Chapter 1

My husband's first love got drunk and was taken away by five strange men for an entire night.

To protect her, he started a vicious rumor, claiming I was the one with those men that night.

Overnight, I became the target of everyone's scorn. My unborn baby was called a bastard.

I confronted my husband Callum, raw and hysterical. He didn't even have the decency to care.

"Luna isn't married yet. If this gets out, she'll be shamed."

I stared coldly at the man I'd loved for six years.

The truth washed over me. He had never loved me.

"What about me!"

I stood before Callum, my eyes blazing red.

He was cradling Luna Hayes, his voice soft and comforting. His gaze was tender, full of a devotion I never saw when he looked at me.

Luna, in her white dress, shrank against him like a frightened bird.

Callum finally turned. His eyes darted away, guilty.

I raised my hand and slapped him hard across the face.

The moment I struck him, Luna threw her arms out to shield him.

"How dare you hit Callum? He was just trying to help me! Do you have to be so petty?"

Callum looked uncomfortable. He pushed Luna's arms away and carefully pulled me into his embrace.

"Don't cry, Rayna. Luna is still unmarried. If that night gets out, her reputation will be ruined."

My heart froze. "And what about MY reputation?"

"Do you even know what they're calling me? A slut! Our child, a bastard!"

Guilt flickered in Callum's eyes, but he remained silent.

Luna swayed dramatically. "This is all my fault. Rayna, I'll go explain-"

Callum immediately pulled her into an embrace.

"Rayna," he said hoarsely, "if I ignore the rumors, they can't hurt you."

"But Luna... she's innocent. She just made one drunken mistake. This would destroy her."

“What about our baby?" My voice broke. "Can you really condemn him to that shame?"

"Callum,” Luna whispered, tears glistening just so, “I can't let your child bear this shame. We must tell the truth. It's my mistake to own."

Pain flashed in Callum's eyes.

"In three, four years... when he's older, everyone will have forgotten."

Tears fell as I swallowed the sharp pain in my chest. "Is she worth this? Worth destroying your wife and child?"

"What the hell am I to you?"

Callum held me tightly.

"I'm sorry, Rayna," he rasped. "But Luna saved my life once. I can't just abandon her now!"

I beat my fists against his chest, thrashing in his grasp.

His debt became my price to pay?

Callum seemed impervious to the blows, holding me fast.

"I won't let you suffer for long," he vowed. "Once Luna is safely married..."

"I'll tell everyone the truth. I'll clear your name."

I stared at his determined expression. All the churning agony inside me suddenly cooled, hardening into a single, cold resolution.

This baby... I couldn't keep it.