A pregnancy test could have changed everything for Maya. She still believed she could save her marriage to the handsome and ruthless billionaire Adrian Westwood, CEO of the powerful WestCorp empire. But her hopes faded when the truth came out: Adrian was cheating on her with the person she trusted the most. An unwanted pregnancy. A brutal betrayal. An inevitable divorce. Maya, overwhelmed but determined, decides to disappear from the media world to protect her child... and her dignity. What Adrian didn't know is that she is not just the scorned former wife of a tycoon. Behind her calm hides a woman ready to rebuild her life with a fortune and a network more powerful than he had ever imagined. But when their paths cross again, and dark secrets from Adrian's past resurface, questions remain: Why does Maya seem more powerful and influential than ever? What dangerous legacy does she hide that could turn Adrian's world upside down? What if the greatest danger isn't a woman's vengeance... but a love that refuses to die?
Chapter 1 Chapitre 1
Maya looked at the pregnancy test on the edge of the sink. The little stick, so seemingly insignificant, carried within it a verdict capable of turning his whole life upside down. Two pink lines. Positive. She felt her breath catch, a wave of heat followed by a cold shiver running through her body. For weeks she had been feeling strange, with morning sickness and inexplicable fatigue, but she had refused to think about it. And now there was no more doubt.
She clutched the test in her trembling hand, thoughts racing through her mind. How was she going to tell Adrian this? Their relationship was already no longer what it had been. In recent months, he had become distant, colder, as if she were just a shadow in his life. Yet she wanted to believe that this baby could change everything. Perhaps with this news, he would remember what they had once shared, that he would find that tenderness he had lost.
A tear rolled down her cheek as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes, red from lack of sleep and silent crying, seemed to scream a truth she still refused to admit. Did Adrian still love her? Or was she just part of the illusion he continued to maintain?
"Pull yourself together, Maya," she whispered to herself, wiping her cheeks sharply. She took a deep breath, stuffed the pregnancy test in her bag and left the bathroom.
In the large living room of their house, the atmosphere was strangely calm. The curtains were drawn, letting in the last golden rays of the sun. An opened bottle of wine was lying on the coffee table, a mute witness to the lonely evenings she was spending more and more often. Adrian was rarely home. Always in a meeting, on a business trip, or simply... somewhere else.
That evening, however, he had promised to be there for dinner. A promise she had naively believed. She had even dressed carefully, opting for a dress he once loved, hoping to rekindle a spark. But hours had passed, and Adrian had not returned.
The sound of an engine suddenly caught his attention. She stood up quickly, her heart pounding. Was it him?
She glanced at the wall clock. Past 9 p.m. When she heard the front door open, she stepped into the hall with a hint of hope. But the man who entered was nothing like the loving husband she hoped to find. Adrian seemed different, detached, and the subtle but distinct scent of feminine perfume wafted around him.
"Adrian," she began softly, "you're late." »
He barely shrugged, placing his jacket on the couch without a word.
"I waited...I thought we could have dinner together," she added , her voice betraying a mixture of hope and reproach.
"Sorry, I was busy. » His response was brief, cold, as if he was unaware of the effort she was making to maintain a conversation.
Maya felt anger rising within her, but she held back. This was neither the time nor the place for a confrontation. She remembered the test in her bag. Maybe by telling him the news, she could break through this shell of indifference.
"Adrian... I have something important to tell you. »
But before she could continue, her phone vibrated on the table. He glanced at the screen, and a smile that she hadn't seen in a long time briefly lit up his face.
"I have to take this," he said, walking away without even waiting for her response.
Maya remained frozen, her heart aching. Who could be this person who could make Adrian smile, when she, his wife, seemed invisible to him?
Later that evening, while she was clearing the table from a dinner they had not shared, she heard bursts of laughter coming from Adrian's office. Intrigued, she approached, her steps light on the parquet floor. The door was ajar, and what she saw froze her in place.
Claire, his best friend, was there, sitting on Adrian's desk, laughing at something he had just said. His hands lightly brushed his arm, a gesture that seemed innocent at first glance, but in this context took on a whole new meaning.
Maya felt her stomach drop. She could have ignored this moment, convinced herself that it was nothing, but something in their posture, in the way their eyes met, made her understand that it was much more than a simple friendship.
Gathering all her courage, she pushed the door open.
"What's going on here? she asked, her voice trembling but firm.
Adrian stood up, visibly taken by surprise, while Claire adopted a falsely innocent expression.
"Maya, it's not what you think," Adrian began, but his voice lacked conviction.
"Not what I think? So explain to me, Adrian. Explain to me why my best friend is here, late at night, in such a... intimate position. »
Claire stood up, her cheeks blushing slightly. "Maya, I came to discuss a project. It's nothing like what you imagine. »
Maya burst out laughing, a bitter, almost hysterical laugh. "A project? Really ? And since when do projects require looks like these? »
Adrian walked towards her, trying to take her hand, but she backed away.
"How long has it been, Adrian?" » she asked, with tears in her eyes.
He hesitated, and the silence was more painful than any answer he could have given.
"Months," he finally whispered.
Maya's world collapsed. She felt her legs buckle, but she forced herself to stay standing. "Months..." she repeated, as if saying the words could lessen their impact.
She turned her gaze to Claire, who was avoiding looking at her. "You too... How could you do this to me? »
Claire opened her mouth to respond, but no sound came out.
Maya felt rage boiling inside her, rage fueled by betrayal and humiliation. "You're making fun of me...Both of you." You have trampled everything we had built. »
She stepped back, looking from one to the other. "You deserve it. But know one thing, Adrian. You just lost more than a wife. »
She turned on her heel and walked out, ignoring Adrian's calls behind her. Every step she took away from this house seemed an act of rebellion against everything she had endured.
Back in their room, she collapsed onto the bed, sobs wracking her body. She placed her hand on her stomach, where the life she had not yet revealed was growing.
"We will leave," she whispered, her voice broken but resolute. "We don't need him. »
That night, Maya started packing, gathering everything she could carry. What Adrian and Claire had destroyed, she would rebuild alone. But she knew one thing was certain: she would never be the same woman again.
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