chapter 1

My name was Elowen Wolfe. My husband, Jasper Wolfe, had a longtime crush who couldn't have kids. He stole my just-one-month-old daughter, Elara Wolfe, and gave her to that woman.

No matter how hard I pressed him, Jasper kept his lips sealed about where he'd sent her.

The pain of losing my daughter gnawed at me for so long that I finally cracked under the pressure and turned on the gas valve at home.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the very beginning of this nightmare.

Jasper was sitting by the bed, head down, trying to console me. And the crib beside me was empty.

"Elowen, we're still young. There'll be plenty of chances in the future. Besides, it's just a girl. She's gone, but next time, we'll have a son. That way, we can carry on the Wolfe family line," Jasper said, looking at me eagerly by the bedside, spouting the same old lines I'd heard a thousand times.

I just couldn't hold back and slapped him across the face.

Jasper was the only child in his family. I knew how desperate they were for a son.

When I gave birth to Elara, all of the Wolfe relatives were waiting outside the delivery room. But less than an hour after I gave birth, they all left.

Even Jasper's mom made up an excuse to leave the next day, all because I'd given birth to a girl.

"Jasper, don't you get it? I can't live without Elara," I said, reaching out to touch his face, my voice choking.

"I know. After all, you carried her for 39 weeks. You're attached, and so am I. But you know Wren's situation. She can never have a child again. You saw how much she loves Elara. She'll treat her like her own. You can rest easy," he said.

I forced a smile. He just didn't get it.

There was no way I could go on without her.

But it seemed God thought I hadn't endured enough. He sent me back to this very moment.

Jasper had drugged me for three days. In those three days, Wren Fletcher had ample time to take Elara and vanish to a place I'd never be able to track down.

In my past life, I'd said all I could. There was nothing left to discuss between Jasper and me.

I shot him a cold look, pushed past him, and got out of bed.

My mom passed away when I was young. When I was eight, my dad remarried. I'd spent half my life feeling like an outsider. How could I trust anyone to look after Elara for me?

No one could take my place.

Jasper was head-over-heels for Wren. In my past life, I'd tried everything, even threatened to end my own life, but he still kept Elara's whereabouts a secret. What could I do this time?

Maybe my cold demeanor worried him. Jasper trailed after me like a lost puppy.

I ignored him and started making something to eat. I hadn't eaten in three days, and my stomach was killing me.

I grabbed a pack of instant pasta, boiled some water, and cracked an egg from the fridge.

"Elowen, you're still weak. Let me handle it," he said, trying to snatch the fork from my hand, but I dodged him.

"Elowen, I know you're mad at me. Just let it out. Hit me, yell at me, but don't be like this," Jasper pleaded.

I gave him a strange look. In my past life, when I'd gone berserk, smashing furniture, he'd called me a nutcase.

Now that I was calm, he was still on edge.

"Elowen, I really know I messed up. I promise I'll do whatever you say from now on. Let's just act like we never had a kid. You should take good care of yourself. Next year, we'll have a big, healthy boy. Mom and Dad will be over the moon," he said.

I couldn't care less. All I wanted was my Elara.

I gobbled up the pasta, washed the plate, and headed back to the bedroom. As I looked at all the baby stuff in the room, my eyes started to sting.

Jasper kept going on and on, apologizing, but he still wouldn't breathe a word about where Elara was.