Stolen Heir, The CEO's Dark Scheme

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Caleb and I were a match made in corporate heaven, a strategic merger of two empires. For three years, he played the part of the devoted husband perfectly, catering to my every whim.

After years of trying, I finally saw those two pink lines on the stick. I was ecstatic, rushing to his office to share the news that would change our lives.

But the door wasn't fully closed. I walked in on him and his secretary, Maya, in the middle of a heated affair right on his mahogany desk.

My heart shattered as I heard his ragged voice whisper to her. He told her he had already hired a specialist to gaslight me once the baby was born.

He planned to make me believe I had delivered a stillborn. Meanwhile, he would hand our child over to Maya to raise as her own.

Maya whimpered with joy, her face flushed with triumph. Caleb's excitement only grew as he promised to finish siphoning off my family's assets.

He told her he would faked his own death once the money was safe. Then, the three of them would live happily ever after in some tropical paradise.

The betrayal hit me like a physical blow. I stood there, frozen, as my world turned to ash.

If that was his plan, then I would take control. I would terminate this pregnancy on my own terms and walk away before he could take another thing from me.

1.

I quietly pulled the office door shut and retreated from the executive floor. My hands were shaking, but my mind was suddenly sharp.

I timed my exit perfectly. Caleb was a creature of habit, and for three years, he had never missed a lunch date with me to maintain his image.

I walked into the upscale bistro across from the Sterling Group headquarters and took a seat. A moment later, my phone buzzed.

"Sienna, where are you? I was just about to come find you for lunch," Caleb said, his voice dripping with faux concern.

I swallowed the urge to scream and kept my voice steady. "I'm just feeling a bit lazy today. I'm at the place across the street."

He arrived within minutes, slightly out of breath. I pushed a glass of iced tea toward him, but he didn't take it.

Instead, he grabbed my hand, his eyes searching mine. "Sienna, what did I tell you about eating out? We're trying for a baby."

He looked like the picture of a worried husband. "The food here isn't as clean as what we make at home. What if there are hormones or additives that hurt our chances?"

In the past, this possessiveness felt like love. Now, it felt like a cage.

I pulled my hand away and gave him a cold look. "I'm done being a housewife. From now on, I'm eating whatever I want."

Caleb's expression darkened. "Sienna, don't be difficult. I'm only doing this for you."

I didn't argue. I simply placed my designer bag on the table and stood up. "I need to use the restroom."

I knew exactly what he would do. Caleb was paranoid because he was a liar; he would definitely dig through my things to see if I was hiding something.

When I came back, he was beaming. He was holding the lab results I'd intentionally left in the side pocket of my bag.

He rushed over and touched my belly with a look of pure greed in his eyes. "Sienna! Why didn't you tell me? I'm going to be a father!"

He was vibrating with excitement, but I knew it wasn't for me. "Wait right here. I'm calling that nutritionist I told you about. You need the best care starting now."

2.

I watched him with a detached coldness. I had let him find out on purpose because I knew his little secret.

Maya Vance wasn't just his secretary; she was his college sweetheart. And more importantly, she was infertile.

Caleb was desperate for an heir, and he wanted to use my body as a vessel before running off with his goddess. Well, he was in for a surprise.

I wanted him to watch his dreams crumble. I wanted him to see how his precious goddess would be the one to ultimately destroy his legacy.

He took the afternoon off and drove me back to our estate. He spent an hour acting like a madman, checking the house for anything that might be "unsafe."

While he was busy ordering the maids to throw out my favorite scented candles, Maya walked through the front door.

She didn't knock. She just punched in the security code and strolled in like she owned the place.

The staff didn't even blink. They greeted her like she was the lady of the house.

I looked at Caleb, my voice laced with ice. "Since when does your secretary have the keys to our home?"

Caleb froze, refusing to meet my eyes. He started to stammer an excuse, but Maya beat him to it.

"Mrs. Sterling, I asked for the code," she said, her voice sweet and manipulative. "Caleb is so forgetful with his files, I often have to drop them off after hours."

She looked at me with a fake pout. "If it bothers you, I won't come by anymore."

I shrugged, playing along. "So, what brings you here today, Maya?"

She pulled a laptop and a stack of folders from her bag, moving with a practiced grace. Since lunch was already served, I invited her to join us.

The "nutritionist" Caleb had hired arrived soon after. I already knew he was the hypnotist Caleb mentioned in the office.

I had my own investigators dig into his background the moment I heard that conversation. He wasn't a doctor; he was a shark.

I sat at the head of the table and pointed to the two seats together. "Maya is our guest, Caleb. Why don't you sit by her and make her feel welcome?"

Throughout the meal, Caleb was the image of a perfect husband, serving me soup and cutting my steak.

But under the table, I could see the movement. Maya's black stiletto was pressed firmly against his crotch.

Caleb's eyes were glazed with a mix of discomfort and lust, but he didn't pull away. He was terrified of losing the baby I was carrying.

The sight of them disgusted me. I put down my fork and stood up. "I'm tired. I'm going to take a nap."

To give them some "privacy," I told the staff they could take the rest of the day off. "The master will be home to look after me," I said.

I saw Caleb's breathing hitch as the maids filed out. I walked upstairs slowly, savoring the silence.

A few minutes later, I heard their footsteps heading toward the study. They didn't even wait for me to fall asleep.

I leaned against my bedroom door, listening to the muffled sounds of their betrayal. The moans and the laughter made my stomach churn.

I ran to the bathroom and got sick, my eyes stinging with tears I refused to let fall.

I thought about our years together. Every touch, every "I love you" had been a calculated lie.

I had been a fool, but I wasn't going to be a victim anymore.

3.

I lay in bed, but sleep was a ghost. I touched my belly, thinking of the child I had wanted for so long, the child I couldn't bring into this world of lies.

The afternoon sun was bright, and the cicadas were buzzing outside. It was a beautiful day for a tragedy.

Just as I was drifting off, the door creaked open. I expected Caleb, but a soft, mocking laugh filled the room.

"Sienna, stop pretending. I know you're awake," Maya said, her voice sharp.

I opened my eyes to see her sitting at my vanity. She was wearing one of my silk robes, her skin flushed from her session with my husband.

I sat up and looked toward the door. "Caleb went out to get groceries," she said, admiring herself in my mirror. "I made sure of it."

I smiled thinly. "You certainly know our schedule, don't you?"

She smirked. "I saw you at the office today. How did it feel? Watching the man you love worship another woman?"

I felt a pang in my chest, but I didn't let it show. "Are you sure you're the last one he'll do that to, Maya?"

She leaned back, looking triumphant. "I'm positive. He loves me so much he'd die for me. Did you know about the tattoo on his thigh?"

She laughed when she saw my expression. "That's my mark. He only married you because his family threatened to cut him off from the company."

"He only touches you when you're ovulating, right? And it's over in twenty minutes?" she taunted. "He just spent two hours screaming my name."

Every word was a knife to my heart. I stared at her, seeing the malice behind her pretty face.

She stood up and walked to the bed, patting my stomach through the duvet. "Take care of that baby, Sienna. Caleb might actually like you for a few minutes if you deliver his heir."

"Otherwise," she whispered, "he might just find the baby a new mother."

My blood ran cold. I shoved her away with a burst of strength. She stumbled back, but when she saw Caleb entering the room, she threw herself to the floor.

"Sienna, I was just trying to help!" she sobbed, tears appearing instantly. "I just wanted you to get some exercise for the baby's sake! Why would you push me?"

Caleb dropped the bags and rushed to her side, gathering her in his arms. He looked at me with pure rage.

"Sienna! You're going to be a mother! Have some damn compassion!" he roared. "Is this how your family raised you? To be a bully?"

I didn't say a word. I just got up and went to the yoga room. I needed to keep my strength up for what was coming.

At dinner, Caleb brought me a bowl of soup, trying to play the good guy again. "Sienna, don't be mad. I made this myself."

He tried to pull me into his lap, rubbing my stomach. "Tell Mommy not to be mad at Daddy anymore, little one."

His touch made my skin crawl. I pushed him away. "I'm not mad."

But when I saw Maya sitting at the table, wearing that smug grin, my appetite vanished. She pushed a bowl of broth toward me.

"You're so thin, Mrs. Sterling. Drink up. Caleb spent all afternoon on this."

She rested her hand on Caleb's shoulder, her eyes challenging me. I picked up the bowl and dumped it directly into the trash can.

I walked upstairs, leaving Caleb shouting behind me.

4.

Caleb stayed home for the next few days, playing the doting father-to-be. Maya stayed too, using "work" as an excuse.

Every night, after he thought I was asleep, he'd sneak into the guest room. The sounds of their passion echoed through the halls.

I couldn't take it anymore. I needed to move my plan forward.

I had been waiting for Maya to strike, but she was being too careful. I had to force her hand.

My investigator finally sent me the file I needed. This morning, I sent Caleb to the store for fresh oranges, claiming a craving.

Maya stood in the doorway of the study, watching me. "You're so demanding, Sienna. No wonder Caleb..."

She didn't finish the sentence, just gave me a nasty look. I leaned against the railing of the second floor.

"Caleb has a thing for purity, doesn't he, Maya?" I asked, looking at my phone.

She sneered. "What are you talking about?"

I turned the screen toward her. "I wonder what he'd think if he knew you auctioned off your virginity in college to pay for those designer bags."

"And all those trips to the clinic to 'restore' your innocence... the receipts are right here."

Her face went pale, then bright red with fury. "You bitch! Give me that phone!"

She lunged for me. I heard the front door open downstairs. As Maya grabbed for the phone, I threw myself backward down the stairs.

"Sienna!" Caleb's voice echoed through the foyer.

I hit the floor hard, clutching my stomach. "The baby... Caleb, the baby..."

I felt the warm rush of blood and knew the pregnancy was over. I felt a strange sense of relief, even as the tears blurred my vision.

"It wasn't me! She tripped!" Maya screamed, looking down from the landing.

Caleb didn't listen. He cursed at herDthe first time he'd ever used that tone with his goddess.

He scooped me up, his hands trembling. "Hang on, Sienna! You're going to be fine!"

I was rushed into emergency surgery. An hour later, the doctor told Caleb the news. We had lost the child.

As they wheeled my bed past him, Maya was still trying to explain herself. Caleb just sat there with his head in his hands.

He didn't even look at me. Now that the heir was gone, I was useless to him.

I stayed in the hospital for a few days. Caleb never visited. Maya sent me hateful texts every hour.

But I was done. Once I was discharged, I compiled everything. The videos of them in the study, the records of Maya's past, and the proof of Caleb's financial fraud.

I sent the entire folder to Caleb, our parents, and every board member of the Sterling Group.

I left a signed set of divorce papers on the kitchen island and boarded a flight to New Zealand.

As the plane climbed above the clouds, the weight on my chest finally lifted. I was free.