THE REMORSEFUL BILLIONAIRE

Thea Dawson had just learned she was pregnant.

Leaving the hospital, she could barely contain her excitement as she clutched the test results and hurried to call her husband, Jerred Willis.

"Jerred..." Her voice trembled, her palms damp against the paper in her hand. "I... I need to tell you something."

On the other end of the line, Jerred's response carried an unexpected chill. "Interesting. I have something to say to you, too. Make sure you're back home by seven."

Before Thea could reply, the line went dead, leaving her with the flat tone buzzing in her ear.

A tightness spread through her chest.

Something about Jerred's voice was amiss—it was far colder than usual.

She drew in a steadying breath and patted her cheeks, forcing a small smile. She urged herself not to think too much about it.

Jerred was the CEO of Braptin's largest multinational company; the weight of constant pressure was bound to make him feel frustrated sometimes. His cold tone didn't necessarily mean he was upset with her.

When the clock struck seven, Thea was already seated at the perfectly set dining table, her eyes flicking to her watch as each minute dragged.

Wanting to ease what she imagined might have been a grueling day for Jerred, she had carefully prepared all of his favorite dishes.

Yet, to her surprise, the man who prided himself on punctuality was late today.

An hour later, at last, the front door of the house opened.

Jerred stepped inside, his presence immediately filling the space with authority. The evening chill clung to his coat as he shrugged it off and passed it to the waiting maid.

Thea stood quickly, her smile soft and welcoming. "What kept you so late?"

"Got held up with something," he answered curtly.

With a folder in hand, he moved toward the table, his stride composed. He then lowered himself into a chair, legs crossing with casual elegance. "You said you wanted a word with me?"

His unreadable eyes lingered on Thea, cold and probing, while the untouched food sat between them. His voice was cold as he said, "Go ahead; say it."

His icy demeanor made her fingers curl against her lap, and the news of her pregnancy stuck in her throat.

Her lips twitched into a forced smile. "You also said you wanted to tell me something. Why don't you start first?"

For a long beat, he didn't answer. His stare remained locked on her, steady and suffocating. Then, in a voice slow and deliberate, he said, "Jaylynn's back."

Thea felt those words crash over her like an icy tide, leaving her stunned.

The Jaylynn he mentioned was none other than her cousin, Jaylynn Dawson.

Jaylynn had grown up alongside Jerred, their deep bond forged from childhood.

A year ago, Jaylynn had been the one destined to become Jerred's bride.

But for reasons unknown, Jaylynn had vanished the night before the wedding.

To shield both families from scandal, the Dawson family had dragged Thea out of her quiet countryside life and thrust her into Jerred's arms instead.

Thea had always known Jerred's heart belonged elsewhere. The moment Jaylynn returned, she'd be expected to step aside.