Replacement Bride Left With His Baby (Sophia and Easton) novel Chapter 1

**The Case of the Bleeding Shadows by Emma Blackwood**

**Chapter 1: Pregnant**

“Another round, perhaps?” Easton Foster murmured, his breath warm against Sophia Roth’s ear, his tone teasing yet laced with a challenge that sent a shiver down her spine.

“Get off me…” Sophia replied, wincing as she felt the sharp sting between her thighs. She pushed against his chest, trying to create some distance, but he was like a wall, unyielding and oppressive.

“Isn’t this precisely what you wanted? Using Grandma to pull me back into this farce so I’d play the role of the dutiful husband? Fine, let’s keep this charade going. They’re all out there, listening,” Easton retorted, a sneer curling his lips.

“Easton, you’re such an asshole,” Sophia shot back, her cheeks burning with a mix of rage and humiliation.

“An asshole? You want to talk about fairness? Remember how this marriage came to be? Don’t lecture me,” he spat, his voice dripping with contempt. Before she could muster a retort, he captured her lips with his, the kiss harsh and demanding, leaving no room for her protests.

A rush of heat coursed through Sophia, momentarily clouding her mind. The bitterness of his words faded into the background as she found herself lost in the intensity of the moment, forgetting her resolve to resist.

Easton had loathed their marriage from the very beginning. Just a day after they exchanged vows, he abandoned Jenston, whisking himself off to Menolia for business with the Foster Group. Ten long months passed, and during that time, Sophia became the subject of cruel jokes among Jenston’s elite families.

Everyone knew that to Easton, she was not truly his wife, merely a placeholder in a life he had no intention of sharing. The only reason he returned this time was because his grandmother, Irene, had feigned an illness, pulling him back into the web of familial obligation.

She had once fantasized about their wedding night, imagining it filled with romance and love. Yet, reality had shattered those dreams; Easton’s every action was laced with anger and resentment, and her feelings were of no consequence to him. As she closed her eyes, tears streamed silently down her cheeks, a testament to her heartbreak.

As dawn broke, the remnants of their tumultuous night hung thick in the air. Just as Easton began to rise, his phone buzzed insistently on the bedside table.

He glanced at the caller ID, and his demeanor shifted, a hint of worry creeping into his voice. “Stella, what’s wrong? Don’t cry. I’ll be right there.”

In that moment, Sophia’s heart sank. She knew exactly who he was speaking to. A bitter laugh escaped her lips, dry and humorless. ‘So, Easton can care for someone—just not me,’ she thought, the realization cutting deep.

As he moved to leave, Sophia reached out, desperation clawing at her throat as she grasped his hand. “Easton…” she whispered, her voice trembling with unspoken fear. ‘Please, don’t go,’ she silently pleaded, her heart aching for a connection that felt increasingly out of reach.

He didn’t respond. Once fully dressed, he delivered his parting words like a dagger. “Everyone may call you Mrs. Foster, but to me, you’ll never be worthy.” With that, he slammed the door behind him, leaving her in a suffocating silence.

Watching Easton’s retreating figure disappear from the room, Sophia clutched the sheets with white-knuckled intensity, her heart feeling as though it had been wrung dry and discarded.

She lay there, feeling like a discarded rag, her eyes burning with unshed tears. Yet, she refused to let a single drop fall, determined to maintain her composure.

For as long as she could remember, she had loved Easton, concealing that secret ache deep within her heart for eight long years.

When the Foster Group faced financial turmoil, the Roth family’s alliance through marriage had seemed the perfect solution. For Sophia, it had been the realization of a dream—marrying the man she adored.

On the day she donned her wedding dress, she had gazed into the mirror, happiness shining in her eyes. In that moment, she felt invincible, as if the world was hers to conquer. “Easton, I’m really marrying you,” she whispered, her voice filled with hope.

But soon, the harsh truth revealed itself: Easton’s heart had always belonged to another—Stella Weston. That was the root of his disdain for Sophia, the reason he resented being shackled to her. On their wedding night, he had already mentally abandoned her.

And now, once again, she was left to watch him walk away, this time for another woman.

‘Easton, have you truly forgotten the promises you once made to me? You swore you’d marry me. Why have you erased those words from your heart?’ The bitterness clutched at her chest, a relentless ache. After that night, she had not seen Easton again.

*****

At Jenston General Hospital, the doctor’s warm smile felt like a beacon of hope. “Ms. Roth, congratulations! You’re pregnant, approximately five weeks along. Make sure to get plenty of rest and return at twelve weeks for a complete check-up and to start your medical records.”

Sophia held the pregnancy test results tightly in her hand, her heart racing with a whirlwind of excitement and dread. ‘Will Easton even care about this baby?’ The thought twisted painfully in her mind.

Once she exited the doctor’s office, she sought refuge in a quiet corner, ready to call Easton and share the news. Just then, two nurses strolled by, their voices carrying snippets of gossip.

Sophia mustered a smile in return. “Yeah. I’m skipping dinner tonight. Just feeling a bit wiped out. I think I’ll head upstairs to rest for a while.”

Grace’s brow furrowed with worry. “Are you sure you’re alright? Your hands feel cold.”

Sophia shook her head, gently patting Grace’s hand. “I’m fine, really. Just don’t mention it to Grandma Irene, okay? I’ll go up now.”

Once she reached the master bedroom, a wave of dizziness and nausea hit her again. She rushed to the bathroom, collapsing beside the toilet as she retched helplessly.

After a moment, she emerged, her phone ringing insistently. It was her best friend, May Young, calling. May’s voice was playful, brimming with mischief. “Sophia, I heard your so-called husband is back in the country.”

Rubbing her temples, Sophia replied wearily, “Yeah, he returned about a month ago.”

“Quick, check your phone. I sent you some news. You need to be in the loop!” May urged.

Sophia felt a flicker of curiosity mixed with trepidation. After hanging up, she flopped onto the bed and opened the message May had sent.

The headlines blared at her, glaringly bright against the darkness of her thoughts: [Late-Night Meeting of Easton, Foster Group’s CEO, with Finance News Anchor Stella], [Easton and Stella Spotted Heading Back to Their Shared Apartment], [Easton and Stella’s Three-Month Getaway in Menolia].

Beneath each headline were photographs of Easton and Stella together, smiling, enjoying each other’s company, even snapshots from their trip to Menolia. Sophia had never seen Easton look so gentle before; he was smiling—a side of him she had never witnessed.

She zoomed in on each image, staring at them repeatedly as a sharp, unspeakable pain surged in her chest. The realization hit her hard: throughout the entire month he had been back, he had chosen to share his life with Stella.

With trembling hands, Sophia locked her phone, a solitary tear escaping down her cheek, landing softly on the screen. She sat in silence for what felt like an eternity, her thoughts swirling in a chaotic tempest.

‘If this is how things are, perhaps I should just let you two be together and finally give myself a break,’ she told herself, the weight of her heartache pressing down mercilessly.