Chapter 3I Only Wanted An Heir Not A Husband

It wasn't a long distance to the estate. I considered walking.

After all, in our five years of marriage, this was the first time I'd been literally thrown out of a moving vehicle.

I took two steps and stopped.

I was pregnant.

For the sake of the child in my belly, I couldn't risk it.

I called the in-laws, crafting a perfect excuse for Rhys.

I said he had been called away on an urgent corporate matter and that I couldn't get a taxi in the snow.

Of course, the Blackwells didn’t believe me.

They knew their son's character too well.

I arrived at the estate less than ten minutes later.

After the family doctor examined me and confirmed the pregnancy, the genuine smiles on the in-laws' faces multiplied.

“Five years, and we finally have a grandchild, Sienna,” my mother-in-law, Eleanor, said.

“As for Rhys, you know what he’s like. Don’t hold it against him.”

“You are carrying the Blackwell heir now. Once the child is born, he’ll naturally focus his attention on the family.”

Rhys’s attention would never return to me.

But I didn't care.

I responded with quiet obedience.

Their concern was gentle. They insisted I stay at the estate.

A dedicated nutritionist was put in charge of my meals.

A top-tier housekeeper handled my daily needs.

Meanwhile, Rhys...

Because I was pregnant, Skylar was upset.

She threw a massive tantrum that lasted for days.

In the past, Rhys would have dumped any mistress who caused such a fuss.

This time, Rhys broke all precedent. He abandoned his work and took Skylar on a trip overseas, pulling out all the stops to appease her.

The surveillance photos showed them strolling romantically on a remote island, dancing and kissing on a yacht.

He was even confronted by Skylar’s parents.

Rhys used his influence and money to legally separate Skylar from her family—he bought out the relationship for $200 million.

It was straight out of one of those cheesy billionaire romance novels I used to see. The billionaire handles all the heroine's problems, defies his wealthy parents, and they live happily ever after.

Unfortunately, life is not fiction.

Money can't sever blood ties; it only nourishes the greedy appetite.

I wasn’t idle during this time.

I continued to help Rhys manage the corporate expenses he'd charged to the company books, and I steadily climbed the corporate ladder in my own right.

My ambition was clear, written on my face.

I repeatedly used my own savings to buy incriminating photos from paparazzi, hiding them away.

My in-laws kept a close eye on me, too.

They noticed my furtive behavior and rushed in, suspecting an affair, only to discover I was collecting the evidence of Rhys’s indiscretions.

My mother-in-law looked at me with a sliver of genuine emotion in her eyes.

“You’ve been covering up Rhys’s messes all these years. You’ve worked too hard, Sienna.”

I offered a slight smile. “Mom, it’s a daughter-in-law’s duty.”

She patted the cushion beside her, signaling me to sit.

She gripped my hand. “You don’t need to worry about these things anymore. Your father-in-law and I can handle it.”

“Just focus on your pregnancy, and forget the office. The most important thing is for our grandchild to be born healthy.”

Leaving the company meant severing my access to internal information.

Impossible.

I pursed my lips. “Mom, I know my limits; I won’t jeopardize the baby’s health.”

“I love my work... If I stop, I’m afraid I’ll just brood and overthink.”

My mother-in-law stared at me for a moment, then silently transferred $1 billion into my account.

They had always been generous.

They regularly transferred money to my account, usually a million at a time.

I rarely needed the funds and had accumulated tens of millions.

$1 billion was unprecedented.

It confirmed my gamble had paid off.

I thanked her, smiling sweetly for her affection.

After she left, I stared at the sum, then immediately donated the entire $1 billion to a national youth education fund.

My hand rested gently on my growing belly.

I wanted more than this ten-figure check.

I wanted the entire Blackwell Group.

Power was the sweetest kind of relief.