Chapter 2

Seraphina's POV

Having been married to Julian Sinclair for six years, my greatest wish was to have a child of our own.

Yet, over those six years, I tried every method possible, and my pregnancy tests always came back with a single, devastating line.

I, who feared pain more than anything, endured countless injections and took handfuls of bitter pills. I even went through three painful IVF cycles, all of which ended in failure.

Seeing me suffer so much, Julian would hold me tight, his eyes red with tears. "Sera, let's stop. We don't need a baby. I don't care about having an heir. I only care about you."

I always blamed myself. I thought my body was broken.

Until today, our wedding anniversary. I took a flight to our branch office in Chicago, hoping to surprise Julian.

Instead, I saw a crowd of secretaries surrounding a little boy who looked about two years old.

"Happy birthday, Oliver! Here's your gift. Do you like it?"

"Oliver is so adorable! His eyes, his expressions... he looks exactly like Mr. Sinclair's childhood photos!"

"Honestly! Mr. Sinclair is so blessed. A thriving empire, a perfect family, and such a cute son. Anyone would be jealous!"

Staring at the boy who was a carbon copy of Julian, my mind shattered.

I tried to tell myself it was a mistake.

How could Julian have a son this old?

Refusing to believe the nightmare unfolding before my eyes, I decided to ask Julian directly.

While everyone's attention was on the child, I bypassed the front desk and walked straight toward the CEO's private office.

Just as I raised my hand to knock, I heard the voices inside.

Through the crack of the door, the scene inside became clear.

Julian's assistant, Marcus, was speaking in a flattering tone.

"Mr. Sinclair, using a business trip as an excuse to see Vivian and Oliver was brilliant. Your wife bought it again! She's so incredibly gullible. For the past two years, you've used this excuse, and she has never suspected a thing!"

"If you ask me, you and Ms. Sterling are the true power couple. She's from an old-money family and graduated from the Ivy League. With her genes combined with yours, Oliver will definitely be a genius. Taking over the Sinclair Group in the future will be a breeze!"

"As for your wife, she didn't even finish high school. What kind of quality could her genes possibly have? A child from her would only drag down the Sinclair family's IQ. Besides..."

Before Marcus could finish, Julian's icy voice cut him off. "Who do you think you are to talk about her?"

His eyes were like daggers, the sheer coldness making the assistant shut his mouth instantly.

"My wife is not someone you get to look down on. If I hear another disrespectful word about her, you can pack your bags and leave."

Marcus turned pale and apologized profusely. "Yes, sir. My apologies."

Julian didn't look at him again. He turned and walked toward the sofa.

Through the crack in the door, I saw a woman sitting on the sofa. She wore a white dress and carried herself with an elegant, gentle aura.

I recognized her. Vivian Sterling.

Years ago, when the Sterling family went bankrupt, Vivian had tried to save her family by drugging Julian and climbing into his bed.

But she had failed. Julian had her thrown out of the hotel room, barely clothed.

At the time, Julian's face had been dark with disgust. "Ms. Sterling, I have a wife. You come from a noble family and graduated from a top university, yet you resort to such cheap tricks to save your business. Don't you find it pathetic?"

That scandal had rocked the New York elite back then. Everyone said Vivian had ruined her life by offending the devoted Julian Sinclair.

In fact, I hadn't heard her name in years.

I never imagined that the missing Vivian had been hidden away by Julian at this branch office.

And they even had a child together!

"Today is Oliver's birthday. I already gave him his present. What about you? What do you want?" Julian stopped in front of Vivian, his voice dropping to a gentle whisper. "Jewelry? A new house? Or..."

"I don't need anything," Vivian said softly. "The contract was very clear. I give you an heir, you fund the revival of my family's company. It's a pure transaction. Oliver is two now; he's long past the nursing stage. Take him back to New York and let your wife raise him. After today, we have nothing to do with each other."

The smile on Julian's face vanished.

"Who told you we're done?" His voice deepened as he reached out, pinching her chin. "Vivian, what do you take me for? A tool you can just discard when you're done?"

Seeing the tension rising, Marcus quickly chimed in, "Ms. Sterling, to help you get pregnant back then, Mr. Sinclair spent almost every night here with you, barely going home. For the past two years, no matter how busy he was, he always carved out time to fly here to see you both."

"And to keep Mrs. Sinclair from conceiving, Mr. Sinclair personally swapped her daily hormone supplements with anti-fertility pills. She still thinks it's her own fault and goes to the fertility clinic every week."

"Ms. Sterling, Mr. Sinclair has done so much. Can't you feel his heart? How can you just cut ties with him now?"

Outside the door, the blood in my veins rushed to my head before freezing into solid ice.

Over two thousand days and nights... I had suffered so much, cried so many tears. In the end, it was all a trap he had meticulously designed?

It wasn't that I couldn't have children.

It was that he wouldn't let me!