The Coffin Clause In Our Marriage Novel by Lila Hart _ Novel





The Coffin Clause In Our Marriage Chapter 01

On an early fall afternoon in Paris, I froze dead in the middle of the plaza, my gaze locking onto the three of them.
My husband. Delilah Crawford—his childhood sweetheart. And a little girl.
Tristan was feeding pigeons her.
"Daddy, why do you only spend three months a year with Mommy and me? I want you to stay for much, much longer!"
A deafening roar exploded in my head.
Delilah had always claimed seasonal depression—every fall, she'd turn fragile and suicidal.
So every year, Tristan took three months off work to accompany her abroad, claiming it was to help her recover.
Since when did they have a child together?
Just then, Delilah leaned against his shoulder. Her voice turned soft and resentful. "Tris, I've been with you for seven years with nothing to my name, and Elsie is already five. Are you really going to make us wait another thirteen years?"
Tristan sighed, feeling helpless. "I've got no other choice, Lila. My family and the Ashcroft family have been tied together for generations.
"Marrying Vivienne was also out of necessity, and she will always be my wife on paper. If she finds out about you, given the Ashcroft family's methods, I'm afraid they might harm you."
He paused, his tone turning firm. "Don't worry. By our family's rules, children gain inheritance rights at 18. Elsie is my daughter, so she's qualified to inherit the Holloway family's assets.
"By then, it'll be a done deal—Vivienne won't dare do anything even if she finds out."
Delilah seemed to be persuaded. She sighed softly and touched her belly. "Alright, but you can't have children with her. Otherwise, Elsie and her sibling will be bullied by them in the future."
Tristan gently placed his hand on Delilah's still-flat stomach. "Don't worry. Elsie and our son are all I need."
His voice dropped even lower. "As for Vivienne, I've been secretly drugging her all this while, and she'll never get pregnant. We Holloways don't want to be entangled with the Ashcroft family anymore. This cursed tie should end with me."
Something inside me shattered completely.
So that was it.
We'd been married for six years without conceiving, and I even went for a checkup. I was perfectly healthy, yet I had trouble getting pregnant.
Beatrice Holloway, Tristan's grandmother, even offered me words of comfort. "Take it slow. Children are a matter of fate."
It turned out Tristan had been slowly poisoning me this entire time.
Rage burned away my initial shock and heartbreak.
My trembling hand slowly clenched as I took out my phone.
"Aunt Cece, Tristan's been cheating on me. It's time we carry out our family rules.
"I need you to prepare a coffin—for three people."
The next afternoon, I happened to appear on Elysian Fields Avenue, the street they frequented.
When Tristan saw me, the smile on his face froze instantly, replaced by panicked confusion.
"Vivi? Why are you here?"
I smiled, stepping forward to hook my arm through his.
"I'm here on a business trip. Since you're here too, I thought I'd drop by and surprise you."
Tristan smiled awkwardly. "It really is a surprise..."
Just then, a timid voice sounded.
"Babe..."
Delilah walked over with two ice creams. She froze when she saw me, and her face turned pale in an instant.
I turned my gaze to her, a teasing smile curling at the corner of my lips. "Who are you calling that?"

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