I put in front of her, sniffed it, and
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started gagging. “Alfred, this smells awful. The minute I came in, I caught a whiff of that porky stench. I really can’t deal with it.”
As Melissa looked sick, Alfred rushed to give her some water and gently rubbed her back.
“I’ll get Helena to prepare something different for you,” he said.
Melissa quickly waved him off. “No, don’t bother. That pork stench is
coming from her. Alfred, you should hire a new nanny.”
Nanny?
Right as I was about to snap, Alfred took hold of my wrist.
I figured he was going to defend me.
Instead, he pulled me to the side.
He explained, “Once she gives birth, our part in this is done. If we treat her well now, it’ll make our future much easier.
“But if this really bothers you, you can go back to the old house. I’ll look after everything. We can’t afford to lose this chance.”
I ripped off my apron and threw it right at him, then tossed a divorce paper his way before walking out with my suitcase.
Alfred immediately shredded the document. “I don’t agree. Everything I did was for our future. I even gave you a way to back out. Why are you pushing me away?”
From the dining room, Melissa’s voice called out, hurrying him.
Alfred stuffed the ripped–up paper back into my hands and muttered, “I’ll drop by when I have time.”
