If one could turn back time, Ace was willing to risk everything to return to that night four months ago.
That night, on the streets, the two brothers were assaulted as they were chatting about the family's future. Dylan had selflessly protected Ace using his body and took a bullet for him.
Moments before his death, Dylan mentioned that he had a girlfriend who he loved deeply, Alice. Moreover, Alice had just conceived their child.
"Marry Alice and live on in my stead. Please… give them a complete family."
Ace couldn't possibly forget how his brother's bloody hands held onto him, begging him with despair consuming him whole.
Ace would surely push his brother away if he could turn back time, as it would have been better if he had died instead.
Hearing his answer, Alice continued with her pitiful act nonetheless. "Not only have you upset your father for me and the baby's sake, but you've also hurt Miss Pierce in the process! I feel really bad… This isn't going to work out!"
"I'll be fine as a single mother. I may be a woman, and life may get tough sometimes, but… I don't mind enduring it all to protect Dylan's only child!"
'Hehe, playing the damsel in distress always works on men. I refuse to believe that Ace doesn't feel the urge to protect me now.'
However, Ace remained hostile, even going as far as to inch away from Alice. "My father has no idea about the truth, so you shouldn't take his reaction to heart."
"And as for Joanna Pierce…" Ace paused for a brief while before continuing his sentence. "We never had an actual relationship. We've never even done anything physical throughout the three years of our marriage. I would've divorced her regardless of your existence."
"What about Miss Pierce then? She must love you very much, doesn't she? You're a great man and a very handsome one at that." Alice's voice was as enchanting as always, her eyes filled with absolute adoration towards the man.
As an experienced seductress, she merely wanted to fool around with the honest man, Dylan, and keep him hanging for a bit longer. The man was boring, to say the least, and always sucked up to her no matter what she wanted.
However, Ace made her realize that love at first sight was indeed a real thing. Alice immediately cleaned up her act to focus on seducing this A-plus man, and Joanna was obviously the biggest obstacle in her plan.
"She doesn't love me either."
'Elsewise, she wouldn't have been so excited about the divorce,' Ace thought to himself.
Hearing this, Alice felt much less worried, thinking. 'Looks like the rumors are true, they don't love each other. It might not even be a stretch to say that they hated the sight of one another, and that divorce was inevitable.'
"Oh dear, Miss Pierce has such bad taste. Just look at how handsome and excellent you are. How could she not love you? I'm not complaining, though, because now I have someone as lovely as you by my side." Alice said as she moved closer to him.
Ace felt quite annoyed upon hearing the woman's words and he tugged on his tie angrily.
"It's getting late. I'm leaving."
Panicked, Alice immediately asked. "Isn't this your house? Where are you going?"
Ace answered dismissively. "I stay somewhere else in the City."
"Wh-What?" Alice was completely stupefied.
She was hoping to stay with Ace so that their relationship could blossom with time.
'And he's… leaving already? 'No wonder they've never had sex. Pierce was basically living as a widow for three years. That's horrible!'
Joanna was recovering well. It had been three days since she was discharged from the hospital.
At this time, she was moving out of her apartment. Liam had arranged a new place for her, saying that her room was way too shabby for someone her status.
"Don't worry, Boss. I know you like keeping a low profile, so I chose a place according to your preferences." Liam said over the phone.
However, as she followed the address he sent, she was absolutely speechless when she arrived at a luxurious 300-square-meter condominium in West of the city.
'How is this million-dollar condo considered lowkey?!'
Just as Joanna was about to call Liam to make changes, she received a call from the hospital.
"Hello, is this Miss Pierce? We are calling from the General Hospital. The final results of your full body checkup have arrived, and we noticed a minor issue. Please come to the hospital at once."
Joanna was extremely anxious when she arrived at the hospital. She was even more confused when she received the medical report from the nurse.
"Miss Pierce, according to your blood test, it would seem that your HCG and progesterone levels are higher than usual. You have been pregnant for two months or so."
"What the hell? I'm… two months pregnant?!"
"Yes. Congratulations, you're going to be a mother!"
Even after the nurse had left, Joanna was still standing in place, shocked.
'There's no way… right? I just fainted once. Once and I'm pregnant? How strong is my fertility? Or was it his fertility that was the problem here? Oh god, why me?!'
However, there was no doubt that she was pregnant with Ace's child.
About two months ago, the Moran's were just finishing up with Dylan's funeral, as sorrow dawned upon the entire family. It was the first time Joanna saw Ace shed his distant and hostile act. He was so vulnerable that he seemed like a defenseless child, sobbing into his palms as he downed several bottles of wine.
Heartbroken, she cried and drank with him to provide comfort, which then ended with them sleeping together…
That was the most intimate night they had ever spent together as husband and wife, and Joanna foolishly thought their relationship could improve after that. Instead, it ended before it even started.
Not that the divorce really mattered, but this baby completely foiled her initial plans.
'Ugh, I regret ever sympathizing with that man! How unlucky!' Joanna thought, wishing she could slap herself before it was too late.
She wondered if she should tell Ace about her pregnancy. 'He is the father, after all. I feel like both of us should discuss whether to abort it or not.'
"What a coincidence, Miss Pierce! Why are you here at the hospital?"
Suddenly, Alice's voice echoed behind her.
Joanna turned around, only to see Alice and Ace standing behind her, side by side. Alice was gently caressing her baby bump, and the look on her face was that of a happy mother.
On the other hand, the man was as frosty and dashing as usual. Naturally, this made him stand out in the crowd.
Stunned, Joanna felt like her heart had been stung by thousands of needles.
'They do look good together, huh? I can almost feel the warmth of their love all the way from over there. Wait, is it just me? s' baby bump looks even bigger than before.'
Joanna couldn't help but think that both she and her child were mere extras in their romance.
"I just came for a follow-up. If you'll excuse me then." She smiled, waving goodbye nonchalantly.
In the end, she wasn't able to muster enough courage to deliver the news of her pregnancy. She figured she'd only embarrass herself by doing so and decided to take this to her grave. At the very least, she could save the little bit of pride she had left.
Just then, Ace grabbed hold of her slender wrists, stopping her in her tracks.
"You look pale, is something wrong?" He asked.
Joanna found it rather ridiculous when she met eyes with the man, as she remembered just how much she adored their beauty.
"I don't think it concerns you. Right, future ex-husband?"
Ace was incredibly enraged upon hearing that and furrowed his eyebrows in response. However, it was abnormal for him to stick his nose into someone else's business, considering his usual cold personality.
"You said it yourself. I'm your future ex-husband, not your ex-husband just yet." Ace said harshly, emphasizing the 'future' in his words as his eyes darted toward the report in her hands. "What's your follow-up about? Let me have a look."