---- Chapter 1 The first thing | felt was a dull, persistent ache in my lower belly. | opened my eyes to the sterile white ceiling of a hospital room. The smell of antiseptic was sharp in my nose. | pushed myself up slowly, the movement sending a fresh wave of pain through me. It was a hollow, empty pain. The doctor' s words from earlier echoed in my head, a flat, clinical report of loss. My baby was gone. Our baby. My hand went to my phone on the bedside table. My fingers trembled slightly as | unlocked it, my thumb hovering over the contact for our wedding planner. It was supposed to be the biggest wedding of the year, a celebration of two of the city's most promising architects finally tying the knot. | pressed the call button. "Ava! | was just about to call you about the floral arrangements!" the planner' s cheerful voice chirped. My own voice came out as a dry rasp. "Cancel it." There was a pause on the other end. "Excuse me? Did you say cancel?" "Yes," | said, my voice gaining a little strength. "Cancel the ---- wedding. All of it. The venue, the caterers, the flowers. Everything." "But... Ava, is everything alright? Is this about the budget? We can work something out..." "It's not about the budget," | said, cutting her off. "Just cancel it. ' ll pay any cancellation fees." | hung up before she could ask any more questions. | stared at the blank screen, a single tear finally escaping and rolling down my cheek. It felt cold on my skin. The life | had been building, the future | had been dreaming of, it all ended with that one phone call. The door to my room swung open, and Liam rushed in, his face a perfect picture of worry. "Ava! Honey, what happened? The office called and said you collapsed. | came as fast as | could." He hurried to my bedside, grabbing my hand. His hand was warm, his grip firm and reassuring, just like it had always been. But today, it felt like a cage. He looked into my eyes, his own filled with what looked like genuine concern. "The doctor said you were exhausted, that you fainted from overwork," he said, his voice soft and soothing. "I told you to slow down, baby. You don't have to push yourself so hard." He leaned in to kiss my forehead. That's when | smelled it. A faint but unmistakable floral perfume. It wasn' t my perfume. ---- lt was 'Amour Infini' the expensive, exclusive scent Clara always wore. It clung to the collar of his expensive suit jacket. The smell made me want to throw up. | flinched away from his touch, a small, involuntary movement. He didn't seem to notice. He pulled back, a charming smile on his face, the one that always made my heart flutter. Now, it just made my stomach turn. "You just need to get some rest," he said, stroking my hair. "Don't worry about a thing. I'll handle the firm. You just focus on getting better. Our wedding is only a month away. You have to be in perfect shape to walk down that aisle." He kept talking, his words a smooth, steady stream about our honeymoon plans, about the final touches on the house we designed together, about the family he wanted to start with me. Every word was a lie, a carefully crafted piece of a beautiful, false reality he was selling me. He had no idea that | knew. He had no idea our future was already dead. My eyes drifted to the small television mounted on the wall. It was ona local news channel, the volume low. | reached for the remote, desperate for any distraction from his voice. | pressed the volume button, turning it up An entertainment segment filled the screen. And there she was. Clara. She was at some art gallery opening, looking radiant in a tight-fitting dress that did nothing to hide the ---- slight swell of her stomach. A reporter was holding a microphone up to her. "Clara, the whole city is buzzing," the reporter said. "There are rumors you're seeing someone very high-profile. Can you tell us anything?" Clara laughed, a sound that was both shy and triumphant. She placed a hand protectively over her belly. "I can't say his name just yet," she said, her eyes sparkling for the camera. "But | can say he's the most amazing man I've ever met. He promised me the world, and he's already given me a miracle." Her words hung in the air of the silent hospital room. Liam was still talking, but | couldn't hear him anymore. All | could hear was Clara's voice, announcing her victory to the world.