Chapter 3

My husband’s sharp gaze swept over Jessica, but she just laughed unabashedly. “It’s time you figured it out,” she said, grabbing her bag. “I’ve got things to do. Ethan can stay with you for a few days.”

With that, she walked out the door. My husband’s eyes lingered on her retreating figure for a moment before he quickly looked down, avoiding my gaze.

Ethan stared at him, wide-eyed. “Dad, Mom says you love her the most. So why are you with Aunt Claire?”

My husband frowned, his voice curt. “You’re too young to understand.”

Under the table, he squeezed my hand, signaling me to stay calm.

His mother snorted. “Your dad’s just trying to upset your mom, that’s all!”

I could tell she said it to get under my skin, and honestly, it worked. My mind was already spinning.

“I have work to do,” Zach said, setting his fork down and getting up to leave.

But Ethan clung to his sleeve, his voice trembling. “Dad, I hate you! Mom’s always crying because of you!”

My usually gentle husband suddenly snapped, shouting, “Go study! If you don’t finish by eleven, don’t even think about going to bed!”

Ethan froze for a moment before bursting into tears, but Zach didn’t flinch.

After that day, Zach started treating me better than ever.

To the point where, if I’d asked for the stars, he might have tried to pluck them from the sky for me.

When I was about six weeks pregnant, Zach suddenly threw on a jacket late at night, getting ready to leave.

I handed him a thicker coat. “It’s cold outside. Are you heading back to the office this late?”

He hesitated for a moment, then placed his hands firmly on my shoulders, looking serious. “Jessica has a high fever. You know her family isn’t around, so I…”

“Go ahead,” I said, cutting him off, my face expressionless.

He seemed anxious, worried I might be upset. “I’ll be back soon. I don’t have feelings for her anymore. I’m just taking her to the hospital because she’s Ethan’s mom.”

I pushed him gently toward the door, slipping the car keys into his hand.

The next morning, he called me from the hospital, asking if I could bring Ethan over to see his mom.

I didn’t hesitate. I woke Ethan up, got him dressed, and took him to the hospital.

“Claire, you haven’t eaten yet, have you?” Zach asked when we arrived. “I’ll go grab breakfast for all of us. Wait here.”

As soon as he left, Jessica pointed to the phone Zach had accidentally left on the nightstand.

“Zach and I have always loved each other,” she said, her tone dripping with smugness. “If you open our chat history, you’ll see exactly what I mean.”

Her words were like a lure, and against my better judgment, I picked up his phone and unlocked it.

The first thing I saw was a recurring order: every Valentine’s Day, Zach had been sending Jessica flowers.

Oddly enough, I didn’t feel angry. Instead, I felt a strange sense of relief.

Ethan, oblivious to my emotions, laughed and pointed at me. “Mom, look! Aunt Claire’s eyes are red!”

The hospital was twenty kilometers from home. I didn’t take a cab or a bus. I walked the entire way, letting the cold wind clear my head.

When I got home, I calmly drafted a divorce agreement, printed it out, and scheduled an appointment for a termination.

Later that evening, Zach came home carrying a bag of hot food. “Claire, why’d you leave? You haven’t eaten yet. Come sit down.”

His mother, who had been lingering nearby, rolled her eyes at me and said mockingly, “What’s next? Do you need my son to spoon-feed you too?”

Zach’s face hardened. “Mom, can you stop being so rude to Claire?”

But I wasn’t in the mood to watch him play the role of the perfect husband anymore.

I handed him the divorce papers. “I’m done. This marriage is over. I’ll take the house and the car—as compensation. You don’t love me, so let’s not pretend anymore. I’ll terminate the pregnancy. There’s no point in bringing this child into the world.”