Betrayed By Love, Saved By Sacrifice

r to a powerful dynasty, was once utterly devoted to me. He d

his laptop, filled with hundreds of her photos and deta

ty," and I, clinging to the memory of the

an affair, bringing her to pu

I hoped our baby would save us. F

nted a baby with her too, and that my

ion, I slapped her. His pun

months pregnant, leaving

and whispered, "Your mother was

to a cell, prioritizing his mistress. My fairy tale had become

pte

her husband, Julian Mcgee, his face a mask of cold indifference. Beside h

her voice cracking. "I didn' t

York dynasty, the man who was supposed to love her forever. Now, he loo

officers he had personally calle

bsession. He did this while Esther was

eyes flicking to Esther' s b

lian said, his voice devoid of any warmth.

hillingly soft tone. "You hear that, little one? Your mother was naughty.

her. This wasn't the man she married.

he whispered, tears streamin

hen why did you try to hurt Katia?

leaving Esther to be led to a police car. The world had tilted on its ax

derstand how it

iant heir to the Mcgee corporate empire. And he had chosen her,

ed for five years,

ents, Bert and Caryl Mcgee, to be with her. They saw he

entire galleries for a single piece of her art, and even threatened to sever ties with his family over an arranged mar

Park, sourcing the finest materials from around the world. He would sit for h

um of Art for the night. He got down on one knee in the Temple o

was the luckiest w

believed

hs ago, Katia

a friend, a gossip columnist who

d over lunch. "She' s making waves. She showed up at a fundraiser and publicly dec

influencer, a self-proclaimed artist whose medium was psychological

r. "Be careful. This

ad laugh

" she' d said, co

ilt on the memory of him shielding her from his family' s scorn. It was built on the quiet ni

the secret fold

oject." Inside were hundreds of photos of Katia French. Some were professional, others were candid shots taken from a distanc

hrough Esther' s st

shaking as she held the lap

hing unreadable crossed his face before he composed himself.

. She' s... interesting. A subj

she' d asked, h

ained, the excuse sounding flimsy even to his own ears. "It's a new fron

ld never betray her. H

ory of the man who had adore

g it" was to begin

e." The first time, at a charity auction, he had seated Katia at their table. The h

t home, her voice rising with every

divorce,

he charming facade dropped, repla

t do thi

low and dangerous. "You' re my wife. You will remain

physical slap, stunn

ay, Katia

re." Her voice was sickly sweet. "Julian fe

t?" Esther asked

m I use to track people's affection. A likability score, you could say.

r hun

was the one thing she thought could save them. A ba

ost normal. He was attentive, caring. He talked about names and nurse

ia calle

fact, Julian just told me he wants me to have his baby too. He thinks our child would be a true work of art. My

humiliation, and pain erupted. That afternoon, when Katia

a release of frustration. B

shment was swi

her a

the single light bulb buzzing overhead, Esther

d endured it all. But having her arrested while she wa

ife inside was the only thing conne

was both terrifying and liberating, th

e saw the faces of the other women, their exp

air felt heavy and polluted. The doorman

t. Julian wasn't there. Of course h

tia, wrapped in each other's arms on a private jet. They were laughing. The caption

. You' ve already lost. Sign the divorce papers

eyes that once looked at her with so much love n

l of it. Replaced by

walk away. She wo

, attaching a scanned copy of a divor

want the Mcgee fortune? Help me finalize this di

London, a place where she had a his

ivate clinic in a disc

the doctor, her hand

aid, her voice steady. "And