Chapter 2
I’d been hospitalized for two weeks after severe bleeding from a miscarriage left me in rough shape.
William never visited me once during my hospital stay, though his social media updates were relentless.
Endless posts about postpartum care tips and baby product guides-no prizes for guessing who they were meant for.
When discharged, I called William over a dozen times hoping he’d pick me up. No answer.
Left with no choice, I hailed a cab home.
Pushing the door open, I froze at the sight of a crib dominating our once-sparse living room, a baby boy sleeping in- side.
Shirley sat on the sofa lifting her shirt as William gently rubbed recovery cream onto her belly.
Meanwhile, my mother-in-law bustled around the kitchen, the aroma of home-cooked meals filling the air.
Shirley spotted me first, feigning surprise: “Oh! Diana, you’re back!”
I stared dumbfounded. Had I not lived here five years, I’d have thought I entered the wrong home.
William rose to take my bags when he saw me.
The sickening milky smell clinging to him hit me as he approached.
“Good you’re back. I deliberately gave you space these days-hoped you’d come around.”
“To what?” I frowned.
“Shirley was an accident, but I couldn’t abandon her during pregnancy. Especially since… we lost ours.”
My eyes widened. “So you expect me to accept your illegitimate child?”
Whatever word stung him, his face darkened. Before he could speak, Shirley cut in:
“William, don’t fight because of me… If Diana dislikes me, I’ll move out.”
“I never wanted to take her place-just didn’t want my child fatherless…”
“1
William immediately pulled her into a protective embrace, murmuring reassurances.
Too drained to argue, I turned toward our bedroom.
Pushing open the master bedroom door, I found it crammed with unfamiliar women’s clothes and toiletries.
My mother-in-law yanked me backward: “This room’s Shirley’s now. She deserves it after childbirth. The guest
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room’s too small for her.”
She shoved me into the tiniest guest room, chin lifted. “You’ll sleep here.”
“Since you can’t bear children anyway, why waste a proper room? It’s good enough as it is!”
I stayed silent, my gaze sliding past her to William across the hall.
He’d clearly heard everything, yet after a brief pause, he simply turned away, tightening his hold around Shirley.
“Diana,” he said without meeting my eyes, “listen to Mom.”
I stared at him quietly, then suddenly laughed.
Fifteen years-ten dating, five married-I’d wasted on him.
I’d abandoned my thriving career as a neurosurgeon for his sake.
Because he wanted children, I’d swallowed fertility drugs day and night.
Juggled household duties while enduring my mother-in-law’s scorn and insults.
Yet when it mattered most, he’d always chosen others over me.
Wiping a stray tear, exhaustion crashed over me.
How could I have squandered so much time on someone like this?
Pathetic.
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