Leah

It was already past midnight, and Lucas still wasn’t home.

The clock on the wall ticked loudly in the quiet living room, each second making the silence feel heavier. I sat on the edge of the sofa with my phone clutched tightly in my hand, staring at Lucas’s contact on the screen.

I pressed call again.

The phone rang once… then the call failed.

My stomach tightened.

I tried again.

Still nothing.

A small sigh escaped my lips as I lowered the phone slowly. Lucas was always busy, always working late, but tonight something about the silence made my chest feel uneasy.

I stood up and wrapped my arms around myself, trying to calm the strange worry rising inside me.

Maybe his phone battery died, I told myself.

But the thought didn’t comfort me.

Unable to sit still anymore, I walked toward the balcony and pushed the glass door open. Cool night air brushed against my face as I stepped outside.

From here, I could see the long driveway stretching from the iron gates to the mansion entrance. The streetlights cast a soft glow over the empty road.

I leaned slightly on the balcony railing, squinting into the distance.

Maybe Lucas would drive in any moment.

Maybe I was worrying for nothing.

Just then, the sharp sound of heels clicking against the floor broke the quiet.

“Well… look at you.”

I didn’t have to turn around to know who it was.

Rebecca Miller.

Lucas’s younger sister stepped onto the balcony, her arms crossed as she looked at me like I was something unpleasant she had stepped on.

“Standing here like a desperate wife waiting for her husband?” she mocked.

I swallowed and turned to face her.

“It’s late,” I said quietly.

Rebecca let out a laugh.

“Please. Don’t act like you care about him.”

Her eyes slowly traveled over me, full of clear contempt.

“You’re only here because of his money.”

The words stung, but I forced myself to stay calm.

Over the past three years, I had learned that arguing with Rebecca only made things worse.

She walked past me and leaned lazily against the balcony railing.

“If you’re done pretending to be a loving wife,” she said casually, “go to the kitchen and make the chocolate dessert I like.”

I blinked.

“It’s already midnight,” I said gently.

Rebecca turned her head slowly and raised an eyebrow.

“And?”

Her tone hardened.

“You live in my brother’s house. The least you can do is something useful.”

My fingers curled slightly at my sides.

For a moment, I wanted to say something. Anything.

But the words never left my mouth.

Instead, I simply nodded.

“Okay.”

Rebecca smirked like she had just won something.

I turned and quietly walked back inside.

The bright lights of the kitchen made my eyes sting slightly after the darkness outside. I tied an apron around my waist and began preparing the dessert Rebecca liked.

Melted chocolate.

Cream.

Strawberries.

My hands moved automatically as I worked, but my thoughts kept drifting back to Lucas.

Was he really that busy tonight?

Or had he simply forgotten about coming home?

Just as I finished arranging the dessert neatly on a plate, I heard the sound of a car pulling into the driveway.

My heart jumped.

Lucas.

I quickly removed the apron and walked toward the living room.

The front door opened a moment later.

Lucas Miller stepped inside, tall and composed as always, his dark suit still perfectly neat. His sharp eyes briefly swept across the room before landing on me.

For a second, relief flooded through me.

“You’re home,” I said softly.

Lucas loosened his tie slightly and handed his coat to the house staff.

“Yes.”

I hesitated before stepping closer.

“Why are you so late?” I asked carefully. “I tried calling you, but your phone wasn’t going through.”

Lucas didn’t seem bothered by the question.

“I had meetings,” he replied simply.

I nodded quickly.

“Oh… I see.”

Of course he had meetings.

Lucas always had meetings.

Just then Rebecca walked in behind me.

“Oh, perfect timing,” she said brightly as she walked toward Lucas.

“You’re finally back.”

Lucas glanced at her.

Rebecca then pointed casually toward the kitchen.

“Your wife just finished making dessert for me.”

Lucas didn’t react.

Instead, he simply nodded.

“That’s fine.”

Something about that response made my chest tighten.

“Lucas…” I said softly. “Rebecca asked me to make it very late tonight.”

Lucas frowned slightly.

“So?”

The single word made me freeze.

“She only asked you to cook,” he continued coldly. “Why are you complaining about something so small?”

Rebecca’s lips curled into a satisfied smile.

I lowered my gaze.

“I’m not complaining,” I said quietly.

Lucas walked toward the sofa and sat down, his expression suddenly serious.

Then he opened his briefcase.

My heart began beating faster as he pulled out a thin stack of papers.

“Leah.”

Something about the way he said my name made my stomach twist.

He placed the papers on the table and pushed them toward me.

“Sign this.”

Confused, I picked them up.

The bold words at the top made my hands tremble.

Divorce Agreement.

My breath caught in my throat.

“Lucas… what is this?”

His expression remained calm.

“Samantha is back.”

The name felt like a heavy stone dropping into my chest.

“She returned from Italy yesterday,” he continued. “I’m ending this marriage.”

The room suddenly felt too small.

“You’re divorcing me… because of her?” I asked quietly.

“Yes.”

My fingers tightened around the papers.

“But our marriage was arranged by your father,” I said, my voice shaking slightly. “We’ve been married for three years.”

Lucas looked completely unmoved.

“So?”

My heart ached.

“Lucas…” My voice softened. “I’ve always loved you.”

He didn’t respond.

“Do those three years mean nothing to you?”

Rebecca suddenly laughed.

“Of course they don’t.”

I flinched.

Rebecca crossed her arms and looked at me with obvious mockery.

“Stop pretending, Leah. Everyone knows you married my brother for money.”

My chest tightened painfully.

I looked at Lucas, hoping he would deny it.

But he stayed silent.

The silence hurt more than Rebecca’s words.

If he wanted this divorce… then I had no choice.

“If you want me to sign,” I said quietly, “then compensate me.”

Rebecca burst into laughter.

“I knew it!”

She pointed at me dramatically.

“See, Lucas? She’s exactly what I said she was. A gold digger.”

Lucas’s eyes grew colder.

“So that’s what this is about.”

My face burned with embarrassment.

“I didn’t marry you for money,” I said softly.

Rebecca scoffed.

“Then why are you asking for compensation?”

My throat tightened.

The humiliation was unbearable.

Without another word, I walked away with the papers.

Rebecca’s laughter followed me down the hallway.

By the time I reached the bedroom, my vision was blurred with tears.

I closed the door behind me and leaned against it, pressing my hand against my chest as if it could stop the pain inside.

Three years.

Three years of loving Lucas Miller.

And in the end…

I was nothing more than a gold digger in

I didn’t sleep that night.

I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the wall while the clock ticked slowly toward morning. My mind kept replaying Lucas’s words over and over again.

“Sign this.”

“Samantha is back.”

“I’m ending this marriage.”

Every word felt like a knife twisting deeper in my chest.

Three years.

Three whole years of loving him quietly… hoping that one day he might finally see me as more than the woman his father forced him to marry.

But tonight I finally understood something.

Lucas Miller had never seen me at all.

My fingers tightened around the divorce papers lying beside me on the bed.

The bold letters at the top blurred slightly as tears filled my eyes again.

I quickly wiped them away.

Crying wouldn’t change anything.

The bedroom door suddenly opened.

I looked up to see Lucas walking in.

He had already changed out of his suit and into a simple white shirt. His expression was calm, almost indifferent, as if the conversation downstairs had been nothing important.

As if he hadn’t just ended our marriage.

My chest tightened, but I forced myself to speak.

“Lucas.”

He stopped a few steps away from the bed.

“Have you signed it yet?” he asked.

The coldness in his voice made my heart ache.

I slowly stood up, holding the papers in my hand.

“Lucas… are you really doing this?”

His expression didn’t change.

“I already told you why.”

“Samantha,” I whispered.

“Yes.”

The answer came so easily from him.

Like our marriage meant nothing.

My fingers trembled slightly as I looked at him.

“Did these three years really mean nothing to you?” I asked softly.

Lucas frowned slightly, as if the question annoyed him.

“This marriage was arranged by my father,” he said. “You knew that from the beginning.”

His words felt like ice.

“Yes,” I admitted quietly. “But I still loved you.”

For the first time, Lucas’s eyes flickered slightly.

But it disappeared so quickly I wondered if I had imagined it.

Silence filled the room.

I took a slow breath before speaking again.

“If you want this divorce… then compensate me.”

Lucas’s expression immediately darkened.

The door behind him suddenly opened again.

Rebecca walked in, clearly having heard everything.

“Oh my God,” she said dramatically, clapping her hands together. “I knew it.”

She looked at Lucas with a smug smile.

“Didn’t I tell you she was only after your money?”

My face burned with humiliation.

“I’m not—”

“Oh please,” Rebecca cut in. “You think anyone believes you married Lucas for love?”

She laughed lightly.

“You saw a billionaire and grabbed your chance.”

I felt like the floor beneath my feet was disappearing.

But I refused to cry in front of them.

Not again.

Lucas looked at me coldly.

“How much do you want?” he asked.

The question made my chest tighten.

“I’m not asking for charity,” I said quietly.

Rebecca rolled her eyes.

“Listen to her acting proud.”

Lucas stared at me for a moment before speaking again.

“Ten million.”

My heart skipped.

It was a huge amount of money.

Enough to start a completely new life.

But something inside me refused to accept it.

I slowly shook my head.

Rebecca looked shocked.

“What?”

“I don’t want your money,” I said softly.

Rebecca scoffed.

“Stop pretending.”

I looked directly at Lucas.

“If I sign these papers… then give me twenty percent of Miller Industries.”

The room fell silent.

Rebecca stared at me like I had lost my mind.

“Are you insane?” she snapped. “Do you know how much that’s worth?”

Lucas’s eyes became furious.

For the first time that night, he looked at me carefully.

Almost like he was trying to understand me.

“Twenty percent?” he repeated.

“Yes.”

Rebecca burst into laughter.

“You’re unbelievable. A gold digger asking for the company now.”

But Lucas didn’t laugh.

Instead, he walked slowly toward the window, thinking.

The silence was long.

Finally, he spoke.

“Fine.”

Rebecca’s laughter stopped instantly.

“Lucas!” she said in disbelief.

But Lucas didn’t even look at her.

“I’ll give you twenty percent,” he said calmly.

My heart pounded loudly in my chest.

I hadn’t expected him to agree so quickly.

Lucas turned back toward me.

“Sign the divorce papers,” he said. “And the shares are yours.”

My fingers tightened around the document.

There it was.

The end of my marriage.

The end of three years of loving someone who never loved me back.

I took a slow breath.

“Lucas… there’s something else I need to tell you.”

He looked impatient.

“What?”

My hand slowly moved to my stomach.

“I’m pregnant.”

The words came out barely above a whisper.

For a moment, the room was completely silent.

Then Rebecca laughed.

A loud, mocking laugh.

“Oh please,” she said.

Lucas’s face hardened immediately.

“You expect me to believe that?” he said coldly.

Tears burned in my eyes.

“It’s the truth.”

Lucas shook his head.

“Don’t try to trap me with something like that.”

The accusation felt like a slap.

“I’m not lying,” I whispered.

But Lucas had already picked up a pen and placed it on the table.

“Sign the papers, Leah.”

His voice was completely emotionless.

“Stop embarrassing yourself.”

My hands trembled slightly as I picked up the pen.

So this was how everything ended.

Not with love.

Not even with regret.

Just disbelief.

I lowered my head and signed my name.

Leah McGraw.

The ink hadn’t even dried before Lucas took the papers back.

“Your shares will be transferred today,” he said.

Rebecca scoffed again.

“Unbelievable.”

I didn’t respond.

Instead, I quietly walked toward the door.

Behind me, Lucas said nothing.

He didn’t stop me.

He didn’t call my name.

By the time I stepped outside, the sky was beginning to lighten.

I wrapped my coat tightly around myself and placed a hand gently over my stomach.

A tear finally slipped down my cheek.

“Don’t worry,” I whispered softly.

“I’ll protect you.”

Then I walked away from the Miller mansion.

From my marriage.

From Lucas Miller.

And from the woman I used to be.

The sky was just beginning to turn pale when I walked out of the Miller mansion.

For a moment, I stopped at the top of the wide stair case. My fingers tightened around the handle of my small suitcase as I looked back at the place I had called home for three years.

The house looked exactly the same as it always had—grand, quiet, untouchable.

But it no longer felt like home.

Maybe it never really was.

I slowly walked down the steps. Each step felt heavier than the last, as if my feet were trying to hold me back.

Three years.

Three years of trying to be the perfect wife.

Three years of loving a man who had never loved me back.

When I reached the gate, the security guard looked at me in surprise.

“Mrs. Miller?” he said carefully. “You’re leaving so early?”

The title made my chest tighten.

I forced a small smile.

“Just Leah now.”

Before he could ask anything else, I walked past him and stepped onto the quiet street.

A taxi was passing by, and I quickly raised my hand.

The car stopped beside me.

“Where to?” the driver asked.

I hesitated for a moment before answering.

“Downtown. Maple Street.”

As the taxi pulled away from the mansion, I leaned my head against the window.

The city of New York was filled with tall beautiful buildings and it was already very bright.

My hand slowly moved to my stomach.

Lucas didn’t believe me.

The thought hurt more than I expected.

But maybe it was better this way.

If he didn’t believe me, then he wouldn’t try to take my child away from me.

I closed my eyes briefly.

“It's just you and me now,” I whispered softly.

My phone suddenly vibrated in my bag.

I frowned slightly and pulled it out.

An unknown number.

For a moment I almost ignored it, but something made me answer.

“Hello?”

“Miss Leah McGraw?”

The man’s voice was calm and professional.

“Yes… speaking.”

“This is Attorney Daniel Carter from Hayes Conglomerate.”

I was surprised.

Hayes Conglomerate?

“I think you have the wrong number,” I said slowly. “I don’t have any connection to Hayes Conglomerate.”

The man chuckled lightly.

“Oh, Miss McGraw. You have a very big connection.”

My heart began beating faster.

“I’m calling regarding the late Mr. Andrew Hayes.”

The name sounded unfamiliar.

“I don’t know anyone by that name,” I replied.

There was a brief pause on the other end.

“Mr. Andrew Hayes was the founder of Hayes Conglomerate.”

My eyes widened slightly.

Everyone in New York knew that name.

Andrew Hayes had built one of the most powerful corporate empires in the country.

But what did that have to do with me?

“I’m sorry,” I said carefully. “But I think there has been some mistake.”

“There is no mistake,” the lawyer replied calmly.

“Mr. Hayes listed you as one of the legal heirs in his will.”

My breath caught.

“…What?”

“Yes. According to his will, you own twenty percent of Hayes Conglomerate.”

The world seemed to stop.

Twenty percent?

“That’s impossible,” I said immediately.

“I’ve never even met him.”

“Actually,” the lawyer said slowly, “you have.”

My heart skipped.

“What do you mean?”

“You were just too young to remember.”

My grip on the phone tightened.

“Miss McGraw, there are documents explaining everything. Your birth certificate… medical records… and letters Mr. Hayes left behind.”

My mind spun.

“I… don’t understand.”

“You will,” he said gently. “But there is another reason I’m calling.”

Something about his tone made my stomach twist.

“What reason?”

There was a short pause.

Then he said quietly,

“You’re currently in danger.”

The words made my heart slam against my ribs.

“…Excuse me?”

“Your inheritance was kept secret for years,” he explained. “But now that Mr. Hayes has passed away, certain people are trying to take control of the company.”

Cold fear crept into my chest.

“And what does that have to do with me?”

“Everything,” he replied.

“Because if you claim your shares, their control becomes impossible.”

The taxi suddenly slowed down at a traffic light.

I looked out the window absentmindedly.

Then my breath caught.

A black car had stopped behind us.

Its windows were dark.

And it had been following us for the last three blocks.

My heart started racing.

“Attorney Carter,” I whispered, “I think someone is following me.”

His voice immediately turned serious.

“Listen carefully. Do not go to your original destination.”

My fingers trembled.

“What?”

“There should be a black car waiting two streets ahead. Our driver will take you to Hayes headquarters safely.”

I turned to look through the rear window again.

The black car was still there.

Still watching.

Fear crawled up my spine.

“Miss McGraw,” the lawyer said firmly, “you need to understand something.”

“What?”

“You are not just inheriting money.”

His voice dropped lower.

“You are inheriting power.”

The traffic light turned green.

The taxi started moving again.

Behind us, the black car followed.

My heart pounded loudly as I realized something terrifying.

My life hadn’t just changed.

It had just become very dangerous.

And somewhere in New York City…

Someone had already started moving their pieces against me.