Chapter 1
On Christmas Eve, my husband stormed into my hospital carrying his bleeding, pregnant mistress, screaming, “Please save my wife!” He had told me he was on a business trip to New York, never imagining his REAL wife would be the doctor treating her. But what he didn't know was that I was pregnant too, and I'd already prepared a Christmas surprise that would destroy his perfect double life.
My name is Dr. Claire Moretti. I'm thirty, an emergency physician in Chicago, and I've been married to Vincent for five years.
Once, he brought flowers to my hospital and promised I'd always come first. Then came the late nights, unexplained absences, and business trips that lasted days.
That Christmas morning, he kissed my forehead.
“New York, sweetheart. Business. I'll be home after Christmas.”
I almost told him about the positive pregnancy test I'd taken two days earlier.
After losing our first baby last year, I was terrified to celebrate too soon. I wanted to wait for the ultrasound.
Thank God I did.
At 10:47 p.m., an ambulance brought in Vanessa Reed, eight weeks pregnant, bleeding heavily.
She gripped my wrist.
“Doctor, please! We've waited THREE YEARS for this baby!”
Three years.
Vincent and I had been married five.
Then the emergency doors flew open.
“WHERE'S MY WIFE?” Vincent shouted.
Our eyes met.
“Claire?”
I folded my arms. “How was New York?”
Before he answered, Vanessa screamed, “VINCENT!”
He rushed toward her.
“Baby, I'm here! I'm not leaving you!”
I hadn't heard that tenderness in months.
“So,” I said coldly, “that's your wife?”
“Claire, let me explain!”
“Later. Your baby needs a doctor.”
For two hours, I fought alongside the obstetrics team to stabilize Vanessa. Her bleeding slowed, and the pregnancy was still continuing, although she needed close monitoring.
When I emerged, Vincent grabbed my arm.
“Is my baby alive?”
“She's stable.”
He nearly collapsed with relief.
I stared at him.
“Funny. When I lost OUR baby, you couldn't even answer seventeen phone calls.”
“Claire, I didn't realize...”
“You knew I was hospitalized. You left me alone anyway.”
He lowered his eyes.
“But tonight,” I whispered, “you came running.”
“Please, Claire.”
“I want a divorce.”
His face hardened.
“You're not destroying our marriage over this!”
I pulled my wrist from his grip.
“Watch me.”
I locked myself inside the staff lounge, pressing both hands against my stomach.
“I'm sorry, sweetheart,” I whispered to my unborn child. “Mommy can't stay with Daddy.”
My phone buzzed.
**Rebecca Collins: Everything is ready. Thirty minutes.**
I'd hired Rebecca weeks earlier after discovering hotel receipts, suspicious transfers, and photographs of Vincent with Vanessa.
Tonight wasn't my discovery.
It was my confirmation.
Thirty minutes later, I heard Rebecca outside.
“Mr. Moretti, I'm your wife's attorney. You've been served.”
“HER WHAT?”
“Dr. Moretti has initiated divorce proceedings.”
A long silence followed.
“Wait... Claire hired you BEFORE tonight?”
“Several weeks ago.”
Then Vincent's voice exploded.
**“CLAIRE! OPEN THIS DOOR! WHAT ELSE HAVE YOU BEEN HIDING FROM ME?”**
My hand froze over my stomach.
He still didn't know about our baby.
And I was standing inches from the door when he suddenly shouted something that made my blood run cold...
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