After seven years of marriage, Cecilia Summer inherited a fortune worth billions. But while handling the paperwork with her lawyer, she was told that her marriage certificate wasn’t real.

She could only inherit the entire fortune in her own name.

After digging further into the details, the lawyer mentioned a name she never expected to hear.

“Mr. Leedon’s wife is listed as Lucy Garnett, not you. Miss Summer, you’re… unmarried.”

Everyone in Summerville knew that she and Marcus Leedon had been engaged since childhood.

She was his everything, his treasured possession.

When they got married, Marcus gave her the wedding of the century.

He made a public promise: “I, Marcus Leedon, will never betray Cecilia!”

But the marriage certificate bearing Marcus Leedon’s and Lucy Garnett’s names was issued the day after the wedding.

Cecilia Summer forced back a bitter smile. It took her a long time to accept the truth. Then her phone buzzed.

A message popped up:

“Cecilia, I bought you that new GG bag you love. My plane just landed. I’ll stop by the office first, then come see you. Love you.”

Today was the day for Marcus Leedon's return from his business trip. She was already waiting outside the airport for him. When she saw the couple walking out together, her fists clenched.

Marcus slipped his phone into his coat pocket, wrapped an arm around Lucy Garnett’s neck, and planted a passionate kiss on her.

Meanwhile, tears streamed down Cecilia’s face.

How could Marcus say he loved her while kissing another woman at the same time?

Her gaze stayed fixed on him from afar as memories rushed through her mind.

They had grown up together, childhood sweethearts.

Back in middle school, her parents had planned to send her abroad. When Marcus found out, he knelt outside her family’s home for seven days. Before fainting, he clung to her hand and whispered, “Cecilia, you can’t go. You’re mine. I won’t let you drift so far away.”

They went through high school and beyond together. Everyone knew Cecilia was Marcus’s everything.

When it came to applying for universities, the Leedon family suggested Marcus apply to top universities overseas. But he stayed in Summerville for her.

“Where Cecilia is, that’s where I’ll be. When she turns twenty-two, we’ll get married for real.”

They married that year, but she never imagined that Marcus, who loved her so deeply, would betray her so completely.

Marcus was the one who told the lawyer to take care of the marriage certificate the day after their wedding, saying he felt bad that she’d been so exhausted on their wedding night.

They had known each other since birth, inseparable for twenty-seven years. They had always believed they were meant to be together. Yet in the end, Marcus secretly married someone else.

He had taken over her life, her entire world.

And at that moment, Cecilia made a choice. She would rip apart half of herself if it meant wiping Marcus from her future completely.

She didn’t go home. Instead, she rushed to the lawyer to handle her inheritance — all the assets under the name Cecilia Summer, including the shares of Leedon Group Marcus had transferred to her before their marriage.

The lawyer confirmed again, “Miss Summer, are you sure you want to sell all your family’s assets?”

“Yes. All the properties and businesses in Summerville, I don’t want any of them left.”

Within just a few hours, Cecilia signed several contracts, selling off half of the Summer family’s assets.

The other half already had buyers lined up. Many were from out of town and couldn’t come immediately, but they promised they would have the funds ready soon and would travel to Summerville to sign the papers.

The lawyer said everything could be finalized within a week.

All the betrayal and the pain Marcus caused would end in seven days.

Three hours later, Cecilia returned to the bedroom she shared with Marcus.

His cold eyes locked onto her the moment she walked in. “Where have you been, Cecilia? I’ve been waiting for two hours and couldn’t get through to you. Do you have any idea how worried I was?”

Cecilia looked at him again, her mind flashing back to the scene at the airport. Marcus had his arm around Lucy, leaning close as he kissed her.

Once, she had loved Marcus’s kisses.

Now they only made her feel sick.

He didn’t wait for her answer. As he stepped closer, his gaze hardened.

“You know I hate it when you disappear without telling me where you’re going. Wasn’t the last punishment enough?”

Suddenly, Marcus’s large hand gripped her waist.

Cecilia’s body stiffened. Her eyelids fluttered as her lashes trembled.

Once, the scent of tobacco on him had been comforting. A place where she felt safe.

Now it felt dangerous.

She knew too well how possessive Marcus could be. His controlling nature. His need to have her entirely to himself.

When she was twenty, they had an argument, and she ran off to the mountains with her friends.

Marcus had nearly lost his mind. He sent helicopters across the city to search for her.

When he finally found her, the first thing he did was lock her inside his apartment.

For an entire month, he refused to let her leave, relentless and obsessive.

She cried and begged him to stop, but he wouldn’t.

Not until she pleaded again and again, promising she would never disappear like that again, never make him worry like that.

After that, Cecilia had been afraid of him.

She swore she would never vanish again, no matter what.

Now Marcus lifted her chin with a slender finger.

“Say something. Or do you want me to punish you for real?”

A flicker of panic flashed through her eyes.

If he found out she was planning to leave him forever, he would probably lose his mind.

Trying to stay calm, she whispered, “I just went… to the hospital.”

She was two months pregnant.

The moment he heard the word ‘hospital’, his eyes darkened.

He pressed a kiss to her forehead, his voice low, almost a growl.

“Cecilia, I know you still want to have my child. But your chances of getting pregnant are basically zero. We’ve tried for years. It’s enough. I only want you. As long as I have you, I won’t regret anything.

“Don’t go to the hospital anymore. I don’t want you going through that pain again.”

They had tried IVF nearly twenty times.

Hormone shots left her arms swollen and bruised.

Still nothing worked.

No pregnancy. Not even a glimmer of hope.

A moment later, Marcus’s phone rang.

Cecilia watched his brows knit slightly. He reached out and ruffled her hair as he answered.

“Baby, stop trying so hard to get pregnant. You’re my sweetheart. If we can’t have kids, we’ll just be a DINK couple.

“I need to head out for a bit. Stay home, okay? Don’t go wandering off again. It makes me worry.

“If you do… I’ll really be angry.”

Without waiting for her reply, he was already walking out the door.

Cecilia forced a bitter smile.

So someone was waiting for him outside.

Was he only here to make sure she was home?

Half an hour later, she received a voice message from an unfamiliar number.

“Marcus, is Lucy really pregnant?”

“Yeah. Three months.

“Cecilia can’t have kids, but our family needs an heir. My grandfather’s been pushing me.”

“Marcus, you insisted on marrying Cecilia. Your grandfather only agreed to it after you agreed to have her take those sterilizing pills. And you can't register the marriage with her. What are you planning to do now? You said she was the one you loved most.”

Cecilia’s face turned pale.

Sterilizing pills?

He cheated on her…

And secretly took away her ability to have children?

Her stomach twisted in pain.

Her thoughts flashed back to their wedding night.

Marcus had brought her a bottle of vitamins.

“Here, Cecilia. My relatives sent these vitamins over. They’re supposed to boost your fertility and help you conceive.”

She had blushed, shyly leaning into him as Marcus fed her the vitamin.

So from the very beginning…

He had never wanted her to have children.

Marcus’s voice came through the message again.

“Of course I love Cecilia. That’s exactly why I needed Lucy to get pregnant.

“That’s why I even set aside the feud between our families. Just so I could stay with Cecilia.”

He paused before continuing.

“My parents died in a car accident because of Cecilia’s parents.

“I’ve spent years trying to ignore it, treating her like a treasure. I just can't give her children and marriage.

“But everything else? I can give her all of it.

“Even the entire Leedon Group.”

“Then what about Lucy?” the friend asked. “Just a tool to give you an heir?”

Marcus fell silent for a long moment before answering.

“Lucy is gentle and quiet. Being with her feels peaceful.

“It’s a kind of comfort Cecilia could never give me.”

“Marcus,” the friend said quietly, “you're too greedy.”

She couldn’t hold it in anymore. Cecilia shut off her phone and silently let the tears run down her face.

It struck her like a bombshell—Marcus’s heart had never truly belonged to her. Not even once.

Slowly, she wiped away her tears and tried to compose herself. The message on her phone had come from an unknown sender.

Her trembling hand moved to her belly.

She couldn’t have his child.

And she certainly couldn’t deal with the child he had with someone else.

Taking a deep breath, she dialed a number.

“Cecilia? Hey.”

“Randy, can you fit in an extra surgery for me at the hospital tomorrow morning?”

“Sure. What kind? I’ll check with the chief doctor for you.”

“…An abortion.”

The next day, Cecilia went to the hospital alone.

Last night, after Marcus left, Cecilia received only one message from him.

“I won’t be back tonight. I drank too much. I’ll go straight to the office tomorrow morning and come home tonight.”

But the man who claimed he’d be at work was actually here at the hospital.

Marcus appeared on the maternity ward floor, holding Lucy in his arms.

A small crowd had gathered nearby. Cecilia saw Marcus shielding Lucy in a corner. His commanding presence looked exactly like it had all those years ago—when he used to protect her.

Lucy looked up at Marcus and smiled.

“Marcus, I’m fine. It’s just a maternity ward. Don’t worry.”

His voice was low, restrained. “I told you to go to a private hospital, but you insisted on coming here. What’s so special about this place?”

Lucy lowered her gaze, her expression dimming.

“Marcus, I’m just a housekeeper’s daughter. I’m plain and ordinary. I can’t compare to someone like Ms. Summer. Besides, public hospitals cost less. I don’t want to waste your money.”

Marcus’s sharp profile softened with a mixture of tenderness and pain.

“Cecilia only cares about owning the most expensive, one-of-a-kind things. One of her handbags alone could cover ten years of your salary. She’s never understood what truly matters.”

As he spoke, Marcus wrapped his arms around Lucy and kissed her hair.

Meanwhile, Cecilia stood rigid nearby, wearing a coat, hat, and mask. Her entire body felt cold.

How ironic that word was—‘understood.’

She remembered how Marcus had transferred all his company shares to her right before their wedding.

He had told her then, “Cecilia, I’ll only buy you the best and newest things. You’re my princess. You deserve to be spoiled.”

She also remembered something he had said casually that day.

“Woodsville Estate was my parents’ home. You’ll stay there when you give birth. I’ve already had a ring made from the green diamond at the Manelie auction—your wedding ring.”

Her eyelashes trembled as tears instantly blurred her vision.

That green diamond had come from Manelie.

And she had been the one pestering Marcus to buy it.

Because it was one of a kind.

She had wanted it so badly back then.

Marcus and Lucy's conversation brought me back to reality.

“Does Ms. Summer like the bag I picked out?” Lucy asked.

“Of course she does. My dear Lucy spent three hours choosing it. You did well.”

Lucy gently caressed her belly, her face shadowed with pain.

“Marcus, Ms. Summer will be the adopted mother of my child. Of course I’ll try to make her happy. Don’t worry.”

Hearing that, Marcus’s expression darkened with emotion.

“Lucy, I’m grateful you’re giving me this child. Only with this baby can I secure my position in the company. Everything I have will belong to my child.”

Cecilia found the entire conversation absurd.

So he arranged for Lucy to get pregnant…

Just because she had always wanted a child?

Was that the reason he cheated?

Slowly, she walked toward the operating room.

As she changed into her surgical gown, her phone buzzed.

Marcus was calling.

She answered.

“Cecilia, are you awake? Are you still mad?

“I’ve just sent you roses. They’ll be delivered to the villa soon. And breakfast from St. Antony’s—your favorite.

“You really want a child that much? I’ll find one at an orphanage. If there’s a suitable baby, maybe we can adopt. In a year or so, I’ll make you a mother.”

“No,” she said quietly. “I don’t want a child anymore.”

Not her own.

And she would never accept a child he had with another woman.

His voice softened slightly.

“Cecilia, be good. You’re my treasure. Our seventh anniversary is in three days. I’ve prepared a surprise for you.”

Cecilia ended the call.

She had a surprise prepared for Marcus as well.

Lying on the cold operating table, she closed her eyes and waited for what would come next.