CHAPTER 1

"If I'm not pregnant, I'm leaving this palace," Princess Evangeline whispered to herself.

She sat in the waiting room outside the royal physician's office, her fingers fidgeting with the green velvet of her dress.

Golden afternoon light streamed through the stained-glass windows, painting colorful patterns on the marble floor. Servants moved quietly through the hallways, their footsteps softened by thick carpets.

Three years. She'd been married to Crown Prince Sebastian for three long years.

Three years of sleeping in different rooms, of formal dinners where they only discussed politics, of public events where they pretended to be the perfect royal couple. In private, they were strangers.

Their fathers had arranged the marriage to strengthen ties between the Kingdom of Valdris and the Duchy of Morwyn.

Sebastian had made it clear from day one that duty was all he felt for her.

The heavy door opened, and Master Aldrich appeared with his usual kind smile. The elderly physician bowed as light caught his silver hair.

"Your Highness, please come into my study."

Evangeline stood gracefully, though her heart pounded as she followed him inside.

The room smelled like herbs and old books. Medical texts and bottles of medicine lined the walls from floor to ceiling. A fire crackled in the stone fireplace, its light dancing across anatomical drawings and royal portraits.

"Please sit, Your Highness," Master Aldrich said, gesturing to a cushioned chair by his desk.

Evangeline sat on the edge of the seat, too anxious to relax. Her mind raced.

For weeks, she'd felt sick in the mornings, exhausted, and nauseated by certain smells. She'd secretly hoped that maybe a baby would bring her and Sebastian closer together.

Master Aldrich picked up a sealed document from his desk and handed it to her, the royal wax seal still intact.

"Your Highness," he said warmly, "I'm delighted to tell you that you are indeed expecting."

Evangeline's breath caught as she broke the seal with shaking fingers.

The document unrolled to reveal the physician's neat handwriting, but her eyes immediately found the words that changed everything.

"What's more," Master Aldrich continued, barely containing his excitement, "all signs indicate you're carrying twins. Two babies, Your Highness. A true blessing."

The document slipped from Evangeline's numb fingers as she stared at him in shock. "Twins?"

"Yes, indeed. You must take excellent care of yourself now, Your Highness. Plenty of rest, good food, and regular check-ups. The kingdom will be thrilled to welcome not one but two heirs."

For the first time in months, real joy filled Evangeline's heart. A smile spread across her face as she pressed her hands to her stomach, still flat beneath her dress.

Maybe this would change everything.

Maybe Sebastian would finally see her as more than just a political obligation. Maybe their children would bring them the love their marriage lacked.

"Thank you, Master Aldrich," she said, gathering her skirts as she stood. "This is wonderful news."

"Should I inform His Highness, or would you prefer to tell him yourself?"

"I'll tell him myself," Evangeline said quickly.

She wanted to see Sebastian's face when he learned he'd be a father. Surely this news would melt his cold exterior.

She practically floated through the marble corridors, her silk slippers silent on the polished floors as she headed to Sebastian's private study.

Servants bowed as she passed, but she barely noticed, focused entirely on her incredible news.

She'd sent her lady's maid away earlier, wanting privacy for her doctor's visit. Now she was grateful to be alone.

This moment should belong just to her and Sebastian.

"Sebastian!" she called as she approached his rooms, her voice bright with joy. "My lord, I have the most wonderful news to—"

The words died in her throat as she reached his open study door.

There, outlined against the window overlooking the royal gardens, stood her husband with his arms around another woman.

Lady Cordelia Ashworth, the Duke of Greymont's daughter, was pressed against Sebastian's chest, her red hair spilling over his shoulders as he held her.

Evangeline watched in frozen horror as Sebastian cradled the woman's face in his hands and kissed her—a kiss so tender, so passionate, it took Evangeline's breath away.

It was a kiss filled with all the love and devotion he'd never shown his wife.

"Sebastian," Evangeline whispered, barely making a sound.

He looked up, startled, his arms still around Lady Cordelia. Guilt flashed across his handsome face for just a moment before it hardened into the cold indifference she knew so well.

"Evangeline," he said, his voice carefully controlled. "What brings you here?"

Lady Cordelia had gone pale, stepping back from Sebastian but staying within his embrace.

"I... I live here," Evangeline managed, her voice stronger than she felt. "I'm your wife."

"Is there something you need?" Sebastian asked, his tone as formal as if she were just another courtier requesting an audience.

The joy she'd felt minutes ago turned dark and bitter.

Here she stood, carrying his heirs, the future of his bloodline, while he showered another woman with affection.

Evangeline lifted her chin, drawing on years of royal training. When she spoke, her voice was clear and commanding.

"Yes, my lord. There is something I need."

Sebastian raised an eyebrow, waiting.

"I want an annulment."

The study went completely silent. Sebastian stared at her as if she'd spoken in a foreign language, while Lady Cordelia gasped, her hand flying to her throat.

"What did you say?" Sebastian asked, his voice dangerously quiet.

"You heard me perfectly," Evangeline replied, keeping her voice steady despite the storm inside her heart. "I want our marriage annulled."

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CHAPTER 2

Chapter 1 Fourth Wedding Anniversary

On their fourth wedding anniversary, Thalia Coleman told her husband, Darion Blackburn, she wanted a divorce.

"You want a divorce just because I was with Miya on our anniversary? Thalia, don't you forget we've been in love for eight years?" Darion frowned, utterly confused.

Thalia nodded. "There's more to it, but this is the last straw."

The previous night, she had asked the housekeeper to prepare a special feast and bought fresh flowers and carefully chosen gifts, all for a romantic anniversary night with Darion.

It had been their tradition for four years. They had never missed celebrating their special day.

Thalia had even put on her new lingerie, excited and ready for an unforgettable night.

But as she was about to take it off, Darion's phone rang.

Thalia clearly heard a woman's sobbing voice on the other end.

Darion immediately froze, climbed out of bed, and headed straight for the bathroom.

Thalia lay on the bed, her cheeks burning, as she listened to the sound of running water from the bathroom.

When Darion finally came out, she whispered, "Can't you stay? Do you have to go?"

Darion was already dressed, his sharp features clouded with worry. "Keith has a fever. I need to go check on him. I'll be right back."

With that, he left. Thalia waited the entire night, but he never came home.

She sat there until dawn, until at last her phone lit up with a message from her sister-in-law, Miya Coleman.

It was a photo, showing Darion holding Miya's son, Keith Blackburn, in a hospital bed, his eyes soft and full of care, as if he were the boy's own father.

And under the photo was another text from Miya.

[Lia, you'd better go to bed. Darion's truly worried about Keith. Maybe it's because he even flew overseas to be with me when I gave birth. He cares for Keith like he's his own son. He won't be coming home tonight.]

Thalia read the message again and again, stunned, unable to believe what she was seeing. 'He was with Miya when she gave birth?'

After Emely, Darion's elder brother and Miya's husband, passed away suddenly, Miya had said she needed a change of scenery and went abroad. Not long afterward, she'd found she was pregnant and stayed overseas for her entire pregnancy.

It suddenly dawned on Thalia that during the month Miya was due to give birth, Darion had been away on endless business trips.

'He flew all that way to be with her when she delivered?' Thalia wondered, her heart sinking.

Tears blurred her vision and fell onto the screen. She closed her eyes tightly, her heart shattering.

'He's been taking care of Miya and her son since way back then,' Thalia thought, her heart aching.

No wonder every time Miya called, Darion dropped everything and rushed to her side, no matter how late it was.

His excuse to Thalia never changed. "Keith is Emely's only child. Now that Emely's gone, it's my duty as Keith's uncle to look after him. You understand, don't you, Thalia?"

Thalia kept telling herself that Darion was only doing this for Emely's blood.

But today, she could no longer force herself to accept it.

'Is he really doing this for Keith or for Miya?' Thalia wondered, her heart aching.

She opened the drawer and took out the divorce papers.

Right before walking out, she glanced at their wedding photo on the wall. Her smile back then had been full of genuine joy.

Four years together as lovers, four as husband and wife. And now, everything was crumbling into divorce.

Effie

 

Growing up, I had the best life possible. I had my mom and dad and even two older brothers. I was the youngest and always treated like a princess. My dad was my hero, and I tried to spend all my free time with him. If I wasn't with him, I would usually be at my mammaw's bakery or at her house, helping her bake. I loved to be in the kitchen with her, and I even talked to her about my dream of going to culinary school for college to be a baker when I was old enough. She was my dad's mom, and I spent a lot of time with her.

My brothers were both computer geniuses, just like my dad. So if they weren't hanging out with their friends, then they were with Dad in his office talking about computers and learning anything new that they could.

They were also both really good at sports. My oldest brother played football and my other brother played baseball. They both got scholarships to college to play professional ball. There was even talk of them being able to go pro with it. Even though they both liked to play, I wasn't sure if they would continue with it after college. They wanted to work with my dad in the family business at my Poppy's company.

They were really good brothers and even though there were a few years between us, they always tried to do stuff with me. They tried to get me to play sports with them, but I wasn't very good at it. I even ended up blacking my own Dam eye one time. I still can't figure out how I managed that one. But they always told me that I didn't need to be able to play sports with them.

I was good at cooking, and they were good at eating, so they would do that with me. They tried to help in the kitchen, but they weren't good at that at all. So I guess we were even in that way.

Everything was going fine in my life until I turned fifteen. By then, both of my brothers were already in college. My youngest brother was eighteen and had just started college, and my oldest brother was nineteen and a sophomore in college. I was the only one left at home, and more often than not, I was with my mammaw or my dad. I was never close to my mom, so I wasn't often around her.

My mom and dad were hardly ever at home at the same time, and when they were, they had been fighting more and more. When I turned sixteen, they got a divorce, and even though my mom didn't want me, she fought to take me away from my dad. I was the only thing that she got in the divorce since my dad had proof that she had been cheating on him for years. The guy that she was sneaking around with was some powerful guy and he tried to do what he could to get his lawyers to take everything from my dad. But because of all the proof that my dad had, he wasn't able to make it happen. So he helped to take me from him instead.

Even though I didn't want to go and was old enough to make up my mind, the judge made me go with them. I later found out that he paid the judge off to at least make that happen. That was all that he was able to do, though.

Even though I was taken from my dad and uprooted from my home, I still called and texted him all the time. Mom's new аs hole boyfriend tried to take my phone from me and give me one that was monitored by him, but I refused. I wouldn't come off with my phone and wouldn't let them have it. When he tried to stop me from taking it, I just turned the ringers off and hid it in my bra so that they couldn't find it. I never used the phone that he tried to give me and always left it at his house when we moved.

When we moved, they moved me across the country to Russia, and I was NOT happy about that.

I was very smart and had a photographic memory and could remember everything that I read or listened to. I could also speak several languages as well as read and write in them. My dad knew, but my mom didn't care about my education because she never wanted me. When she got pregnant with me, she wanted to have an abortion, but my dad wouldn't let her. Because of that, she has always hated me and never wanted to have much to do with me. That's why I always spent most of my time with my dad and my mammaw. At one point, she even tried to tell my dad that I didn't belong to him, but a DNA test proved that I did.

Since she never wanted me, she didn't pay attention to how I did in school or anything. That was all up to dad to take care of. So she didn't realize or even know that I was exceptionally smart. I could have graduated from school early, but I didn't want to.

So because she didn't know how smart I was, I was able to put an app on my tablet that helped me learn how to speak, read, and write Russian. By the time that we got to Russia, I knew the language and could understand everything that went on around me. But I didn't let any of them know.

We got settled in his house in Russia and I hated it with a passion of a thousand suns. I wanted to go back home. I wanted to be back with my dad and mammaw. I didn't trust this guy at all and knowing what a bltch my mother is. I had a really bad feeling about being here. Turns out that the feeling I had was correct. And as I turned seventeen, I paid closer attention to what was going on around me.

Thankfully, even though my mother got custody of me, my dad got visitation and I was allowed to spend holidays and the summer with him. Every chance that I got, I went to stay with him. I let him know about not feeling safe being over there and we made a plan to get me away from there, just in case. So that if something happened, I could get away and no one would be the wiser.

The only thing that I hated was that I wouldn't be coming back home to Washington State. I would be starting over in a new state, and I would be alone at first.
 
In the year that I had spent over here, I managed to make friends with some boys who were the sons of the head of the Russian Mafia. They were Rodion Smirnov's sons.

My mother's husband was one of the members of the Russian Mafia but he wasn't at the top of the food chain so to speak. He was just a lowly peon in the middle of the totem pole. But he had dreams of being higher up in it all and even one day being a leader.

I grew the closest to the oldest boy, Leandro. We spent a lot of time together and eventually started to date. Because I was still underage, we never took it further than holding hands. Right before I turned eighteen, we finally slept together. It was the most magical night of my life.

I was in love with Leo and wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. I thought that he felt the same way about me.

Boy, how wrong that I was.
 
A couple of days before my birthday, I went to Leo's apartment to see him. I had overheard my mother's husband talking, and I needed to let Leo know what he said. I didn't want to keep it from him because their lives were in danger. Not only were their lives in danger, but mine was as well.

I managed to record everything that he was talking about on a video so that Leo would believe me.