I Love You Both

I once thought I had married the perfect husband and found the perfect love.

"I'll divorce her right after the baby is born."

"When I make love to her, all I can think about is you."

In that instant, I understood. I was nothing more than a vessel for his heir. All my husband's adoration had been a lie.

But just as I was trying to start over, Kieran Gotti appeared on my doorstep with an outrageous proposition:

"I love you both. You can have the Manhattan penthouse, she'll get the Hamptons estate. You never have to see each other."

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1

After my ex-boyfriend vanished without a trace, my world drained of all its color.

I began to wonder if that unforgettable love had ever been real, or if it was just a figment of my own desperate imagination.

Just as I was sinking into despair, Kieran Gotti, the handsome and charming heir to a powerful New York crime family, began to relentlessly pursue me. Soon, he proposed, and I thought fate was finally giving me a second chance.

Before long, I married Kieran, becoming the envied Mrs. Gotti, and I dedicated myself to being the perfect wife.

Just when I thought my life was finally on track, I accidentally overheard my husband, Kieran, on the phone outside his study. "Don't worry. Once she has the baby, I'll arrange for an... accident... to make her disappear."

A wave of ice-cold shock washed over me. I stood frozen, utterly numb.

"I swear, you're the only one in my heart."

With just a few sentences, my perfect marriage shattered. It turned out I was just a tool for producing an heir.

All his tenderness and love had been a lie.

It was late at night when Kieran returned. He slipped into the room, his movements silent, careful not to wake me. When he saw my eyes were open, he startled.

"Macy, why are you still awake?"

I forced down the turmoil churning inside me and answered coolly, "I drank a bit too much. My head is splitting, and I can't fall asleep."

He gently brushed a strand of hair from my cheek, his warm breath ghosting across my skin. "You silly thing, why drink so much? Get some rest. You can't be staying up this late."

Kieran tucked me in, held me tightly in his arms, and soon fell asleep.

Once I was sure he was sound asleep, I picked up his phone.

This was the first time I had touched his phone since our wedding.

Kieran's phone was heavily encrypted; he probably never dreamed I'd try to check it. After all, his pretense with me had always been so perfect.

The contact saved as "Bella" was the one he’d just been on the phone with.

In his encrypted folder, I found intimate photos and chat logs with Isabella.

I had met Isabella once at a family dinner. Kieran had introduced her as his distant cousin. The naked hostility in her eyes had left a lasting impression on me. Now I finally understood why she hated me so much.

As I continued to read through the messages, the full truth unfolded. Isabella was infertile, but she needed a Gotti heir. So, I, with my clean background, was chosen.

They paid my ex-boyfriend a large sum of money to disappear from my world. He took their money and abandoned me without a second thought.

Isabella didn't want to miss any Gotti family events, so she was always around under the guise of a "cousin." But behind closed doors, she was the de facto lady of the house, acknowledged by the entire family. I was the only one left in the dark.

My fairytale marriage was nothing but a meticulously orchestrated sham.