Chapter 1
ARIA
"Congratulations, Ms.Taylor. Who would have thought a routine company physical would reveal such a surprise!"
I sat frozen in the examination room at Redwood Medical Center, staring at the report in my hands. Pregnant, 6 weeks. I couldn't believe it.
"Are you sure there's no mistake?" My voice trembled.
The doctor adjusted his glasses. "The report is clear, Ms.Taylor. You're six weeks pregnant."
Pregnant? Me? How is this possible?
"Please keep this confidential from Blake Enterprises. This is personal," I told the doctor, gripping the report tightly.
"Of course. Doctor-patient confidentiality is our policy."
"No need to schedule prenatal care yet, thank you." I quickly stood up and tucked the report into my bag.
In the elevator at Morgan Tower, I gently touched my flat stomach. Still hard to believe. A child with Blake. Doctors had told me my spine injury from the accident made pregnancy nearly impossible.
But now, a miracle happened.
The elevator doors opened. Jack rushed over, looking anxious.
"Aria, Mr. Morgan is looking for you. He seems angry."
I took a deep breath and straightened my blazer. "Thanks, Jack. How bad is his mood?"
"Not good." Jack lowered his voice. "The CFO just left his office looking shaken."
"You're fifteen minutes late." Blake didn't look up from his desk.
"Sorry, Mr. Morgan. I was at the company physical." I kept my voice professional, hiding my emotions.
"Is the gift for the Redwood family anniversary ready?" he asked, eyes fixed on his computer screen.
"Yes, the limited-edition crystal decanter set has been ordered."
"Good. Tomorrow at seven, we'll attend together."
I hesitated. "Mr. Morgan, could I skip this event? I'm not feeling well today..."
Blake finally looked up, his ice-blue eyes boring into me. "Do you think I'm asking for your opinion or giving you an order?"
Always so cold and heartless.
"An order, Mr. Morgan." I lowered my gaze.
"Aria, remember your place." He stood and walked to the window. "Though you're nominally my wife, we only have a five-year contract marriage. I don't like when you disobey my instructions."
I bit my lip to stop myself from saying something I'd regret.
I remember clearly that night three years ago that changed my life.
At a Morgan family party, I was working as a server, arranged by my mother Christine, the Grant family's housekeeper. The next morning, I woke up in Blake's suite, accused of drugging him and climbing into his bed.
I knew I hadn't, but nobody believed me.
To protect the Morgan family reputation and to address family pressure for the heir to marry, Blake proposed a five-year secret marriage contract. And I, needing money for my father Aaron's medical bills, accepted.
For three years, I've been Blake's executive assistant while secretly fulfilling wife duties. Nobody knows our real relationship except the Morgan family's core members.
I'm just a contract. A transaction. A tool.
The next evening, Redwood family estate was brightly lit. I wore a simple black business suit, hoping not to draw attention. But when Blake and I entered the hall, we still attracted stares and whispers.
"Look, isn't that the perpetrator's daughter?"
"How dare she come to a Redwood family event?"
"I heard she's Blake's assistant now. So shameless."
I'm used to these whispers by now.
Olivia Redwood approached in an elegant maternity dress, with a practiced social smile. "Blake, it's been a while... though you coming alone would have been enough. Why bring irrelevant people?"
Blake chuckled. "Olivia, don't pretend you don't know Aria. Didn't you two play together at Grant estate when you were children?"
Olivia's smile stiffened. "That was long ago. Before the accident."
Before my father was accused of killing Redwood family members.
Halfway through the party, Olivia gracefully took the stage. All eyes focused on her.
"Esteemed guests, friends and family, thank you for coming to my anniversary celebration. On this special occasion, I want to share some wonderful news—I'm pregnant."
Applause and congratulations erupted.
"This child didn't come easily," Olivia gently touched her stomach, tears in her eyes. "We waited so long, and finally received this blessing."
The big screen displayed an ultrasound image, the outline of a tiny life clearly visible. I unconsciously touched my own stomach, imagining the small life forming inside me.
My child... Blake's and mine...
Blake noticed my gesture and raised an eyebrow. "You seem to like children?"
I gathered my courage. "Mr. Morgan, if we had a child too..."
"Impossible." He cut me off, his eyes cold. "Aria, I don't want children with you. Our agreement is clear—in five years, we'll quietly end this marriage."
His words stabbed directly into my heart.
He doesn't know there's already a life growing inside me.
Back at the Hampton estate, I hid in the bathroom where my tears finally broke free. I took the pregnancy report from my pocket, tore it to pieces, and flushed it down the toilet.
He doesn't want this child. He doesn't even want me.
I hugged my knees, sitting on the cold tile floor, crying silently.
"You were in there a long time." When I emerged from the bathroom, Blake sat on the Italian leather sofa in the bedroom, texting with an expression I'd never seen before—tender, almost soft.
"Just took a bath," I said, trying to sound normal.
"Where did you go this afternoon?" he asked casually, still looking at his phone.
"Redwood Medical Center," I said. "Picked up some nutritional supplements my mother recommended."
Blake glanced up. "Don't take that useless stuff. Company physical shows you're healthy."
"Sure," I answered briefly, afraid to say more.
Seems he just saw the regular report the company got. Thank God the doctor stuck to his word.
Blake put down his phone and walked behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. His lips touched my neck—a familiar routine we'd fallen into. I felt his fingers run through my black curls, his cologne surrounding me.
This was what we did. Physical release, nothing more. No promises, no expectations. Just two people using each other when the need arose.
His hands moved lower, but I instinctively placed my hand protectively over my abdomen. The subtle movement didn't escape Blake's notice.
"What's wrong?" he asked, confusion in his voice. His hands stilled against me.
I tensed. This wasn't part of our arrangement—him noticing things, asking questions.
"Nothing," I said, but my hand remained where it was.
Just then, his phone rang. Blake immediately released me and answered.
"I'll come get you right away," he said, his tone so gentle I barely recognized it.
After hanging up, he quickly put on his jacket. "Emergency at the company. I have to go."