A familiar pain twisted deep in my stomach.
I opened my phone. On Nell’s social feed, I saw photos of Samuel keeping vigil by the incubator, day and night. His face looked drawn, exhausted–more anxious than I’d ever seen him, even in our hardest moments.
I contacted a lawyer to finalize the divorce papers. Then I went to the company to tender my resignation.
The HR manager looked shocked. “Mrs. Stone, does Mr. Stone know you’re quitting?”
I gave her a faint smile. “He’s got more important things to deal with right now.”
When I saw the flicker of pity in her eyes, I knew exactly what she was thinking.
I returned to the West Hill villa. We had only stayed here a handful of times after the wedding.
While packing, I stumbled upon an old note tucked in a drawer. The paper had yellowed with age.
“Ally, I don’t know when you’ll find this. Hopefully by then, we’ll already have a few kids running around. I love you so much. No matter what happens, don’t ever leave me.”
Tears hit the paper before I could stop them. Then a sharp wave of pain knifed through my stomach. My vision blurred–and I collapsed.
When I came to, my phone was blaring beside me.
Samuel’s voice roared through the line, uncharacteristically furious. “Alexia Stark! What the hell is wrong with you?”
He rarely used my full name. That alone said enough.
“Nell has been nothing but careful! How many times do I have to say it–she’s not a threat to you! Why would you send those vile messages? Why would you curse my child?”
I let out a bitter laugh.
He hadn’t even asked if it was really me. Yet, he’d already made up his mind.
“Are you done?” I asked calmy.
There was a pause on the other end.
Then he said, “Next Sunday is the twins‘ full–month celebration. You need to be there.
Enough of this drama, okay?”
“Sure.”
I hung up and stared out the window at the night sky.
***
The day of the party, I arrived bare–faced, not a hint of makeup. The guests gave me looks laced with pity.
At the center of it all stood Nell, radiant in a red dress, nestled against Samuel’s side like
My Billionaire Husband and the Twin College Girls
1/2 25.0%
the rightful lady of the house.
“Go hold the baby,” Miriam urged.
Samuel handed me one of the twins and whispered, “Ally, I’m willing to forget the messages. After today, I’ll send Nell abroad. Both kids will be registered under your name You can’t have children–this way, isn’t it the best of both worlds?”
His words stabbed deep. My heart twisted painfully, so much that my head hurt.
Years ago, during the avalanche, I’d suffered a uterine injury while saving him. Back then, he stood up to his family, swore he’d never want kids if I couldn’t have them. Now… everything had changed.
Suddenly, the baby in my arms began to cough violently–then started foaming at the mouth.
“What’s happening?!” someone shouted.
Nell rushed over, shrieking in panic, her voice like broken glass. “Ma’am! If you want to kill someone, kill me! Don’t hurt the baby!”
Smack!
Ben’s hand cracked across my face, sending me crashing to the floor. My vision spun. My cheek blazed with pain and blood filled my mouth.
Samuel instinctively reached to steady me.
Then the baby wailed–and vomited a mouthful of blood.
Panic erupted. Shouts, chaos, people scattering.
“Mr. Stone!” Nell screamed, shoving herself between us. “The baby’s dying! Please, save our child!”
Samuel’s hand trembled.
I looked up at him, at the sorrow fading from his eyes until his hand slipped away from mine. He took the baby from Nell’s arms instead.
***
The hospital hallway was cold, so cold it bit through my skin. I stood there like a ghost as the divorce papers I had tucked into my coat pocket fluttered to the floor.
Miriam spotted them. She bent down, snatched them up and hurled them back at me.
Her perfectly preserved face twisted with disgust. “After everything the Stones have done for you? Samuel went against us–for you! And now you’re trying to harm the children too?”
