Chapter 1 He Had An Affair

• Kathryn Lovelace's POV:
• Your husband is cheating on you.
• When I received the text message from my good friend, I had just finished administering my ovulation induction injection.
• I endured the stabbing pain in my abdomen, leaning sideways on the long bench in the clinic's waiting area. My golden hair draped over half of my body, and my pale complexion made me look like a wilting rose, causing many passersby to glance back repeatedly.
• I was enduring pain for the sake of our future child, and yet, my husband was having an affair?
• With a trembling finger, I tapped on the photo.
• In the photograph, my husband, Lucian Gandillon, was walking into a hotel while carrying a woman dressed in a haute couture pink princess gown.
• His head was hung low, and he was treating the woman in his arms as if she were a precious treasure.
• I knew who the woman in the photo was.
• She was Lucian's first love, Juliette Pearce.
• I promptly dialed Lucian's number. After enduring a lengthy busy tone, I finally heard Lucian's icy voice from the other end of the line. “What is it?”
• What's the deal with that photo?
• That was what I truly wanted to ask, but what slipped out was, “Will you be back tonight?”
• If he agreed to return, there was a chance that the photo was merely a misunderstanding. Perhaps Juliette was injured or something along those lines. In any case, he had to carry her out of a gentlemanly duty.
• However, the man on the other end of the phone fell silent. A few seconds later, Lucian snapped out impatiently, “What's the rush?”
• Why did he sound so impatient?
• Had I interrupted their intimate moment at the hotel?
• We had been married for three years, and apart from our monthly lovemaking sessions timed to my ovulation period, I barely saw him at any other time.
• The thought of him in bed with his ex was unbearable. My heart ached, my nose tingled, and I felt as though tears were about to fall.
• I didn't want him to detect my current vulnerability, so I tried to make my voice sound as indifferent as possible. “Have you forgotten what day it is today?”
• Today was our wedding anniversary!
• Last month, while we were in bed, he had promised me that he would spend it with me.
• Lucian interrupted me, saying impatiently, “I'll be home later, so don't worry.”
• After he finished speaking, he promptly hung up the phone.
• As I listened to the continuous beeping of the phone, my heart instantly sank to an all-time low.
• Why didn't he come straight back home? Why did he have to go through with this act of infidelity!
• I tilted my head back to rest for a while. Then, taking several deep breaths, I dialed my dear friend, Esther Strauss, asking her to come pick me up.
• I simply didn't have the energy to make it home on my own anymore...
• Ten minutes later, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the hospital corridor. The woman, with her sleek ice-blue bob, moved with a purpose. Her silver highlights danced and flipped freely with her pace, creating a dazzling and explosive spectacle.
• Unfazed by the curious glances cast her way, Esther simply raised an eyebrow and walked straight toward me.
• Crouching down in front of the bench, Esther scrutinized my complexion with a blend of concern and frustration. She muttered under her breath, “He's already cheating on you with Juliette, so what's the point of you taking induction injections?”
• I kept my head down, remaining silent.
• My marriage with Lucian was originally forced upon us. It was Lucian's grandfather who insisted on pushing us together.
• My first encounter with Arthur Gandillon was at my school's dinner party. As a renowned entrepreneur, he was invited to attend. At that time, I was part of the receptionist team and was fortunate enough to be grouped with Lucian.
• Upon seeing us, Arthur immediately said something peculiar to Lucian, “Congratulations on finding your mate.”
• Within a few days, I received a dinner invitation from the Gandillon family. During the event, Arthur openly arranged my marriage with Lucian.
• When the prospect of marriage was presented to me, it seemed unthinkable, yet I didn't refuse. In fact, I was secretly thrilled - no one knew that I had liked Lucian for many years.
• Back in our school days, he was the most handsome captain of the rugby team. I had never before seen a man exhibit such exceptional athletic talent. Whenever he stepped onto the field, victory was as good as ours.
• When the boys violently hurled the ball at me, he effortlessly used his body to shield me, even though I was just an unwelcome nerd.
• After we got married, Lucian was incredibly distant toward me.
• I discovered the truth while I was cleaning one day. A photograph of him kissing another woman was quietly tucked away in his high school yearbook.
• It was only then that I learned Lucian had an ex named Juliette Pearce.
• The girl was tall and curvaceous, with strikingly beautiful features. The handbag on her arm was worth a four-digit sum, making her as elegant as a swan in daylight.
• On the other hand, I was petite and of average looks, with an ordinary family background. Perhaps he found having such a wife to be embarrassing, for in the past three years, he had never once introduced me to anyone within his social circle.
• Nevertheless, I didn't care. I was confident that sooner or later, I could warm Lucian's heart, make him forget Juliette, and settle down to live an honest life with me.
• Now that Juliette had shown up, I realized just how foolish I'd been.
• Upon arriving home, I took a bath. When I saw the sexy lingerie placed out on the bed, a wave of bitterness washed over me.
• I had prepared that for tonight.
• For all these years, I remained childless. Both Lucian and I had gone for medical examinations that showed no issues, yet, for reasons unknown, we just couldn't conceive a child.
• Having a child had become my obsession.
• I slipped into the lingerie, telling myself to give it one last chance, for me and for Lucian.
• If he truly loved me, he would want to have children with me...
• Tick tock, tick tock.
• With each tick of the minute hand, my mood grew heavier.
• Is he... not coming home tonight?