His Celebrity Mistress's Downfall

I gave up my twenty-billion-dollar inheritance and cut ties with my family, all for my boyfriend of five years, Ignatz.

But just as I was about to tell him I was pregnant with our child, he dropped a bombshell.

He needed me to take the fall for his childhood sweetheart, Everleigh. She'd been in a hit-and-run, and her career couldn't handle the scandal.

When I refused and told him about our baby, his face went cold. He told me to terminate the pregnancy immediately.

"Everleigh is the woman I love," he said. "Finding out you're pregnant with my child would destroy her."

He had his assistant schedule the appointment and sent me to the clinic alone. There, the nurse told me the procedure carried a high risk of permanent infertility.

He knew. And he still sent me.

I walked out of that clinic, choosing to keep my child. At that exact moment, a news alert lit up my phone. It was a glowing article announcing that Ignatz and Everleigh were expecting their first child, complete with a photo of his hand resting protectively on her stomach.

My world shattered. Wiping away a tear, I found the number I hadn't called in five years.

"Dad," I whispered, my voice breaking. "I'm ready to come home."

Chapter 1

"What did you just say?"

The question hung in the air of our minimalist apartment, the one I had designed. My voice was barely a whisper.

Ignatz Turner, my boyfriend of five years, didn't even look up from his phone. He just repeated it, calm and matter-of-fact.

"I said Everleigh needs you to take the blame. It was a hit-and-run, Gen. A minor one, nobody was seriously hurt, but her career can't handle a scandal right now."

I stared at him, at the handsome face I had loved for so long. Now, it looked like a stranger's.

"You want me to say I was driving her car? That I hit someone and fled the scene?"

"It makes sense," he said, finally lifting his eyes. They were cool, rational. "You're a private person, an architect. You don't have a public image to protect. You can handle the heat. Everleigh... she's fragile."

My hands started to shake. "Fragile? Ignatz, she broke the law. What about my record? My career?"

"It won't affect your career," he said, waving a dismissive hand. "Our lawyers will handle it. A fine, maybe some community service. It's nothing."

I felt a cold anger rise in my chest. "Nothing? Ignatz, do you have any idea what you're asking? I left my family for you. I gave up my name, my inheritance, everything, so we could have a normal life away from their influence. I did that for you."

"And I appreciate that, Gen, I really do," he said, his voice softening. He stood up and came toward me, trying to take my hands. "That's why I know you're strong enough to do this one more thing for us. For me."

He was close now, his familiar scent filling my senses. It used to comfort me. Now it made me sick.

"There's something else," I said, my voice trembling as I backed away from his touch.

He stopped, a flicker of annoyance crossing his face. "What now?"

"I'm pregnant."

The words came out, quiet but heavy. I had just found out this morning. I had been planning a romantic dinner to tell him, to celebrate.

Ignatz froze. His charming expression vanished, replaced by a look I had never seen before-a cold, hard panic.

"No," he said.

"Yes. I took a test. I'm six weeks along."

He ran a hand through his perfectly styled hair, pacing the room. "This is a disaster. An absolute disaster."

I laughed, a broken, hollow sound. Tears I didn't know were there started streaming down my face. "A disaster? It's your baby, Ignatz."

"Everleigh can't handle this right now!" he snapped, turning on me. "The stress of the accident, her anxiety... finding out you're pregnant with my child would destroy her. She's not strong like you, Gen. She needs my full support."

"So I'm the one who gets sacrificed? Again?" The words were squeezed out from between my teeth. "My life, my reputation, and now... our baby?"

He stopped pacing and looked at me, his eyes now holding a chilling sort of pity. "We can't have this baby. Not now."

My world tilted. The floor felt like it was dropping out from under me. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying you need to terminate it," he said, his voice dropping to a low, persuasive tone. "It's for the best. For everyone. Once this all blows over with Everleigh, we can try again. It's just... bad timing."

The air left my lungs. He was talking about our child like it was an inconvenient appointment to be rescheduled.

"It's your child, Ignatz," I whispered, my voice hoarse. "Your blood."

"And Everleigh is the woman I love!" he yelled, his composure finally cracking. "She's sensitive! This would break her! Can't you understand that?"

I just stared at him, my mind a blank wall of pain. After a long, silent moment, a sad, twisted smile formed on my lips.

"Okay," I said. "Okay, Ignatz."

Relief washed over his face. He didn't see the emptiness behind my eyes.

Just then, his phone rang, a cheerful pop song I recognized as one of Everleigh's hits. He answered it immediately.

"Leigh? Hey, baby, what's wrong? Don't cry, I'm on my way. I'm coming right now."

His voice was a gentle, loving caress. A voice he hadn't used with me in years.

He hung up and grabbed his keys, not even glancing at me as he rushed to the door.

"I'll have my assistant schedule the appointment for you," he said over his shoulder. "Just do it quickly."

Then he was gone. The door clicked shut, leaving me in a silence that was louder than his shouting.

The next day, I was at the clinic. The air smelled of antiseptic and quiet despair. The nurse who took my information looked at me with pity in her eyes. It made my skin crawl.

She handed me a clipboard with a consent form. His signature was already there at the bottom: Ignatz Turner. He had signed it this morning, before he even knew if I'd agree. He was so sure of me.

"The doctor wants you to know," the nurse said softly, avoiding my gaze, "that due to a minor complication, this procedure carries a high risk of future infertility. There's a chance you might not be able to conceive again."

The clipboard slipped from my numb fingers and clattered to the floor.

He knew. He must have known. The doctor would have told his assistant, and his assistant would have told him. He knew this could leave me barren, and he still signed the form. He still sent me here to erase our child and my future.

I bit down on my lip, hard. The coppery taste of blood filled my mouth, but I felt nothing. Just a vast, cold emptiness.

I was ready to go through with it. To just get it over with, to cut out the last piece of him inside me. I stood up to follow the nurse.

And then I felt it.

A tiny, unmistakable flutter deep in my womb. It was too early for a real kick, the doctor had said. But I felt it. A flicker of life, a silent protest.

Don't let me go.

"No," I said, my voice loud and clear in the quiet room.

The nurse turned, surprised.

"I'm not doing it," I said, pulling my arm away. "I'm keeping my baby."

I walked out of that clinic, leaving the consent form on the floor. The afternoon sun was blindingly bright, and for a moment, I felt a surge of strength. I had my baby. That's all that mattered.

Then I pulled out my phone. The screen lit up with a breaking news alert from a celebrity gossip site.

The headline was a punch to the gut: "Everleigh Hooper and Boyfriend Ignatz Turner Expecting First Child! Sources say Hooper is overjoyed after a recent health scare."

The article was filled with pictures of them from last night, leaving a fancy restaurant. Ignatz was holding her, his hand placed protectively on her flat stomach. They were both smiling, glowing for the cameras.

Below the article, the comments section was a sewer.

"Who is that Genevieve Ball person? The one who did the hit-and-run in Everleigh's car? Probably some obsessed fan Ignatz felt sorry for."

"I heard she's been stalking him for years. Good thing he's finally with someone on his level."

"She looks so plain. Of course he chose a star like Everleigh. And now they're starting a family! So happy for them!"

I bit my lip again, harder this time. I felt the skin break, the warm trickle of blood down my chin. But I still couldn't feel the pain. I was completely numb.

I looked down at my own stomach, and a single tear rolled down my cheek and fell onto my hand.

"It's okay," I whispered to the tiny life inside me. "I'll protect you. I promise."

I wiped my face, my expression hardening. I opened my contacts and found my lawyer's number.

"I need you to draw up divorce papers," I said, my voice steady and cold. "And I want everything I'm entitled to."

When I got back to the apartment, the front door was slightly ajar. A knot of dread tightened in my stomach. I pushed it open slowly.

The sound of soft laughter drifted from the living room.

There, on the custom-made sofa I had picked out, sat Everleigh Hooper. Ignatz was sitting on the coffee table in front of her, feeding her a strawberry. She giggled and leaned forward to kiss him.

It was a perfectly staged, intimate moment. And I had just walked in on it.

Ignatz saw me first. His smile faltered for a second, his eyes hardening. "Gen."

Everleigh looked over, her big, innocent eyes widening. She immediately shrank back against the cushions, making herself look small and scared.

"Gen, can you give us a minute?" Ignatz said, keeping his voice low, as if I were an intruder. "Everleigh isn't feeling well. I'll come to the guest room later."

I let out a short, sharp laugh. "The guest room? Ignatz, this is my apartment. My name is on the lease. If anyone should leave, it's her."

He stood up, his expression turning pleading. "Please, just for tonight. You know how she is. We grew up together, I've always taken care of her. She needs me right now."

He was trying to appeal to the part of me that had always made excuses for him, for their "special" bond.

"I'll get her a hotel tomorrow, I promise," he said, his voice a low murmur. "We'll sort this out."

I didn't say another word. I just turned and walked to the spare bedroom, closing the door behind me.

I couldn't block out the sounds. A few minutes later, I heard their laughter again, louder this time, mixed with the sound of the TV. They were settling in for the night. In my home.

I curled up on the bed, not bothering to change. The tears I had held back all day finally came, soaking the pillow in the dark.

Much later, I heard the bedroom door creak open. A shadow fell across the bed.

"Gen? Are you awake?" It was Ignatz, his voice a guilty whisper.

He sat on the edge of the bed, his weight making the mattress dip. He reached out and touched my hair.

"I'm sorry about today," he said, his voice thick. "It's just a lot to deal with. The baby... we'll have another one, Gen. When the time is right, I swear."

I lay perfectly still, my body rigid. He didn't know. He thought I had gone through with it. He was apologizing for the inconvenience, not the monstrous thing he had asked of me. The irony was a bitter pill in my throat.

Suddenly, a sharp scream came from the living room. "Iggy! Iggy, where are you?"

Ignatz shot up from the bed as if he'd been electrocuted. "Leigh?"

"I had a nightmare!" she wailed. "Come back!"

Without a second thought, without another glance at me, he bolted from the room. "I'm coming, Leigh! I'm here!"

For the rest of the night, the sound of his low, soothing voice drifted down the hallway as he comforted her, leaving me alone in the dark.

The next morning, I dragged my exhausted body out of bed. The smell of coffee and bacon filled the air. For a delusional second, it felt like any other morning.

Then I walked into the kitchen.

Ignatz was at the stove, flipping pancakes. Everleigh was perched on a stool, wearing one of his expensive silk shirts, her bare legs dangling. She was laughing as he playfully dabbed a bit of whipped cream on her nose.

They looked like a happy couple in a coffee commercial. I was the ghost haunting the set.

Everleigh saw me and her bright smile vanished. She instantly adopted her frightened-doe look, clutching Ignatz's arm. "Oh. Genevieve. You're up."

"Iggy," she whispered, loud enough for me to hear. "I want orange juice. Freshly squeezed."

"Of course, Leigh. Anything you want," Ignatz said, turning to the fridge without a single glance in my direction.

The moment he was busy with the juicer, Everleigh's entire demeanor changed. The fear melted away, replaced by a smug, triumphant smirk. She looked directly at me.

"He was so disappointed when he thought you were pregnant," she said, her voice a syrupy poison. "He told me he never wanted kids with you. He said the thought of it made his skin crawl."

I froze, my hand on the counter. My head snapped up to look at her. My fingers trembled.

"You think you can win?" she continued, her voice dripping with contempt. "I'm Everleigh Hooper. My uncle is one of the most powerful producers in Hollywood. Who are you? A no-name architect he picked up out of pity."

My blood ran cold. I knew her uncle was influential. I hadn't realized how much. That's why Ignatz was so desperate to protect her. It wasn't just love; it was ambition. She was his ticket to a world he craved.

Suddenly, Everleigh let out a sharp cry and slid off the stool, collapsing onto the floor. "Ahh! My ankle!" she shrieked, clutching it. "Genevieve, why did you push me?"

Ignatz spun around, his face a mask of fury. He saw me standing near her, saw her on the floor, and didn't hesitate. He lunged forward and shoved me, hard.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" he roared.

I stumbled backward, my hip slamming into the corner of the kitchen island. A sharp, searing pain shot through my side. I gasped, clutching the spot.

He didn't even notice. He was already on the floor, cradling Everleigh in his arms. "Are you okay, Leigh? Did she hurt you?"

He looked up at me, his eyes filled with a cold, terrifying hatred. "She's fragile, you idiot! I told you that!"

"I... I didn't touch her," I stammered, the pain making my voice shake.

"Get out of my sight," he snarled, his voice low and dangerous. "Don't you ever touch her again. I'm warning you, Genevieve."

He scooped Everleigh up into his arms and carried her out of the kitchen, leaving me standing there, trembling with pain and shock.

My hand went instinctively to my stomach, a silent prayer that the baby was okay.

This was my home. And I had just been declared the enemy.

Ignatz didn't come back for two days. I spent the time in a daze, moving through the silent apartment like a zombie. I took down our pictures, packing his clothes into boxes. I even took off my wedding ring. It slid off my finger with no resistance. I had lost so much weight, I hadn't even noticed.

I dropped it into the trash can. It made a dull, final thud.

Then, a text message from him lit up my phone.

Can you do me a favor? There's a blue velvet box in my top drawer. A courier is coming to pick it up in an hour. Have it ready for him.

I went to his drawer. Inside was a small, elegant box from a famous jewelry designer. I opened it. Nestled on the black velvet was a diamond necklace, the kind of ostentatious piece I would never wear. I remembered him showing it to me online months ago.

"Isn't it beautiful?" he'd said. "I'm going to buy it for the most important person in my life."

I had thought he meant me.

Staring at the necklace, a bitter laugh escaped my lips. I closed the box.

When the courier arrived, a young man in a crisp uniform, I handed him the package without a word.

"Ma'am, the destination is the St. Regis Hotel," he said, confirming the details.

"I know," I said, pulling my purse from the hook by the door. I took out the folded divorce agreement. "I'm going with you."

The car ride was silent. The St. Regis was hosting a massive press conference for Everleigh's new movie. As we pulled up, I could hear the roar of the crowd and the frantic clicking of cameras.

I walked into the ballroom. The noise died down instantly. Every head turned. Every camera swiveled to face me. I was wearing a simple dress and no makeup. My hair was pulled back in a messy bun.

Whispers erupted around me.

"Is that her? The stalker?"

"What is she doing here? Look at how she's dressed. No class."

I ignored them all. My eyes were fixed on the stage at the front of the room, where Ignatz and Everleigh were standing, holding hands.

Ignatz saw me, and his face tightened into a knot of anger. "Genevieve? What the hell are you doing here?" he hissed as I approached.

I didn't answer. I just held out the blue velvet box.

"You forgot this," I said, my voice surprisingly steady.

Everleigh snatched the box from my hand and opened it with a gasp of delight. "Oh, Iggy! It's beautiful!"

She turned to him, pouting. "Put it on me. Right now."

Ignatz hesitated for a fraction of a second, his eyes darting between me and her. Then, his face hardened, and he took the necklace. His fingers brushed against her skin as he fastened the clasp.

Everleigh leaned in and kissed him full on the lips, her eyes locked on me the entire time. It was a declaration of victory.

I stood there, silent.

Then, she did it again. She let out a tiny gasp and staggered, pretending to lose her balance. "Oh!"

"Gen, I warned you!" Ignatz roared, lunging forward to steady Everleigh. He glared at me, his face contorted with rage. "Are you trying to hurt her?"

I said nothing. I just held out the divorce agreement I had been clutching in my hand.

He barely glanced at it. Everleigh suddenly clutched her stomach. "Iggy, I don't feel well. My stomach hurts."

"What?" His attention snapped back to her, all thoughts of me and the papers gone. "Okay, baby, okay. Let's get you to the hospital."

"The papers, Iggy," I said, holding them out again. "Sign them."

"Just sign it so she'll leave!" Everleigh moaned, pressing herself against him.

Without even reading it, he snatched a pen from a nearby table, scribbled his name on the line, and shoved the document back at me.

Then he swept Everleigh into his arms and started pushing his way through the crowd of reporters. "Let us through! It's an emergency!"

I clutched the signed papers to my chest and turned to leave. As I walked away, someone deliberately stuck out a foot.

I went down, hard.

My head hit the marble floor with a sickening crack. The world exploded in a flash of white-hot pain.

I heard gasps from the crowd. Through a haze of pain, I saw Ignatz stop and look back. He took a half-step toward me, his face a mess of confusion.

"Iggy, let's go!" Everleigh whined, tugging on his arm. "She's just faking it for attention."

He looked from me, lying on the floor with blood starting to pool around my head, to her. He hesitated for one more second.

Then he turned and left, disappearing into the flashing lights of the paparazzi.

I lay there, the polished floor cold against my cheek. My vision was blurring. People were staring, whispering, pointing. No one moved to help.

With a groan, I pushed myself up. My head was spinning. I realized my wedding ring was gone. It must have flown off when I fell. The ring that had been so loose on my finger. A symbol of a marriage that had been hollow for a long, long time.

I didn't even look for it.

Ignoring the stares and the cameras, I stumbled to my feet, my legs shaking. I walked, one foot in front of the other, out of the ballroom and into the street.

I flagged down a taxi. The driver's eyes went wide when he saw the blood on my face.

"Hospital?" he asked, his voice full of alarm.

I wiped a smear of blood from my cheek with the back of my hand.

"Yeah," I said, a grim smile touching my lips. "But I'm not gonna die."