The Return Of The Billionaire's Dead Wife

Congratulations, Mrs. Knights. You're two months pregnant," the doctor handed the envelope to Chelsea, who was seated in his office.

Chelsea's blue eyes lit up with a bright smile. This was the best news she had ever heard, the news she had been waiting for all her life. Chelsea has been married to Liam Knights for over two years but hasn't been able to conceive a child. Thankfully, now this might save their marriage and make her husband finally love and cherish her.

She flipped strands of golden hair from her oblong face."Thank you so much, Doctor," her pink lips curved in a bright smile.

She picked up her handbag from the desk before exiting the hospital. Outside, her driver was already waiting for her, opening the car door. She got into the backseat, and they were on their way to the mansion. Chelsea relaxed against the seat, feeling butterflies in her belly as she placed her hand on her stomach, rubbing softly.

"I can't wait to have you, baby. You're like a lifesaver. You saved me, my child. You saved my marriage. I'll love and cherish you, both Daddy and I will shower you with so much love," she whispered affectionately to her stomach.

To Chelsea, this was the saving grace for her marriage. For the past two years, her marriage to Liam Knights has been rocky, barely surviving because Liam felt coerced into the marriage by her late uncle. She had apologized countless times on behalf of her uncle, and she hoped this would change his mind since he wanted an heir to the Knights dynasty.

Hopefully, she won't be sleeping in her bedroom tonight but in the master bedroom with her husband. Two weeks into their marriage, Liam had told her to move to the next room, and though heartbroken, she had complied. The only time she was allowed in the master bedroom was when Liam felt like being intimate, but she didn't mind; she would do anything for him.

They reached the mansion, and Chelsea wasted no time getting out of the car. It was evening, and Liam wouldn't be home until later at night. At 23 years, most married ladies preferred to be working or running their businesses, but Chelsea was content being a housewife, as that was what Liam wanted.

She entered the mansion, happily humming her favorite song "To Love". However, her humming trailed off, and a feeling of unease filled the air when she noticed the terrified expressions on the faces of her maids in the kitchen. Quickly, she placed the groceries she had bought and the pregnancy test result on the counter before fixing her gaze on the maids.

"Is something wrong? Why the long faces?" she wondered aloud, unable to bear the suspense. "Someone, say something!"

"It's the boss; we received information that he was rushed to the hospital immediately after he arrived at the company at noon," one of the maids explained hastily.

"Oh my goodness, how did that happen?"

Chelsea's eyes widened in horror, her heart pounding heavily in her chest. She was confused; her husband had been fine when he left for work.

"Why wasn't I informed?"

"You left your phone at home, Mrs. Knights," the maid replied.

"You should have called the driver instead. I'm going to the hospital right now."

She hurried out of the kitchen just in time to hear the sound of footsteps echoing loudly in the living room. The strong scent of feminine cologne assaulted her nostrils, making her curious. Her brow rose in surprise when she saw the all-too-familiar face of Jessica Smith, her husband's ex-girlfriend.

"Jessica," she arched a brow at her, amused and uneasy about her husband's old flame. "What are you doing here?"

Chelsea's eyes roamed Jessica's form from head to toe, and her lips tightened in amusement at the fact that Jessica hadn't changed a bit. She still dressed provocatively and carried herself like a proud peacock. Her lips were painted a dark shade of red, her round face caked with too much foundation, and her boobs in that mini-gown seemed like they were screaming for mercy from the push-up bra.

But why was Jessica here? She had left two years ago, heartbroken when Liam married Chelsea instead. It had broken Liam, but at that moment, he had no other choice but to go through with the wedding.

"It's been, what, two years since I last visited here. Well, what do you think, Chelsea? I'm back in my rightful place. I'm back home, and your evil plans have failed," Jessica snarled, her hazel eyes glistening with mockery as she eyed Chelsea from head to toe.

Chelsea was left dumbfounded, unable to process what Jessica had just uttered before one of her husband's men strode into the living room, carrying two boxes – pink and fashionable boxes that belonged to Jessica.

Ignoring her confused expression, Jessica chuckled darkly at her before making her way towards the couch to sit down. As if being woken up from her daze, Chelsea turned furious eyes to Jessica.

"What are you doing right now, Jessica? This is my house, and you're not welcome here. If you know what's good for you, you'd better take your things and leave this place. Besides, Liam is not here; he's at the hospital."

"Well, I'm here now."

Chelsea froze instantly, her heart thudding heavily in her chest. She knew that baritone voice all too well; it was the voice of her husband. Slowly, she turned, her eyes falling on his knotted tie before cautiously moving to his eyes, which were staring furiously at her.

"I'm here now," he repeated, his intense green eyes never leaving her blue ones. "Are you surprised to see me alive?"

"What do you mean, Liam? Of course, I'm happy to see you back and safe. I'm sorry I didn't come to..."

"Shut up, Chelsea. How dare you try to kill me? How dare you, Chelsea!" A low growl escaped his chest as his eyes smoldered like embers. "The doctor said the breakfast I ate was poisoned, the breakfast you made!"

His harsh words cut through her heart sharply, causing her legs to tremble and move back on their own. This was too much for her. How could he accuse her of such? She shook her head bitterly, trying to keep her tears at bay, but they fell on their own accord.

"What... What is the meaning of this, Liam? I'm your wife, and I love you. You know how much I do. I can't live without you. How can you accuse me of such!" Her voice was hoarse as she desperately tried to keep her emotions in check.

"Oh, for heaven's sake, Chelsea. Stop pretending. You're nothing but an evil person, and you'll pay dearly for everything!"

She desperately wanted to leave, to run away from this nightmare, this pain, but her heart clung tightly like a fool. She couldn't imagine living without Liam; she was sure of it. And she would not leave without clearing her name.

"Look, I'm..." she was about to say something, but Jessica interrupted, getting up from the couch.

"If indeed she's guilty, there must be some sort of evidence somewhere. Why don't we check her room or something," Jessica suggested to Liam.

"Yes, do that. I'm sure you'll see that I'm innocent. Please, Liam, please believe me. I would never do such a thing."

Liam agreed and instructed his guards to search his wife's room. They all arrived in Chelsea's room as the guards wasted no time, ransacking every nook and corner of the room.

Chelsea watched helplessly; her chest felt as though a knife had been plunged into it. How could her husband doubt her? How could he accuse her of trying to murder him?

"We found something, boss," one of the guards announced, raising a small black container.

Chelsea's eyes widened in horror, her head shaking on its own. She was left speechless and confused.

Liam took the container from the guard and inspected it closely. "It's 'venom,' the name of the poison that you used in my meal. The doctor confirmed it."

"No, no, Liam, I'm innocent..."

"Boss, look what we found again," the other guard handed a document to Liam.

Liam's face contorted in a deadly frown; his eyes darkened in fury. He was lost for words. How could Chelsea do this to him? He wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt, but, this had broken the camel's back.

Jessica craned her head to catch a glimpse of the contents of the document. Her eyes widened in surprise and horror.

"Oh my, 'how to kill someone,' 'how to transfer the ownership of a company from husband to wife'..."

Chelsea was dumbfounded and terrified; just like that, her whole life came crashing down, because of something she knew nothing about. How could she defend herself, come out of this? No one will believe her. Without a second thought, she slipped out of the room while Liam was still engrossed in the document and took to her heels.

When she arrived downstairs, the accusing stares of the maids greeted her; they saw her as the devil already, but she was sure someone had set her up. Just as she was about to step out of the mansion, she heard the harsh tone of her husband screaming.

"Get that murderer! Do not let her escape."

"It's been a week already, and you want to tell me that you don't know where she is? I mean, she just vanished into thin air. Is that it?" Liam snapped at his men.

He was frustrated, finding it hard to believe that on that fateful day, Chelsea had disappeared without a trace. Chelsea had run out of the mansion on foot, so it was quite perplexing that when his men got outside, she was nowhere to be found.

"We're sorry, sir. We're doing everything possible to find her. We won't rest until we find her," Trey, his right-hand man, announced.

"Just go find her, Trey, even if it means turning the whole city of New York upside down. Find that woman and bring her to me."

He dismissed them, before collapsing onto the couch. For the past few days, he hadn't been able to sleep at night; he was restless, needing answers, and Chelsea was the only one who had them. He loosened his tie and threw it on the couch beside him.

"Oh, Liam, you don't look so good," Jessica said as she walked into the living room, her hips swaying seductively. "Would you like something to cool off?"

"Yes, a glass of champagne, please," Liam said, rubbing his temples.

Jessica walked toward the bar and retrieved a glass and a bottle of champagne. "I know it's hard for you, Liam, but you have to be strong. Don't let this weigh you down."

Liam continued, "I know, Jess, but it's just so hard to believe. Even after her late uncle had blackmailed me into getting married to her and giving him money, she still wanted more, to the extent of poisoning me." He paused, taking a deep breath. "It's unbelievable, Jess, and if you hadn't come to the office that day, I might have been dead."

"Well, I'm glad I did. I'm glad to be here with you, baby. Let's just forget about her."

"No, I won't rest until I find her and make her pay."

"Alright, but please take it easy. I'm so glad to finally be able to live with you."

"I know, baby, we don't need to hide anymore. And I'm so glad to have you here with me," he said, reaching for her face, gently brushing aside strands of her black hair.

She fluttered her lashes seductively, using her charms to entice him. She had been dreaming of this moment, where she would have him all to herself. Liam was the love of her life, and although she loved his money, she equally admired his physical attributes: his 6-foot-4-inch height, dark brown hair, alluring green eyes, symmetrical face, and toned abs. Plus, he was already a young billionaire at 26 years old. She craved all of him, and she was glad that Chelsea was finally out of the way.

"Aren't you going to drink some champagne?" Liam asked before sipping his drink.

"I can't, even if I wanted to. I'm pregnant, baby."

"What, are you serious right now?" Liam enveloped her in a tight hug. "Are you serious, babe?"

"Yes, I'm three months pregnant, baby."

Liam was overjoyed. He has been praying for a child and an heir to his name, and finally, Jessica has granted his wish. He could finally breathe and maybe forget all the pain his so-called wife had caused him.

Three months later...

The loud sound of footsteps echoing in the empty hallway caused Chelsea's eyes to snap open as she quickly sat up on the bed. She knew it was either the doctor who introduced himself as Ramon or Trey, her husband's right-hand man-they were the only ones she'd been seeing for the past three months.

"So, how are you doing? I hope the baby isn't giving you too much trouble."

"Doctor Ramon, please help me. I'm tired of being locked up here. Please let me go. I swear, I'll run away from here and never return."

She pleaded with the middle-aged man, hoping that somehow he'd let her out of this place. Months ago, after she had run out of the mansion, a few steps outside, a car blocked her way and forcibly took her inside the car. Before she knew it, she blacked out and awoke in an empty room with just a bed.

"You know we can't do that, lady, not after what you did to the boss. The boss wants you to stay here and rot. That's the only way you can pay for poisoning him and trying to kill him," Trey, who had just entered the room, yelled at Chelsea.

"Take it easy now," the doctor addressed him, sending him a cold glare. "She's pregnant, remember. All the boss needs is the baby, so we're not going to stress her; only feed her and make sure she's healthy. Then you can do whatever you want with her."

This was the only reason she was being fed in here-how vital. Chelsea rested her back against the headboard, her chest wracked with pain. Liam wanted her baby and then to kill her. She wondered how he could be so cold-hearted and wicked. How could he not trust his wife?

She placed a hand on her growing stomach, feeling her baby kick. It was now a regular occurrence for her, and though painful, she relished it.

"I'll find a way, I promise, baby," she said with tears.

A week later, Chelsea saw an opportunity to escape and rushed to seize it. The door of the room had been left open after Doctor Ramon finished running some scans on her. Chelsea quickly got out of bed and hurried out of the room. She had barely taken five steps before Trey spotted her.

"Just where do you think you're going, you bitch?"

Her whole body trembled with fear as she instinctively started running, but she wasn't fast enough. Trey caught up with her and jerked her roughly by the arm, pulling her into another empty room, which was dark. He pushed her to the cold floor, not minding that she was pregnant. Chelsea's hands flew to her stomach protectively, fearing for her baby's life.

"Please, my baby, please don't hurt my baby," she cried bitterly.

He pointed a finger angrily at her.

"Shut up! How dare you try to escape, you silly swine. Stay here; I'll be back." He stormed out of the room, leaving Chelsea whimpering and terrified on the cold floor.

She lay curled up on the floor, crying for over twenty minutes, which felt like hours to her, before Trey strolled back in, his sharp jawline tightened in a cruel smile.

"It's time for your punishment, bitch."

Chelsea's eyes rose to his hand, which was holding a little bottle. The look on his face told her it was something unpleasant.

She shook her head vigorously, tears spilling down her cheeks. "Please, please don't do anything bad to me, please, Trey."

Ignoring her tears, Trey opened the bottle's cap, bent down to her level, and without warning, he used his strong arm to hold her face before pouring the liquid on her left face.

Chelsea screamed in pain as the acid ran down her delicate skin, burning her face. The pain was excruciating. He let go of her face roughly as he pushed her back to the floor. Amid the excruciating pain, she couldn't think clearly, but her hand steadfastly clung to her stomach. She had to protect her child, no matter what.

"The boss wanted me to tell you this, 'serve you right, bitch'," Trey chuckled darkly.

She writhed and wailed in pain until she passed out, unable to endure any more pain.

She awoke the next day in bed, the searing pain greeting her as the horrible memory of last night came flooding in. She wailed bitterly when she noticed the bandage on her face.

"Take it easy, Chelsea. You have to be strong," Doctor Ramon, who was seated beside her, cooed.

"My baby, my baby, please..."

"Your baby is fine; I just finished running some tests. But you have to endure if you want your baby to live."

Trey strode into the room lazily, his eyes devoid of emotions as he glanced at Chelsea on the bed.

Ramon fixed a hard stare at Trey. "What you did was too risky; she could have lost the baby."

"It was the boss who ordered it; was I supposed to disobey?"

Ramon cleared his throat before getting up from the chair. "We'll leave you to rest now."

As soon as they left the room, Chelsea wailed profusely. Her heart felt like it was on fire, along with her face. She couldn't process how evil her husband was, to the extent of disfiguring her face.

She'll persevere; she won't give up. She has to survive for her baby.

Chelsea was now in her ninth month, and she was starting to feel heavy and stiff. She knew her due date was approaching, but she was still stuck here. If she didn't find a way to get out of this place, she would soon be saying goodbye to her baby and the world. But she already has a plan. Earlier, when Doctor Ramon was running some tests on her, she stole the key to her room's door from his pocket.

She got out of bed, slowly tiptoeing to the door. She reached for the door and opened it with the key. She continued towards the hallway, making sure to keep her footsteps quiet. Each step she took caused her heart to almost leap out of her chest.

The hallway was long, and she noticed that she was in some sort of warehouse. She gasped, holding her waist with one hand when she spotted the exit. But as she was about to step out, a voice shouted.

"She's getting away; grab her."

Chelsea quickened her pace, running toward the door. But she knew this was a losing battle; she could barely run, and she was starting to feel sharp pains in her abdomen. She held her stomach, groaning in pain as she reached the door, but suddenly, her vision became blurry, black dots dancing around her eyes, and before she knew it, she collapsed, darkness claiming her.

Chelsea's screams echoed through the room as she writhed in pain. Tears dripped down her cheeks, mixing with the sweat as she tried to breathe through the searing agony of each contraction. She clutched her swollen belly, feeling the baby kick and push against her with each passing minute.

Doctor Ramon stood at the foot of her bed, his brow furrowed in worry. "I'm sorry, Chelsea," he said. "But you're too weak to push the baby out."

He turned to Trey who was beside him. "She has gone into labor, and she's too weak to push the baby out. I need to perform a C-section. We need to send for some anesthetic right away before the baby dies."

Trey darted to the door, grabbing his cell phone to make the call. But as he dialed, he hesitated. What if it took too long for the anesthetic to arrive? What if the baby didn't make it? He took a deep breath and made a quick decision to call the boss.

He hung up the phone and turned to Doctor Ramon. "We can't wait. We have to do it without the anesthetic."

Doctor Ramon looked horrified. "Trey, I don't know if that's a good idea. She's already in so much pain-"

But Trey held up a hand. "We have the boss's permission. We're going to save that baby no matter what."

The doctor nodded reluctantly and began to prepare for the C-section with his nurse. Chelsea's chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath between sobs.

"No, please wait, don't do it, please. Okay, I can push, don't tear me open, PLEASE."

She cried and begged them to wait, to give her just a little more time to wait for the anesthetic to arrive, but they pushed on.

The pain was excruciating. Chelsea felt as if she was being ripped apart from the inside out. She screamed and screamed until her voice gave out, and then she passed out, her body limp and still.

When she finally came to, she was groggy and disoriented. She noticed that she was in an unfamiliar room, airy and painted with ash. Her hand quickly flew to her stomach, and her eyes widened in horror when she noticed her stomach wasn't as big anymore. She quickly sat up, tears already streaming down her cheeks.

"My baby, my baby, oh no, no."

He's right here." Doctor Ramon walked inside the room, carrying a newborn baby in his hands. "Here he is, your baby."

The baby was crying softly, wrapped in a blanket.

Chelsea's eyes lit up as she took the baby from the doctor, cradling his tiny body in her arms. Her baby was the best thing she had ever seen. His cute little, bright green eyes held her captive, almost bringing her to her knees.

Chelsea felt a wave of relief wash over her, but it was quickly overtaken by a crushing sense of betrayal and anger. Her husband had taken away her choice, her agency over her own body. He had forced her to endure the most excruciating pain of her life without so much as a whisper of pity. She looked up at Ramon, her heart aching.

"I won't let him take my baby. Where is he, where is that evil bastard LIAM?"

"Take him and run if you know what's good for you. Run and don't look back, Chelsea, run, I'll help you."

"But...but why?" She was confused. Why did Ramon change his mind all of a sudden? "Why are you helping me?"

"There's no time for this right now; your life is in danger. Just take the baby and run before they find you."

Chelsea wanted badly to know why he changed his mind, but there was no time. She has to run and save herself unless they'll take her baby away and have her killed.

Five years later...

**New York City Airport**

The sunlight peeked through the clouds, casting golden rays onto the earth below, creating a mesmerizing play of light and shadow. It was indeed a beautiful day. Inside the airport, Chelsea, dressed in blue palazzo pants and a turtle-neck crop top, held a little boy's hand who was dressed in baggy pants and a plain red t-shirt. People stared at them as they walked as if they were the embodiment of attractiveness.

Chelsea breathed the New York air as she held onto her clutch purse in one hand while she tightly gripped her son in the other hand.

"Mom, why are you holding my hand tightly? I can walk on my own," her four-year-old son, Xolo, protested, stomping his feet on the floor. "It's not my first time in an airport; no need to be too overprotective."

Xolo was embarrassed; he felt he was old enough and didn't need his mommy holding his hand in public. Chelsea, on the other hand, was skeptical, cruel memories from five years ago flooded her mind. She wasn't sure this was the best option to come back here, but she had no other choice; her work brought her here.

Chelsea's eyes roamed around the airport nervously before settling on her son. "Baby, we have to be careful here, okay? There are a lot of bad people here, and I'm only being cautious. Do you understand?"

"Alright, mom."

Xolo wanted to protest further and stand his ground, but he didn't like seeing his mommy anxious, so he agreed, even though he could take care of himself.

"Let's go now; your aunt Kara is already waiting for us outside the airport."

***

Liam drew a deep sigh, glancing at his wristwatch for the hundredth time in the past twenty minutes. He has been waiting for an important investor from China at the airport for the past thirty minutes and counting, and Liam was now growing frustrated.

"I'm sorry, boss; I'll try his secretary's line again. Maybe their flight was delayed or something," Trey explained, already dialing the number.

Liam was too angry to reply; if the money wasn't that huge, he would have ditched the so-called Chinese investor for keeping him waiting for so long. His eyes lazily roamed around the airport, taking in his surroundings to see if he could spot the investor until he caught someone, a lady, average height, slim with golden waist-length hair.

He froze, something about the way she walked majestically caught his attention. He cracked his head to find out where he had seen familiar footsteps.

"Chelsea," he gasped with wide eyes. "How is that possible? She's supposed to be dead."

For the first time, he noticed that she was holding a little boy's hand as they walked by, and from his angle, he couldn't see their faces. So confused he was when he noted her golden hair, just like his late wife.

She was talking to a lady in glasses now. The lady was average height, curvy, with short blonde hair."Kara, you shouldn't have bothered coming inside the airport."

Liam's mouth gaped wide open in confusion; he couldn't believe his ears. That voice was definitely his wife's. He knew that voice all too well and, unable to take it anymore, his legs moved on their own, heading for the lady.

"Chelsea."