Chapter 1

Our anniversary.

A night meant for celebration, for us.

The stairs of our Brooklyn brownstone were dimly lit, a detail I' d noted before but never acted on.

Then, a slip, a sharp pain, darkness.

Ethan was by my side instantly, his face a mask of concern.

"Sarah! My God, Sarah!"

He rushed me to the prestigious Manhattan hospital, his voice urgent on the phone, pulling strings I never knew he had.

Emergency procedures.

The world swam in and out of focus, a haze of anesthesia and muffled voices.

I drifted, caught between worlds.

Then, Ethan' s voice, clear for a moment, not meant for me.

He was on a call, near the door.

"Dr. Peterson, yes, the increased sedative dose is my directive."

A pause.

"She won't feel it."

My heart stuttered.

"The fetus is viable, but proceed with the induction."

Induction? My baby, our baby. It wasn't time.

"It's critical for Liam' s formal introduction to the Miller Family Foundation."

Liam? Who was Liam?

"No one can jeopardize his standing."

His voice was cold, businesslike.

"This is a debt I owe Olivia and her family."

Olivia. The name was vaguely familiar, a colleague he' d mentioned.

"Once Liam is secure, I'll get Sarah the best specialists, we'll have another child."

Another child?

"This one... it has to be this way."

The words sliced through the fog.

A single tear escaped, tracing a hot path down my temple.

Then, only blackness.