Chapter 5

Corinna POV:

I spent the next day in a blur of calculated efficiency, my mind a steel trap, completely detached from the emotional wreckage of my life. My last act as Corinna Cross, the loyal fiancée, would be the most devastating.

I took out a small, antique wooden box from my dresser, a gift from my father on my eighteenth birthday. Inside, nestled on a velvet cushion, was my family crest, a silver ring passed down through generations of Cross women. It was meant to be my wedding band, a symbol of my lineage merging with my husband's. Now, it was a weapon.

Next to it, I placed carefully prepared legal documents. A comprehensive divorce agreement, meticulously drafted by an anonymous firm Carroll had recommended. It was ironclad, leaving Graham with nothing of mine, and dissolving any claim he might have on my future. It was a declaration of war, disguised as a surrender.

I wrapped the box in elegant, understated paper, tying it with a simple silk ribbon. It looked innocuous, a thoughtful gift. He would never suspect.

Later that evening, as we sat in the study, a pretense of normalcy hanging heavy between us, I presented him with the package. "Happy anniversary, Graham," I said, my voice soft, my eyes wide and innocent. "A little something to mark our seven years. A promise of many more."

He took the box, his eyebrows raising in surprise. "Corinna, my love, you didn't have to. You know my heart is your greatest gift." He gave me his most charming smile, a practiced flash of teeth and warmth.

"Just a small token," I insisted, pressing the box into his hands. "Something personal. Something for us."

He tilted his head, a curious glint in his eyes. "Should I open it now?"

"No," I said, a playful tone in my voice. "It's a special kind of gift. You can open it in two days. On our actual engagement anniversary. Consider it a delayed celebration." I watched him, my heart a frozen block in my chest. The day I'll be gone.

He chuckled, charmed by my supposed sentimentality. "My sweet Corinna. Always so thoughtful." He placed the box carefully in his personal safe, a gesture of profound trust. He had no idea he was locking away his own future.

When you open that box, Graham, I thought, you won't find a gift. You'll find the end of everything you thought you had.

Just then, the doorbell chimed, a shrill, insistent sound that shattered the fragile quiet. Graham frowned, annoyance flickering across his face. "Who could that be at this hour?"

Before he could send Robert to investigate, the doors burst open. Hollie stood there, her face tear-streaked, her usually impeccable blonde hair disheveled. She was clutching a white envelope, her knuckles white.

"Graham!" she cried, her voice choked with sobs.

Graham cursed under his breath, his suave demeanor instantly replaced by a flash of cold fury. He grabbed Hollie's arm, dragging her out of the study and into the dimly lit rose garden, out of sight but not out of earshot. He didn't even spare me a glance.

I moved to the window, watching the scene unfold. Graham's face was a mask of thunder. "Are you insane?" he hissed, his voice low and dangerous. "Coming here? Now? You'll ruin everything!" He shoved her away, his patience clearly at an end.

Hollie stumbled back, but quickly regained her footing, pushing the envelope into his chest. "You think I care about 'ruining everything'?" she cried, her voice thick with desperation. "Look at this, Graham! Just look!"

He snatched the envelope, tearing it open. As he read the contents, his face went from anger to shock, then a profound fear. My heart plummeted, a cold dread washing over me. I already knew.

"I'm pregnant, Graham," Hollie whispered, her voice cracking. "Six weeks. The doctor said it's high-risk. And it's yours. Our baby." She paused, then added, her voice rising in a desperate plea, "Your first child, Graham! Your heir!"

The words hit me like a physical blow. My chest felt hollowed out, as if an invisible hand had reached in and ripped out my heart. My own pregnancy test, still tucked in my pocket, felt like a cruel joke. He had a child. With my sister. While I was carrying his child, too.

I remembered his excuses, his evasions about starting a family, always saying "not yet, Corinna, let's focus on my career." He never wanted a child with me. He just wanted my silence. My compliance. My strategic mind to build his empire.

Graham stood there, shell-shocked. His carefully constructed world was crumbling around him. A pregnant Hollie. His first heir. I saw the gears turning in his mind, the ruthless politician calculating the angles.

His anger melted away, replaced by a strange mix of resigned acceptance and something akin to pride. "My... my heir," he murmured, his voice softer, almost reverent. He looked at Hollie, his expression changing from disdain to a possessive concern. "Why didn't you say anything sooner? Are you alright? Have you seen a doctor?"

"I just found out!" Hollie sobbed, her tears now mingled with relief. "I'm so scared, Graham! What are we going to do?" She reached for him, her hand gripping his arm.

He gently, almost unconsciously, pulled away. "We'll figure it out. You need to rest. I'll arrange for the best specialists. You'll stay in the guesthouse. No one is to know about this. Not yet." He looked at her, his eyes cold and commanding. "Your priority is the child. Nothing else."

Hollie's face lit up, a triumphant smile breaking through her tears. She leaned in, trying to kiss him, but he subtly shifted, presenting his cheek instead.

"Don't push it, Hollie," he warned, his voice low. "This is a delicate situation. You need to be smart. For the baby." He gave her a dismissive pat on the shoulder. "Now go. Robert will escort you to the guesthouse. I'll see you in the morning." He turned, a sardonic smile playing on his lips, as if relishing the chaos he'd created.

I slumped back onto the chair, my head spinning. Six weeks. That meant he had been with Hollie roughly the same time he was with me, when I conceived. The dates lined up perfectly. Another child. His. And mine.

I touched my flat stomach, a wave of profound sadness washing over me. I was carrying his child. And he already had another one on the way, with my sister. I'm so sorry, little one, I thought, a silent apology to the life growing inside me. You deserve so much more than this broken world.

A few minutes later, Graham re-entered the study, his face composed, his politician's mask back in place. "Corinna, I'm so sorry, darling. That was... an unforeseen crisis." He ran a hand through his hair, feigning exhaustion. "My aunt, she's had a relapse. I had to arrange for immediate medical transport. It's all very delicate. I need to leave for a few days to oversee her care."

Another lie. Another performance. Tonight, he was truly outdoing himself.

"Of course, Graham," I said, my voice smooth, utterly devoid of emotion. "Family matters are always paramount." I stood up, adjusting my dress.

He walked over to me, placing a hand on my cheek. "I need you to stay here, Corinna. Keep things running smoothly. No drama. No questions. Can you do that for me?" His eyes held a subtle warning.

"You know I can, darling," I replied, a small, knowing smile playing on my lips. "I'll be here. Waiting."

He pressed a brief kiss to my forehead, then turned and left, his footsteps echoing down the grand hall. I listened as his car pulled away, the sound fading into the night. I walked to the calendar hanging on the wall, my finger tracing the date. Two days. Then, he would open his "gift." And Corinna Cross would be gone forever.