Chapter 1 Three years ago , I lost my ability to have children saving Ethan Blackwood's life . To marry me , he agreed his family elders to have kids with another woman - keeping the family bloodline alive . [ ] Their first baby was a girl . He claimed he needed a son to carry on the family business and begged me to wait just a little longer . God , I loved him so damn much . So I waited and suffered through it all . [ ] When their second child - finally a boy - was born , I had that woman shipped off overseas . Problem solved , right ? WRONG . That night , Ethan's hands were around my throat , dangling my terrified , acrophobic ass out of a twenty - story window . " Where is Lily ? " His voice was ice - cold fury . " Do you have any idea she's carrying my third child ? " [ ] " You're so goddamn twisted . Just because you are barren doesn't give you the right to tear apart families . " ] " I promised you'd always be Mrs. Blackwood . The kids would legally be yours . What more could you possibly want ? " Wind whipped around me as I hung there. In trembling voice , I told him where Lily was . He left and didn't even look back . [ ] But here's the thing he didn't know- I was pregnant too . Desperately , I made one last call with the last bit of strength : " I won't marry him . Marry me . " [] -0 I woke up in a hospital bed , staring at the miscarriage report the doctor handed me . It felt like my heart was being carved out with a rusty knife . [ ] " Ms. Chase , given your previous abdominal injuries , getting pregnant at all was miraculous , " the doctor said , shaking his head sadly . " Unfortunately , by the time you arrived at the hospital , the baby was already gone . " ] He was sorry for my loss . My trembling hand moved to my stomach . Once upon a time , Ethan and I had dreamed of nothing more than having a child together . [ ] We tried ninety - nine times . [ ] Failed ninety sine times . ] Every fertility cut in commu impossible . And now , when that miracle finally happened , Ethan had destroyed it with his own hands . Maybe it was for the best though . The timing was all wrong - Ethan didn't deserve to be a father anyway . I wiped away my tears and was carefully folding the report when my phone rang . Ethan . 0 Airport noise crackled through the speaker , but I could still hear the barely controlled irritation in his voice . ]] " Babe , I just saw your messages about the hospital . I can't come back right now , but you take care of yourself , okay ? Look , I'm sorry - I got way too heated last night . I never meant to actually hurt you . " ] ] Are you in pain anywhere ? I could arrange for a specialist to give you a full workup ... " " Don't bother . " ] | I cut him off , remembering how absolutely savage he'd looked last night . ] ] We'd grown up together . He knew exactly how severe my fear of heights was . But he still dangled me out that goddamn window just to make me talk . Even when I told him I was pregnant , the bastard thought I was lying . [ ] And the second I gave him what he wanted ? He literally dropped me . Didn't even stick around to make sure I was okay . [ ] Maybe the tiny two - month - old life inside me had somehow cushioned my fall . I'd only messed up my arm - could've been so much worse . On the other end of the line , Ethan's tone went ice - cold when he heard my refusal . ] " Charlotte , I already explained this to you . The third baby was an accident . I was wasted and mistook Lily for you . But now that she's pregnant , I can't just abandon my own child . " [ ] " Besides , you know damn well I'm only having kids with her so I can marry you . You've been so understanding about everything else - why are you being such a drama queen now ? " ] " The staff said you're fine anyway . The wedding's in two weeks . Just chill out and focus on that . " ] Listening to his self - righteous bullshit , I said coldly : [ ] " Ethan , forget the wedding . I'm not marrying you . " ] ] That shut him up for exactly three seconds before he exploded . [ ] " Not marrying me ? Are you out of your fucking mind ? The invitations are already out . Everyone knows the Blackwoods and Chases are merging . What is this , some kind of threat ? " ] " Charlotte , cut the drama . You know you're the only one I love , the only one I'll ever marry . Those three kids will be legally yours anyway , and I'll make sure Lily stays out of your face . What more do you want ? " ] ] I let out a bitter laugh as tears blurred my vision again . [ ] " So what's the plan here ? I stay home playing mommy to your love children while you two live it up together ? " ] " Ethan , I'm not that stupid . " [ ] Hit a little too close to home , apparently . His breathing got heavy before he started screaming at me : [ ] " Fine ! Remember what you said today . Marry me or don't - I don't give a shit anymore . But don't come crawling back when you regret this . " He hung up . [ ] But Ethan , I won't regret this . [ ] The only thing I regret is compromising myself for your sorry ass in the first place . [ ] I took a deep breath and texted that unknown number from before . " You win . I pay my debts . " [ ] " I'm in . " ] The response came back instantly . གྱུ " Perfect . Send me the wedding details and I'll be there to marry you . " [ ] " Here's to a beautiful partnership . " ] ] I stared at the screen for a moment , then turned off my phone and closed my eyes . ] But when the anesthesia was wearing off , and the cramping in my abdomen sent waves of pain straight to my heart . [ ] Sleep was going to be impossible . K