Untouched for Three Years, I Carried His Rival’s Heir

That night, staring at the intricate tattoo on Kieran's chest, my heart felt like it had been ripped in two.

I could accept a husband who didn't love me. After all, I could work, little by little, to melt his heart.

But I couldn't make a man who was in love with someone else fall for me.

In my grief, I rushed back to the old Valerio estate, intending to ask my father to dissolve the marriage alliance.

But my father pulled a document thick with dense clauses from the old family safe.

How could I have forgotten? As the Don of the Valerio family, his daughter's marital problems would never take precedence over the family's survival.

The contract, signed in blood, laid out the terms of our marriage.

"The alliance can never be broken unless you produce an heir for the Thompson family," my father's voice was heavy.

"If you insist on leaving, the Thompsons have the right to absorb our territory or declare war."

What a cruel consequence.

Even with the full might of the Valerio family, we couldn't withstand the wrath of the Thompsons.

I had never realized that in this game of power, I had been sold to the Thompsons like a bargaining chip.

My father and mother stood before me, their faces etched with guilt, almost pleading. "Scarlett, we know it was wrong of us to hide this from you."

"But at the time, the family's finances were collapsing, and rival families were circling like vultures. The alliance with the Thompsons was the only way to survive the coming storm."

"And now, even if you want a divorce, you must consider the family's survival. The Valerio family cannot afford a war."

Holding the blood-signed contract, I felt a mix of sorrow and bitter irony.

My parents were thinking of the family's survival, and the Thompsons of their bloodline. But who was thinking of me?

With no other choice, I cast aside all dignity. I threw myself at Kieran again and again, desperate.

My only thought was to have a baby and buy my freedom.

But every time, he rejected me without hesitation.

His heart belonged only to Camilla. He was like a devout pilgrim on a sacred quest.

Not long after, Camilla returned from abroad, newly divorced. Kieran brought her directly to the Thompson estate, claiming she had nowhere else to go.

He let her live in our home, in the guest room just a few steps from our own bedroom.

On Camilla's first night at the estate, she walked in on me trying to seduce Kieran.

When she saw me in a sexy silk nightgown, her eyes welled with tears, and she ran off as if she had been deeply wronged.

Kieran, his eyes filled with worry and concern, rushed after her.

I clung to the hem of his shirt, refusing to let him go. "Kieran, my father is pressuring us for an heir. Just once. Just give me one chance..."

In that moment, he angrily shoved my hand away, so forcefully that I nearly fell.

"I've told you countless times, I'm not interested! Scarlett, if you want an heir that badly, go have one with someone else!"

"This is the last time I'm warning you. Don't try this again."

I stared at him, my last line of defense shattered.

Watching him hurry after Camilla, my heart turned to ash.

I didn't sleep at all that night. I had no tears left to cry.

After a long night of contemplation, I finally understood. The blood pact only stated that I had to produce a baby to end the alliance.

It never said whose baby it had to be.

So I went to a high-end club in lower Manhattan, known for its absolute discretion.

I randomly picked a man who looked decent enough and went to bed with him. And, quite smoothly, I became pregnant.

I would take Kieran at his word. I would have a baby with another man, and then I would leave. We would both get what we wanted.

Now, seven months later, I put away the test results and began to cover my tracks.

I had to act fast, while my pregnancy was not yet obvious.

I lit a fire in the fireplace and began burning documents: copies of the contracts detailing my marriage to Kieran, private letters, and some medical records.

The firelight danced on my face. With every piece of paper that burned, I felt more liberated.

Kieran pushed the door open and saw me.

He frowned at my crouched figure before the fireplace. "What are you burning?"

"Old legal documents. The lawyer said to destroy them periodically to protect our privacy."

I didn't turn around, continuing to feed paper into the fire.

He sensed something was off and was about to approach when the butler knocked and entered.

"Sir, for the Romano family's reconciliation dinner tomorrow night, will you be wearing the family signet ring?"

Kieran nodded. "Have my grandfather's ring brought from the vault."

Soon, the butler returned with a black velvet box.

Inside lay the Thompson family's heirloom signet rings, passed down through generations: a matching pair, for the heir and his wife. Both were platinum, set with enormous black diamonds.

Kieran picked up the woman's ring and walked toward me. "Tomorrow's dinner is important. As my wife, you must attend with me."

The ring glittered with a cold light in the fire's glow.

It was magnificent, but wearing it now would only draw attention to my slightly swollen fingers in late pregnancy.

I was about to refuse when Kieran suddenly knelt, grabbing my wrist. "Have you... put on weight recently?"

His sharp eyes scanned my hand. "Your fingers seem thicker than before."

"Yes, I've been eating more lately," I said, quickly pulling my hand back and trying to change the subject.

Just then, Camilla pushed the door open, clearly looking for Kieran.

Her eyes immediately fell on the pair of rings on the table.

"Oh my God, are those the legendary Thompson family signet rings? I heard they're the masterpiece of an 18th-century Italian artisan. The woman who gets to wear one is truly honored..."

Seeing the undisguised longing in her eyes, I didn't wait for Kieran to speak. I simply handed her the woman's ring.

"Since you know so much about its history, you should wear it to the dinner."

"Really? Can I?" Camilla's voice trembled with excitement. "But this symbolizes the Lady of the Thompson family. Is it appropriate for an outsider like me to wear it?"

She said that, but she was already eagerly sliding the ring onto her finger.

I watched her hypocritical performance with a cold, indifferent heart.

"It suits you."

I had already surrendered his heart. What was a ring?

With that, I looked at Kieran. "I have other plans tomorrow, so I won't be attending. Let Camilla accompany you as the Lady of the Thompson family."

Kieran remained silent, his deep eyes fixed on me, as if trying to read my true intentions.

He seemed shocked by my unusual behavior, clearly not expecting me to so easily surrender a symbol of my position as lady of the house.

"Kieran? Kieran!"

"Can I wear the ring and go to the dinner with you tomorrow? Please?"

Camilla's coaxing voice finally brought him back to his senses. He slowly nodded.

"Fine. You'll come with me tomorrow."

The next evening, I had planned to stay in my bedroom.

But the dinner the staff prepared was seafood.

The strong fishy smell made my stomach churn. My morning sickness was more intense than ever.

I barely ate anything and was feeling hungry in the middle of the night.

As I went downstairs to the kitchen, I heard a loud argument.

The sound came from Kieran's private study, a sanctuary no one but him and the Don of the Thompson family was permitted to enter.

I tiptoed down the stairs, following the voices.

The door was ajar, and Camilla's sobbing drifted out.

"Why? Kieran, why do you torture both of us like this?"

I peeked through the crack in the door. Kieran was sitting on the sofa, a bottle of whiskey in hand, clearly having had a lot to drink.

Camilla stood before him, tears streaming down her face like broken pearls.

"If you don't love her, why maintain this marriage? You let me suffer in the shadows, while she never even gets your love!"

Kieran rubbed his temples in agony. "This is my responsibility as heir to the Thompson family. It's not something I can escape. A blood alliance isn't a game, Camilla."

"Responsibility?" Camilla laughed bitterly. "So I'm doomed to be your mistress forever, someone who can never step into the light?"

Kieran was silent, just kept drinking his whiskey.

"Camilla..." After a long pause, Kieran closed his eyes in pain. "You know what you mean to me."

"No, I don't!" She turned to leave. "If you really cared about me, you wouldn't make me watch you share a bed with another woman!"

Heartbroken, Camilla turned to leave.

"I'm tired, Kieran. Maybe we should just end this for good."

Just as Camilla reached the door, Kieran suddenly dropped the bottle and grabbed her from behind, holding her tight.

"Do you want to know how much I've missed you?" his voice trembled. "It's not just a moment. It's every moment. Every second of every day, I'm thinking of you!"

"Every night is torture, imagining what would have happened if I had stopped you from leaving back then..."

Camilla trembled in his arms, her tears flowing even faster. "Then why... why can't you give me a proper title?"

Kieran took her hand and pressed it against his heart.

Through his white shirt, I could see his heartbeat so violently that the fabric trembled.

He gazed into Camilla's eyes and made a solemn promise in a voice only they could hear.

"The day I officially become Don, I will change the family rules."

"Then, this so-called blood pact will no longer exist."

Those words were a dagger straight through my heart.

I clapped a hand over my mouth, stifling a gasp.

Kieran wanted out of this alliance even more than I did.

With a few simple words, he had negated my identity, our marriage, and the alliance itself.

I backed away silently, step by step, and returned to my room.

After closing the door, I opened a box from the back of my closet.

Inside were all the photos of Kieran and me from the past three years, and every gift he had ever given me.

I took them out, one by one, and threw them into the fireplace, lighting them on fire.

The photos curled, yellowed, and turned to ash in the flames.

The necklaces, watches, and brooches that once brought me so much joy were all consumed by the fire.

"Scarlett?"

Kieran's voice came from the doorway. He had obviously noticed the firelight from under the door.

He smelled of whiskey and her perfume.

When he saw the smoldering ashes in the fireplace, his face changed instantly.

"What are you doing?" he asked, his voice sharp with alarm.

I calmly stirred the embers. "Just clearing out some old things."

Kieran walked over and saw that what I had thrown into the fire was a pink photo album. The flames had devoured the pictures, making them almost unrecognizable.

But he still recognized it instantly. It was our wedding album.

From the engagement party to the wedding, from daily life to formal events.

Beneath each photo, I had written little notes.

"He took me to try on wedding dresses today. He looked at me and suddenly smiled. Does that mean I'm a little different to him?"

"Our first formal family gathering. He took my hand on his own."

"Scarlett loves Kieran. So, so much."

All my feelings were recorded in that album, a testament to my love.

He had flipped through it once. I had been shy, but I never tried to hide my love.

And now, I was burning it all.

Kieran lunged forward, the alcohol instantly wearing off. "Why did you burn this?"

I looked up at him and gave a faint, calm smile. "No reason. It was getting moldy, so I burned it."

I watched as the flames died down, leaving only ashes in the fireplace, which I then began to clean up without hurry.

He watched my movements, silent for a long time. I glanced at him. "It's late. Time to rest."

With that, I lay down on my side of the bed, turned off the bedside lamp, and closed my eyes.

In the darkness, I felt him lie down behind me.

He reached for me instinctively, as he always did.

But I shifted away, evading his touch and curling into a ball at the edge of the bed.

Kieran opened his eyes in the dark, staring at his empty arms.

A knot formed in his chest. For the first time, he realized something was quietly changing.

The weekend brought the Thompson family's monthly council meeting.

Early in the morning, Kieran stood at the bedroom door, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Get ready. We're leaving."

I put down my cup. "I'm not feeling well."

"That wasn't a request, Scarlett," his voice was hard. "As a member of the Thompson family, you are obligated to attend."

Half an hour later, I was in the passenger seat as Kieran drove, focused on the road.

I, who was usually so talkative, now leaned against the window in silence.

Ever since I had avoided his embrace that night, he had been watching me thoughtfully, as if trying to decipher something.

"Scarlett," he began suddenly. "Last night you..."

His phone rang, cutting him off.

The moment he answered, Camilla's terrified sobs filled the car.

"Kieran, there are people making trouble outside my apartment. I'm so scared..."

"I'm hiding in the bedroom, I don't dare to come out. They keep banging on the door..."

Kieran's face changed in an instant.

His usually cold, calm eyes were now filled with panic.

"Don't go out. Lock the doors and windows and wait for me. I'm on my way!"

"Kieran," I tried to stop him. "Today's meeting is important..."

"Camilla is in danger," he cut me off coldly. "The old estate is only a few miles from here. I have an emergency to handle. You can walk."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

He knew how important the family meeting was. How could he abandon everything, abandon me, for her?

I gripped the door handle, refusing to get out.

"This is an important meeting. The family Capos will all be there. I don't care what you do on any other day, but today, you need to show some respect."

"If Camilla is being harassed, she should call her bodyguards, not you. I can send some of our soldati to protect her. You don't need to rush off like this, regardless of your feelings for her."

The atmosphere in the car froze. "Are you questioning my decision? We're just friends. There's no 'caring' involved."

"I have to go. You can handle things at the old estate."

With that, he got out of the car and walked around to my side.

"Get out."

In the end, I was forced out of the car.

The black sedan sped off, leaving me alone at a desolate intersection under the scorching sun.

I pulled out my phone and saw there was no signal.

Only two months left. Why couldn't he just endure it for a little while longer?

I gave a self-mocking laugh, imagining how the people at the old estate would humiliate me.

The Thompson family estate occupied an entire mountain, with the old family home situated on the mountainside.

The road was deserted.

The July sun was brutal. My high heels made every step on the uneven gravel road a struggle.

I hadn't even gone a mile before a heel snapped.

I had no choice but to take off my shoes and walk barefoot on the hot, sharp stones.

Every step was like walking on knives, and my feet were soon raw and bleeding.

Sweat mixed with blood, soaking through my dress.

I don't know how long it took, but I finally arrived at the old estate, a complete mess.

I was drenched in sweat, my feet were caked with blood, and my hair was plastered to my face.

All the Capos turned to look at me, their expressions a mix of emotions.

Some were sympathetic, some gloating, but most were disdainful.

Kieran's mother, the current Donna of the Thompson family, walked over and frowned at me.

"Scarlett, what happened to you? Where is Kieran?"

I wrapped myself in the towel a servant handed me and said nothing.

Kieran's mother took a deep breath, trying to control her anger. "Alright, alright, just go clean yourself up. Don't stand here embarrassing the Thompson family."

A servant led me away to tend to my wounds and wash off the blood.

When I returned, Kieran's mother glanced at the main gate, then shot me a look of pure exasperation.

"I don't care what you two do in private, but this is a family meeting. The Capos of every branch are here. By showing up alone, are you trying to announce to everyone that your marriage is a disaster? That you can't even hold on to your husband? "

"Are you trying to humiliate the Thompson family in front of the other Five Families?"

I just lowered my head in silence, listening to the scolding.

I endured the scornful gazes and whispers of the Capos around me.

"The Valerio girl can't even keep her husband on a leash. How amusing."

"I heard that Russo woman is back... she's Kieran's true love..."

"Look at the state of her. I almost feel sorry for her."

This ordeal lasted for over an hour before Kieran finally arrived.

With Camilla.

He was carefully supporting her as she clung to his arm, pressing close.

"Sorry I'm late," Kieran said without a hint of apology, seating Camilla in the chair on his other side.

Everyone's position at a family meeting is determined by bloodline and status. This was a direct slap in the face.

He never once looked at me, nor did he notice my blood-stained feet.

Once the meeting began, Kieran focused on discussing family business with the other Capos.

Camilla, meanwhile, would periodically show a frightened expression, and each time, Kieran would gently pat her hand to comfort her.

I kept my head down, taking notes, a forced smile on my face.

Halfway through the meeting, he noticed Camilla was uncomfortable with the thick cigar smoke in the room.

"Open the window wider. Let Camilla get some air," he instructed a servant.

"Thank you, Kieran," Camilla smiled shyly at him. "The smell of cigars in here is a bit strong."

At her words, he immediately had the ventilation system adjusted.

However, because of my pregnancy, the draft made the rich smell of Cuban cigars even more pungent.

Mixed with the colognes and whiskeys of the various Capos, the scent washed over me in a nauseating wave.

I stopped writing, my stomach churning as acid rose in my throat.

The nausea was overwhelming.

For the first time, I rudely dropped my papers, covered my mouth, and rushed into the hallway, where I began to dry heave.

Tears welled in my eyes, and my face turned red.

I pressed a hand to my chest, leaning against the wall as I retched.

Several Capos saw me through the glass door and began to exchange knowing glances.

"Scarlett looks just like my wife did when she was pregnant. You don't think she's actually expecting, do you?"

"I was thinking the same thing! Being so sensitive to smells..."

Hearing this, Kieran's face turned grim.

His expression turned murderous, and the air around him went cold.

Forgetting Camilla beside him, he turned to me and gripped my wrist tightly.

He gripped my wrist, his voice trembling with disbelief. "Are you pregnant?"