Aubrey’s pov ;

Dr. Lee's warm smile greeted me as she confirmed the news: I was pregnant.

Different kinds of emotions swirled inside me, but happiness took centre stage. I had always dreamed of being a mother.

"Congratulations, Aubrey! You're going to be a mom!" Dr. Lee exclaimed.

"Thank you," I replied happily, trying my best to contain my excitement.

"Where's your husband?" she asked, glancing around the empty room.

I hesitated, sheepishly making an excuse. "He's…uh..busy with work. You know how it is."

She nodded understandingly. "Well, make sure he's at the next appointment. We'll need to discuss the pregnancy and birth plan."

I nodded, even though I knew Ryder wouldn't show up.

"Now, let's go over some things," She pulled out a folder. "You'll need to start taking prenatal vitamins and schedule regular check-ups. I'll also give you some literature on what to expect during the pregnancy."

I took the folder, feeling overwhelmed.

"Dr. Lee, is everything okay with the baby?" I asked, concerned creeping in my voice and heart.

"Yes, everything looks perfect. You're about eight weeks along. We'll do another ultrasound in a few weeks to confirm the due date."

I left the doctor's office with a certain blend of emotions: happiness, fear, and uncertainty. My marriage was a hoax, and now I had a child to protect. I wondered what the future held for us.

The truth was far from what I told the doctor. Ryder, my husband, was never available. Our marriage was a facade, a carefully crafted delusion. We didn't marry for love, our union was a mere business deal, a contract between our families.

I was the heir to the prestigious Harrington Corporation, a global conglomerate built by my ancestors. My parents, desperate to save the company from bankruptcy, arranged my marriage to Ryder, the son of a rival businessman. They hoped the union would secure a merger, saving Harrington Corporation from financial ruin.

But our marriage was a cold and calculated transaction. I was just a tool in their game of power and wealth. My parents never loved me, they only saw me as a means to further their interests. My twin sister, Sage, was their favourite, the one they doted on and adored.

Ryder and I went through the motions, pretending to be a happy couple. But behind closed doors, our relationship was always toxic. He was always absent, chasing his next deal or indulging in his meetings overseas. He's never home or free to give me his time. I was left alone, a trophy wife with no say in the company or our marriage.

However, I couldn't wait to share the news with Ryder, despite our troubled marriage. Maybe this was the turning point I needed to save this marriage.

As I walked home, my mind wandered to my twin sister, Sage, who had struggled with a rare disease called "Erythromelalgia" since childhood. The constant pain and discomfort had made our parents overprotective of her, neglecting me in the process.

I remembered the countless times I felt invisible, like I was just a shadow of Sage's existence. But now, I had something to call my own- a baby.

As I entered our opulent mansion, I began to plan how I would tell Ryder. I wanted to choose the perfect moment. My heart raced with excitement and nervousness.

What if he's not happy? What if he doesn't care?

I pushed the doubts aside, focusing on the positive. Maybe Ryder would finally see me, truly see me, and love me for who I am after hearing it.

I took a deep breath, imagining the conversation. I would tell him tonight over dinner. I would wear something nice, cook his favourite meal, and break the news with a smile.

I started preparing dinner with my hands trembling with anticipation. I couldn't wait to see Ryder's reaction, to see if he would finally show me the love and attention I deserved.

But as the clock ticked closer to his arrival, my nerves got the better of me. What if he saw this as just another burden on him?

However, I waited all night in the living room, but Ryder never came home.

Anxiously I tried calling him, but it went straight to voicemail. Desperate to reach out to him, I called his secretary.

"Hello, Mrs. Ryder. I'm afraid Mr. Ryder has already left the office for the day," his secretary replied.

My heart sank at his words. Already left? But he never came home. "Where did he go?" I asked, trying to keep my tone neutral.

There was a pause before he responded, "He left with your sister, Sage."

My world crumbled. I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. I couldn't breathe.

Just then, my phone buzzed with an incoming text. My hand trembled as I saw Sage's name on the screen. I hesitated, my mind screaming not to open it, but my curiosity got the better of me.

The photos made my blood run cold. Sage and Ryder, hugging, kissing, and in a bed together. The images scorched into my brain like a branding iron.

I felt my phone slipping from my hand, and I couldn't move. I was paralyzed with shock, my heart shattered into a million pieces. The room spun around me, and I thought I would collapse.

How could they do this to me? My own sister, my own husband. The pain was suffocating, crushing me beneath its weight.

I don't know how long I stood there, frozen in agony, but eventually, my legs gave out, and I crumpled to the floor, surrounded by the shattered remains of my marriage and my heart.

Sage and Ryder, my twin sister and husband, used to be incredibly close. They used to spend hours talking and laughing before my marriage. They were in the same school and were best friends. I remembered feeling left out, like a third wheel, whenever they were together.

Before our marriage, Ryder would often visit our family home, and Sage would show him around, taking him on walks and introducing him to her friends. They had a special bond, one that I had envied.

But after our marriage, Ryder suddenly stopped visiting Sage. He said he was busy with work, and I believed him. I thought he was just growing apart from my sister, that their friendship had run its course.

Now, I realised that wasn't the case. He had simply changed the way he interacted with her, taking their friendship underground. They were meeting in secret, behind my back, and it hurt me more than anything.

I felt betrayed by both of them. I couldn't bear the betrayal and decided to confront them.

I arrived at my old house, my heart racing with enrage. The family driver, Mr. Jenkins, dropped me off at the entrance, and I stepped out of the car.

When I entered the house, a disturbing calm greeted me. The silence was deafening, opposite to the laughter and moans I was expecting.

"Sage? Ryder?" I yelled out.

But there was no response.

I walked into the living room, my eyes scanning the space, and that's when I saw her. Sage, sitting gracefully on the sofa with her legs crossed and a serene smile on her face.

"Where's Ryder?" I demanded directly, fighting back my tears.

Sage looked up at me with a playful gaze. "Oh, Aubrey, I think you know why you're here."

I felt a chill run down my spine as I approached her. "What have you done, Sage?"

Her smile grew wider, and her voice took on a conspiratorial tone. "Let's just say, I've been taking care of what's mine."

"Where is he?" I demanded again, ignoring her smug expression.

“Ryder's not here," She let out sarcastically. "But I'm sure you already know that, don't you, Aubrey? You've seen the photos, after all."

I felt my anger boil over, but I kept my cool. "Just tell me where he is, Sage."

She laughed cruelly. "You really are clueless, aren't you? He doesn't want anything to do with you. He's moved on to better things...like me."

I took a step forward, my fists clenched. "You're disgusting, Sage. You're my own sister, and you're betraying me like this."

She stood up furiously at my words. "You're the one who's disgusting, Aubrey. You're a bitch, a slut, and a home-wrecker. If it weren't for Mom and Dad, Ryder would have married me, not you. But no, you just had to come along and ruin everything. Why you gotta be healthy and not me!”

I felt tears prick at the corners of my eyes, but I refused to cry. "How can you say that, Sage? We're sisters."

She sneered at me. "Sisters? Ha! You're just a pathetic excuse for a sister. You've always been jealous of me. And now, you're just mad because Ryder's moved on to someone better."

I'd had enough. "How dare you! You have no right to say those things!”

“I have every right. Ryder comes to me when he needs satisfaction, when he needs a real woman. You're just a housewife, stuck at home, doing chores and waiting for him to come to you. But he never does, does he?"

I felt a painful actuality wash over me. She was right. Ryder was always away, always had excuses to leave me alone. I was just a convenience for him, a placeholder until he could be with the one he really wanted, Sage.

Her words became more venomous, more hurtful. "You should just leave, Aubrey. Or better yet, kill yourself. You're worthless, anyway."

I couldn't bear it anymore. I turned and ran, leaving her toxic words behind me.

But when I returned home, I was met with an even more painful sight. Ryder was pacing around the living room, phone in hand, talking to someone in hushed tones. He looked up and saw me, and for a moment, our eyes locked.

"Where have you been, Aubrey? I've been waiting for hours!"

I stood in the doorway, my eyes brimming with tears. "Were you with Sage before coming back?"

His expression changed from impatience to shock. "How did you know?"

I walked over to him with gritted teeth and slapped him hard. “You asshole!"

He grabbed my arms, his grip tightening unbearable making me wince in pain. "What are you doing, Aubrey? What's gotten into you? Are you mad?!”

I struggled to free myself. "You're cheating on me, aren't you? You're cheating on me with my own sister!" I felt like I was going to vomit, my stomach was churning with anger and hurt.

His face was a mask of innocence. "What are you talking about? I don't know what you're insinuating, but it's not true."

I laughed at his Oscar-winning acting. "You're a great actor, Ryder. A great player. But I can see right through you."

How could I have been so blind? How could I have trusted him?

I pushed him away with my heart heavy with pain. "Did you ever love me, Ryder? Or was I just a convenience for you?" I felt tears streaming down my face while my body was shaking with sobs.

"I just need to take care of you. That's all,” He declared mercilessly. “Since that what our marriage says.”

His words were a knife to my heart. I knew then that he had never loved me.

"I want a divorce," I announced determinedly.

His grip on my arms loosened suddenly. "You can't be serious.”

“Oh, I'm very serious," I spat at him, looking straight in his burning eyes. “We should get a divorce.”

I'd rather raise our child alone than with a cheating, lying, manipulative man like him.