When Forever Was Just a Rebound

When Ethan Thamson was broke and struggling, his first love left him for a richer man who could give her the designer lifestyle she wanted. He spiraled until I found him unconscious on the side of the road and took him in. On my 18th birthday, our friendship became something more, and before long, we were inseparable. For the next eight years, I stayed by Ethan's side as he fought his way from a nobody on the streets to one of the most powerful men in the city. And through it all, Ethan treated me like I was the center of his world. Even after all these years, he still remembers the smallest things, like bringing me a heating pad and a warm drink whenever I have cramps. I never doubt his love—until I'm eight months pregnant and find an almost-empty box of condoms in his car. Ethan laughs it off. "I lent the car to Mason. I'll tell him to clean up after himself next time." After eight years together, I believe him. One month later, Vanessa Coleman, Ethan's first love, shows up at our door. She's pregnant. Vanessa pulls down her collar just enough to reveal the marks scattered across her skin and smiles. "Has Ethan ever wanted you this badly? In the past year alone, we've been together 108 times in hotels, 15 times in his car, and 18 times in the bed you share with him. "You were never the love of his life, Natalie. You were just the woman he used to get over me. "And now that I'm back, he doesn't need you anymore. So why are you still holding on?" Chapter 1 Natalie Montgomery's POV Every word out of Vanessa Coleman's mouth cut a little deeper. She casually rested one hand over the swell of her belly, and the smug satisfaction on her face didn't try to hide itself. "Come on, Natalie. You don't actually think Ethan loves you, do you? Do yourself a favor and accept the truth. Pack your things and get out before you embarrass yourself any further." I stood there, frozen. Eight years of promises. Eight years of whispered "I love you", tangled sheets, and nights when I'd believed there was no one else in the world but us. Now, every last one of those memories felt like a cruel joke. The love I'd treasured more than anything had never truly been mine. I'd simply been holding on to something another woman had thrown away, something she could take back whenever she pleased. Suddenly, the baby inside me kicked hard. A sharp pain tore through my abdomen. I doubled over as cold sweat broke across my forehead. Seeing me doubled over in pain only made Vanessa's smile widen. "Oh, please. That's all it takes to break you? Since we're being honest, Ethan doesn't even want that baby you're carrying. My child is the one who'll inherit everything he has. "And you? You're nothing but a live-in maid he gets to sleep with for free." Heat surged through my veins. That was it. Before I could stop myself, I slapped her across the face. "Are you finished? Then get out of my house!" Vanessa clutched her cheek and stared at me in disbelief. "Did you just hit me? Just wait until Ethan finds out. He'll make you regret this!" A bitter laugh escaped me. I opened my mouth to answer, but a cold voice came from the doorway. "Natalie, you've gone too far." Ethan's tall frame filled the doorway. He crossed the room in a few quick strides and immediately pulled Vanessa into his arms, looking her over with barely concealed panic. "Vanessa, are you okay? Did she hurt you?" Vanessa leaned against his chest as though she could barely stand on her own. She pointed at me, her voice trembling. "Ethan, I only came here because I wanted to explain everything to Natalie, but she…" Ethan turned to me. The eyes that had once looked at me with so much warmth were now colder than I'd ever seen them. "Natalie, I'm the one who betrayed you. If you're angry, take it out on me. But she's pregnant. Going after her and an innocent baby? What were you thinking?" It felt as though an invisible fist had closed around my heart and squeezed until I could barely breathe. Chapter 2 Natalie Montgomery's POV A thousand things I wanted to say crowded my throat, but suddenly, I didn't have the strength to say any of them. Ethan stared at me coldly. "Apologize to Vanessa." It wasn't a request. My eyes burned with unshed tears, but I refused to look away. "And if I refuse?" My defiance only made his expression darken. "Natalie!" His voice sharpened. "I know I'm the one who hurt you. I know you have every right to hate me. But the baby hasn't done anything wrong. "Vanessa has always had health problems. We never thought she'd be able to get pregnant, and now that she finally is, you can't even leave her alone? You're about to become a mother yourself. How can you have so little compassion for another pregnant woman?" Every single word Ethan said struck exactly where it could hurt me most. There had been a time when he'd held me just as tightly. After one of his enemies came after us and I lost our baby, he'd cradled me in his arms while I cried. "Natalie, this happened because of me. I swear, if we ever get another chance to have a child, I'll protect you both with my life." I'd believed him. And now I could only watch as he carefully shielded Vanessa and the baby she was carrying, while never once asking me if I was alright. He didn't show the slightest concern for our unborn child or me. Something inside me finally went cold. A violent cramp suddenly seized my lower abdomen, and a pained gasp escaped me as my legs nearly gave out. I grabbed the back of the couch and barely managed to steady myself. Ethan didn't even look my way. Instead, he murmured soothingly to Vanessa as she whimpered against his chest. Then he swept her into his arms. "Hey, don't be scared. I'm taking you to the hospital right now. We'll make sure you and the baby are okay." Ethan shoved past me and headed for the door. He didn't spare me so much as a glance. All he left behind were six words that cut straight through me. "Natalie, I'm so disappointed in you." Vanessa looked back just before they disappeared through the doorway. The helpless, frightened expression she'd worn for Ethan was gone. In its place was a smug, triumphant smile only meant for me. Another wave of pain tore through my abdomen. This time, my legs gave out completely, and I crumpled to the floor. I felt something warm trickle down the inside of my thigh. Within moments, blood had soaked through the pale fabric of my lounge pants. The cramping grew worse, each wave more painful than the last. With no one else to turn to, I fumbled for my phone and called Ethan with shaking hands. It rang and rang before he finally picked up. "What is it? I'm busy." He sounded impatient. "Ethan…" I struggled to get the words out. "My stomach… It really hurts… Can you please… come back?" There was a brief silence on the other end of the line. "You're pregnant, Natalie. Cramps happen, especially when you're this worked up. If you're really that worried, call a cab and get checked out. I'm not a doctor. What exactly do you expect me to do?" Before I could answer, he hung up. The call ended, and I stared at the screen as the room seemed to tilt around me. Suddenly, I found myself remembering all those nights when Ethan had held me close. He would gently trace his fingers over the scars on my skin before pressing a kiss to each one. "Natalie." He'd bury his face against me and hold me a little tighter. "I swear I'll spend the rest of my life making you happy. There'll never be anyone else for me. Just you." I could still hear those promises as clearly as if he'd made them only yesterday. But the man who'd made them was gone. His heart belonged to someone else now. Another vicious cramp tore through my abdomen, and I felt another warm trickle of blood run down my thigh. In the end, I called an ambulance myself. Now I lay alone in a hospital bed, each contraction hitting harder than the last. A nurse hurried to my bedside. "Where's your husband? You're showing signs of preterm labor, and we need someone to sign the consent forms." Fighting through the crushing pain in my abdomen, I gathered what little strength I had left and called Ethan one more time. But it wasn't Ethan who answered. It was his assistant, Mason Stark. He said awkwardly, "Mrs. Thamson, Ethan asked me to let you know that Ms. Coleman isn't doing well. He's staying at the hospital with her tonight. He also asked that you stop calling him." Chapter 3 Natalie Montgomery's POV I clutched the phone as another contraction hit, leaving me struggling to catch my breath. "Tell Ethan… Tell him I'm in labor." I gasped over the phone. Mason went silent. A moment later, I heard him lower his voice and speak to someone nearby. Then Ethan came on the line. "Natalie, what are you trying to pull now? You're not even due until next month. If you think pretending to be in labor is going to make me come running back to you, forget it. Vanessa's condition is unstable right now. I don't have time for another one of your stunts." So that was who I'd become in his eyes—a jealous, desperate woman who would do anything for his attention. Apparently, he thought I was even capable of using our own baby's life to manipulate him. The realization shattered what little strength I had left. Grief and despair crashed over me all at once, and my vision went dark. I knew nothing at all. I had no idea how long I'd been unconscious when the sound of a baby's cries finally pulled me awake. A nurse approached my bed with a tiny bundle in her arms and gently placed her beside me. "Congratulations. You have a beautiful baby girl." I stared down at the tiny, wrinkled little face, and tears filled my eyes. My daughter. She was here. For one foolish moment, I wanted to tell Ethan that, whatever had happened between us, she was still his daughter too. I reached for my phone. The moment I unlocked the screen, a breaking-news notification appeared. The headline read, "Billionaire Ethan Thamson Spotted at Hospital Late at Night with First Love. Expectant Couple Looks Happier Than Ever." The photo beneath it showed Ethan carefully supporting Vanessa as they walked through the hospital. His head was tilted toward her, his expression filled with a tenderness I'd spent eight years believing belonged to me. I already knew he'd betrayed me and that he'd chosen her. But seeing it with my own eyes still broke something inside me. Tears spilled silently down my cheeks as my fingers twisted into the bedsheet. After a long moment, I tossed the phone aside. Three days later, after making sure that Vanessa was settled, Ethan finally showed up at my hospital room. He looked thinner than the last time I'd seen him, with faint shadows beneath his eyes. By then, he'd learned that I'd gone through labor and delivered our daughter without him. He walked to my bedside and held out a check, exhaustion and guilt written across his face. "Natalie, I'm sorry. I should've been here when you and our daughter needed me most. And I never should've said those things to you." I said nothing. Ethan reached for my hand, but I didn't move to meet him. "Natalie, please don't be mad at me. I know I screwed up. But I swear, I never meant for any of this to happen. "Six months ago, I got drunk. I ran into Vanessa outside a bar, and some guy was giving her trouble… And one thing led to another. But it only happened once. Just once. I never imagined she would end up pregnant. "Please believe me, Natalie. You're the one I love. You always have been." He spoke as though his words could somehow fix everything. "Once Vanessa has the baby, I'll give her enough money to start over somewhere else. Then I'll cut her out of my life for good. "And after that, it'll be the three of us—you, me, and our baby girl. We can put all of this behind us and be a family again." As if he'd only just remembered something, Ethan's gaze drifted past me toward the bassinet. "Our daughter… How is she?" He took a couple of steps forward, something almost hopeful flickering across his face. "Can I… hold her?" I immediately stepped between him and the baby. "Don't touch her with the same hands you used to betray me, Ethan. You don't deserve to call yourself her father." He froze. "Natalie, I know you're still mad at me. But she's my daughter too—" His phone suddenly rang, cutting him off. Ethan answered irritably, "What?" A second later, his expression changed. "What did you just say? How did she become anemic? Alright. I understand. I'll take care of it." He ended the call. Whatever guilt he'd shown me moments ago vanished without a trace, replaced by urgency and barely concealed panic. My stomach dropped. I didn't know what had happened yet, but a terrible feeling told me I wouldn't like what came next. Chapter 4 Natalie Montgomery's POV Ethan looked at me, his expression conflicted. He said, "The doctors discovered that Vanessa's baby has a serious blood disorder. They said that the baby's condition could become critical." He paused, swallowing hard as though the next words were difficult to say. "They need a compatible donor. They think that blood from a biological sibling could help." I stared at him in disbelief. For a second, I couldn't even process what he was suggesting. "Ethan… What are you planning to do to my daughter?" She had only just been born. She was tiny, frail, and completely dependent on me to protect her. And he was standing there talking about using her to save the child he'd conceived with another woman. Ethan avoided my horrified stare, and when he spoke again, his voice had gone cold. "Natalie, the doctors said they only need a small amount. "They told me it wouldn't hurt her. I'll make it up to both of you. If you agree to help Vanessa and her baby, I'll give you anything you want." "No… No!" I shook my head, my entire body trembling. I backed toward my daughter's bassinet. "Ethan, have you lost your mind? She's a newborn! She's too young for this. You could kill her!" Ethan frowned. "I already told you that she's going to be fine. Why are you making this so difficult?" Before I could answer, he glanced toward the two bodyguards waiting outside the room. That was all it took. They stepped inside and grabbed me by the arms, one on either side. I fought against them, but they held me firmly in place. "Ethan! What is wrong with you?" I screamed. "She's your daughter! Your own flesh and blood! How can you do this to her?" Just then, Vanessa appeared in the doorway wearing a hospital gown, a nurse supporting her as she walked. The moment she saw me struggling helplessly between the bodyguards, a victorious smile tugged at her lips. "Don't be too hard on Ethan, Natalie. If you want to blame someone, blame your daughter's bad luck. She just happens to have the one thing my baby needs." Vanessa slowly stroked her belly, her face glowing with smug satisfaction. I was shaking with rage. "Vanessa, you'll pay for this someday!" With everything I had, I managed to wrench one arm free. I hadn't even touched her when she suddenly screamed and stumbled backward. The next thing I knew, Ethan's hand struck me across the face. My head snapped to the side, my cheek burning from the blow. When I looked back, Vanessa was already trembling in his arms, playing the frightened victim to perfection. Ethan glared at me as though he wanted to tear me apart. "Have you completely lost your mind, Natalie?" His voice was a furious growl. "They're taking a little blood, that's all! No one's trying to kill her! Do you really have to turn everything into a scene?" Ethan gave the doctor a silent nod. The doctor and nurse immediately approached my baby's bassinet. "No! Stop! Please, don't touch her! She's only a newborn!" I fought desperately against the bodyguards, screaming until my throat burned, but they wouldn't let me go. All I could do was watch helplessly as the medical staff began the procedure. My daughter's faint cries filled the room. She sounded so small and helpless. Every little whimper tore through me. I screamed Ethan's name. I begged him to stop them and to look at his daughter just once. But he didn't. Without even turning back, he lifted Vanessa into his arms and carried her toward the private wing. For Vanessa, Ethan had reserved an entire floor of private suites. He stayed by her side around the clock and brought in the best specialists money could buy. But my daughter received none of that care. She died later that night. I held her tiny, motionless body in my arms and stayed there until morning, numb to everything happening around me. While I spent the night mourning the daughter we'd lost, Ethan was with Vanessa, his arms wrapped around her as he read bedtime stories to the baby she was still carrying. Chapter 5 Natalie Montgomery's POV Ethan didn't find out that our daughter was gone until three days later. His eyes fell on the tiny urn cradled in my arms for what felt like an eternity. When he finally spoke, his voice was hoarse. "Natalie… I'm so sorry. I should've made sure that she was taken care of. I'll arrange a proper memorial for her. I'll make sure she gets the best of everything. She deserves a beautiful service." I slowly raised my gaze to meet his. "Ethan. You killed her. You killed our daughter with your own hands." All the color drained from his face. He staggered as though the words had physically struck him. "No… No, that's not what happened. I never wanted to hurt her. Natalie, I was only trying to save Vanessa's baby. I didn't know this would happen…" Mason suddenly came rushing toward us, his face pale. "Mr. Thamson! We've got a problem. Ms. Coleman's been abducted. The abductors gave us their terms. They said they'll only release her if we hand over Mrs. Thamson." Mason hesitated when he said my name, his gaze dropping to the tiny urn in my arms. For a moment, something resembling pity crossed his face. Ethan went rigid. The instant he heard that Vanessa was in danger, everything else disappeared from his eyes. Panic replaced whatever guilt and grief he felt toward our daughter, followed by a cold, dangerous fury. He grabbed my wrist. "Natalie, please. Help me one last time." His grip tightened as he stared desperately into my eyes. "I promise, this is the last thing I'll ever ask of you. Once I get Vanessa back safely, I'll make sure she disappears from our lives for good. You'll never have to see her again." Ethan dragged me to an abandoned dock on the outskirts of the city. Vanessa was tied to a post, sobbing helplessly. A man with a jagged scar across his face watched us approach, his smile sinister. "About time you showed up, Thamson." His gaze moved between Vanessa and me. "You can only take one of them. Your choice." Ethan looked at Vanessa, his face tightening at the sight of her in tears. He didn't hesitate. "Let her go. Take my wife instead." Then he looked at me. For a fleeting moment, something unreadable passed through his eyes. "Natalie, Vanessa's pregnant. She can't handle this kind of stress. Stay here in her place. I'll owe you for this. I promise I'll come back for you. It won't take long." I didn't answer. I simply tightened my arms around the tiny urn pressed against my chest. It was all I had left of my daughter. Within moments, Vanessa was untied and hurried toward Ethan. Mason shoved me forward to take her place. Vanessa didn't look the least bit surprised to see me. If anything, the faintest smile tugged at the corner of her lips. As she passed me, she suddenly snatched the urn from my arms. "What's this?" She looked inside and froze for a second. Then realization dawned, and she burst into shrill laughter. "Oh my God, Natalie. Don't tell me you've been carrying your dead daughter's ashes around with you. That's seriously disgusting." Before I could stop her, she tipped the urn over, and my daughter's ashes scattered across the deck. But apparently, even that wasn't enough for her. Vanessa deliberately stepped over them, grinding her heel against the deck. "She was just a girl. She's gone. Get over it. Even dead, she's still taking up space in Ethan's heart. It's pathetic. "There. Now there's nothing left for you to cling to. Ethan already promised that once I give him a son, he'll throw me the biggest wedding this city has ever seen. As for you? You can go join your daughter." I stared at her. And then, slowly, I smiled. "Is that so? Then maybe you should come with me and answer for what you did to her."