Rejected by the husband, claimed by the Ruthless Brother

"I present the couple of the evening, Jullian Vale and Mirabel Lawson."

Natalie who had barely just arrived froze, her eyes widening as soon as she heard both names the emcee called.

Her husband and... Her maid?

It couldn't be real? It couldn't be true.

She shook her head, refusing to believe. The sounds of applause erupted in the halls, and Natalie's eyes ran through the crowd looking for Jullian.

Even though she had said that she wouldn't be coming today, she wanted to surprise him.

Finally, her eyes spotted the familiar blonde sleek hair styled to the back. A small smile appeared on her lips, and she began quickly walking towards where he sat. But before she could get there, the man suddenly stood up and turned around.

"Jull..." She wanted to call, but the rest of the words she wanted to say disappeared as soon as the saw him stretch out his hand to a feminine figure, who placed her delicate fingers in his.

Her feet slowly came to a halt, and the figure's face became visible.

Natalie's face paled, and her lips parted but now words came out.

"Oh my, isn't that Mirabel Lawson? I heard that she was Mr. Jullian Vale wife's maid."

"Nah, I doubt it, she looks too good to be a mistress."

"Maybe she's the one he really loved from the start but was forced to marry his wife.

Rumors flooded her ears, but Natalie could barely hear them.

Everything stopped. The entire congregation, the music, the applause, and Natalie's heartbeat.

She could only watch as the man she called her husband loved unconditionally for almost four years walked hand in hand on to the stage with another woman, with huge smiles plastered on their faces.

Natalie felt her body tremble in shock.

This...

This was impossible.

How could...

Natalie's eyes caught the dress Mirabel wore, which swayed elegantly as she climbed the stage. She remembered that dress.

That black body hugging long gown with a low neck cut was hers!

She bought it.

Then...

She noticed something even worse.

The diamond earrings. She had seen them in Jullian's drawer yesterday. She thought they were hers. But he... he has given them to her maid?

The audience continued whispering.

Nobody realized Natalie was standing just inside the ballroom.

"I thought Jullian was married." She heard another one say.  "Maybe they're divorced." Another one chipped in, her heart sank. "No... his wife is pregnant."

"Then who's that woman?"

Natalie couldn't control her body anymore, and she began shaking in anger, and shock and spite.

Her mood only worsened when the host suddenly laughed as he congratulated Jullian and Mirabel. "Now that's what true love looks like!"

What?!

The congregation erupted into a loud clap, and Mirabel blushed hiding her face behind her hands, while Jullian smiled, showing of his teeth.

He placed one arm around Mirabel's waist.

Then... Leaned in and kissed her forehead.

Natalie's heart shattered as she watched.

Not because of the kiss.

Because...He's never kissed her like that.

Not once in four years.

A tear slowly rolled down her eyes.

...

Lucien had absolutely no interest in awards. But his assistant had insisted he attended. For what he intended to do, he needed allies, and this was the best place to get that.

He planned on leaving in the next ten minutes.

Until...

He noticed her.

His fingers froze around his wine glass.

'Impossible.' he thought as he watched her.

His eyes never left the pregnant woman standing near the entrance.

No...

It couldn't be...

His face slowly morphed into an expression of disbelief.

His assistant noticed and came to stand next to him. "Boss?"

Lucien ignored him, his eyes darting between Natalie's face and her huge belly.

She was focused, staring at someone on the stage.

He traced her line of sight until he saw who she was staring at.

His younger brother.

Lucien's expression darkened.

...

Natalie finally turned, a tear slipped down her cheeks, falling to the floor.

She wanted to leave before anyone noticed her. But she had only taken a step when she felt a sudden gush of pain.

She froze.

Another pain attacked her, much stronger.

She gripped a nearby table immediately.

Someone noticed and asked,  "Ma'am, are you alright?"

Natalie smiled weakly. "I'm fine."

Another contraction.

This time...

Her water broke.

The glass she was holding fell to the floor.

CRASH!

Everyone turns, including the two people on the stage.

"Someone help, she's going into labor!"

Jullian looked toward the noise.

He saw Natalie and his eyes widened. She wasn't supposed to be here!

A wave of concern washed over his face.

Mirabel noticed it and panicked.

She immediately grabbed his arm. "Baby..." She called him. "I don't feel well..."

Jullian immediately turned back to Mirabel, examining her face before yelling into the crowd. "Someone take my wife to the hospital."

Then he walked away, holding Mirabel's hands like she was a fragile thing

Natalie heard every word.

She didn't know how to feel. She was already in so much pain.

She stumbled, and the table she held shifted under her grip. She missed her step, and began falling backwards.

Just when her body was about colliding harshly with the ground, someone caught her.

Natalie barely looked at him.

Her vision blurred from the unshed tears.

She whispered. "My husband..." Looking towards the direction Lucian had taken.

She didn't notice the way her savior's jaw tightened at her words.

Natalie heard the man who caught her voice,

"Call the ambulance." He said to someone she couldn't see. "And don't let anyone near her."

Those were words she had expected her husband to say.

But he wasn't here.

Natalie tried to hold on, but the second she was loaded into the ambulance, her eyes rolled backwards and she lost consciousness.

...

Lucian watched the ambulance until it disappeared from sight.

Even in that condition, even after all she saw, she was still waiting on Jullian.

"Boss..." Lucian's assistant, Alan called. "You know her?"

Silence.

He didn't answer at first and just keep staring into space. It took almost a minute before Lucian finally spoke. "I told you that there was two reasons for my return." He began.

Alan nodded immediately, he knew that. Lucian slowly turned to look at him, "She's the second one."

After nine months, he was finally seeing her again. But just like the first time, her eyes were still on his brother.

"And my idiot brother still has her."

Last time he had to leave in a hurry, but this time... This time he was going to make sure she sees him. Only him.