Prologue

2 Years Ago - Meera

"Ace...please...I had nothing to do with your father's death..." I whimper, protectively placing my hand over my abdomen.

His grip tightens around my throat as my eyes water when I look into his eyes reddened by the effect of the alcohol that he has consumed.

All I can see is my death looming over my head as I try my best to be able to breathe through my nose even if he is trying his best to block my airways.

"Well, all evidence seems to state otherwise, bitch! You were the one leaking all information about us back to your father. And here I was...thinking that we had something..." his words slur but his actions are completely focused on me. Completely focused on killing me.

I can feel it...I am not going to make it...

I shake my head, "someone is trying to...frame me..." my words start falling weaker than before and I can feel my head spinning as my senses start to leave my body.

"No! You're the one who did everything! You made sure that I was distracted by you and your father worked in the shadows to destroy my empire!" His grip tightens to a point where I cannot see anything beyond the thick sheath of tears that have gathered in my eyes.

My hand on my abdomen curls as I pray to any god that is listening...

Please...please don't let me die...please don't let my baby die.

"Ace...please...I love you!" I scream with all my might, hoping, praying that the man inside this monster will hear me and have some mercy on me.

A maniacal laugh escapes his lips as he loosens his grip for just a mere second but not long enough for me to be able to escape. More tears spring freely from my eyes as I look at him trying to find a single glimpse of the man that I fell in love with.

He is nowhere to be found.

"Meera...I am going to fucking end you!" He growls, now using both hands to choke me as I watch him trying his best to deliver my death to me.

"ACE!"

Someone shouts from around me but my vision is becoming unclear and I don't know how much longer can I hold onto my consciousness.

"ACE LEAVE HER! SHE'LL DIE AND YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO INHERIT ALL HER MONEY!"

The familiar female voice sends a pang of envy through my heart as I open my eyes slightly and see the raven haired wench who calls herself the real mistress of this house.

Ace's grip is suddenly snatched away from my throat and I am falling backwards on the ground as my elbows hit the hardwood floor and a whimper of protest escapes my lips as I blink away the heavy tears of my eyes.

"Go away Serena!" Ace glowers as I watch him being held back in the arms of the woman he apparently loves.

Serena looks at Ace with a frown, "you are not thinking with your bloody head, Ace!" She snaps at him as she turns my husband forcibly to make him look at her, "she's the only heir that Geordino Florence has! She is going to inherit everything after his death and you literally have the key to unlocking his entire wealth. Geordino forgot that as long as you're married to his daughter, he can be blackmailed into literally anything."

Fear strikes my heart as my father's face appears behind my eyes and more tears fall from them as I wonder how much more trouble I am going to cause for everyone that I care about.

Ace seems to think over her words before his anger overtakes him and his deadly green eyes turn towards her as he takes her jaw in his grip, "you seem to have forgotten that my father was killed today! By her father! Do you think I care about anything other than using her death as a means to send a message to the Florences?" He growls.

My back is against the dresser of our closet as I look around to find anything to defend myself with. There are clothes and jewellery strewn all over the floor of the closet that I share with Ace and right now, all I can see is the broken evidence of the beautiful marriage I once had with him.

We have spend 2 happy years together and even though our marriage was arranged by our parents, I really thought that Ace loved me.

But...now I have realised that I was wrong.

He never loved me.

But now...the life of my child is also at risk because of the madness festering inside this man.

And the worst part of it all is, that I am afraid that if I tell him about the pregnancy then he will have another reason to either kill me or use me as leverage against my father.

I'm stuck.

~~~~~~~~~~