Alesia, 23, was overwhelmed with a deep dilemma when her gynecologist told her that her womb was less fertile. That news became the reason her husband, Kaelan, 28, used to justify marrying another woman- claiming it was solely to have children. The other woman? Ziva, his ex-girlfriend and the daughter of his mother-in-law's close friend. So what choice did Alesia make? Did she agree to a polygamous marriage-or choose divorce?
The silence in the doctor's office was deafening.
Alesia sat on the edge of the cushioned chair, her fingers clutching the hem of her blouse so tightly her knuckles turned white. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears, drowning out everything else-until the doctor's voice, calm and clinical, shattered her world.
"I'm afraid your hormone levels are significantly low, Alesia. Based on the tests, it may be difficult for you to conceive naturally. There are options, of course, but... the chances are limited."
Difficult. Limited. Options. Every word struck her like a slap.
She nodded slowly, unable to speak, her throat thick with emotion. The moment she stepped out of the clinic, her phone buzzed. Kaelan.
"Done?" His voice was casual, like he was asking if she had picked up groceries.
Alesia swallowed. "Yes. I'll be home in an hour."
She didn't tell him-not yet. Not over the phone. Not while standing on the steps of the clinic, with the weight of quiet disappointment suffocating her.
---
Kaelan wasn't home when she arrived. The penthouse was spotless, its silence cold. The soft hum of the air conditioner filled the emptiness. She walked past the wedding photo hanging above the fireplace-her in white satin, Kaelan in his custom-tailored tuxedo, smiling like the world belonged to them.
What a lie.
She waited until he came home, three hours later, smelling faintly of whiskey and expensive cologne.
"You're late," she said, trying not to sound accusatory.
He tossed his keys onto the marble countertop. "Meeting ran long. What's the verdict?"
She hesitated. "The doctor said I may have difficulty conceiving naturally. My hormone levels are low."
Kaelan stood still. His expression didn't change, but something in his eyes flickered-an imperceptible shift.
"I see," he said simply, walking past her.
Alesia turned to follow. "That's all you're going to say?"
"What do you want me to say?" he snapped, spinning to face her. "That I'm happy? That this is okay?"
"I want you to stand by me," she said softly. "I want you to tell me that we'll figure this out together."
He exhaled sharply, like her words exhausted him. "Do you think love alone is enough when you can't give me a child?"
The silence that followed was heavier than the one in the doctor's office.
---
Days passed. Kaelan became more distant, more silent, always busy, always tired. Alesia pretended not to notice the extra hours he spent away from home, the way he avoided her eyes, the nights he turned his back to her in bed.
Until one night, he came home early.
He sat across from her at the dining table, his eyes unreadable. "There's something we need to talk about."
She already knew. Her stomach turned.
"I've been thinking about our situation. About what the doctor said."
Alesia stared at her untouched plate.
"There's someone I've been... considering. Someone who could carry my child."
She raised her head slowly. "You're not serious."
"Her name is Ziva."
Alesia's heart dropped. Ziva. The name hit her like a punch to the chest.
"She's your ex."
"She's also the daughter of my mother's best friend. She's known to the family. Respected. And she's willing."
Alesia stood up. Her chair scraped loudly against the marble floor. "So what am I now? Just the placeholder wife?"
"You're still my wife," Kaelan said, as if that title still meant something.
"And she'll be what? The second wife? Or the real one, since she'll give you what I can't?"
His jaw clenched. "This isn't about love, Alesia. It's about legacy. You knew how important that was to my family."
Her voice cracked. "So you'd rather break our marriage than wait? Than try?"
He didn't answer.
That silence was answer enough.
---
The next morning, Alesia packed a small suitcase. Not because she had made a decision, but because she needed space to think-away from the cold, calculated world Kaelan had created.
She drove to the house she grew up in, hoping her mother would understand. But her mother only sighed when she heard the story.
"You're his wife, Alesia. Do you want to throw that away just because of one setback?"
"One setback? He's marrying someone else, Mom."
"To give him children. That's different. You still have his name."
"I don't want his name if it comes with betrayal."
Her mother shook her head. "Then you're being naïve. This is reality. If you walk away, Ziva wins everything. The title. The money. The respect. You'll be forgotten."
---
That night, alone in her childhood room, Alesia stared at the ceiling, memories of Kaelan running through her mind-the way he used to hold her, laugh with her, the promises he once made. Promises now discarded like ashes in the wind.
What did she want more?
To keep the man who had betrayed her, even if it meant sharing him?
Or to walk away with her pride, but nothing else?
And somewhere deep inside, a quiet voice whispered a third question-
What if she didn't do either?
What if she rewrote the rules?
Chapter 1 What if she rewrote the rules
21/04/2025
Chapter 2 Tears stung her eyes
21/04/2025
Chapter 3 usually sharp and focused
21/04/2025
Chapter 4 Alesia that she was finally alone
21/04/2025
Chapter 5 the weight of the past few weeks
21/04/2025
Chapter 6 We need to talk
21/04/2025
Chapter 7 without him
21/04/2025
Chapter 8 we'll get through this together
21/04/2025
Chapter 9 just like you always have
21/04/2025
Chapter 10 The outside world seemed so far away
21/04/2025
Chapter 11 the sharp tang of concrete
21/04/2025
Chapter 12 You were the only good thing I had
21/04/2025
Chapter 13 one that refused to be ignored
21/04/2025
Chapter 14 perhaps the clearest
21/04/2025
Chapter 15 The wind picked up
21/04/2025
Chapter 16 take the risk of loving him
21/04/2025
Chapter 17 Alesia looked at her sister
21/04/2025
Chapter 18 Maybe an answer
21/04/2025
Chapter 19 The reply came almost instantly
21/04/2025
Chapter 20 Alesia had chosen it deliberately
21/04/2025
Chapter 21 was starting to stir
21/04/2025
Chapter 22 if only for a brief
21/04/2025
Chapter 23 A reminder of how well he had once known her
21/04/2025
Chapter 24 That I can be the person you deserve
21/04/2025
Chapter 25 knowing all that had happened
21/04/2025
Chapter 26 physically
21/04/2025
Chapter 27 Trust would take time
21/04/2025
Chapter 28 There would be moments of doubt
21/04/2025
Chapter 29 I've spent so long trying to heal
21/04/2025
Chapter 30 Gentle in a way she didn't remember
21/04/2025
Other books by Diana Novita
More