Chapter 1 Sophie , just a month past giving birth , cradled her newborn and headed to the City Registry to get a birth certificate ] " Officer , the baby's name is Joseph Wilson . " The clerk tapped on his keyboard , his frown deepening . " Under Matthew Wilson's file , there's already a child named Joseph Wilson registered . Years ago . " ] Sophie froze , sure she'd misheard . " No way . Our baby just turned one month old- " ] Before Sophie Harris could finish , her phone buzzed . [ ]] She glanced at the screen . It was a photo from Monica Moore , Matthew's assistant . In the picture , Matthew had one arm wrapped snugly around Monica's waist , holding a boy of about five or six in the other . All three stood in front of a preschool , their smiles painfully bright . ] The name tag pinned to the boy's shirt clearly read : " Joseph Wilson " . [ ] A text popped up right after : [ So. Ms. Harris , how's it feel to be the other woman ? Get used to living in my shadow . From the real Mrs. Wilson . A cold vise clamped around Sophie's heart . Her fingers trembled as she spoke to the clerk . ] " Could you ... please check Matthew Wilson's marriage records ? ' The paper slid out of the printer , light as a feather , but it landed in her palin like a ton of bricks In Matthew Wilson's marriage record , the spouse's name was unmistakable : " Monica Moore . " Date of registration : seven years ago . " Ma'am , do you still want to register this child ? " The clerk's voice sounded a million miles away . Sophie looked down at her daughter's sleeping face , a bitter smile twisting her lips . " Register her under my name . And while you're at it ... change her namer " ] Leaving the registry , Sophie's steps were unsteady , like walking on clouds . Her phone buzzed again . A message from Matthew . ] [ Hey babe , stuck in a meeting . Be home later to see you and our little one . ) Seeing " babe, " Sophie almost laughed out loud . What a joke . [ ] For years , he'd called her that every day . He'd text when he was leaving , hug her the second he came home . All that constant . tender attention ? Now it just felt like a thousand tiny cuts . [ ] She slid into her car , her hands shaking so badly she couldn't get the key into the ignition . [ ] She knew the rules of their wealthy circle - most power couples lived separate lives . But Matthew ... he was supposed to be the exception . [] Once , at a charity gala , some socialite mouthed off to her . The next day , Matthew bankrupted her entire family . They were run out of town . [ ] She'd once mentioned offhand that she liked some limited edition handbag . He flew halfway across the globe overnight just to see her smile . But the memory that really stuck with her was that health scare . ] ] A nurse mixed up the charts and told her she had kidney failure . Matthew's eyes went red . He grabbed the doctor's lab coat , yelling : 1 " Take my kidney ! Take both of them ! If she dies , I die ! " ] When they realized the mistake , that cutthroat titan of industry crumpled in the hospital hallway , sobbing like a child . [ ] " Thank God , Sophie ... you're okay ... " [ ] People had always warned her : Matthew's empire was growing , and so were the women trying to get a piece of it . ] But he treated her so damn well . How could she ever have doubted him ? But why Monica ? Matthew used to despise her . Monica had been their housekeeper . Once , she'd served Matthew coffee while wearing a ridiculously low - cut top . He'd smashed the cup on the floor . " Don't pull these cheap stunts in my house You're fired . " Then he'd pulled Sophie ' into a tight embrace , his gaze burning ] " Baby , you're the only one for me . Any trash that tries to get near me , I'll throw them out on the street " ] Monica was on her knees , sobbing and begging . Matthew didn't even glance at her "I love Sophie . I don't tolerate dirt . Get your trashy self out of my sight . " || Monica scrambled to her feet , pale as a ghost , and packed her bags that very day . When Matthew later hired her as his personal assistant , this was his explanation : " Sophie , after she lost the job , her family tried to marry her off to some old geezer . She was threatening to kill herself . I figured at's better to keep her close , where I can watch her , than have her spreading rumors about us . " [ ] At the time , Sophie had believed him . || Who knew they'd been carrying on right under her nose for over six years , raising a whole other kid . ] Sophie gritted her teeth , blinking back the burn in her eyes , and called a private investigator . [ ] Half an hour later , a video with a location pin landed on her phone . She drove straight to the address . ] Matthew wasn't at the office . He'd just left a parent - teacher conference at Joseph's preschool . He was holding Monica's hand , with the boy , Joseph , in his other arin . As they crossed the street together , the gentle smile on his face looked more genuine than any in their posed family photos , and the sight was a knife to her heart . She hit the gas and tailed them to a villa in a gated suburban community . She watched Matthew get out first and pull a massive box of toys from the trunk . The boy , Joseph , cheered , grabbed the box , and ran off . Monica leaned against Matthew , chiding playfully , "You spoil him rotten . " [ ] " He's my son . If I don't spoil him , who will ? " [ ] Matthew dipped his head and pecked her on the lips . " Besides , he got the most gold stars in his class today . Made me proud . " Monica looked up at him , her eyes glistening . " Oh , Matthew , thank you for getting Joseph into the best prep school ." " Really ... his birth was an accident . I never wanted to bother you . Just seeing you from a distance was enough for me . We would never want to get in the way of you and Ms. Harris ... " [] " Don't be silly . " Matthew pinched her cheek , his voice soft but clear . [ ] " She'll never know . Besides , you're the one on the marriage certificate . It's my duty to take care of you and our son . " ] Monica's tears turned to laughter . Matthew suddenly leaned in , his voice dropping to a whisper in her ear , " And since were married , shouldn't we be fulfilling some ... spousal duties ? " || Monica's face flushed crimson as he swept her up into his arms and carried her quickly into the villa . [ ] Sophie sat in her car , a dull blade sawing at her chest . She drove home in a daze . ] When Matthew walked in that evening , it was like any other day . He opened his arms for a hug the moment he stepped through the door . " Hey , babe , did you wait long ? Was the baby a lot to handle today ? " Sophie sidestepped him smoothly . " About the baby's registration ... " " I'll handle the registration another day . Don't you worry about it " || Matthew's tone was suddenly sharp , but seeing her face pale , he softened it instantly , coaxing her . ] " It's a huge pain to get it d pain to get it done right ight now . You just just gave birth . You need to rest . Just leave it to me . " Sophie lowered her gaze and nodded faintly . She didn't tell him their daughter was already registered as a Harris And she certainly didn't tell him that on the drive home , she'd made a call to Matthew's most hated rival . ] On the phone , her voice had been calm , every word certain . [ ] " I'm single . If the offer still stands ... I'll marry you in seven days . " ||