Chapter 1 She Married Her Fiancé's Uncle
"Ugh... so hot, so painful..."
Margot Rosewood woke with a jolt, her body aching with every movement. Bruises marred her skin, bite marks dotted her shoulder, and a dull pain throbbed in her lower abdomen.
She winced slightly and turned her gaze to the side. A perfect, handsome face greeted her.
'Wait... Cassian Vale?' Her fiancé Lucas Vale's uncle?
How had they ended up in bed together?
They were both completely n***d, and Cassian's hand was resting possessively on her waist.
Margot snapped awake. What was going on? Was she still alive?
Yesterday had been her birthday, spent on a luxurious cruise. Then a sudden disaster—a collision with an iceberg—had knocked her unconscious.
She had thought she was dead, but here she was, in bed with Cassian. And the situation was anything but subtle. Last night had clearly been... intense.
"Shit..." Margot's instincts kicked in, and she tried to pull away.
She remembered Cassian as cold, distant, and commanding—someone who radiated authority.
He was Lucas' uncle, young, but still his uncle, and she'd always felt uneasy around him.
But now, here she was, in his bed.
She couldn't help but sneak a glance at his well-defined chest. Wow. Who would've thought this stoic man had such a wild side?
Just then, Cassian's eyes snapped open, locking with hers.
His gaze was sharp, cold, and assessing.
Margot froze. She instinctively muttered, "Mr. Vale..."
Cassian didn't respond. Instead, he looked around the room, as if sensing something was off. He grabbed his phone and began scrolling.
Three minutes later, he spoke, his voice calm but firm, "Check your phone."
Margot reached for what appeared to be her phone, lying at the edge of the bed.
She unlocked it with her fingerprint, and the home screen appeared. Her heart skipped a beat.
She almost screamed.
The date on the phone clearly read 2032—Seven years into the future.
But that wasn't the most shocking part. The wallpaper was a photo of three people: herself, Cassian, and a boy who looked about six or seven years old.
The boy was strikingly handsome, and it was clear he was their child.
But how was that possible?
She was supposed to be engaged to Lucas, Cassian's nephew!
They had grown up together, and their relationship was always strong.
Margot couldn't make sense of it. How had she married Cassian and had a child with him? What had happened?
Cassian observed her closely, his eyes never leaving her face.
It was then that he realized it too. He had somehow traveled seven years into the future and found himself married to his nephew's fiancée.
They had a son—Toby Vale, six years old.
Cassian couldn't believe it. He had never thought he'd end up in this situation, stealing his nephew's girl. But his phone was full of photos of him, Margot, and Toby.
He never imagined himself looking at his wife with such tenderness. A moment ago, he had been on a plane, heading abroad. The next moment, he was here, in the future. It was all too surreal.
In the heavy silence, Cassian finally broke it.
"You saw it too," he said, his tone flat. "It's seven years later."
Margot paused. She didn't know what to say, so she simply muttered, "Oh... so you're from seven years ago too..."
She quickly checked her contacts, but Lucas' name wasn't there.
Not even a single photo of him appeared in her gallery. It was as if he had never been part of her life.
Before she could ask more, the bedroom door slammed open.
A small figure came barreling in, crashing straight into Margot's chest, almost knocking the breath out of her.
"Mommy!" the little one cried.
He threw his arms around her neck, rubbing his cheek against hers. "I don't want to go to kindergarten! I want to stay with you!"
The word "Mommy" hit Margot like a freight train.
As she looked at the child, a sudden realization hit her:
Had she gotten pregnant after a one-night affair with Cassian seven years ago, and married him out of necessity?
The boy, Toby, was tiny—barely up to Cassian's knee—but he had surprising strength. He almost squeezed the air out of Margot as he clung to her.
Luckily, Cassian reached over and gently lifted Toby away.
"Toby, stop it," he said in a calm but firm voice.
Cassian wasn't used to dealing with kids, especially his own.
He tried to soften his tone, but Toby, still holding on to him, grumbled, "Daddy, you're so mean to me!"
Cassian sighed, exasperated.
Toby shot an accusing look at his father, and then, with a mischievous glint in his eyes, added, "You're just mad because you're frustrated, right? You're all upset because you haven't been getting enough from Mommy, and now you're taking it out on me! What kind of daddy are you?"
