Chapter 1

When I was eight months pregnant, my husband, Liam, completely ignored my protests.

He was dead set on having a baby with his childhood friend, Scarlett, who was supposedly terminally ill.

He said it was to fulfill her dying wish to be a mother.

I was so furious that my water broke.

There was blood. I called Liam eighteen times, but he didn't answer a single one.

By the time I was rushed to the hospital, it was too late.

I’d lost the baby. Then I scrolled through SnapChat and saw Scarlett’s pregnancy results plastered all over her story.

Later, Liam said coldly, "It just wasn't meant to be for that baby, Stella. Why are you taking it out on Scarlett? She's sick. Once her baby is born, we can just have another one."

Everyone thought I was madly in love with my husband, certain I'd swallow my hurt as always.

But this time, I signed the divorce papers without hesitation, bought a plane ticket, and left the country.

I saw my ex-husband again two years later at a class reunion.

The moment I walked into the private room, he shoved a two-year-old boy into my arms, a smug look on his face.

"Stella, you’ve thrown a tantrum for two years now. Isn't it time to cool off? Just apologize to me publicly, and I might even let Leo call you 'Mom'!"

Everyone around us snickered, whispering that I’d gotten a fantastic deal, becoming a mother without any of the pain.

But I simply held up my left hand, flashing the wedding ring on my finger.

"I already have a husband and a child of my own. I don't need to be anyone's second-hand mother!"