Chapter 1
The moment Andrea entered the private hospital, she was immediately greeted by the cold breeze from the centralized air-conditioning. The surroundings were quiet, except for the faint sound of nurses' shoes carefully tapping against the polished marble floor. The reception area looked elegant, filled with large paintings and expensive chairs where a few patients and companions sat waiting.
As she walked nervously toward her doctor's office, Andrea did not expect to suddenly bump into an old woman who seemed to be in a rush. She was thin, her back bent, and her face was almost completely hidden beneath a white veil. Yet even with just a brief glimpse of her eyes, Andrea immediately noticed the overwhelming fear and panic reflected in the old woman's gaze.
"I'm sorry," Andrea said quickly, reaching to hold the woman's elbow.
But before she could pull away, the old woman suddenly grabbed Andrea's hand. Her palm was cold, trembling, and the grip was so tight—as though she was terrified that Andrea might escape.
"Hija…" the woman croaked, squeezing Andrea's pulse as if measuring its beat. "You are carrying something…"
Andrea froze in place, startled. "I beg your pardon—what do you—"
The old woman did not let her finish. Her eyes opened wide, and in her weak, wavering voice she whispered…"The wish you've held for more than two years has now come true."
It was as if all the noise in the hospital melted away. Only those words echoed in Andrea's ears.
Her knees weakened, her eyes widening. For more than two years she had wished for nothing else but for the artificial insemination to succeed—the only method Andrea had been trying in order to conceive a child, all because of her husband Cedric Sytengco's unyielding demand for an heir.
Andrea had been married to Cedric for almost three years. And in those three years of marriage, she lived beside him like a stranger in her own home. He had never touched her, never once claimed her as his wife. To him, she was nothing but an unwelcome shadow. Someone he hated but could not cast away—for without Andrea, Cedric would lose the inheritance his grandfather had tied to their marriage.
But before Andrea could recover her voice, the old woman pressed her wrist more firmly and whispered again."You are pregnant, hija."
Her eyes rounded in shock, her breath caught in her throat.
Before she could even speak, the woman leaned closer, her cold breath brushing Andrea's face. Her voice was low and trembling as she spoke once more."But be careful, hija… every joy has its price. Danger follows you… I cannot say when, or where…"
Abruptly, the woman twitched, then finally let go. She nearly ran out of the hospital, leaving Andrea standing there, trembling, still clutching her wrist where the grip had left a mark.
You are pregnant… your long-awaited wish has come true… but danger follows you.
The voice of the old woman replayed endlessly in Andrea's mind as she now sat inside the consultation room of her OB-Gynecologist.
The room was clean and bright. A diffuser spread the gentle scent of lavender, and the soft lighting bathed the white walls in calm serenity. Yet despite the peaceful environment, Andrea could not feel at ease. She could almost feel again the old woman's cold palm, her tight grip, and her voice that seemed like a curse.
Andrea instinctively placed her hand over her abdomen, gentle, protective—as though she could already sense the tiny life beginning inside. Her heartbeat raced wildly. Mixed emotions flooded her chest. Fear. Anticipation. A hope she couldn't explain. For nearly three years she had tried artificial insemination again and again, nearly three years of heartbreak from every negative result. She had often asked herself if the chance to become a mother was truly being denied her. And then came the mysterious old woman, declaring she was pregnant.
And in the back of her mind, a spark of hope appeared. If she truly was pregnant—if at last she could give her husband the heir he had long been waiting for—perhaps… perhaps Cedric would finally change.
Perhaps Cedric would finally be kind to her. Perhaps, at last, he would find a reason to love her.
"Andrea," her doctor's voice broke the silence. "The results of your pregnancy test are here."
She drew in a deep breath, forcing herself to cling to hope. Maybe the old woman was right, she whispered to herself. Maybe this time, after everything, I really am pregnant.
But the doctor slowly shook her head, her gentle voice announcing, "I know you've gone through several insemination cycles, Andrea, always holding on to hope. But after reviewing the latest results, I must inform you—the pregnancy test is still negative."
Andrea's world suddenly collapsed. Her hands turned cold, her heartbeat heavy. Years of repeated attempts, and every failure carved a deeper wound in her heart. She thought today would be different, that her long-held wish would finally be fulfilled, for she had felt something unusual these past few days.
Dr. Clarinda Lim, her doctor, set the chart gently on the desk. Her eyes were soft with practiced sympathy as she looked at Andrea. "Andrea," she said calmly, "perhaps it's best if you take a short break from artificial insemination. Your body and mind need to rest. Too much stress will only make things harder. Maybe the next time will succeed… who knows?"
Andrea swallowed, blinking back tears. She faintly nodded, trying to accept the advice. The words sounded kind, almost reassuring. Yet she noticed how the doctor's lips curved faintly into a private smile.
As Andrea rose to leave, she pressed her palm over her abdomen once more, an instinctive, desperate gesture. Even if she hadn't accepted the truth, she felt something unexplainable stirring within her.
And behind all the doctor's words, the old woman's chilling voice returned to her mind.
Andrea trusted her doctor with all her heart, not only because she was her physician but also because Clarinda was Cedric's cousin and a friend of her half-sister, Cerys. She had believed in Clarinda's scientific explanations, every medical procedure, every painstaking attempt she had endured. But at that moment, the fear and hope left behind by the old woman's words weighed heavier.
What if she was right? Andrea's mind whispered. What if I really am pregnant?
Andrea sat on a long bench in the hallway, her cellphone trembling in her hand. Her chest felt heavy as the call rang. When her husband finally answered, her voice was barely above a whisper.
"Cedric… the AI pregnancy result is still negative."
There was only a brief silence on the other end before his voice exploded—furious, disappointed.
"Negative again? Three years, Andrea! We've been trying for three years! What is wrong with you? Are you really that useless? You're worthless as a wife! I'm sick and tired of waiting for you to give me an heir so that Angkong will finally hand me the company. But you? You're nothing but a waste of space!"
Andrea shut her eyes tightly, swallowing the pain like a thorn lodged in her throat. She clenched her fist to stop her hand from trembling.
"I'm sorry, Cedric… we can try again." Her voice was soft, trembling, as she tried to gather courage. "And if we try naturally… the chances are higher. Let's try, Cedric."
"Natural?" His tone was laced with pure disgust. "Andrea, don't fool yourself. I don't want to touch you. I don't want to look at you. I don't even want you in the same room. You're nothing but a parasite—something Angkong forced into my life just to poison everything I've worked for. You're a curse, Andrea… a burden I wish I could erase!"
Andrea froze, her fingers gripping the phone so hard her knuckles turned white. Every word from her husband pierced her like a dagger, each syllable carving deeper into the fragile hope she had been holding on to for years. The world tilted and fell around her, leaving only the echo of his cruelty in her ears.
"Do it again! Repeat the artificial insemination—and make damn sure it works this time! I've had enough of you, Andrea. I can't stand to see you, to be near you, to waste another second on you. The moment you give me a child—that's the moment you disappear from my life forever. Finally, I'll be free of your worthless existence!"
Andrea did not even realize how she left the hospital. When she sat in her car, she should have gone straight home, but it felt as though something else was pulling her.
Minutes later, she found herself parked in front of a maternity clinic she had never visited before. She stared at the signage, wondering why she had been drawn there.
Her hand rested on her stomach as the old woman's whisper lingered in her mind.
Before she could leave, the clinic's door opened. A nurse stepped out and looked straight at her, as if expecting her arrival.
When Andrea entered the clinic, she wasted no time. A young doctor immediately conducted a test—quick, direct, without hesitation. In just a few minutes, he returned with a paper in hand and cheerfully announced:
"The test confirms you are indeed pregnant. Congratulations, Ma'am."
For a moment, Andrea froze, unable to process the words. She blinked rapidly, her mind struggling to catch up with what her ears had heard. "P–pregnant?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
"Yes," the doctor nodded with certainty. "Congratulations again, Ma'am Andrea. It's truly positive."
Andrea's mind was in chaos as she left the clinic. Why were the results so different? At the hospital she had always gone to—the result was negative. But here, in this place she had just discovered—the result was positive.
She walked like a ghost, clutching her stomach as the two conflicting answers collided endlessly in her thoughts.
Though confused, Andrea chose to feel happy. She placed her hand protectively over her abdomen and took a deep breath. Positive… I'm really pregnant.
Her heart pounded as she immediately tried to call Cedric, but he did not answer. Swallowing hard, she decided to go to his office to tell him in person.
Andrea searched for a vacant parking slot at the Sytengco InterTrade Corp. building when her eyes fell on a scene that froze her in place. In one corner, two people were locked in a kiss. She stood still for a moment, but when she recognized the broad back of the man, it felt as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over her. Her chest thundered violently.
It was none other than Cedric Sytengco—her husband.
Her eyes widened even more when she caught sight of the woman with short hair he was kissing. The face was familiar. Too familiar. But no—it couldn't be…
Was that Cerys, her half-sister? Or was she simply imagining things? Because as far as Andrea knew, Cerys was supposed to be abroad.