Everyone said Colton Jones loved Whitney Thompson more than life itself. He had spent ten years pursuing her and cherishing her. If she furrowed her brow, he would worry over it for hours.

Yet this same Colton betrayed her three times.

The first time, he was drugged by a business rival at a corporate gala and spent the night with a female college student.

The day Whitney asked for a divorce, he arranged for the young woman to be sent overseas overnight. Then he stood outside Whitney's apartment building in the pouring rain for three days and three nights.

"I was wrong, Whitney," he said. "Please, forgive me just this once."

Whitney looked at his pale face, and her heart softened.

The second time, Whitney Thompson was in the hospital, where she ran into Colton Jones and Janice Moore, the college student who was there for a prenatal checkup.

Colton's eyes were bloodshot as he spilled his guts. "Whitney, I was overseas on business half a month ago when I got into a wreck. Janice pulled me from the wreckage, saving my life, even though the car could've blown up any second.

"Later, we found out she was pregnant. My grandmother threatened to take her own life if I refused to keep the child. "

He wrapped Whitney up in a desperate hug, his voice shaking like a leaf. "Please don't leave me. I swear, once the baby's born, I'll send her packing, and the kid will be dropped off at the family estate. They'll be out of your hair for good."

She took his word for it.

The third time, they were at an auction, both eyeing her late mother's treasured sapphire necklace.

That necklace was Whitney's mother's pride and joy, the only thing she had left of her.

However, Colton was relentless, upping the ante with each bid until he finally went all out, gifting the necklace to Janice.

Whitney stormed the auction room, demanding answers. Colton just rubbed his temples, worn out. "She's been down in the dumps with baby blues and set her heart on this necklace. Can you cut her some slack, Whitney?"

That was when Whitney cracked a smile, though it was one that brought tears streaming down her cheeks.

"What if I won't?"

He frowned and replied, "Come on, Whitney, cut it out. Janice is due any day now, and once the baby's here, we can get back to normal."

Whitney stared at him, her heart shattered. "Back to normal?"

What was their normal? Was it when he only had eyes for her? Was it when he would drive through a tempest for hours just to get her a slice of strawberry cake?

'Does he even remember those days?' she questioned silently.

"Mr. Jones..."

Janice's gasp echoed from behind. Clutching her stomach, she slumped against the wall, her face ghostly pale. "My ankle... It hurts so much..."

Colton's face went white as a sheet. In a heartbeat, he shoved Whitney aside and scooped Janice up in his arms.

Whitney felt the jolt as his shoulder slammed into her, sending her stumbling back into a table. A sharp pain shot through her side, and a cold sweat broke out across her back.

"Colton!"

Whitney's voice trembled as she called after him.

He did not even glance back as he carried Janice away, leaving Whitney with nothing but the sight of his retreating back.

Standing alone, her laughter turned to tears, streaming down her face. With Janice's life in his hands and their child between them, Colton was bound to her forever.

'How could things ever go back to the way they were?' she wondered, heart heavy.

She pulled herself up, dabbing away the blood trickling down her forehead as she climbed into the car.

"Mrs. Jones, shall we head back to the villa?" the driver asked gently.

She shut her eyes and replied, "No. Take me to the law firm."

Two hours later, Whitney arrived at the hospital, divorce papers in hand.

The bodyguard at the VIP ward's entrance could not hide his discomfort as he saw her, his eyes darting away.

Whitney watched from the end of the hallway. Colton had taken over the entire floor for Janice. Doctors and nurses were at their beck and call, and he was a constant presence by her bedside, reacting to every furrow of her brow as if the world were ending.

Janice's voice was a soft whine as she whispered, "I'm craving tiramisu from that Westbridge shop..."

Colton did not hesitate. He grabbed his keys and headed out. "Hold on, I'll be right back."

In the shadows, Whitney's heart felt torn to shreds.

It was only after he disappeared that she pushed open the ward door.

Janice's eyes welled up the moment she saw her. "Ms. Thompson, are you here to confront me? I'm so sorry, it wasn't intentional. I just fell in love with that necklace..."

Tears threatened to spill as Janice's voice broke. "Even though Mr. Jones took it from you to give to me, it was only to ensure I'd have a smooth delivery, to get back to the way things were with you. He's been by my side, but it's you he's been thinking about all along. I'm aware of that."

Whitney had no patience for her polished performance. "We're alone here, so drop the act. Colton paid you 7.5 million dollars to walk away, yet here you are, back in his life, pregnant, no less. I know exactly what you're after."

Janice's tears froze on her cheeks.

Whitney extended a divorce agreement toward Janice and continued, "I'm done playing these games. Colton won't sign this if I give it to him myself, so you'll have to get him to sign it without realizing what it is."

Janice's lip quivered, "You've got it all wrong, I never intended to break you two apart..."

"This is your only shot," Whitney cut her off, her tone firm.

"Make your decision."

Janice gazed at the document for an eternity before finally accepting it.

"Thank you, Ms. Thompson, for letting us be a family of three."

A family of three.

The words pierced Whitney's chest like a blunt knife, her breath shaky with the sharp sting of pain.

"Well then, I wish you, a family of three, all the happiness in the world."

Back at the villa, Whitney pulled out a cardboard box, ready to pack away the remnants of her life with Colton. They had a lifetime of memories, too many to count.

The first item she placed inside the box was a photo album.

Flipping to the first page of the album, there they were at five years old. Colton, in a tiny suit, stood by Whitney with a serious little face, yet his hand was sneakily clutching the edge of her dress.

Colton's mom, Fiona Harris, had laughed, recalling how he had refused to pose for a solo picture that day, adamant about being photographed with Whitney.

It was his first display of wanting her all to himself.

The second item was a high school uniform button.

On graduation day, while other girls giggled and chased after the boys for their shirt buttons as souvenirs, she stayed put in her seat. Before the end of school, she found his button waiting on her desk, accompanied by a note.

[You're only taking mine.]

By then, he had already mastered playing the role of the Jones family heir, warding off any other guy who dared come close.

The third item was a diamond ring.

The moment Whitney was legally old enough to marry, Colton wasted no time.

He popped the question on a skyscraper's massive screen downtown, with rose petals raining down from a helicopter.

The ring sparkled with a cool brilliance as he placed it on her finger, his gaze warm with affection. "Whitney, from here on out, I'm all yours."

...

Had Janice not come into the picture, Whitney would have believed they were destined for a lifetime together.

With a self-deprecating chuckle, she boxed up those memories and tossed them into the trash.

The commotion downstairs woke her the next morning.

Stepping out, she saw servants hauling in one luxury after another. Hermes, Cartier, Chanel.

Janice stood in the foyer, feigning modesty. "Mr. Jones, this is too much. I never wanted any of this..."

Colton's eyes softened as he looked at her. "Just accept them. A happy heart makes for an easy birth."

His words hung in the air as his gaze landed on Whitney.

He froze for a moment, then quickly said, "Whitney, I'm sorry. I only picked up a gift for Janice this time. Tell me what you want, and I'll get it for you next time."

Before she could even respond, Janice's gentle voice interjected, "Mr. Jones, I've already got the perfect gift for Mrs. Jones."

With that, Janice approached Whitney and handed her an envelope.

Whitney opened it to find a divorce agreement, complete with a signature as bold and extravagant as the ones he used to pen in his love letters to her.

Whitney stared at the divorce papers, feeling as though an unseen force was squeezing her heart mercilessly.

Janice had actually gone through with it.

Fine. They could play happy family, but from that day forward, Whitney would live for herself alone.

"What's the gift you wanted most, Whitney?" Colton suddenly asked, a crease of confusion on his forehead.

"Why didn't I know about it?"

He reached for the papers, but she snatched them away in the nick of time.

He raised an eyebrow. "Keeping secrets from me now?"

Whitney forced a smile. "Like you keeping the secret of someone else being three months pregnant until I stumbled upon it?"

His face went pale, and he shot a glance at Janice, his voice dropping to a whisper, "Didn't we agree to never speak of this again? I told you why we decided to keep the baby..."

He hesitated, then his voice softened. "I kept it from you because I was scared you'd leave me."

'Scared I'd leave?' Whitney was brimming with skepticism.

However, she thought that the thing Colton had been most afraid of losing was usually the first thing he lost.

Janice's eyes welled up with tears. "This is all my fault... I shouldn't have gotten involved with Mr. Jones that night, and I definitely shouldn't have let his grandmother find out I was pregnant... I never meant to tear you two apart. It wasn't intentional..."

Janice's voice trembled, tears teetering on the edge, as if the weight of the world was on her shoulders.

Colton spun around, his voice soft and soothing. "Don't speak like that. How could any of this be your fault?"

Whitney could not bear to watch the scene unfold and turned to leave.

That was when he noticed her leaving and hurried after her.

"Whitney, where are you going?"

"Just doing some errands."

He scowled at the thought of her going out in the storm. "It's pouring outside. I'll take you."

Before he left, he could not help but fuss over Janice.

"Make sure Janice stays warm, so crank up the heat. She's been off her food, so keep dinner light. Stick to the doctor's orders for her vitamins, no improvising."

He rattled off instructions for what felt like an eternity, leaving nothing to chance for the expectant mother.

Whitney watched him from the doorway, a silent observer.

At last, he finished his litany of orders and got into the car.

Watching him, Whitney let out a small, knowing smile. "Colton, you're going to make a great dad someday."

Colton paused, caught off guard by her words.

He reached for Whitney's wrist, his voice laced with a pain he tried to hide. "Whitney, I'll only ever accept a child that's yours. You know I'm trapped in this situation. Can you not say things like that?"

His hand was as warm as it had always been, but to her, it felt like it had lost all its heat.

Without a word, Whitney gazed out the window, leaving the car in a heavy silence.

The car eased onto the road, and in the thick of an awkward silence, Colton tried to break the ice.

"Whitney, with the rain coming down like this, what's taking you to Regent Road?"

Before she could answer, his phone rang.

Janice's voice, laced with tears, came through the speaker. "Mr. Jones... I'm in so much pain..."

Colton's expression shifted in an instant. "Don't worry, I'm on my way back!"

He ended the call and turned to her in a panic. "Whitney, we're close to Regent Road. Can you manage a cab from here?"

"Sure," she replied steadily as she opened the door and stepped out into the rain.

The downpour drenched her in seconds. She stood by the road, watching his car speed away with a wry smile.

'You almost found out what I was up to, Colton,' she mused.

The storm was relentless, and no cabs were in sight. Whitney trudged through the rain, her umbrella useless against the wind, tears indistinguishable from the rain on her face.

When she finally arrived at the county clerk's office, she was a mess.

"Hello. I need to file for divorce."

She handed over the divorce papers, miraculously dry.

The clerk gave her a once-over, then the papers.

"After a one-month cooling-off period, you can come back for the divorce certificate."

Outside, the rain had stopped. Whitney looked up at the clearing sky, feeling a bit of the heaviness lift from her heart.

Maybe, just like that day, brighter days awaited her post-divorce.

…

Back at the villa, the hall was deserted.

From upstairs, Colton's gentle voice floated down. "The Little Prince met a fox..."

He was spinning tales for Janice's unborn child.

Whitney's mind was a foggy mess as she dove under the covers, desperate for sleep. She had no idea how long she had been out when her throat scorched with dryness.

"Water..."

She croaked more than once, but the only response was the drone of a story being told in the room next door.

"Mr. Jones, I just wish our kid turns out like you, so handsome and smart..."

Janice's voice was dripping with sweetness.

Colton's voice came through with a light laugh. "Don't sell yourself short. You're pretty great yourself, kind, gentle, and innocent..."

Whitney did not need to see them to picture Janice blushing. They sounded like the perfect couple, dreaming up a perfect future for their perfect unborn baby.

She tried to sit up to grab the glass of water, but her limbs were like lead, and she ended up knocking it over.

The glass shattered on the floor, and as she bent to pick up the pieces, the world went black, and she crumpled to the ground.

Her palm was a mess of cuts and blood. Gritting her teeth, she cleaned the wounds as best she could, then fumbled for some fever medicine and forced it down.

All the while, the laughter from next door did not miss a beat.

Back in bed, Whitney's mind wandered to a feverish night in college when Colton had stayed at her dorm to watch over her for three endless nights.

His eyes had been red when he said, "Whitney, your pain hurts me more."

'What about now, Colton? Do you remember saying that?' she wondered.

Her tears were silent as they soaked into her pillow. She shut her eyes, surrendering to the engulfing darkness.

"Whitney! You're awake at last!"

When she opened her eyes the next day, Colton was there, lying next to her.

He touched her forehead, his eyes filled with worry. "Why didn't you call me when you got a fever? Do you have any idea how freaked out I was to find you passed out?"

'Would calling you have made a difference? You were busy with Janice and your kid, weren't you?' she thought bitterly.

"I'm fine now," she said, her voice raspy as she brushed his hand aside.

Colton's brow creased with concern. "You're not happy?"

"It's nothing."

"I know when you're not happy," he said, bending down to plant a gentle kiss on her hair.

"Remember how you've always wanted to go horseback riding at the ranch? Let's go, okay?"

He spoke with a tenderness that harkened back to better days, and began to assist her in getting ready with a soft touch she could not resist.

Just as she was dressed and about to head out, Janice peeked in shyly. "Mr. Jones, Mrs. Jones, are you off to ride horses? I'm so jealous. I've never been. Can I come along?"

She caressed her swollen belly, her eyes filled with hope as she looked at Colton.

"No, you're pregnant," Colton said firmly, his brows knitting together.

Janice's lip quivered. "I really want to... It's not good for the baby to be cooped up all the time..."

Her voice trailed off, laced with a subtle plea.

Whitney could not bear to hear any more and turned to leave.

She knew Colton all too well. He was a sucker for that kind of doe-eyed begging.

Sure enough, as she stepped outside, she heard Colton give in with a resigned sigh. "Fine, but you have to do exactly as I say."

Once in the car, Whitney saw that Janice had indeed tagged along. Colton was ever the gentleman, helping her in and keeping a protective hand on her back as if she were made of glass.

However, once they arrived, his attentiveness was all for Janice, as he seemed to forget who he was there to comfort.

"Watch the steps.

"The sun's strong, so wear your hat.

"Take it easy, don't overdo it."

Each word of caution was a cut to Whitney's heart, each one sharper than the last.

Whitney slipped away to the stables, her hands deftly saddling a calm mare.

Colton had taught her those skills himself, on a day she would never forget. On her twentieth birthday, they galloped across his private racetrack from dawn until dusk.

However, the man who had once shown her the reins was preoccupied, lavishing attention on another.

He was full of care and concern for Janice, adjusting her gear with a tenderness that made Whitney's heart ache. He clung to Janice's reins as if they were a lifeline, not once loosening his grip, until his phone buzzed.

A frown creased his forehead as he checked the screen.

"Mr. Jones, don't let me keep you," Janice said sweetly, releasing him from his duty.

"I've got the hang of it now. I can manage on my own."

Colton hesitated, double-checking Janice's position before he stepped away to take the call.

Whitney watched him from the sidelines, the sun casting a long shadow behind Colton as he tapped his phone in that familiar, absent-minded way she knew so well.

"Mrs. Jones," Janice called out, her voice dripping with honey as she rode up close.

"Ever wonder what happens when two horses crash into each other? I've always been curious."

Without waiting for an answer, Janice spurred her horse hard. In a flash, the horses collided, the mare rearing up in panic. Whitney's grip on the reins was iron, but it was no match for the frenzy that took hold of her steed, who bolted towards the fence, screaming.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Janice's grip 'slip', and she tumbled from her mount.

"Janice!"

Colton's voice tore through the air as he lunged to catch her, just in time.

Meanwhile, a thundering herd, spooked and wild, broke free, charging straight for Whitney.

"Colton... Save me!" she cried out.

Whitney's cry was lost in the tumult of galloping horses.

She caught a glimpse of him cradling the limp form of Janice, bolting for the edge of the arena without a backward glance.

A cloud of dust kicked up by the stampede stung her eyes. The reins slipped through Whitney's fingers, and as she was catapulted into the air, a memory flashed before her: Colton's words at that very racetrack when she was 20 years old.

"Whitney, just call out to me, and I'll always turn back."

The ground rushed up to meet her, and the world went dark.

Through the haze of pain, the last thing she saw was Colton's retreating figure, rushing Janice to the car with desperate haste.

The agony in her ribs was sharp, but it paled next to the shredding pain in her chest.

Curled up on the ground, the drumming of hooves drawing near, Whitney let her eyelids fall.