1
Cory Brantley had a secret—she’d been in a five-year long relationship with “the” Marius Braithwaite. It’d shake the whole of Lincoln, Nebraska if they learned that the untouchable CEO made two of her dreams come true. First, she was carrying his child. Second, he proposed to her.
What else could that mean if not that her unrequited love had finally paid off?
But that fantasy shattered eight months later. In the underground parking lot of Braithwaite Holdings, she found him in the backseat of a car—making out with his secretary.
His familiar voice, though low and lustful, unmistakably betrayed Cory with a promise made only for Jenelle McVicker.
“Once she gives birth, I’ll divorce her and marry you. You know you’ve always been the one I love.”
It turned out that the secretary was his ex-girlfriend. They only broke up because of a condition that made her infertile.
Meanwhile, getting pregnant was just one of the many things Cory was willing to do for Marius. And he took advantage of that devotion for the one thing his ex couldn’t give him: an heir.
In ten years of trying to earn his “I love you, too,” not once did he say it back. That tycoon only married her in exchange for a son!
But instead of confronting him, Cory talked again to the man she had long taken for granted for a manipulator.
“I’m leaving him. You once said you’d wait for me no matter how long it took. Now, are you willing… to be my child’s father?”
The answer came without hesitation. “It would be my honor.”
Marius was used to effortlessly getting anything he wanted. But this time, one average woman wasn’t going to let him win.
Cory would dump him—taking the very heir he thought would complete the family he had always dreamt of building with Jenelle.
Only then would the billionaire CEO realize how much he’d lost. And for the first time in his life, he’d get on both knees just to take it back.
But by then, Cory had already found where love was not a transaction—and Marius could never afford it.
——
At eight months pregnant, Cory caught her husband and his secretary having an affair in the company’s underground parking lot.
“You need to marry. I need a stepfather for my child. Isn’t that perfect for us?”
A warm chuckle came from the other end. “Pleasure doing business with you, my future wife.”
As the call ended, she turned her gaze back to the car.
Inside, the woman was gasping, “Babe… slower…”
Marius was slouched in the driver’s seat, one hand still resting on the woman’s thigh. His breathing was heavy, and his voice low and intimate.
“Once she gives birth, I’ll divorce her and marry you, alright? You’re the only one I ever truly wanted to spend my life with. Cory? I’m just staying with her for that child she’s carrying.”
The words sliced through Cory like knives.
“I’m sorry I can’t give you a child, but…” the woman said sweetly, her voice laced with something crueler beneath. “What if I don’t want to raise someone else’s child?”
“Don’t worry,” Marius reassured her. “The baby’s just a means to an end. Once he’s born, I’ll send him off to live with my parents.”
Cory’s fingers clenched into fists so tight, her nails punctured the skin. Blood began to pool and drip between her knuckles, but she barely felt a thing.
The woman—Jenelle McVicker—wasn’t just some passing fling. She was Marius’s ex from college, the one he’d once loved fiercely.
Apparently, they had never really ended.
They were still together—reigniting their flame right under her nose.
Only now did Cory finally understand. The man she had loved all these years never once truly loved her back.
He didn’t see her as a wife. Just a surrogate. A body to carry his heir.
Without a word, she lowered her head, pulled out her phone, and began to record.
She didn’t confront him. Not yet.
The baby was almost here, and she wouldn’t let her child be born only for Marius to please his parents. She would wait—strike at the perfect moment.
She would endure this betrayal until he lost custody on grounds of infidelity.
She would endure until that tycoon who used her as a tool walked away empty-handed.
“I’m not gonna let that jerk win,’ she swore to herself, never seeing Marius again as the same guy she fell in love with. Not even as the childhood friend she used to care for.
That afternoon, as she stepped out of her office after submitting a document, she spotted Jenelle waiting outside the door with a cup of water in hand.
“Vice President,” Jenelle called sweetly as Cory passed.
Cory stopped, her voice neutral. “Yes?”
“Oh, nothing,” Jenelle replied with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Just thought I’d remind you—women shouldn’t get greedy. You already got the position. Wanting love too? That’s just sad.”
Then she leaned in, her voice dropping. “You really think having a baby is going to keep a man by your side?”
Cory’s brow furrowed. Just as she was about to shoot back something—Jenelle suddenly raised her hand and slapped herself across the face.
“Ah!”
With a shriek, she collapsed dramatically at Cory’s feet, spilling water everywhere.
“VP, why did you hit me?” she wailed loudly. “I was just being considerate of your condition. How could you call me cheap and slap me like that?”
Red handprints blossomed across her cheek. That lunatic did it to herself, and Cory wasn’t about to take the blame. But just as she opened her mouth, footsteps thundered toward them.
Marius stormed over, his face dark.
“Jenelle! Are you alright?”
He dropped beside Jenelle, pulling her up with trembling hands.
Seeing the swelling on her face, his expression turned murderous.
Jenelle clutched her red cheek and shook her head. “I’m okay, I’m okay. Please don’t blame the VP. She’s just… emotional from the pregnancy. I understand…”
“I didn’t touch you! I—”
Cory tried to explain, but Marius’s voice cracked like a whip. “Enough!”
He glared at her, his eyes filled with pure accusation.
“You’re almost full term! What are you doing here? Do you think just because you’re pregnant, everyone has to revolve around you? Jenelle’s not in good health—if anything happens to her, can you afford the consequences?”
The way he stood there, shielding another woman so naturally, made Cory’s heart go numb.
As she stared at him blankly, color drained from her face and a wave of nausea surged up her throat. Without another word, she turned and fled to the restroom.
There, she dry-heaved until she couldn’t anymore, gripping the sink for support. Her tears mixed with vomit, and her knees threatened to give out beneath her.
She was in that situation when the door creaked open.
Through the mirror, she saw Marius walk in.
“Cory,” he said gently, “I didn’t mean to yell. You know how it is—with employees around, we can’t let anyone know we’re married.”
His voice softened as he stepped closer, reaching for her arm.
“I know this is hard. But Jenelle was scared. She’s not in great health. Please don’t let something like this happen again, alright?”
Cory slowly lifted her head, her eyes hollow. Then, without warning, she smiled—a small, distant curve of her lips.
“Understood, President Braithwaite.”
Marius’s hand froze mid-air at those words.
Cory had never called him that before.
She used to call him “babe,” or “hubby” in a sweet voice. It used to make him feel like the center of her world.
But now, that one word—“President”—felt like an entire glacier had formed between them.
He stood there in silence, unsure of what to say… until a burst of laughter echoed outside the restroom.
As if waking from a trance, Marius quickly dropped his wife’s hand and stepped back, his face once again cold and composed.
“Cory, you’re a vice president,” he said sharply. “You need to remember your place. You’re in my company, not in your home.”
His words were clipped, every syllable like a blade. “You can act like a wife in your own house. But not here. Go home. Rest. Take care of your child.”
With that, he turned and walked out of the restroom fast—like he couldn’t put distance between them quickly enough.
Cory stood alone in the silence, as if doused in ice water.
Her hand cradled her swollen belly, and the pain in her chest burned so deep that not even tears could fall anymore.
2
Marius had never once told anyone that Cory was his wife.
Even after five years together, to the outside world, he was still the aloof and elegant heir of the Braithwaites—composed, distant, and always appearing in public as a single man.
Cory was disappointed, but she never pushed for him to make their relationship public. To her, just being by his side was already more than enough.
She had fallen for him ever since they were teens—ever since he risked his life to protect her from kidnappers and brought her home safely. And up until just a moment ago, that love had never once wavered.
They’d been inseparable since childhood, only parting ways after the SATs.
She went abroad for university while he stayed in Nebraska.
During those years, she had no idea that he had shared a passionate and tumultuous romance with Jenelle.
All she knew was that the moment she came back to Lincoln, the man she always loved showed up with a bouquet in hand and said to her, “Cory, let’s be together.”
Dizzy with happiness, she agreed without hesitation—only to realize later that Marius might not have loved her the way she loved him.
Still, she didn’t give up. She believed that if she tried hard enough, someday he would love her back just as deeply.
But she was wrong—so completely, heartbreakingly wrong.
That was the moment she felt she stepped straight into the abyss.
For five years, she was his secret, waiting to be introduced to the public. But now, she was done waiting.
Even when Marius didn’t come home that night.
Almost on instinct, Cory opened Jenelle’s Facebook profile and saw a newly posted vlog.
The video showed scenes from a recent company outing. Jenelle was smiling as she spoke to the camera.
“My boss helped me carry stuff all afternoon today. Even the file boxes that were too heavy for me—he carried them himself. I mean, tell me—doesn’t that look like a man trying to win me back?”
The camera then panned to Marius, crouching down to help her tie her shoelaces. His profile was gentle, and his voice indulgent. “Don’t wear heels that high next time.”
An employee off-camera teased, “Whoa. President Braithwaite seems to care quite a lot about Secretary McVicker. Is there something going on between you two?”
Jenelle just giggled shyly, not answering directly.
Meanwhile, Cory’s fingers clenched, her eyes blank as she stared at the video on loop.
In front of the staff, Marius was always distant and professional with her, barely exchanging a word more than necessary.
But with Jenelle, he was attentive and tender—he didn’t even bother correcting the misunderstandings others had about them.
So all those years of keeping the relationship a secret—was it really about protecting the company image?
Or was it simply because, in Marius’s eyes, Cory wasn’t good enough to be seen?
She refreshed the page—and saw Jenelle’s latest post: a photo of her collarbone, with a faint kiss mark still visible.
There was no need to guess where her husband had spent the night.
Suddenly, a sharp pain tore through her belly. She decided to close the app, but she made sure to secretly take screenshots—evidence of Marius’s affair—and sent them all to her divorce lawyer.
[Atty. Please draft a divorce agreement. Be ready to go to court if needed.]
The lawyer replied within seconds. [Understood. You’ll have a draft in three days.]
Once Cory received the confirmation, she stood up and began packing.
She tossed everything into trash bags—matching toothbrushes she had picked out, baby clothes she and Marius had bought together, the Lego sets they once assembled side by side. Every little memory, gone with no more second thoughts.
She was letting go of those sweet memories. She was letting go of Marius now.
Later, when he walked through the door, he found Cory bent down, tying up a lot of garbage bags.
He frowned. “Weren’t these the things you cherished the most? Why are you throwing them all out?”
Her eyes lowered, her lips curling into a strained smile. “They’re old. I don’t want them anymore.”
He didn’t press further. After all, those things never meant anything to him.
He simply walked up to her and placed his hand gently on her growing belly, murmuring, “Was the baby good today? Daddy’s home.”
In the past, Cory might have been touched by moments like this. She used to think he wasn’t unloving at all—just not good at expressing his affection.
But now she understood—his tenderness was never for her but only for the child she’s carrying.
As brutal as it sounded, loving the baby didn’t mean he loved her.
Noticing her silent treatment, Marius tried to coax her in a soft voice. “Are you still upset about earlier? Don’t overthink it. Jenelle’s just working as my secretary temporarily. She can’t find a job yet, so I let her help out at the company. She’ll be gone soon.”
But Cory didn’t move. She just stared at him, her eyes still indifferent and hollow.
Thinking she was simply jealous, Marius softened further, his tone even more coaxing. “Look, she might be my ex, but what we had was over already. I have you now—how could I possibly still have feelings for her?”
As he spoke, he lowered his head and kissed her cheek, a rare gesture of tenderness.
In the past, Cory would have melted instantly.
But not this time.
She turned her head away, quietly dodging his touch.
If it hadn’t been for what she saw in the parking lot that day, she might’ve kept letting herself believe his lies.
But now, his affection felt like chocolate mixed with dirty things. She would never have a taste of that again!
3
Truth was, with Marius’s capabilities, if he had really wanted to keep his affair hidden, there was no way Cory wouldn’t have found out too soon.
The only reason he got exposed was because he thought the baby was almost due—and he was confident that even if she learned the truth, she wouldn’t leave him.
But Cory was just… utterly tired.
She had been waiting for him since they were teens. She waited all the way until she was twenty-six. From a one-sided crush to a secret marriage, she endured everything just for a single moment of reassurance from him.
She thought she was waiting to earn his love. But all that man wanted was the child—and a woman to fulfill the role of “lady of the house.”
Three days later, the lawyer delivered the drafted divorce papers just as promised.
She had just finished reading through them when a former intern from her department called, saying something had gone wrong at the last-minute exhibit and they urgently needed her help managing the situation.
Not thinking much of it, she headed over right away.
It was an art exhibition sponsored by a brand—not originally under her responsibility. But due to a recent reshuffle in staffing, a few mishaps had occurred, and she was the one left to clean up the mess.
She had barely stepped into the gallery when she heard a familiar deep voice from ahead.
“This lighting setup is too flat. No texture. Get the lead curator here. Pull up another version of the ‘Retrospect’ series. Goodness. We were just passing by today. Didn’t expect you guys to be making these many mistakes.”
Cory froze.
She hadn’t expected Marius to show up here on a date—with Jenelle, no less—wearing matching outfits like it was some high-profile event.
“Oh, Vice President! What a coincidence!”
Jenelle spotted her and flashed a sweet smile, still clinging to Marius’s arm. Her eyes sparkled with arrogant satisfaction.
She snapped her fingers at one of the staff members and asked in a soft voice, “Is this exhibit the Vice President’s responsibility?”
“Yes, Mrs. Braithwaite,” the staff member replied, nodding.
The moment that title fell from his lips, the expressions on all three faces changed.
Cory let out a bitter laugh. So Marius—who had never once introduced her to the public—was already letting Jenelle be addressed like his wife before the divorce had even gone through.
Marius looked visibly uncomfortable. He frowned at her and even gave a subtle wink, as if asking her not to embarrass him in public.
Jenelle giggled, basking in her own triumph. “Oh, don’t call me that yet. Nobody knows about me and President Braithwaite just yet. We’re waiting until after the wedding to make it official.”
Those lines stabbed straight into Cory’s chest like a small knife.
Marius stood stiff, saying nothing, but the look on his face was clearly off—his brows furrowed. Cory couldn’t tell whether he was feeling regretful or guilty.
Jenelle, on the other hand, looked entirely unbothered. She even stepped closer to Cory with exaggerated friendliness. “VP, you came alone? Where’s your husband?”
Cory replied flatly, “He’s dead.”
She was planning to file for divorce tonight anyway—so who her husband was no longer mattered.
“Hey—” Marius’s face darkened, but before he could scold her, a staff member hurried over to pull him away for something urgent.
Jenelle linked arms with Cory, acting like they were best friends. “How about you walk around with me for a bit? It must be so boring being here alone.”
Cory turned her head, her eyes cold. “Let go of me.”
“Come on, don’t be so harsh.”
Jenelle’s smile faltered slightly, but she didn’t loosen her grip. Instead, she leaned in and whispered into Cory’s ear.
“You really ought to know your place. You’re pregnant now—you should keep your dignity and leave gracefully.”
“After all…” She paused, then added quietly, “The real mistress was never me. I was with Marius first. If you had any decency, you’d give birth to the baby and disappear.”
Cory clenched her fists, and a sharp glint flashed in her eyes.
She was about to pull away when Jenelle suddenly stumbled, as if pushed, and fell backwards hard.
“Ah—!”
She crashed beside one of the exhibits, right into a woman who was visiting with her child.
The little boy, five or six at most, landed on his bottom and burst into tears. His toy hit the floor with a loud clang and broke in two.
Just like that, chaos broke out in the exhibit hall.
The mother picked up her son, her voice trembling with anger. “What the hell is wrong with you?! Just because you’re pregnant doesn’t mean you can go around pushing people! You hurt my child! You better pay for this!”
Cory stood stiff, caught off guard, not even getting a word out before Jenelle burst into tears.
“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry… It’s my fault… It wasn’t on purpose… The Vice President didn’t mean to do it. Her emotions have just been all over the place lately. Please don’t blame her, she’s been under a lot of stress…”
“Ma’am, blame me instead, it’s okay,” she apologized further. “I-I’m the one who upset her. I made her mad, that’s why she couldn’t hold back and pushed me…”
4
“I saw it! It wasn’t this lady’s fault. It was that bad woman!”
The little boy pointed straight at Cory, his shrill cries cutting through the air like a siren. “She pushed the lady into me and broke my toy! Bad woman! You have to pay for my toy!”
Everyone nearby turned to look.
“It wasn’t me—”
Cory barely managed to get the words out when the boy suddenly lunged at her, pounding his fists against her belly as he wailed, “You’re mean! You hit the nice lady and made me fall! You broke my toy! You have to pay! You have to!”
She instinctively shielded her belly and crouched down to explain. “It wasn’t me. I didn’t push her—”
But the boy wouldn’t listen. Instead, he sank his teeth into her arm, clamping down with all his strength.
Cory winced in pain, her brows knitting tight. Blood began to trickle from the bite as her arm turned red and swollen.
“Let go!” she choked, struggling to free herself, but the kid held on like a rabid animal. No matter how hard she pulled, he wouldn’t let go.
Suddenly, a cold voice broke through the chaos. “Jenelle! Are you okay?!”
Marius came rushing over, his expression sharp with worry.
He didn’t spare Cory a single glance. Instead, he made a beeline for Jenelle, who was still lying on the floor.
“I’m okay… I just slipped.” Jenelle looked up at him with a soft, delicate voice. “It really wasn’t the VP’s fault. President Braithwaite, could you… help, please?”
But the more she tried to defend Cory, the more it sounded like Jenelle was covering her up. It only made Cory look guiltier.
Marius’s expression turned ice-cold. He turned sharply toward Cory, his voice like a blade when he spoke.
“Cory, do you have no sense of boundaries? It wasn’t enough that you pushed her before, huh? Now you’re getting physical in public?”
Cory stared at him, her face drained of all color. “You believe that kid? You won’t even ask for my side of the story?”
“This isn’t the time to make excuses,” Marius snapped. “Apologize to the boy’s parents. Handle it like a professional that you supposedly are.”
“I didn’t push anyone. I’m not apologizing.” Her voice trembled, but it was steady and defiant.
Her arm was still bleeding profusely, and every movement sent sharp pain through her abdomen, but she stood her ground, refusing to back down.
“Mommy! That bad woman is not even saying sorry!” the boy wailed again, breaking into another round of tears.
Suddenly, the middle-aged woman shoved Cory hard. “Women like you don’t deserve to have children! Evil woman! Still trying to deny it, huh?!”
The force sent Cory stumbling backward. Her knees slammed against the floor, and a sharp, gut-wrenching pain twisted through her belly. That made her face go pale.
Marius instinctively took a step toward her, a flicker of hesitation crossing his eyes.
But then…
“Marius,” Jenelle called softly, “My foot really hurts…”
His outstretched hand froze mid-air. After a beat, he turned without a word, bent down, and picked Jenelle up in his arms.
“Reflect on your actions, Ms. Brantley,” he said coldly to Cory. “If Jenelle’s injury gets worse, you’ll be the one to pay for it.”
Cory sat there on the cold marble floor, surrounded by a growing crowd.
All around her, people whispered and stared. Her ears rang. It felt like the entire world was pointing fingers at her, condemning her.
Worse, the pain in her belly kept surging like waves crashing from within, threatening to tear her apart.
While Marius never once noticed the blood-soaked bite on her arm, someone in the crowd finally called out in alarm.
“Is something wrong with her pregnancy? Somebody call 911!”
In the hospital, the lights were blinding.
Cory was rushed down the emergency corridor.
“The baby is in distress—possible preterm labor. Where’s the family?” a doctor said apologetically.
A nurse rummaged through the patient’s bag and pulled out her phone. “The baby’s father—do you have his number?”
Cory’s lips were pale. She had to force the numbers out one by one.
The phone rang for a long time before Marius picked up. At that point, his voice was still brimming with irritation.
“How long are you planning to keep this up, Cory? Jenelle’s foot is so swollen she can’t even walk, and you’re still playing the victim?”
Her lips trembled, a son betraying her voice.
“I didn’t push her. My belly hurts, Marius. I think… the baby… the baby’s coming…”
“Enough with the act! Be jealous of Jenelle all you want, but don’t stoop this low, Cory. Now you’re using the baby to get my sympathy? Cut it out!”
Then came a loud, final click—the father of her baby hung up.
5
The doctor looked at the patient gravely. “Ma’am, you and your baby are in a critical condition. We need to operate immediately…”
Cory closed her eyes, her lips pressed tightly together, her face pale as paper.
“I’ll sign it myself,” she whispered, the words barely audible. “My baby. Please… save him. I-I’m begging you. Save him.”
Soon, the red light outside the delivery room flickered on, then off.
Hours later, a nurse approached her bedside holding a frail baby, no bigger than a kitten. But Cory hadn’t come back to herself yet.
She just stared blankly at the wrinkled little life in front of her as tears, one by one, fell from the corners of her eyes.
Just then, her phone vibrated.
It was Marius.
“I’ve already apologized to the client you offended today,” he said, his tone as condescending as ever. “Now go to Jenelle’s hospital room and apologize to her in person.”
Cory stayed silent for a long time. Her lips curved into a faint, almost mocking smile, at a realization.
He really didn’t believe she’d just given birth. He thought all her earlier despair was just some act to win favor.
Now, she saw no need to explain anymore.
No need to break the news to him—otherwise, he might take advantage of her weakened state and snatch the baby only to give away to his desperate parents.
Instead, she asked the nurse to print the divorce papers to sign them herself immediately.
The nurse tried to stop her. “You just gave birth. You should rest at least a day.”
But Cory shook her head. All she needed now was a clean break—cut the cord, sign the papers, and leave with her baby as soon as possible.
Supported by a nurse, she later made her way to Jenelle’s room.
Inside, Jenelle sat on the hospital bed, her lips rosy, her makeup flawless. Even the foot she had supposedly sprained was propped daintily on a cushion, held up in a coy little pose.
Marius was crouched on the floor, gently massaging her foot with tender care.
Cory stood at the door, looking paler than snow. Her belly had visibly shrunk, and she looked frail, yet Marius didn’t check in on her.
He simply stood up there, not even glancing her way. “What are you waiting for? Apologize to Jenelle now.”
“I didn’t do anything wrong,” Cory replied calmly. “Why should I?”
Before Marius could get angry, Jenelle chimed in sweetly, “Oh, no need for that, VP. I’m fine, really. It’s just—I’ve been having bad dreams lately. But this morning when I saw the necklace you’re wearing, for some reason, I felt so much better.”
She smiled, her eyes filled with veiled provocation.
“Why don’t you let me wear it for a few days? That way you won’t really have to apologize. Sounds fair?”
Jenelle was Marius’s ex-girlfriend—of course she knew what that necklace meant to Cory.
Cory glanced down at the pendant sitting on the center of her chest. The small heart-shaped gem was something she and Marius had gotten together as a lucky charm after graduating high school, during a trip to Hawaii.
It had poured rain that day, soaking her to the bone, and he had carried her down the hills, step by step.
Back then, he had said, “As long as this pendant stays with you, I’ll protect you. Cory, you’re meant to be happy for the rest of your life.”
“Let her wear it for a few days,” he said now. “Jenelle’s been in poor health—those nightmares could have a bad effect.”
The voice from her memories overlapped with the man standing before her, and the contrast made her want to laugh.
“Marius,” Cory said quietly, “you really want me to give it to her?”
“Don’t be jealous,” he said indulgently. “You’re my wife—my legal wife. No one can take that from you.”
“Still upset with me?” he added disappointingly. Then, he shrugged. “That necklace you wanted last time. I had my assistant buy it. I’ll give it to you soon.”
‘Even now, he thinks… I’m just after his gifts, his money,’ Cory realized.
Like an obedient wife, Cory looked at her pendant, took off the necklace, and handed it over.
“Let her have it then,” she said without complaint.
Marius smiled fondly, leaning in to kiss her on the forehead. “I knew you’d be a good girl.”
Cory turned away from his affection. Instead, she pulled a document from her handbag.
“Now do me a favor and sign this. It’s a contract for the new project. The law firm's been pushing for it, and I haven’t had time to deal with it.”
Her tone was casual and neutral. But her knuckles were pale with pressure.
Marius didn’t look closely. He simply took the pen and signed with a few quick strokes.
“Get some rest. Stop stressing about work. You’re my wife, not some employee.”
“Mm.” Cory tucked the signed divorce agreement away and smiled faintly. “I understand.”
She didn’t say another word and turned to leave.
At the end of the corridor, her steps finally slowed. She pulled out her phone, opened her blocked list, and added every one of Marius’s contacts to it.
Half an hour later, a sleek, understated Rolls-Royce came to a quiet stop outside the hospital entrance.
Holding her newborn in her arms, Cory stepped inside without looking back.
“This time,” she muttered to herself, “I’m never turning back.”
