Nine Times a Fool, Now a Billionaire's Wife

On the day we were supposed to get married at City Hall, Sinclair suddenly demanded I pass his adopted sister's illegitimate child off as my own.

Cassidy getting pregnant out of wedlock will destroy her reputation in high society. We'll just tell everyone it's our baby. Put the kid under your name. I flat-out refused.

Sinclair just dropped his ultimatum. "We get married when you agree to do this. Not a second sooner."

He abandoned me right in the middle of the lobby and strode out the double doors.

This was the ninth time our marriage registration failed because of that two-faced adopted sister of his. He thought I would just stand there and wait for him to come back, like I always did.

I looked down. A notification flashed on my phone screena special alert from social media:

[The girl I love most is getting married to someone else today. Heartbroken.]

A cold scoff escaped my lips. My thumbs flew across the keyboard.

[Want to get married? Grab your ID. Meet me at City Hall. Right now.]

Chapter 1

Fifteen minutes later, Callum's sports car roared to a halt at the curb.

"Are we really doing this? Getting married? You and me?" He stared at me, his eyes practically vibrating with disbelief and barely contained thrill.

"Cut the crap," I said. "Did you bring your ID?"

Callum muttered under his breath, "I ditched the signing ceremony for a billion-dollar multinational merger and sped all the way here. Can't you just let me soak in this unbelievable surprise for one damn second?"

But the moment we stepped out of City Hall, he couldn't stop staring at our brand-new marriage license. "Did I actually just marry Sloane? Are you really my wife now?"

Then he shot me a helpless grin, explaining he had to rush back to finalize the merger paperwork, and told me to grab an Uber home.

While I waited on the curb, Sinclair's luxury sedan pulled up right in front of me. Cassidy was in the passenger seat.

"Get in," he demanded, rolling down the back window.

I pressed my hand against my purse, feeling the crisp edge of my new marriage license inside, and pulled open the car door.

"Here." He tossed a signature orange Hermes box into my lap. I popped the lid. Inside lay a Twilly silk scarf, the kind used to wrap around a purse handle.

Sinclair always pulled this garbage. He used these afterthought luxury scraps to brush me off whenever he pissed me off, expecting me to just smile and sweep his disrespect under the rug.

In the front seat, Cassidy subtly stroked the leather of the limited-edition Himalaya Birkin bag resting against her thigh. I glanced back down at the scarf in my box. It was literally just the complimentary accessory that came with her bag.

Playing the role I always played, I pretended not to notice and tossed the box onto the empty seat beside me. Cassidy's lips curled into a smug, mocking smirk in the rearview mirror.

"Where are we going?" I asked, my voice flat.

Sinclair shot his adopted sister a disgustingly tender look. "We're picking up her haute couture gown. Then we're heading back to the Sinclair private estate."

Right. It hit me. Tonight was the Sinclair family trust fund's annual top-tier charity gala. We had agreed to attend weeks ago.

Going tonight worked perfectly anywayI could use this chance to officially cut ties with the Sinclair patriarch.

Watching me through the rearview mirror, Sinclair cautiously studied my expression and offered an unprecedented explanation. "Sloane, don't overthink this. Cassidy is pregnant and alone."

"If word gets out, the gossip will tear her apart. If we put the baby under our family trust, it won't ruin her chances of securing a marriage alliance with another wealthy family later on."

I leaned back, crossing my arms. "You're right. Getting pregnant out of wedlock is a PR nightmare."

"Doing it without even having a boyfriend? Society will tear her to shreds. Pinning the kid on you is definitely her best move."

Cassidy's face mottled in ugly, uneven patches. She whipped her head around, glaring at me. "You"

Sinclair instantly cut her off, turning back to correct me. "Under my name and yours." He stared at me, his eyes brimming with entitled expectation.

A harsh laugh slipped past my lips. "And what if I say no?"

Sinclair's expression darkened into an ugly scowl. "If you don't agree, we're done. We break up."

"Okay," I said smoothly.

His shoulders dropped, the tension draining out of him. He thought I was yielding. I meant okay, we're done.

"See, Sloane?" he said, practically patting me on the head. "If you had just been this obedient earlier, we would already have our marriage license."

I didn't bother responding. I just turned my gaze to the window, watching the city blur past. It mirrored the last three years of my life with himspeeding away into nothing.

Cassidy was the exact same age as Sinclair. The Sinclair patriarch adopted her years ago, and ever since, she had been a toxic, festering thorn wedged between us.

Whenever we went on a date, Sinclair brought her along. When we went out to dinner, she sat right across from us. Even the luxury penthouse we shared had a master suite specifically reserved for her.

Every time I voiced how insane this dynamic was, Sinclair shut me down. "She's my adopted sister. What kind of twisted thoughts are running through your head?"

They grew up together. Their bond was ironclad. Every time he played the family card, I was forced to bite my tongue and back down.

But Cassidy had zero boundaries. She constantly went out of her way to flaunt her physical intimacy with him. When they stepped out of the car to grab her couture gown, she immediately linked her arm through his, pressing her chest against his bicep. From behind, they looked exactly like a married couple.

I stayed locked in the backseat, a total outsider. That had been my reality for three long years. In my own relationship, I was the third wheel.

But I had spent two agonizing years chasing Sinclair, and my sunk-cost fallacy wouldn't let me walk away. He knew exactly how much he controlled me. That's why he felt comfortable abandoning me at City Hall over and over again.

My phone buzzed, dragging me out of the past. It was a text from Callum.

[Merger is signed, wife. Gotta host the clients for dinner tonight so I'll be back late. Make sure you eat something good. I'll call you the second I'm free.]

Chapter 2

It finally hit meI was someone else's wife now. The reality just hadn't sunk in yet. But when I answered Callum's call, the suffocating weight on my chest lifted. I felt lighter than I had in years.

"Who was that?" Sinclair yanked the car door open just as I ended the call. He narrowed his eyes, tracking my movements.

"A friend," I clipped. I had zero intention of telling him about my marriage license with Callum.

Cassidy slid into the front seat, dropping her couture bags on the floorboards. She rubbed her hands together, blowing on her knuckles. "It's freezing."

Sinclair immediately grabbed her hands, enveloping them in his own. He didn't even cast a glance toward the backseat, acting as if I didn't exist.

Staring at their intertwined fingers, a wave of relief crashed over me. I was glad he ditched me at City Hall today. If we had actually signed those papers, could I really stomach decades of this sick, borderline-incestuous dynamic? A bitter taste coated my tongue.

"Sinclair, it was so cold out there. Do you think the baby is okay?" Cassidy pouted.

Sinclair's posture stiffened instantly. His pupils darted toward the rearview mirror. He hurried to unbuckle the vintage, monogrammed watch from his wrist and strapped it onto Cassidy's.

In the rearview mirror, Cassidy shot me a smug, triumphant smirk.

That watch. I had flown through a severe blizzard to attend an exclusive auction in Switzerland just to win it for him. I dropped a massive fortune and caught a horrific fever that landed me in the hospital for a week.

When I gave it to him two years ago, he teared up and swore he would never take it off. Two years later, he was tossing it to another woman like it meant absolutely nothing.

My jaw locked. I leaned forward, snatched Cassidy's wrist, and ripped the vintage watch off her arm.

I rolled down the window and chucked it into the heavy traffic outside.

Cassidy's lips peeled back in a brief, ugly snarl before her eyes flooded with manufactured tears. "Sinclair, why is Sloane so mad? Is she mad you gave me the watch?"

"She shouldn't have thrown it away! You spent a fortune on it. She just doesn't care about your feelings at all."

Sinclair's face twisted into an ugly scowl. "Sloane, what is wrong with you? It's just a damn watch."

"So what if I gave it to Cassidy? If you keep acting like a selfish psycho, we are never getting married."

I leaned back, crossing my arms. "Then we don't get married. Big deal."

His jaw clenched so tight the muscles ticked. He hit the gas pedal, the engine roaring as he sped down the avenue, blowing through two red lights. He was the one throwing a tantrum over my entirely justified reaction.

The second we pulled up to the sprawling Sinclair estate, the family patriarch summoned Cassidy straight to his private study.

"Who fathered this bastard you're carrying?" The old man's roar echoed down the mahogany hallway. "If you don't drag that man in here to negotiate a marriage alliance, you are going to a private clinic to handle this immediately. The Sinclair family will absolutely not tolerate a scandal that jeopardizes the family trust fund and tanks our stock prices!"

Muffled sobbing leaked through the heavy oak doors.

Sinclair paced the hallway, anxiety rolling off him in waves. He grabbed my forearm, his grip tight. "Sloane, you hear that? You see how much pressure she's under."

"I need you to go lie to the family lawyers. Tell them you have severe fertility issues and Cassidy stepped in as your surrogate out of pity."

"You hate needles anyway. You get a ready-made heir, and you get to keep your perfect figure. It's a win-win."

I slapped his hand away. "You want me to declare myself barren for your precious sister? Are you out of your mind? Or is this bastard yours?"

His face flushed dark red. "Sloane!" he barked, stepping into my space. "What kind of sick garbage are you spouting?"

"How could you even accuse me of that? You literally agreed to help us in the car!"

A dry, caustic laugh clawed up my throat. "It would take me a full day to list out all the sick things you've done."

He clamped his fingers around my wrist, digging his thumb into my bone. "If you still want this wedding, you will claim that child."

"And you will drop these insane accusations. Otherwise, we are done. Think it over."

Before I could formulate a response, he shoved my shoulder back and stormed off down the corridor.

Near the end of the charity gala, I navigated through the sea of socialites to bid farewell to the Sinclair patriarch. As I rounded a marble column, a hand clamped over my forearm and yanked me out onto the darkened terrace.

Chapter 3

Cassidy was waiting there in the shadows, her eyes red and puffy.

Sinclair's fingers dug into my wrist like a vise. His voice was freezing. "Sloane, give me a straight answer right now. Are you putting the kid under your name or not?"

I yanked my arm, but his grip held firm. "Let go of me, Sinclair. You care so damn much about this baby, it has to be yours."

The second the words left my mouth, Cassidy flinched, her breath hitching as her eyes darted to Sinclair.

Sinclair tightened his grip until my wrist throbbed with blinding pain. "Still spreading those sick lies. I've been way too lenient with you."

His free hand shot up, his fingers clamping harshly around my jaw, forcing my head up. "Grandpa tore into her tonight. Does it satisfy you to watch her get humiliated?"

"If I had known you were this toxic, I would never have agreed to date you in the first place."

This was his favorite weapon. Whenever we fought, he would throw my past desperation in my face, telling me he regretted saying yes to me. I used to crumble instantly. I would scramble to placate him.

It didn't matter who was wrong; I always took the blame. I would swallow my pride, apologize, and make promises until he graciously condescended to forgive me.

But not tonight. I swallowed down the bile rising in my throat, keeping my voice dangerously quiet and flat. "It's not too late. We're done."

Sinclair froze. His fingers went slack, dropping my wrist as he took a step back. His gaze swept over my face, searching for a crack in my composure. "Sloane, are you serious right now?"

Before I could even open my mouth, he cut me off. "You know how I operate."

"If I agree to this breakup, you won't even get the chance to regret it. Don't ever casually throw the word 'breakup' in my face again."

He turned on his heel and strode back toward the ballroom.

I turned the opposite way. This place, this entire Sinclair empirenone of it had anything to do with me anymore.

I had barely taken a step when two hands shoved me hard from behind. Instinct took over. I grabbed Cassidy's arm as I lost my balance.

We tumbled down the terrace stairs together in a tangle of limbs.

She tried to use the dead weight of her pregnant belly to pin me down, but I didn't back off like I used to. I grabbed a fistful of her expensive, professionally styled hair and violently flipped her onto the carpet.

I straddled her, pinning her down with my knees.

I raised my arm and swung, delivering two sharp, ringing slaps across her innocent-looking face, one right after the other.

The impact stung my palms.

The commotion reached Sinclair. He spun around, and his horrified scream of "Cassidy!" echoed across the entire gala hall. He sprinted back, kicking me aside with his expensive dress shoe, and scooped Cassidy into his arms.

"Cassidy, are you okay? Where does it hurt?"

Cassidy shrank against his chest, the perfect picture of fragile victimhood. "It hurts, Sinclair. She hit me." She pointed a trembling finger at me, tears spilling down her cheeks on cue.

Sinclair's jaw locked, his eyes boring into me with lethal intent. "I am not letting this go, Sloane. You are going to pay for this."

"You're not even going to ask what happened?" I screamed back, hot tears prickling the corners of my eyes.

Half of it was from the sharp physical pain radiating through my body. The other half was the suffocating realization that Sinclair would always choose her side over mine without a second thought. Just like he had for three solid years.

He didn't answer. He just gathered Cassidy in his arms and rushed toward the exit.

A few steps away, he stopped and threw a glare over his shoulder. "Get in the car, Sloane. You're coming to the hospital."

"If anything happens to her, I am calling the cops."

His voice was absolute ice.

My entire body throbbed. My leg was screaming in agonyCassidy had landed right on top of it when we fell. My elbows had taken the brunt of the harsh stone, the skin scraped raw and bleeding through my clothes. Blood soaked the torn sleeves of my coat, but Sinclair's gaze bypassed me entirely, locked only on the woman in his arms.

I forced myself up on shaky legs, grabbed my coat, and limped out to the car.

Sinclair drove like a maniac, swerving through traffic, almost slamming into a guardrail. He kept checking the rearview mirror, his voice thick with panic. "Cassidy, stay with me. Don't close your eyes, we're almost at the hospital."

He sounded like she was actively bleeding out in his backseat.

Hearing his panic, Cassidy laid her head back, acting like she was fading fast. That was a neat trick, considering I had just caught her casually scrolling through social media two minutes ago.

When we finally got to the ER, they drew her blood for tests. And then Cassidy actually had the nerve to demand that I hold the cotton swab over her vein.

Chapter 4

After applying pressure to her arm, I discreetly slipped the blood-soaked cotton swab into my pocket.

A barrage of tests later, it turned out Cassidy was perfectly fine, aside from a slight case of anemia. The baby was growing perfectly safe and sound in her stomach.

The moment Sinclair heard the word "anemia," cold sweat broke out across his forehead.

"Anemia? What are we supposed to do?" He paced frantically before stopping dead in his tracks.

"Wait. Cassidy has a rare blood type, and so does Sloane. We can just use her blood for a transfusion."

He grabbed my arm and dragged me right in front of the doctor.

The doctor gave him a dry, incredulous look. "Mild anemia is incredibly common in pregnant women. It is perfectly normal. She absolutely does not need a blood transfusion."

Sinclair didn't even blink at the medical assessment.

"You are giving her a transfusion today. She is pregnant! If anything happens to her, you won't be able to handle the consequences."

The doctor opened his mouth to argue, but Sinclair slammed his platinum business card onto the counter. "I am the biggest financial backer on the board of this VIP private hospital! If you don't want your medical license revoked and your career destroyed by tomorrow morning, you will draw her blood and give it to the pregnant woman right now!"

Seeing how deranged Sinclair had become, I yanked my arm, desperate to break free and get the hell out of there.

The doctor caught my frantic struggle and sighed. "Even if we were to draw this young lady's blood, we need her explicit consent." He shot me a questioning look.

"My body, my choice," I spat. "This is illegal medical coercion, and I will absolutely not agree to let you drain my blood for this vicious woman!"

Sinclair's fingers tightened around my wrist like a steel trap. "Sloane, be reasonable. Cassidy is pregnant. We cannot risk her getting hurt."

"She can't get hurt, but I can? Is that it?" My voice shook violently as the sheer absurdity of it washed over me. A wave of nausea washed over me at the realization that I had spent three years of my life with this man.

A flicker of hesitation crossed Sinclair's eyes. But his grip didn't loosen an inch.

"Sloane, be good. Just give her the blood, and we'll go straight to City Hall to get married tomorrow. You've always wanted to lock down that license, right? I swear on my life I won't back out this time."

I thrashed wildly against his hold. "Let go of me! Get your hands off me!"

He refused to budge. Instead, he started barking orders at the hospital security guards to come restrain me.

Panic seized my throat. With my free hand, I blindly hit redial on Callum's number. "Help me"

Before I could even hear his voice, a hand slapped my phone, sending it crashing onto the sterile tile floor.

Callum's frantic voice still drifted from the shattered speaker. "Sloane? What's going on? Where are you?"

But the chaotic shouts in the ER quickly drowned him out.

Several pairs of hands shoved me forward, forcing me into the blood draw room. The security guards' heavy grips locked my shoulders against the vinyl chair, rendering me entirely immobile.

I struggled with severe anemia myselfmy periods were always brutally heavy. I had gone through countless treatments with zero results. Sinclair knew this perfectly well. He used to drag me to expensive holistic specialists for it.

Yet the second Cassidy was involved, he suddenly went deaf, dumb, and blind. In his eyes, my actual health wasn't worth a single hair on his precious adopted sister's head.

Hot tears spilled over my lashes. I stared at the thick needle gleaming under the fluorescent lights as the nurse aimed it at my bruised vein, and squeezed my eyes shut.

Right at that second, the heavy, chaotic thud of combat boots echoed down the hallway. A squad of seven or eight men sprinted straight toward the room.

"Who the hell is trying to drain my wife's blood