Chapter 1 His First Love Came Back

"You're pregnant."

That single sentence kept repeating in Caitlin Hewitt's mind like a quiet hum she couldn't shut off. She sat frozen, staring blankly ahead as the soft sound of water running in the bathroom filled the room.

Behind the frosted glass, Isaac Mason's tall frame moved in and out of view.

She and Isaac had been married for two years, always careful, always using protection-except once.

There was only one slip-after a business dinner, when Isaac came home drunk. It had happened just that one time, and now here she was, carrying a baby.

The bathroom door creaked open, letting thick steam roll out into the bedroom. Isaac stepped out, water still clinging to his skin, a towel slung low around his waist. His toned body loomed over Caitlin, each step bringing him closer until his sculpted abs were just inches from her face.

He leaned down, the scent of soap and heat wrapping around her, and slid a hand beneath the hem of her nightgown.

Caitlin tensed. She caught his hand and held it firmly. Her eyes lowered, her voice soft and trembling. "I... I don't want to."

There was still a flicker of heat in Isaac's gaze, but he pulled away without a word. He gave her a quick kiss, and then disappeared into the walk-in closet.

Her thoughts tangled even more, spiraling in chaos.

Everything between them had started with one reckless, wine-fueled night-her first time. Isaac had promised to make it up to her in some way, but back then, she hadn't taken his words seriously.

Then, his grandfather had fallen seriously ill, and in a rush to fulfill the old man's wish, Isaac came to her with a proposal-not of love, but of convenience.

Around that time, the Hewitt family's garment business had collapsed, dragging them into a pit of debt. Her mother struggled just to keep things going and ended up falling ill. They needed help badly.

And Isaac... he was the man she'd secretly loved for years. So despite everything, she agreed to the unthinkable.

They signed the prenup, filed the paperwork, and officially became husband and wife.

There was no ceremony, no vows exchanged. And from the beginning, both had agreed-no kids.

Just like that, two quiet, distant years went by.

Never in a million years did Caitlin think she'd one day be carrying Isaac's baby.

After mulling it over, she knew she couldn't keep it to herself. No matter what their marriage looked like, this child was theirs.

Isaac was still in the closet when his phone, left carelessly on the bedside table, began to buzz.

The name glowing on the screen made Caitlin's chest tighten-Emmalyn Rowe.

The one woman Isaac had always loved... but never truly claimed.

The closet door eased open, and Caitlin instinctively turned her face away, trying to hide the hurt in her eyes.

Isaac stepped out in a fresh set of pajamas, his hair damp and slightly tousled. The soft lighting made his handsome features look even more unreal-almost dreamlike.

He caught sight of her weary face and the quiet glisten of tears gathering in the corners of her eyes. Walking over, he gently cupped her cheek, his voice unusually soft. "You don't look well. Want me to call the doctor?"

Caitlin shook her head. She was about to speak, to finally say what had been weighing on her chest all day, but before a single word could escape, Isaac's phone buzzed again.

He gave the screen a quick glance, and then, without a word, turned and walked out onto the balcony. The glass door slid shut behind him with a soft click, leaving Caitlin on the other side.

A while later, he returned. This time, he didn't linger. He went straight back into the closet and came out wearing a crisp white shirt and tailored slacks.

He was leaving. No doubt in her mind-he was going to see Emmalyn.

Caitlin's heart sank. She couldn't stay quiet anymore. Watching him grab his car keys, she called out, "Isaac... it's late. Do you really have to go now?"

He turned around, a familiar smirk tugging at his lips. His deep-set eyes shimmered with quiet amusement. "What? Don't you want me to leave?"

That smile. It was the same one that used to make her heart flutter back in their younger days, when everything between them still felt new. That same crooked grin that made her fall harder, even now when she knew better.

Her heart jumped, and she quickly chased after him. "I... I have something important to tell you."

She wanted so badly to tell him that he was going to be a father. Maybe, just maybe, it would change something between them.

But Isaac didn't stop long enough to listen. "Let's talk tomorrow," he said casually, already turning away.

Moments later, the sound of his car engine hummed up from downstairs, slowly fading into the night.

Caitlin stood frozen for a long time before her lips parted and a whisper escaped. "Okay."

No one answered her. Her voice disappeared into the silence, just like all the unspoken feelings she'd been holding inside for so long.

That night, sleep refused to come. Caitlin lay in bed, eyes wide open, staring into the darkness. Then, sometime past midnight, her phone rang beside her pillow.

It was her aunt, Phyllis Hewitt. "Caitlin." Her voice trembled on the other end. "Your mom's condition has taken a turn. It's bad. The doctor says... she needs emergency surgery."