Pregnant by my husband mysterious brother

Chapter One: Elena Whitmore's POV My name is Elena Whitmore. One year ago, I married Tristan Ashford—the youngest heir of the wealthiest family in Noble Heart City. Every noblewoman dreamed of becoming Mrs. Ashford. They admired him from afar, hoping for nothing more than a single glance from the man whose name alone could shake the business world. Newspapers called him the city's most eligible bachelor. Women chased after him, while powerful families competed fiercely for a chance to become his in-laws. Yet somehow... I was the one who became his wife. The day our marriage was announced, every headline celebrated it as the wedding of the century. My father's struggling company, Chandler Technologies, rose from the brink of collapse almost overnight. With the Ashford family's investment and influence, our business expanded rapidly, becoming the second-largest technology corporation in the country. People envied me. They called me the luckiest woman alive. Some even claimed I had saved my family with a single marriage. Whenever I attended charity events or business banquets, I could feel countless jealous eyes following me. Women whispered behind my back, wondering what I had done to win Tristan Ashford's heart. If only they knew the truth. Only I knew how empty my marriage really was. For the past year, Tristan had never touched me. Not once. We lived beneath the same roof. We shared the same dining table. We greeted each other with polite smiles whenever our paths crossed. But that was all. There were no late-night conversations. No warm embraces. No kisses. No love. We were nothing more than strangers forced together by an arranged marriage. Sometimes I wondered if he even remembered he had a wife. Most women would have get a divorce but I didn't. Maybe they would have walked away long ago. But I couldn't. Because I had loved Tristan long before he ever knew my name. No... We had never spoken before our engagement. The first time I saw him was two years ago at a charity gala my stepmother insisted I attend. The ballroom glittered beneath crystal chandeliers. Wealthy businessmen laughed over glasses of champagne while elegant women floated across the marble floor in expensive gowns. Then he walked in. The entire room seemed to pause. He wore a perfectly tailored black suit that emphasized his broad shoulders. His neatly combed dark hair framed a handsome face that looked almost unreal. Sharp brown eyes scanned the crowd with calm confidence, carrying an aura of authority that made everyone instinctively move aside. Even from across the ballroom... He stole my breath away. I couldn't explain it. maybe I fall fall him in the first place. Perhaps it was because, for the first time, I saw someone who looked completely untouchable. From that night onward, his face never left my thoughts. I secretly followed every news article about him. Every interview. Every business achievement. Every photograph. Without realizing it... I had fallen hopelessly in love with a man who didn't even know I existed. So when my father suddenly announced my engagement to Tristan months later, I thought fate had finally smiled upon me. I still remembered the excitement that filled my heart. I believed marrying him would free me from the prison I had called home. Ever since my mother passed away, my father had changed. The warmth in his eyes disappeared. After marrying my stepmother, I became nothing more than a bargaining chip. Every decision in my life was made for me. What I wore. Where I went. Who I spoke to. Even my smile belonged to them. So when I learned I was marrying Tristan Ashford, I believed I had finally escaped. I thought I was walking toward happiness. Instead... I stepped into another prison. One with golden walls. Today was our first wedding anniversary. For twelve long months, I had accepted Tristan's coldness without complaint. I told myself he simply needed time. That one day he would notice me. That eventually... He would love me. But tonight, I decided I wouldn't wait anymore. I wanted to fight for my marriage. I bought a short black dress that hugged every curve of my body. It was elegant without being vulgar. Beautiful without trying too hard. The saleswoman couldn't stop complimenting me, insisting no man could resist a woman who looked like this. For the first time in months... I allowed myself to believe her. He's my husband, I reminded myself. Maybe tonight... He'll finally see me as his wife. After carefully curling my hair and applying soft makeup, I stood before the mirror. For several long seconds... I simply stared. The woman looking back at me was breathtaking. Long dark hair cascaded over my shoulders. My clear eyes sparkled with hope. A faint smile curved across my lips. She looked confident. She looked beautiful. She looked like a woman deeply in love. I only wished the man she loved would look at her the same way. As I walked downstairs, even the elderly butler paused in surprise. His wrinkled face softened into a gentle smile. "Mrs. Ashford... you look absolutely stunning tonight." A faint blush warmed my cheeks. "Thank you." I glanced toward the dining room. "Please prepare dinner." The butler nodded. "Of course, ma'am." "And..." I forced a hopeful smile. "Please light the candles." "I'll be waiting for Tristan." Within minutes, the dining room transformed into something out of a fairy tale. Soft candlelight danced across the polished table. Fresh roses filled crystal vases. The aroma of Tristan's favorite dishes drifted through the air. Everything looked perfect. Everything... Except the empty chair across from mine. Outside, darkness slowly swallowed the evening sky. Eight o'clock. Then nine. The candles burned lower. The food gradually turned cold. The silence inside the enormous mansion became unbearable. The Ashford Mansion was the grandest estate in Noble Heart City. Magnificent marble staircases. Towering crystal chandeliers. Priceless paintings imported from Europe. Gardens so vast they resembled a royal palace. Every corner reflected unimaginable wealth. Yet despite all its luxury... It had never once felt like home. Without realizing it, I rested my head against the table. The next thing I knew, someone was gently shaking my shoulder. "Mrs. Ashford..." I slowly opened my eyes. The butler looked at me with sympathy. "It's already ten o'clock." My heart sank. I looked toward the entrance one last time. Still empty. "Has... Mr. Ashford returned?" The butler lowered his gaze. "No, ma'am." I forced a smile despite the pain tightening my chest. "It's alright." But it wasn't. Desperately, I dialed Tristan's secretary. She answered almost immediately. "Mr. Ashford left the office several hours ago." Several hours ago? My grip on the phone tightened. Then where was he? Today... Of all days... Today was our anniversary. The tears I had desperately held back finally escaped. One by one, they rolled silently down my cheeks. It felt as though someone had reached into my chest and crushed my heart with their bare hands. Had I really been foolish enough to believe today would be different? Just then— Buzz. My phone vibrated. An unknown number. With trembling fingers, I opened the message. Room 203. Paradise Hotel. Second Floor. Attached beneath the text was a single photograph. My breathing stopped. My fingers turned ice cold. The man in the picture... Was my husband. His arms were wrapped possessively around another woman. Their faces were only inches apart. The smile he had never once given me... He was giving to her. And the woman in his embrace... Wasn't me.