The Price Of Her Love: His Lies, Her Truth

Eden POV

“Miss Eden, Congratulations, you are 2 weeks pregnant.” The doctor’s words rang in my ears all day. I was overjoyed, nervous, and a little scared all at once. But mostly, I couldn’t wait to tell Keith. I thought maybe this news would bring us closer, give us something real to hold on to.

Keith came home late, as usual. He looked tired but not in the mood to talk. I’ve been married to him for three years now, but it doesn’t feel like a real marriage. No one even knows we’re husband and wife. His grandfather, Pa Greg, is the one who set us up. He believed I was the right woman for Keith, and I guess I believed him too.

But Keith? He’s never seen it that way. This marriage wasn’t his choice, and he’s never hidden that fact. Still, I loved him. I kept hoping that one day, he’d feel the same.

Tonight, I thought it might be different. “Keith,” I said softly, trying to catch his attention.

He glanced at me and sighed. “What is it?”

“I have something to tell you,” I began, my heart racing.

“Go on,” he said, his voice flat, distracted.

But just as I opened my mouth to tell him the news, his phone rang. Without a second thought, he answered it. “What?” His tone shifted, suddenly sharp and focused.

I stood there, watching as he listened intently. His expression hardened, and he stood up abruptly. “I’m coming,” he said before ending the call.

“Keith, wait,” I called after him as he started heading toward the bedroom to grab his jacket.

“Not now, Eden,” he said quickly, brushing past me.

“But I’ve been trying to talk to you all day,” I insisted, following him.

“I don’t have time for this,” he snapped, pulling on his coat.

“Where are you going?” I asked, frustration and hurt bubbling up in my chest. It was the middle of the night. Whatever it was, couldn’t it wait?

“It’s important,” he said curtly, walking toward the door.

“Keith, please, just listen to me for once,” I pleaded, my voice breaking.

He stopped briefly, looking back at me with an annoyed expression. “Eden, go back inside.”

And with that, he opened the door, stepped out, and headed straight for his car.

I couldn’t take it anymore. I followed him out into the cold night air, calling after him. “Keith!”

He didn’t stop until he reached his car. Turning to face me, his tone was colder than ever. “Eden, go back inside. I have something important to handle.”

He got into the car, started the engine, and sped off without another word.

I stood there in the driveway, watching his taillights disappear into the darkness. My heart felt heavy, and tears burned in my eyes. What was so important that he’d leave like that, in the middle of the night? What could it be that mattered more than me—or the news I was so desperate to share?

This is just how Keith is—distant. Always somewhere else, like I don’t even exist in his world. I thought maybe the pregnancy would change things, bring him closer to me, but he can’t even give me a minute of his time. I blinked back my tears and sank onto the couch, feeling the weight of it all pressing down on me.

As I sat there, my phone rang. It was Becca, my best friend. I swiped to answer, forcing my voice to sound normal. “Hey, Becca.”

“How are you?” she asked, her tone careful.

“I’m okay,” I replied, trying to brush it off.

“Are you sure?” she pressed, sounding more concerned now.

“What’s going on?” I asked, frowning. “Why do you keep asking me that?”

She hesitated, then said, “It’s because of the news.”

“What news?” I asked, my chest tightening.

“I’ll send you a link,” she said, avoiding my question. Before I could push her for more, she hung up.

A few seconds later, my phone beeped. It was a message from Becca with a link attached. My stomach knotted as I tapped on it, not sure what to expect. The page loaded, and I froze.

It was a gossip blog, and the headline screamed at me: “Georgia Dominic Is Back—and She’s Not Alone!”

Georgia? My cousin? I stared at the pictures beneath the headline. It was her, looking as glamorous as ever, even with the crutches she was using. My mind reeled. Georgia had been gone for three years, completely off the radar, and now she was back? Why now? Why, when I was finally trying to hold my fragile marriage together with news of a baby?

I scrolled down, reading the comments under the post.

“Georgia is back, and she looks stunning!”

“Is she with her billionaire boyfriend? Lucky girl.”

“Why is she on crutches now? What happened?”

Billionaire boyfriend? I frowned and went back to the pictures, scanning them more closely. There she was, arm-in-arm with a tall, familiar figure. My heart stopped, and I felt the air leave my lungs.

It was Keith.

My husband.

I zoomed in, hoping—praying—I was wrong. But it was him. Keith, standing next to Georgia, his hand resting protectively on her back, looking at her in a way he’d never looked at me.

My hands trembled as I stared at the screen, disbelief and anger swirling inside me. He left the house tonight without a word, brushing me off like I didn’t matter. And now I knew why.

He went to see her.

Georgia wasn’t just my cousin; she was Keith’s first love. The woman he’d never quite let go of, no matter how much time had passed. And now she was back, stealing his attention, his time—everything I’d been hoping to get from him.

She is back to take him.... Just like she had told me three years ago. "Enjoy your marriage dearest cousin, wait for my return. And when I return, I will take what was rightfully mine."

I walked into the company like every other worker, blending in as if there was nothing special about me. No one knew the truth—I was Keith’s personal assistant, yes, but also his wife. Our marriage wasn’t public, and some days, it felt like even Keith forgot about it.

I am not here to work today. I came to tell Keith I needed a couple of days off. I wasn’t feeling well— both physically and emotionally. My chest still ached from last night, the image of Keith leaving me to go to Georgia playing on repeat in my head. How could he just walk out on me like that? It hurt. It made me angry. But more than anything, it made me feel small, like I didn’t matter.

I entered the elevator, keeping my eyes down, trying to block out the world. But I couldn’t block out the voices behind me.

“Did you hear?” one woman whispered to the other.

“What?”

“Georgia Dominic is back. You know, the boss’s true love,” she said in a hushed, gossipy tone.

I froze, but they didn’t stop.

“I wonder what’s going to happen to her now,” the first one continued.

“You mean the assistant? I heard she stole her cousin’s rightful place with the boss.”

“Right? But there’s nothing serious between them. Everyone knows he’s just using her to warm his bed.”

Their words were knives, sharp and cutting. My hands curled into fists at my sides, my nails digging into my palms. I wanted to turn around and tell them the truth—that I wasn’t just some assistant, that I was Keith’s wife. The rightful woman. Not Georgia.

But I didn’t. I kept quiet. Let them think whatever they wanted.

When the elevator doors opened, I stepped out quickly, needing to get away from their voices. My head was pounding as I made my way straight to Keith’s office. He was standing by the window, staring out at the city like he didn’t have a care in the world.

He heard me come in and turned around. His expression was calm, almost detached. “Is there a problem?” he asked casually, as if everything was fine, as if last night hadn’t happened.

I stared at him, waiting for something—an apology, an explanation, anything. But he didn’t offer one. He wasn’t even going to tell me where he went last night. Fine. If he didn’t want to talk, I wasn’t going to beg.

“I need to take two days off,” I said, keeping my voice steady.

He frowned slightly. “Is something wrong?”

Yes, I wanted to scream. Everything is wrong! I wanted to tell him how I had planned to share the news of my pregnancy with him last night, only for him to leave me for Georgia. I wanted to pour out everything I was feeling, the hurt, the betrayal, the anger.

But I didn’t. I swallowed it all and shook my head. “I’m just not feeling well,” I said simply.

He nodded, still calm, still distant. “Take the leave.”

That was it. No concern, no care. Just permission to leave.

I turned around and walked out of his office, my chest tight and my mind spinning. He wasn’t even treating me like his wife. Though I knew he didn’t love me, the least he could do was show me some affection.

I headed to the parking lot, my head still spinning from everything that had happened. My plan was simple—get to my car and leave. But then I saw her.

The last person I expected to see today.

Georgia.

She was there, on crutches, limping toward me. I froze for a moment, my eyes narrowing as I tried to process the scene. What happened to her? Why was she even here?

“Hey, cuz,” she called out, her voice dripping with fake sweetness.

Now we were standing face-to-face, and her eyes glinted with something I couldn’t quite place—mockery, maybe?

“How are you doing?” she asked, her tone making it clear she already knew I wasn’t in the best mood. She wanted me to know that she could see it, that she could feel it.

“You’re back,” I said flatly, not bothering to hide the lack of excitement in my voice. “What happened to your leg?”

Her lips curved into a smirk. “Are you feeling sorry for me now because I’m on crutches and limping around?”

I ignored her question. She wasn’t here for pity; I knew better. “What do you want?” I asked instead, keeping my voice steady.

She shrugged, leaning slightly on one crutch. “I just wanted to thank you for taking care of Keith while I was gone.”

I scoffed, crossing my arms. “It’s my duty,” I shot back. “After all, he’s my husband.”

She smiled, but it wasn’t friendly. It was the kind of smile that said she was winning, even though I wasn’t sure what the game was. “Of course,” she said lightly, but her words felt like a warning. She was telling me, without saying it directly, that my time with Keith was over and hers was starting.

Georgia turned to walk away, but one of her crutches slipped from her grip, clattering to the ground. She wobbled, trying to balance.

“Could you help me?” she asked, her voice softer now. “I mean, with my crutch?”

I sighed but bent down to pick it up, handing it back to her. But before she could regain her balance, she fell. Hard.

“Ow!” she screamed, clutching her leg as if she was in excruciating pain.

Before I could even process what had happened, Keith came rushing into the parking lot, his voice booming. “What’s happening here?”

He stopped, his eyes darting between Georgia on the ground and me standing there, stunned. Then his gaze turned icy.

“What have you done to her?” he demanded, stepping closer to me.

“Keith, it’s not what it looks like,” I started, my voice shaking. “She fell—”

But he didn’t let me finish.

“She’s in pain, and you’re just standing there!” he snapped, his voice filled with anger I had never heard before.

“Keith, I didn’t push her. It was an accident,” I tried again, desperate for him to understand.

He didn’t. Instead, he shoved me out of the way. The force caught me off guard, and I stumbled, falling backward. My head hit the side of a nearby car with a sharp thud. Pain exploded through me, radiating from where I’d hit.

Dazed, I watched as Keith bent down, scooping Georgia into his arms like she was the most precious thing in the world. He carried her away, bridal style, without so much as a glance in my direction.

And there I was, lying on the cold pavement, pain throbbing in my head and heart.

He had chosen her.

Not me.

Keith and Georgia were now in the hospital room. Georgia was sitting up in bed, her crutches leaning against the wall beside her. Keith stood near her, his arms crossed, concern etched on his face.

“Are you okay now?” Keith asked softly, his voice filled with guilt.

“I’m fine,” Georgia replied with a small smile, though she winced as she shifted in bed.

Keith sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I’m so sorry, Georgia. Forgive me for what happened. I don’t know what’s gotten into Eden. She’s not like that.”

Georgia tilted her head, her brow furrowing. “Keith, it wasn’t Eden’s fault.”

But Keith shook his head, clearly not convinced. “You don’t have to cover for her, Georgia. She shouldn’t have done this to you. Now, look, you’re lying in a hospital bed because of her.”

Georgia sighed, leaning back. “It was a mistake, Keith. My crutches fell, and Eden was just trying to help me pick them up. That’s when I fell. It wasn’t her fault.”

Keith blinked, as he realized that he was wrong about Eden. He thought back to the parking lot, to Eden’s face when he accused her, when he shoved her out of the way. The memory of her falling and hitting her head made his stomach churn with regret.

“I blamed her,” Keith murmured, more to himself than Georgia. “I pushed her... I didn’t even think about how much I might’ve hurt her.”

“You should apologize,” Georgia said firmly, looking at him. “Go now. Talk to your wife. Fix this.”

Keith hesitated, her emphasis on "WIFE" hanging in the air. He gave her a small nod. “I’ll stay with you a little longer. After all, you’re getting discharged this evening.”

Later that day, after taking Georgia to her apartment, Keith returned home. The house was quiet, almost too quiet. He called out, “Eden?” but there was no response.

He frowned. She wasn’t home? That didn’t make sense—he had given her leave to rest. Where could she be?

Keith headed upstairs, taking the steps two at a time. When he reached their bedroom, he opened the door and stopped in surprise. Eden was there, sitting on the edge of the bed, her face unreadable.

“You’re here,” he said, stepping inside. “Didn’t you hear me calling you? Or did you decide to ignore me?”

Eden didn’t respond immediately. She looked at him briefly, then glanced away.

Keith took a deep breath, deciding not to get upset. He had come here to apologize, after all. “Eden, about what happened earlier—”

But she cut him off before he could finish. “Take this.”

She handed him an envelope, her expression calm but distant.

Keith frowned, taking it. “What’s this?”

“Open it, you'll see a resignation letter. And beneath it, a divorce paper." She said simply.

Keith stared at Eden, shocked by her words. His disbelief deepened as he unfolded the papers in his hand and read them. It wasn’t a joke. The resignation letter was real, and the divorce papers were properly prepared.

“You want a divorce?” he asked, his voice low and tense. “Is this because of how I behaved earlier? Look, I know I wasn’t thinking, and I messed up. I’m sorry, Eden.”

But Eden shook her head, her eyes cold and unwavering. “It’s not just about that, Keith. What’s the point of staying in a loveless marriage? There’s nothing left between us.”

Keith frowned, his tone sharpening. “Are you joking right now? Don’t be ridiculous, Eden.”

“I’m not being ridiculous,” Eden replied firmly. “We both know this is what you want. Nobody even knows we’re married except for our families. Isn’t that proof enough?”

“How do you know what I want?” Keith snapped back. “How do you know this is what we need?”

Eden took a deep breath, her voice trembling with frustration. “What’s the point of staying in a marriage where there’s no love? This is your chance to be with Georgia. Isn’t that what you want?”

Keith scoffed, crossing his arms. “So this is what all of this is about? Georgia? If only you could see how jealous you look right now, Eden.”

Eden’s face hardened. “This has nothing to do with jealousy,” she said. “Just sign the divorce papers, Keith. And accept my resignation.”

But instead of responding, Keith tore the papers in half, his movements quick and deliberate. “I’m not signing anything,” he declared.

Eden’s eyes filled with tears. “You’re being cruel, Keith. Let me go. Please.”

Keith stepped closer, his voice steady but unyielding. “You don’t get to decide the fate of this marriage on your own. I’m the only one who can do that, and I’m not ending it.”

Overcome with emotion, Eden turned and ran past him, ignoring his calls as she bolted down the stairs and out the door. Keith followed her, but she was too fast, disappearing into the street before he could catch up.

Eden arrived at her best friend Becca’s place, her tears flowing uncontrollably. Becca opened the door, immediately concerned.

“What happened?” Becca asked, pulling Eden inside.

Eden sobbed as she explained everything—Keith’s actions, the fight, and her decision to leave him.

Becca clenched her fists, her face red with anger. “That man is unbelievable! How could he treat you like this? You deserve so much better, Eden.”

Eden wiped her tears and said, “There’s more. I found out I was pregnant three days ago.”

Becca’s eyes widened. “You’re pregnant? And you want a divorce? Eden, what are you thinking? Being a single mother is no joke! Do you really want to go through this alone?”

Eden hesitated, the weight of Becca’s words sinking in.

“Honestly,” Becca continued, “I’m glad Keith didn’t sign those papers. Maybe this is a sign you should think things through.”

After some time and comfort from Becca, Eden felt calmer. She thanked her friend and left, hailing a taxi to go home.

But as the taxi drove, Eden noticed the route wasn’t familiar. Alarmed, she leaned forward. “Where are you going? This isn’t the way to my house.”

The driver didn’t respond. Instead, he reached for something, and before Eden could react, he sprayed a mist into the air.

Eden’s vision blurred, her limbs growing heavy. Panic surged through her, but the darkness came quickly, pulling her under.

When Eden opened her eyes, she didn’t recognize where she was. The room looked nice, but it felt strange. She quickly touched her stomach, her heart pounding. The baby was still there. She could feel it moving inside her. The panic that had started to rise slowly began to settle, but not completely.

She sat up from the bed, her legs unsteady, and rushed to the door. She pounded on it, trying to get out. "Let me out!" she shouted, her voice breaking.

Then she heard a voice behind her, one she recognized. "If I were you, I wouldn’t waste your time on that door."

Eden turned around in shock. "Georgia?"

There, sitting calmly on the bed, was her cousin, Georgia. "What are you doing here?" Eden asked, confused and angry.

Georgia didn’t seem worried. "We’ve been kidnapped. I hope Keith comes to rescue us."

Eden’s chest tightened when she heard Keith’s name. She remembered their fight, the papers she’d handed him, and how he had refused to sign them. He had just left her, walked away for his ex. Why would he come for her now?

Before she could say anything else, two big men barged into the room. They were rough and cold. They didn’t look at them with any care.

"Get up," one of them ordered.

Eden and Georgia exchanged a quick look. Neither of them had a choice but to obey. The men roughly blindfolded them and dragged them out of the room. The air felt colder as they were pulled through the hallways. Eden was scared, but she had to stay calm. Her baby was the most important thing right now.

They were shoved into a cold, dark warehouse. Eden’s heart raced, and she could feel the cold chains around her wrists. She tried to speak, but the men didn’t listen.

"What do you want with us?" she asked, her voice shaking.

One of the men only glared at her. "Shut up," he snapped, and the other didn’t even look her way.

Eden bit her lip, doing her best not to cry. She couldn’t show fear. Not with her baby in danger.

Georgia, who was always more outspoken, yelled at the men. "Don’t speak to her like that!"

Just then, Eden heard fast footsteps approaching. She turned and saw Keith running toward them, his face full of tension. He stopped in front of the men and demanded, "Let them go. Now."

The men laughed darkly. One of them, who seemed to be the leader, shook his head. "You think this is simple?" he said.

Keith’s eyes narrowed. "What do you want with them? I’m here. Let them go. You don’t need them."

The leader looked at him and said, "I’ve done my research, Keith. One of these women is your wife. The one you don’t love. And the other is your first love, Georgia. The one you still care about."

Keith’s face twisted in confusion. "What are you talking about?" he snapped, looking between the two women.

The leader smiled, coldly. "Here’s the deal. You can save one of them. The other one… will die."