ManyWriters

I sold my body to my husband, Cade Sterling.
One hundred thousand dollars. That was his price for a night with me. The only thing keeping our son, Leo, alive.
My stepmother whispered lies in his ear, and he believed them. He forced another woman into our bed while I was forced onto an operating table.
"You're pregnant," the nurse said, her voice a sterile blade. "Mr. Sterling has requested a termination."
Then, I was forced to watch my son Leo, my only reason for living, leap from a cliff to save me from further torment.
He was gone.
My husband had murdered our first child, and now our second. There was nothing left to live for.
In the cold, scarlet water of the bathtub, I finally let go.
But as darkness claimed me, I didn't know the truth was a far more cruel and twisted thing than I could have ever imagined.
And that Cade Sterling, my tormentor, was about to pay a price far greater than money could ever cover.

His Ruinous Price

A wave of excruciating pain pulled Aria from the depths of her unconsciousness. It felt as if her body was being systematically torn apart, every nerve ending on fire.


There was no light, no end to her suffering. A profound, hopeless anguish washed over her.


But then, on the very edge of oblivion, she felt a hand tighten around hers. The simple gesture was a lifeline, a spark of warmth in a cold, dark void.


It was as if her dying heart had been shocked back to life. A flicker of curiosity ignited within her. Who was this person, this source of unexpected strength?


Aria forced her eyes open, the small movement requiring a monumental effort. The first thing she saw was Cade’s face, his expression a mixture of relief and pain. Instinct took over, and she immediately tried to pull her hand away.


Cade’s grip only tightened, his joy at seeing her awake palpable. “Aria, you’re awake! You’re finally awake!”


The memories came rushing back, a tidal wave of grief that threatened to drown her. She had thought she would soon be with her son, but she had been pulled back from the brink.


Her voice was a raw, hoarse whisper. The effort of speaking was exhausting. “Don’t touch me. You killed Leo. Don’t you dare touch me,” she insisted, her voice trembling with a mixture of rage and sorrow.


Her love for him was gone, replaced by a cold, hard certainty. Leo would still be alive if it weren’t for him. His sin was unforgivable.


Cade’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Aria, what are you talking about? How could I possibly be Leo’s murderer?”


“It was you! You killed him!” Aria’s head shot up, her eyes locking with his, wild and accusatory. “You sacrificed him for Kendra!”


“Aria, I never laid a hand on Leo! I admit, I didn’t like him, but that’s because I thought he was Julian’s son! But disliking a child is a world away from harming him. I would never hurt a child!”


“It was you, Cade! I heard the recording! You’re the one who took him from me!” She began to thrash, her eyes frantically searching the room. “My phone! Where is my phone? I need my phone!”


Logan had kept her phone safe, ready for when she woke.


She snatched it from his hand and immediately played the recording she had saved from her confrontation with Kendra.


“Cade, I saw Leo today. He scolded me and called me a mistress. On top of that, he even threatened to harm our baby for the sake of his mother!”


“Cade, the way the boy looked at me was terrifying. I’m scared, truly scared, that one day he’ll hurt our baby!”


“If you don’t like him, I’ll get rid of him for you, so we’ll no longer have to deal with the eyesore!”


Cade stared at the phone, a deep frown creasing his forehead. The voice was a perfect imitation of his own, but he had never spoken those words.


His silence was all the confirmation Aria needed.


Overcome with a fresh wave of grief, she screamed at him, “You murdered him, Cade! He was your own flesh and blood! How could you? Give me back my son!”


Her agitation was escalating to a dangerous level. Without a second thought, Cade pulled her into his arms, holding her tight against his chest in an attempt to calm her. “Aria, listen to me! That recording is a fake. I never hurt Leo. Aria, you have to believe me. Please!”


She fell silent in his arms. And in that moment, the fundamental difference between them was laid bare. Cade’s mind was a fortress of suspicion, impenetrable to her truths. But her heart, despite everything, was still tragically open to his.


Chapter 17