Chapter 1

My best friend, Eleanor James, once saved my life.

Ever since, I'd felt a fierce need to protect her.

When she started dating someone, I dug through the man's whole family history back eighteen generations.

When she looked for a job, I interned there a month first, and only recommended her once I was sure it was safe.

My parents used to tease me. "Is Ellie your property? You watch over her that closely."

My husband, Fergus Barnes, said it even more plainly, jealous. "She matters more to you than I do."

I only smiled and said she was worth it.

Right up until the day before my wedding.

When a prenatal report of hers suddenly landed in my hands.

My whole family laughed and steered the subject away. "It's a prank, isn't it? None of them are even married. Where would a baby come from?"

"The two of you have been closest since childhood. Something this big, there's no way she wouldn't tell you."

I was the only one who couldn't laugh.

Because I'd run into her at the OB-GYN clinic.

And not only her. Fergus was there too.

...

I froze in the doorway for a moment.

The two of them had always kept their distance, never met privately.

Even when they had to be in the same place, they always stayed a good arm's length apart.

Now they were holding each other without a shred of hesitation.

Smart as I was, I knew almost at once what had happened.

Everything inside me surged up.

I was about to rush in and demand an answer.

The next second, a hand seized my wrist, hard.

I was yanked into the next room, my head slamming against the wall.

The pain was so sharp my vision went black.

But right then, I heard my parents' voices, clear as anything.

"Anna Simmons, stop making a scene! Let them be together!"

"Ellie loves him no less than you do."

I blanked for a moment, tears blurring my sight.

"Dad, what do you mean, making a scene? Fergus is my husband."

"They got together behind my back. They even have a bas—"

Before I could finish, my mother's hand flew up and struck me across the face.

"You shut your mouth! Bastard this, bastard that. Do you have to put it so ugly?"

"They have a child together. That's true love."

I was struck dumb. My eyes went to my brother, standing silent to the side.

"Do you think so too?"

My brother had always taken my side, ever since we were kids.

He wouldn't even listen to our parents. Only to me.

But now he said, "Ellie calls me her brother too. I can't just stand by on this."

His idea of not standing by was to let all of it happen.

And then, gently, to drive the knife home.

They forced me into the car.

As we passed a window, my eyes met Fergus's.

I had a whole stomach full of things to say, and he simply looked away.

Once we were in the car, my parents sighed.

"Ellie's in a fragile state right now. Don't go provoking her. Let the two of them have their peace."

My nose stung so badly I couldn't help asking, "And what about me?"

Silence filled the car.

At a red light, I made as if to get out.

My brother clamped down on me. "Now what are you trying to do?"

"With something like this happening, Ellie's terrified too. Two weeks ago she knelt down and kowtowed, begging forgiveness."

"What are we supposed to do? Just watch two lives end at once?"

I stared at him in disbelief, sure I'd misheard.

Two weeks ago.

Back then I was still happily seeing to every little detail of the wedding.

My parents had picked out the wedding favors themselves.

Eleanor had come along to help me try on the dress.

Fergus had designed and arranged the banquet hall with his own hands.

And now they were telling me all of it had been a lie.

The collapse rose up in me, and I demanded through a raw, breaking voice,

"Am I not your own daughter? Why are you all doing this to me?"

My parents turned their heads away, unable to bear the sight.

But the words that came out cut into my heart like a blade.

"Ellie was so busy with your wedding she nearly lost the baby to early complications. Don't you feel any guilt? All you know how to do is make a scene."

At that, all the strength to argue drained out of me at once.

When we got home, they locked me in my room.

"Just for today, at least let them be together properly."

Before they left, they didn't forget to warn me.

"Don't forget, Ellie is the one who saved your life back then."

"It's a debt you owe. Time to pay it back."