Chapter 1

On their 10th wedding anniversary, Maya Selwyn did the unthinkable. She personally sent her husband, Arthur Holland, into her sister-in-law's, Isla Wood's, bed.

She stood outside the door when it happened, tormenting herself by listening to the bed creak and groan. She listened to the man's muffled groans and the woman's wanton cries, uncaring that each breath out of their lips felt like a dagger to her heart.

Soon, her foster parents, Paul Selwyn and Barbara Thompson, appeared around the corner. Their eyes were red-rimmed and filled with fury. Barbara didn't hesitate to slap Maya across the face.

"All we asked was for you to get us a sperm sample just like you did six years ago! How could you do this to Isla?" she shrieked.

Barbara then promptly broke down into tears as she grabbed onto Maya's shoulders and violently shook her like a rag doll. "You may be adopted, but we've never once treated you badly.

"Have you forgotten how Georgie took care of you when he was still alive? He doted on you! Yet, you've disrespected his memory!"

Maya bit her lip, swallowing her grievances as tears blurred her vision.

She was devastated because she'd found out that her supposed nephew, Adam Selwyn, wasn't her nephew at all. Instead, he was Arthur's child.

Her parents told her that her brother, George Selwyn, had suffered from low sperm count. As a result, no amount of IVF was going to succeed. In a fit of desperation to keep the Selwyn family line alive, they stole Arthur's sperm and used it to fertilize Isla's eggs.

That secret could have stayed buried forever.

In fact, it did… until George's death. That day, Adam was diagnosed with leukemia, and the only hope for his survival was for him to receive an umbilical cord blood transplantation due to his young age.

Barbara was still ranting and raving when the bedroom door suddenly swung open.

It was clear that Arthur's sexual urges had been sated as he left the room shirtless with only a towel around his hips.

His merciless gaze fell on Paul and Barbara. "Why are you so unhappy? You wanted me to be a stud for the Selwyns, didn't you? Is it so wrong of me to collect some interest to go with that?"

Paul and Barbara flinched at his words, their earlier bluster fading as they cowered from him.

After all, they were heavily reliant on him now after George's death. Arthur was now the true power behind Selwyn Corporation.

That was also why they had stolen his sperm to begin with.

They had hoped that they would let them off the hook if he knew that his blood would be the one inheriting the company in the future.

They wanted him to continue working for the Selwyns.

As silence fell, Arthur finally looked away from them and turned to Maya.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Get in there and take care of Isla. She must be exhausted after that workout," he drawled mockingly, using the same tone he had once used with Maya when he teased her.

Maya felt her chest constrict, her spine bending at the excruciating pain.

"What's wrong? You don't want to?" he hissed with a sneer. Then, he grabbed her by the chin, his eyes inadvertently catching sight of the bruising on her skin. However, the worried look in his eyes was quickly replaced by a flinty look.

"You offered your own husband up to the Selwyns like a sacrificial lamb. Now that the deed is done, are you telling me that you can't handle the consequences of your own actions?" Arthur growled.

Maya lowered her gaze as she reigned in her tears.

Her parents, Adam's life, and the Selwyns' future were akin to a poisonous blade threatening to behead her if she made a single misstep.

When did her life become such a circus?

Still, Arthur was now a man who ruled the business world with an iron fist. He was a man in his prime, so how could he possibly accept the fact that he'd been played like a fool?

To make matters worse, he'd long known the truth, but he had said nothing. Instead, he chose to feign ignorance as he lay in wait for her to make the decision.

When he found out that she had chosen to side with the Selwyns and scheme against him, the usually cool-headed man lost it.

He wrecked the room they were in as he yelled, "Maya, do you think I would even give a damn about the Selwyns if it weren't for you? Yet, this is how you repay my love for you. You repaid me by treating me as nothing more than the Selwyns' stud horse."

…

Maya could still hear Arthur's enraged words ringing in her ears, stabbing her at her very soul. Her eyes turned bloodshot as she desperately willed the tears not to fall.

Arthur's grip loosened in the face of her piteous state. Still, his voice was still stone cold. "If you refuse, then your nephew's life will also be gone."

"I'll do it," Maya blurted, roughly wiping her tears from her cheeks. Then, she inhaled deeply and walked into the room.

Arthur's expression darkened further as his lips twisted into a cruel smile.

"Well, aren't you a perfect little Selwyn doll? Since you're so eager to prove your worth, you're going to be the Selwyns' servant as long as I have to cooperate with them to get Isla with child. You are going to be my slave, understood?"

"Yes," Maya murmured lowly, closing her eyes as she swallowed the bitter tang coating her tongue.

When she entered, she saw Isla sitting by the bed. The second Isla saw her, tears immediately streaked down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry, Maya. This wouldn't have happened if IVF were an option."

"Please stop talking." Maya waved her excuses away.

Arthur needed to vent his anger, and her parents needed someone to blame. Isla's position as part of the Selwyns was far from secure. Plus, she also had to raise two kids in the future.

Therefore, she was a convenient scapegoat.

Chapter 2

Maya was the one at fault. So, naturally, she began to endure endless torment and humiliation.

Arthur deliberately made sure that the noises he made in bed grew louder each night.

In the beginning, he would still confine himself to the bedroom. However, that soon changed as he started having sex with Isla in the living room and the hallways.

Arthur became a machine with an endless appetite for bedsports. Isla couldn't handle it at all. Sure enough, her moans and cries of ecstasy would escape her no matter how hard she tried to silence herself.

Maya retreated to her own room, trying desperately to silence the noises by covering her ears. Alas, he refused to allow her even this bit of refuge.

Instead, he would barge in with Isla in his arms, tilting his chiseled jaw as a cruel smirk played on his lips.

"Servants should remember their place."

He wanted her to serve them by preparing their bedroom beforehand, handing them water when they got thirsty mid-battle, and cleaning up after them.

Maya's silence grew longer and longer. Still, she never once protested against his mistreatment. Instead, she continued to lower her head and flawlessly played the role of a servant.

It was as if she was willing to give up on him for the Selwyns' sake, didn't care that he was sleeping with a woman who wasn't her, and that he would fall in love with someone else.

That realization made Arthur's vein throb in fury.

As Maya willingly gave up her bedroom once more, he suddenly cornered her against the wall and demanded, "Why are you doing this? Why are you willing to go this far for the Selwyns? Or… should I say that you're willing to go this far for your deceased brother, George? Did you even love me?"

Maya had nowhere else to go. Her breathing came in short pants as her mind went foggy. She couldn't understand why Arthur kept dragging George into this mess.

Still, she didn't have time to think of a proper response because all she knew was that Adam could only ever be a Selwyn. So, any siblings that would come out of Arthur and Isla's coupling could only be Selwyns. They could only ever be George's children.

Meanwhile, Arthur had misinterpreted Maya's silence.

So, he released his grip on her and stepped away from her as bitter laughter fell from his lips. "Maya, if this is your wish, if you're going to choose the Selwyns till the end of time… Well, I'll grant your wish."

Then, he lunged for her and threw her into the car.

…

On their way to wherever they were supposed to go, Arthur's phone started ringing. It was a call urging him to attend a little get-together.

He answered the call curtly and hung up. Once he did, he sneered at her and said sardonically, "My dear Mrs. Holland, you'll be drinking in my stead, yes? After all, I heard alcohol isn't good for the baby. Who knows what might happen if I drink?"

Maya didn't respond as her heart twisted into knots.

She was terrible with alcohol. Back then, she'd been sick for hours despite the fact that she barely had three drinks at that dinner. Arthur had been worried sick, and he vowed that she would never have to drink ever again.

Yet, now… it had all changed.

Her mind whirred with broken thoughts and turmoil as the car's engine roared, driving them to their destination.

Arthur made good on his promise as he would push all the drinks to Maya's way when an acquaintance came by for a chat.

"Drink up. Don't you forget. I have duties later tonight."

Maya's breath hitched. After a while, she raised her head and started chugging down all the drinks.

Everyone could tell that Arthur was doing this on purpose. So, they deliberately offered more drinks to her to get in good with him.

Maya couldn't help but turn to look at Arthur. Yet, she saw him smiling at her, waiting for her to drink. She curled her lips into a bitter smile and knew that he wouldn't help her. So, she accepted all the drinks that came her way.

Soon, her stomach began to scream in protest.

Thus, she hastily excused herself as she staggered away from the private room. She couldn't even make it to the washroom, so she searched for the nearest trash can and threw up in it.

By the time she was done, she felt as though all her strength had left her bones.

Suddenly, a shadow fell over him.

She weakly raised her pallid face and saw Arthur dispassionately looking down at her.

He said, "This is the best you could do? The event is far from over."

When she heard his words, she wrapped an arm around her stomach, squeezing it in an attempt to stay awake. Then, she shakily rose to her feet and stumbled back to the private room.

Arthur's face turned gloomy as he reached out to grab Maya's wrist, his eyes glaring daggers at her.

"I was right. You would sacrifice your own life for George and for the Selwyns."

This was the second time Arthur had brought George into the conversation. Although Maya had no idea why this was happening, she sadly didn't have the strength to argue.

The pain twisting her insides was getting worse with each passing minute. It was so awful that she felt that she was a hair's breadth away from fainting.

Arthur's lips were still tightly pursed, but he abruptly carried her in his arms and stuffed her into his car.

Then, he angrily helped her put on her seat belt before hissing into her ear, "You'd better not die before the Selwyns' spare is born."

The car engine roared to life as he sped toward the hospital.

Alas, they had just gotten to the highway when Isla called him.

Chapter 3

Isla's voice was meek and timid. She sounded frightened yet expectant as she said tremulously, "I'm ovulating today. The chances of me getting pregnant today are higher. We might mess up if we drag this out for another month."

Maya stiffened as tears welled up in her eyes. Still, she bit her lip and tried to stave off the tears. Then, she told Arthur to turn back and whispered, "Let's go home."

The brakes screeched across the asphalt as he turned to look at her in disbelief.

"Do you even hear yourself? This farce has gone on long enough, and you're still siding with the Selwyns? Maya, just what do you take me for?"

His face was pale with anger, and he couldn't even bring himself to word his grievances. Instead, he angrily shoved her against the seat and kissed her roughly.

The kiss was cut off by a crisp sound of Maya's hand landing on his cheek.

Arthur touched the tinge of red staining his cheek before letting out a cold snort. Then, he opened the car door, tossed her out of the car, and hit the gas. He had left her behind.

Maya quickly collapsed to the ground as she stared at the car disappearing from her line of sight.

It took her a while to get her bearings. When she did, she realized that she had left her purse in the car.

Alas, Arthur and his car were long gone. So, she had no choice but to walk down the road.

It was rush hour. Thus, cars sped past her, horns blaring.

Sometimes, some drivers would slam their brakes and cuss her out. The looks in their eyes were so vicious and angry that it was as if they wanted to skin her alive.

It took her a great deal of effort to finally leave the highway. Unfortunately, she could only keep walking forward as she had no phone or money on her person.

As night fell, so did her temperature. The wind was so cold that it felt like it were trying to slice her apart. She thought it couldn't get any worse, but the skies opened up, giving way to heavy rain.

She could only force herself to break into a run. Alas, the trip wasn't smooth sailing as she tripped midway, skinning her knee. As the merciless rain sleuthed off her, the pain nearly made her keel over.

…

It was already well past midnight by the time she managed to get back to the villa.

The villa's lights were still on. Arthur was sitting on the couch by the window. When he saw her drenched to the bone, his spine stiffened. Nevertheless, he quickly recovered, his composure sliding into place.

"What took you so long? Do you find it disagreeable to see me with Isla? Or are you trying to get out of serving her?"

The scent of sweat and sex seemed to still permeate the air. Maya didn't respond, but the slight curl of her fingers was her only reaction to his words. Then, she saw him point toward the kitchen with a mocking smile on his lips. "Isla was hard at work tonight. Make her some stew, would you?"

There were only three of them living in this villa.

Paul and Barbara had dismissed all the servants in an attempt to protect their reputation.

As a result, Maya was forced to learn how to do all the housework without any help. She was already finding it difficult when she was healthy, but what his orders seemed nigh impossible to do now.

After all, she had been drinking tonight and was forced to walk back home under the pouring rain.

Suffice it to say, her meat suit felt extra floppy, and she could barely make her way to the kitchen.

Just as she expected, she had just taken a few steps toward the kitchen when her legs gave up on her, causing her to fall to the ground.

Arthur, who had been walking upstairs, paused mid-step. He tilted his head to look at her before letting out a sarcastic snort. "You made your choice, so you have no right to back out now. You'd better not make me wait long for the stew."

The dim lighting made his dark eyes even more unreadable.

Maya smiled bitterly as she remained sprawled on the ground. After a long while, she finally dragged herself into the kitchen.

Soon, a delicious-smelling stew was ready.

She whipped up the meal with practised ease. As steam wafted up from the pot, she couldn't help but feel as though the steam was a time-traveling medium.

She used to be the apple of Arthur's eye.

Arthur had never allowed her to cook. Instead, he insisted that she deserved a life of luxury and only had to luxuriate in his tender care.

Alas, people changed. She made her bed, so she had to lie in her bed of roses. She deserved to suffer.

The corner of her eyes became wet, but she couldn't tell whether it was caused by her tears or the steam coming off the pot of stew.

Eventually, she finally managed to carry the stew up to the second floor. She had just stood by the door when it suddenly swung open.

Isla screamed as she backed away, colliding straight into her.

The hot stew flew into the air, spilling all over Maya.

"Ah!" Maya cried out in pain. Now, not only was her thigh a dangerous shade of red, but her stomach was also protesting in agony.

She couldn't breathe, and her vision turned spotty.

Arthur finally rushed out of the room. When he saw what was happening, he instinctively moved toward her.

Just then, Isla, who was right next to her, paled. "Ah! My stomach hurts!"

Her cries froze him in place, causing him to waver. His gaze shifted between Maya and Isla, clearly in a dilemma.

Eventually, he carried Isla and strode away without a backward glance.

Maya was in so much pain that she couldn't even speak. As she clutched the railing, she suddenly found that the chill that had pierced her body earlier couldn't even compare to the freezing cold she was now experiencing.

Chapter 4

Maya had no idea how much time had passed before she faintly heard the wail of an ambulance.

As she was fading in and out of consciousness, she felt as if she'd somehow travelled back in time.

She was adopted by the Selwyns. So, she had always been extra careful, never daring to do anything that might earn their ire. She might be adopted, but she wasn't loved.

She thought that was her lot in life until she met Arthur.

When Arthur went on one knee and proposed to her, he had vowed that he would love her till the end of his days. He had promised her that he would never forsake her, even in poverty, and that he would always choose her.

Yet, he had hesitated. Even worse, he had chosen another woman over her.

Their vows of eternal love for good and for ill were gone like smoke in the wind. Maya's heart twisted further, the pain assailing her senses nearly blinding her.

…

When she finally regained consciousness, the acrid scent of disinfectant assaulted her nose as fluorescent lights stabbed into her eyes.

The ward was cold and empty, bereft of anyone but her. The walls were pale and empty, just like the look on her face.

Her stomach was screaming in pain, her thigh was stinging, and every breath she took only made the pain worse.

She could hear the nurses gossiping beyond the door, too preoccupied with their conversation to check in on her.

"Did you hear? Mr. Holland carried Mrs. Selwyn into the hospital himself. He was so worried. I hear that he's still keeping vigil by her side."

"My, my. Isn't Mr. Holland's actual wife in this ward? She's terribly hurt, but Mr. Holland didn't even visit her."

"Maybe he's genuinely worried? After all, Mrs. Selwyn is carrying the late Mr. Selwyn's child. Perhaps he's only doing this for Mr. Holland's sake."

"Really? Do you actually believe that?"

Maya's hand curled into fists when she overheard their conversation, her ears ringing.

Isla was pregnant?

Suddenly, she had no idea what to feel. Should she be laughing? Or should she be wailing her heart out?

Should she be happy that Adam was saved? Or should she be happy that this entire farce was finally ending?

In the end, Maya started laughing through her tears, the wetness streaking down her cheeks like a tidal wave.

As she felt the burning tracks running down her cheeks, she slowly buried her face into her palms. When she did, she suddenly felt a stinging pain.

It seemed that she'd clenched her fists too tightly earlier. Her nails had bitten through her skin, and it was bleeding.

It took her a while to snap out of her stupor. When she did, she slowly made her way to Isla's ward.

She could hear bell-like giggles even from a distance.

Adam was nestled happily between Arthur and Isla inside the VIP ward. He grabbed their hands with his and made them hold each other's hands.

"Mommy, you're not allowed to stop loving me even after the baby is born, okay?" Then, he said to Arthur, "Uncle Arthur, can I call you 'Daddy' in private?"

His doe-like eyes shone with adoration, and his childish request made Arthur's gaze soften.

Isla flicked Adam's nose playfully in response. Adam was quick to dodge, wriggling away from her and straight into Arthur's arms.

Arthur stiffened slightly, but he quickly hugged the child close with a smile on his lips.

The three of them looked every bit the perfect happy family.

Maya stood by the door, utterly frozen. Her heart felt strangely hollow. It was as if something precious had slipped away from her grasp for good.

At some point, Arthur's gaze turned to the door, locking with hers.

The air seemed to still. Then, his lips curled into a mocking smirk as he deliberately tugged Isla into his arms.

Maya said nothing. Instead, a bitter smile graced her lips before she slowly turned and walked away. She knew that whatever they had between them was irrevocably shattered. They… could no longer return to their previous lives.

The frustration within her heart grew and grew as she stumbled up the rooftop. She stood there, unseeing, as she sorely needed some cold air to blow her frustrations away.

She had barely been there for a few minutes when the door creaked behind her.

Adam stuck his head out and called out hesitantly, "Aunt Maya?"

Maya's eyes immediately welled up with tears.

Despite being married to Arthur for years, she'd never had children of her own. So, she had poured all her love into Adam, genuinely treating her as though he were her son.

All he had to do was call out to her, and she was putty in his hands.

However, this wasn't the same as those times because Adam tugged on her sleeve, looked up at her earnestly before asking solemnly, "Aunt Maya, can you give Daddy back to me?"

Before Maya could say anything, he continued, "You don't have to hide it from me. I know I'm Uncle Arthur's son. I don't want my brother to be fatherless when he's born."

Adam's words were like daggers to her heart, and Maya could barely withstand the pain.

She never once imagined that the child she had loved so dearly would be the first person to take her lover away from her.

When she said nothing, Adam became agitated and started coughing.

His face was flushed red from his exertion, and his limbs started shaking. He was so fragile it was as if he was one rejection away from breaking apart.

Yet, he still persisted in waiting for an answer despite the fact that he was clearly suffocating.

Maya didn't dare to dally, so she agreed to his request.

Just then, the door swung open once more.

Arthur was standing behind it.

She had no idea how long he'd been standing there. The two adults looked into each other's eyes, seeing an emotion that never existed between them in the past.

They just stood there like statues until Adam's discomfited cries shattered the moment. He reached for Arthur and cried out, "Daddy, it hurts."

Chapter 5

Adam's chest hemorrhaged due to the emotional rollercoaster he had experienced. Things looked bleak, and nothing they did seemed to work.

Isla had rushed over when she heard the news. She was so terrified that she nearly collapsed right then and there.

Arthur immediately caught her in his arms, gently rubbing her back as he soothed, "Adam will be okay. You need to take care of yourself, especially the baby you're carrying."

Isla sobbed even harder as she weakly collapsed into Adam's embrace, unable to summon the strength to even stand.

The two clung to each other, behaving just like any other parent bound together in worry over a sickly child. They looked so united and so utterly intertwined in their joys and sorrows.

Maya stood in the corner alone as the pain in her chest grew more pronounced.

If Arthur had only treated Isla kindly out of spite, then it was now painfully obvious that he had come to genuinely care for her.

Maya was jerked out of her thoughts when the doctor said urgently, "The patient has lost too much blood. He urgently needs type B blood. We can't afford to waste time getting some from the blood bank. Who here is type B?"

Several of them were type B. However, Maya and Adam were the only ones who were genetically kin.

Arthur was quick to realize this. When he did, he didn't even hesitate to grab her and order, "Do the blood transfusion."

He has said in a voice that brooked no argument. It was as if he'd forgotten that she was also a patient in this hospital, a patient who was recovering from stomach illness and burn injuries.

Still, Maya said nothing. Instead, she straightened and quietly followed the nurse.

She stared as the thick needle pierced through her skin, eating into her vein. The sensation of her blood leaving her body was not unlike an army of ants slowly crawling out of her.

She had always been afraid of pain. Her face would scrunch up in distaste and fear whenever she had to get an injection.

Back then, Arthur would always pull her into his arms, cover her eyes, and whisper reassuringly into her ear, "It's okay, honey. I'm here."

Now, she was alone.

There was only a single wall between them. Yet, he was embracing another woman, their minds filled with worry about their child.

Her blood slowly flowed out of her, seemingly taking her life with it.

The world blurred before her eyes, and she had no idea how much blood was taken from her body. All she knew was that she eventually lost her grip on reality and fell unconscious.

When she awoke, she was surprised to see Arthur accompanying her.

He looked visibly exhausted as he had been awake for a day and a night. His eyes lit up with joy when he saw that she was awake.

He was about to ask her something when his phone rang.

Isla's voice carried through the receiver as she asked, "Adam's awake and he's asking for you. Could you come by?"

Maya noticed how Arthur's expression immediately softened as he said yes. Then, he left her ward without so much as a backward glance.

Soon, she heard joyful laughter and chuckles from the neighbouring ward.

Adam called him Daddy over and over again. In his excitement, he didn't even stop to take a breath in between.

Maya felt her lungs stop functioning upon hearing that form of address. After what seemed like eternity, she heard Arthur answer, "Yes."

Those words fell upon her heart like something painfully final. It was as if he wasn't just answering an eager child, but also spelling out the ending of their complete farce of a marriage.

She slowly curled into herself, hiding under the blankets as she covered her ears.

She was acting as if by doing so… she could pretend that the harmonious scene playing in the other ward would cease to exist.

Arthur all but lived in that ward in the days that followed.

…

During the quietest hours of the night, Maya would hear a familiar sigh. However, it was so fleeting that it didn't seem real.

Meanwhile, gossip ran rampant through the hospital halls. Every look cast her way was tinted with pity.

Fortunately for her, it was soon time for George's death anniversary, so they all went to the cemetery together.

Paul and Barbara took Adam ahead, whereas Arthur, Isla, and Maya sat in the same car.

Isla naturally slid into the passenger seat. She had just fastened her seatbelt when she suddenly turned to look behind her, saying in a flustered tone, "I'm so sorry. This is Maya's seat. I'll move."

Arthur pressed her hand down firmly. "No. You're the mother of my child. This is where you belong."

Those few words made Maya's chest ache so badly she could hardly breathe. So, she swallowed her tears and quietly slid into the back seat.

…

Their car quickly arrived at the cemetery, where Adam was already kneeling by George's grave.

Barbara was weeping openly as she laid down her bouquet of flowers. Then, she spoke in a somewhat thankful tone. "George, we'll take good care of Adam. He's your son. He'll inherit the Selwyns' business and visit you every year."

Barbara only had one simple wish—to keep George's line alive. She would do anything to see that future come to fruition, even if she had to make a mess of their lives.

Still, would Arthur actually dance to her tune?