Chapter 3

I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. It was rare to see Madeline, that self-righteous woman, getting her comeuppance.

If I didn’t know any better, I’d question if she was really Lucas’s first love. He hated being called “brother,” and he’d only ever been special to her.

I used to call him “Lucas, my dear brother,” when I was trailing after him. He’d snapped at me with a warning, “Don’t call me brother. I will never be your brother!”

After that, I buried my feelings even deeper, my unrequited love hidden away.

By the time we got home, I still felt like I was floating in a daze, like I was walking on clouds, not sure if any of it was real.

Lucas hadn’t forced me to get rid of the baby. In fact, he had carried me back in his arms with such care, like I was something precious.

He even knelt down in front of me, those hands—hands that wielded power, commanded respect—gently slipping off my high heels and replacing them with soft, cozy slippers.

No artisan in the world could have crafted hands as perfect as his. It was like they carried some sort of magic, pulling my gaze to them over and over again.

What on earth was happening? This world had turned upside down!

Two years of marriage, and we had barely even held hands, but on the day we were meant to finalize our divorce, he carried me twice and even changed my shoes!

“Stop wearing high heels for now. They’re too risky.”

He looked up at me as I sat on the bench, his gaze warm and tender. Lucas had these eyes that were both elegant and intense. Normally, he seemed cool and detached, but when he looked at you like that, you felt utterly adored.

I nodded eagerly. At that moment, I would have agreed to anything. Heck, if he’d told me to eat my shoes, I’d have done it without a second thought!

Lucas took the ultrasound print and framed it carefully, placing it in the most prominent spot in the living room. Then he had someone send over a massive stack of books: Pregnancy Guide, Tales for Baby, Child Psychology...

It hit me then: I was gaining some prestige, thanks to this baby. Even Lucas, the powerful CEO, was now doting on me because of the child I carried.

I hesitated before speaking. “So, about the divorce…”

Lucas had been organizing the books, but at the sound of my voice, he froze and looked up quickly.

My goodness. Was that… nervousness I saw in his eyes? The almighty Lucas Sullivan was worried?

He stared at me, his throat working as if he were struggling with what to say. For a moment, he seemed almost… hurt. It was so brief, but it made my heart ache.

Softening my voice, I sighed. “Let’s wait until after the baby is born, okay?”

“Okay,” he agreed without hesitation.

Everything seemed to be about the baby now. But for some reason, it only made me feel worse.