Chapter 1 I'm Pregnant

Thea Dawson had just learned she was pregnant.

Leaving the hospital, she could barely contain her excitement as she clutched the test results and hurried to call her husband, Jerred Willis.

"Jerred..." Her voice trembled, her palms damp against the paper in her hand. "I... I need to tell you something."

On the other end of the line, Jerred's response carried an unexpected chill. "Interesting. I have something to say to you, too. Make sure you're back home by seven."

Before Thea could reply, the line went dead, leaving her with the flat tone buzzing in her ear.

A tightness spread through her chest.

Something about Jerred's voice was amiss-it was far colder than usual.

She drew in a steadying breath and patted her cheeks, forcing a small smile. She urged herself not to think too much about it.

Jerred was the CEO of Braptin's largest multinational company; the weight of constant pressure was bound to make him feel frustrated sometimes. His cold tone didn't necessarily mean he was upset with her.

When the clock struck seven, Thea was already seated at the perfectly set dining table, her eyes flicking to her watch as each minute dragged.

Wanting to ease what she imagined might have been a grueling day for Jerred, she had carefully prepared all of his favorite dishes.

Yet, to her surprise, the man who prided himself on punctuality was late today.

An hour later, at last, the front door of the house opened.

Jerred stepped inside, his presence immediately filling the space with authority. The evening chill clung to his coat as he shrugged it off and passed it to the waiting maid.

Thea stood quickly, her smile soft and welcoming. "What kept you so late?"

"Got held up with something," he answered curtly.

With a folder in hand, he moved toward the table, his stride composed. He then lowered himself into a chair, legs crossing with casual elegance. "You said you wanted a word with me?"

His unreadable eyes lingered on Thea, cold and probing, while the untouched food sat between them. His voice was cold as he said, "Go ahead; say it."

His icy demeanor made her fingers curl against her lap, and the news of her pregnancy stuck in her throat.

Her lips twitched into a forced smile. "You also said you wanted to tell me something. Why don't you start first?"

For a long beat, he didn't answer. His stare remained locked on her, steady and suffocating. Then, in a voice slow and deliberate, he said, "Jaylynn's back."

Thea felt those words crash over her like an icy tide, leaving her stunned.

The Jaylynn he mentioned was none other than her cousin, Jaylynn Dawson.

Jaylynn had grown up alongside Jerred, their deep bond forged from childhood.

A year ago, Jaylynn had been the one destined to become Jerred's bride.

But for reasons unknown, Jaylynn had vanished the night before the wedding.

To shield both families from scandal, the Dawson family had dragged Thea out of her quiet countryside life and thrust her into Jerred's arms instead.

Thea had always known Jerred's heart belonged elsewhere. The moment Jaylynn returned, she'd be expected to step aside.

She had just never imagined that day would come so abruptly.

Her fingers curled around the crumpled pregnancy test results hidden in her pocket. "So..."

Her voice trembled as her eyes flicked to the document on the table. "Is that a divorce agreement you've brought?"

"It isn't," Jerred replied, his tone flat. "I'm not filing for divorce-at least not yet."

A faint breath escaped Thea's lips, but the brief relief tightened into dread just as quickly.

His words carried the weight of inevitability, hinting that her marriage was already counting down to its end.

With her chest tight, Thea let out a quiet sniffle. "Then what is this document..."

"Jaylynn told me she disappeared because she thought she was dying," Jerred said evenly. "She didn't want to burden me with her illness. She didn't come back to rekindle anything between us this time."

He then slid the document across the table toward Thea, unfolding it with deliberate precision. "She needs your help."

Thea froze for a moment. Her gaze then dropped instinctively to the page.

The bold heading made her pulse stutter-it was a bone marrow compatibility report.

Her eyes traced the lines until the truth slammed into her chest: her bone marrow was a perfect match for Jaylynn's.

As her eyes traced the words, a stab of pain shot through her chest.

She racked her memory, unable to recall ever having such a test.

Except...

Her throat tightened as she pieced it together. Forcing down the rising pain, she lifted her eyes to Jerred, sorrow etched across her face. "Two months ago, when your assistant said I needed a check-up... was that test for this?"

Jerred gave a clipped nod. "That's right. I kept it from you because Jaylynn's return had to remain confidential."

Each word that left his lips struck her heart with brutal force.

That check-up-the only time in over a year of marriage he had shown even a shred of concern toward her-hadn't been about her at all.

She had been elated then, convinced it meant their relationship was finally moving forward.

Now, in hindsight, she must've seemed both pathetic and laughable at that time.

What she had once believed was a breakthrough in their relationship now revealed itself as nothing more than Jerred arranging a test for the woman he had truly cherished all along...

Lifting her head, Thea locked eyes with Jerred across the table he hadn't even noticed she had painstakingly set. "I'm not doing it," she declared, her voice firm.

Her fingers drifted protectively to her still-flat belly.

The tiny life in there, just two months along, was too fragile and too precious to endure something like this.

Jerred was caught off guard by her outright refusal, his expression hardening as his brow knitted together. "I'll arrange for the best medical team. Everything will be handled with precision. You won't be at risk. Jaylynn's situation can't wait."

Thea held his gaze, her composure steady despite the storm gathering inside her.

After a long, tense silence, she drew a breath and said slowly, "Jerred... I'm pregnant."