Five years ago, Suri ruptured her uterus pushing Bruce out of the path of a car. The injury left her unable to have kids.

But Bruce didn't care—he still pushed for the wedding.

After they got married, he poured nearly everything into her. Or so she thought.

Then came the scandal. One of his business rivals leaked it, and just like that, the truth exploded online—Bruce had another woman. She was already over three months pregnant.

That night, he dropped to his knees.

"Suri, please. I'll fix it. I won't let her keep the baby..."

And Suri? She forgave him.

But on their fifth anniversary, she rushed to the hotel Bruce had reserved—only to find something else entirely.

In the next room, Bruce sat beaming, surrounded by friends and family, celebrating that mistress's birthday. The smile on his face—pure joy.

A smile she'd never once seen from him.

That was the moment she knew.

It was over.

Time to go.

Five years back, Suri Somerset wrecked her uterus pushing Bruce Jerkinson out of a car's path—doctors said kids were off the table after that.

Bruce didn't blink. He married her anyway.

Right after the wedding, he went all in. She mentioned liking roses once—dude planted an entire field for her, by hand.

At auctions? If she looked twice at something, his paddle was up.

Every anniversary, he'd dive into the ocean, grab a shell, and carve their names into it.

Now it was year five. Four shells already lined her nightstand.

Suri only found out about the other woman—and the fact she was over three months pregnant—when one of Bruce's rivals blasted the scandal online.

That night, Bruce dropped to his knees, slapped himself like a maniac, and sobbed, saying he'd been drunk and thought the woman was her.

"Suri, please. I'll fix it. I won't let her keep the baby..."

She swallowed the heartbreak and forgave him.

On their fifth anniversary, Bruce told Suri he had something to take care of and to head to the hotel first.

She rushed to Hotel Vantelle in Riverbourne—only to catch a gut-punch of a scene.

In the next room, lit with candles like some twisted romance flick, Bruce, his parents—Harrison and Yolanda—and a very pregnant girl were all grinning, singing "Happy Birthday."

"Julie, happy birthday," Bruce said, hugging her and kissing her forehead. "I know today's been rough, but once the baby's here, I'll bring you home."

Julie smiled like butter wouldn't melt. "It's okay. Your wife's been through a lot—you don't wanna upset her."

"Bruce, it's time. Suri's probably already here. Shouldn't we head over?"

"Yeah. If she finds us now, it's game over. Baby's eight months along—we've come too far."

Suri froze, heart racing. Her face went pale.

Even Bruce's friends were there, laughing like it was some kind of celebration.

"Relax," Harrison said. "It's not like she can have kids. Now that we finally got a grandson coming, if she acts up, I won't let it slide."

Yolanda stroked Julie's belly, all soft-voiced. "Julie's in her last trimester. Could pop anytime. Bruce, you need to get her home. Just say she's your cousin. No one saw her face in that post. Suri won't know."

Bruce nodded. "Got it. Once the baby's born, there's nothing she can do."

That look in his eyes? Ice cold. Suri's stomach flipped.

Five years. Five whole years of lies. How had she ever believed him?

Harrison, Yolanda, his friends—they all knew.

They all played along.

"Oh, and don't forget this," Julie said, handing him a seashell. "Fifth anniversary. Keep pretending. It's fake, but make it look good."

Bruce took the shell and laced his fingers with Julie's. "You always cover my back. I almost forgot."

Julie lit up. "Baby's not here yet. You still gotta play the perfect husband."

His friends cracked up.

"Bet Suri still thinks you swam out for those shells every year. Only the first one was real, right?"

"Five bucks for a fake shell instead of a gift? Bruce, you're a legend."

Suri's shoulders shook. Her heart crumpled.

Even the seashells were fake.

So what had ever been real?

Her mind blanked. Her knees gave out. She almost hit the floor.

Suri didn't even remember leaving the hotel. In the car, the driver asked, "Mrs. Jerkinson, heading home?"

"Home?" She glanced at her ring. That place wasn't home anymore. "Take me to Specter Law Associates."

It was late when she got back. The second she stepped inside, the sight hit her like a slap.

Bruce had brought Julie home.

He was bent over her belly, grinning. "Julie, the baby just kicked me."

"Really? That means the baby loves Daddy and can't wait to meet you."

They looked like husband and wife already.

Suri froze in the doorway, chest so tight she could barely breathe.

"Mrs. Jerkinson, you're back?" one of the maids called out.

Bruce shot up, quickly stepping away from Julie.

"Suri! Where've you been? It's our fifth anniversary—why didn't you go to the hotel?"

The panic on his face said it all. He had no clue she'd already been there. No idea she knew everything.

"Suri, let me introduce you. This is my cousin, Julie. Her husband passed recently—left her and the baby. My parents asked me to take care of her, so... I brought her here."

Julie smiled sweetly, like butter wouldn't melt. "Hi, Suri. I'm Julie—Bruce's cousin."

Suri just stared, numb. Julie was pretty. Early twenties. Kinda looked like her, but younger. Fresher.

Suri clutched the divorce papers, chest aching too hard to speak.

She hadn't thought he'd actually bring Julie home.

His excuse? A joke—but he said it like it was nothing.

"What's that? A follow-up from the fertility clinic?" Bruce reached for the papers.

Julie suddenly gasped, "Ah! Bruce, the baby kicked again! Maybe it's hungry?"

He dropped the act instantly. "Really?" He turned to help her toward the dining room.

"I had the maid make your favorite panna cotta..."

Julie leaned into him. "But now I really want licorice root tea."

"You're pregnant. Don't drink too much tea—it's bad for the baby."

"It's not me—it's the baby!"

"I'll grab it now!"

Bruce darted for the door, then glanced back at Suri.

"Suri, want some too?"

She blinked, lips trembling. "I... I'm allergic to licorice."

Bruce froze, then finally said, "Sorry, Suri. I forgot. I'll be right back. Oh—and here, your anniversary shell. I was late 'cause I had to dive for this one. Total struggle!"

He shoved the shell into her hand. It looked cheap. Obvious fake. How had she never noticed?

"Hey, Bruce," she said with a smile. "Your cousin's eight months pregnant, right? Crazy... If that girl you slept with hadn't lost the baby, she'd be eight months too. What're the odds?"

Bruce went pale. He grabbed her hand, panicked. "Suri, come on. She's my cousin, seriously. We've always been close. Don't overthink. I'm just getting her tea—I'll be right back."

The door clicked shut behind him.

Suri let out a bitter smile.

Once someone starts lying, it takes a thousand more to keep it going.

She wasn't sticking around for that. She had to go.

Bruce had barely left when Julie jumped in. "Suri, don't get the wrong idea. Bruce only let me stay 'cause he's worried about the baby. I swear, I'll stay out of your way."

Tears rolled down her cheeks, but Suri's voice stayed steady. "I know the baby's his. And I know who you are—the girl from that scandal five months ago, right?"

Julie froze. Her smile twitched, then vanished. Suri caught the shift instantly.

"You knew?" Julie asked.

Suri let out a cold laugh. That fake sweetness? Gone.

"So since we're being honest..." Julie's voice dropped into a sneer. "You can't have kids. You're aging out. Men are all the same—you'll get used to it. Oh, and guess what? Bruce says he loves how I am in bed. Says you're like a corpse. Total buzzkill."

Suri's chest tightened.

She could still hear Bruce's vow in her head.

'I swear to love only Suri in this lifetime. Whether she can have children or not, she's the only one I'll ever love. I will never let her down.'

Five years. That promise didn't even make it past five years.

"Fine. If that's how it is, I'll make it easy." Suri held up the divorce papers. "Here—"

Before Suri could hand them over, Julie dropped to her knees, clinging to Suri's legs.

"Please, Suri! Don't kick me out. I'll leave after the baby's born, I swear!"

Tears streamed down Julie's face. Suri froze, unsure what to say—then Bruce walked in.

He saw Julie on the floor and his face twisted. He rushed over, yanking her up.

"What are you doing down there?"

Before Suri could answer, he snapped at her, eyes blazing.

"If you didn't want her here, you could've told me! Why pull this behind my back? She's eight months pregnant—how could you make her kneel?"

His words hit like a slap. No chance to explain.

Watching him shield Julie, Suri's throat clenched. Like she was choking on her own silence.

"No, Bruce, you got it wrong," Julie said softly. "Suri didn't do anything—I just lost my balance."

But he wasn't listening.

"Lost your balance? Then why are your eyes red? Why are you crying?"

He pulled her into his arms, glaring at Suri, his voice shaking.

"Suri, believe it or not, she is my cousin. And I don't care if you accept it—she's staying. She's eight months pregnant and drained. You've never been a mother, so you wouldn't get it. Try being more considerate."

Never been a mother.

Of course. The ones closest to you always know exactly where to stab.

Suri let out a laugh—but tears spilled down her cheeks anyway.

"Bruce, do you even remember who I lost that chance for? Huh?" Her voice cracked. "I'll give you one more shot—who is she? Still sticking with the 'cousin' story?"

Only then did something flicker in Bruce's eyes.

"Suri, I didn't mean it like that. You're overthinking. She IS my cousin..."

Julie jumped in. "Suri, please don't be upset. Let me make you some tea. Don't blame Bruce, okay?"

She walked over with a teacup—then tripped. The cup shattered. Tea splashed everywhere. Julie hit the floor and started scooping up the shards, slicing her hand open.

Bruce freaked and scooped her up, racing upstairs.

"Don't move! Who told you to serve her? You didn't do anything wrong—stop apologizing! Julie, you're pregnant. You can't treat yourself like this!"

Julie cried in his arms. "But I'm nobody... I'm not like Suri."

"What's that got to do with anything?" Bruce snapped. "You're having a baby. That's what matters."

Their voices trailed off upstairs.

Suri stood in the shadows. Blood slid down her shin, but she didn't feel it.

A shard from the broken cup had sliced her leg deep.

But Bruce hadn't even looked her way. It was always Julie. Only Julie.

Her mind flashed back—to the day she saved him, nearly hit by a car.

He'd held her hand, crying like a kid. "Suri, if you survive this, I swear I'll never let you get hurt again."

Pain pulsed through the cut, sharp and unforgiving.

Suri crouched down and cried, silent and alone.