HIS CHOICE WASN'T ME

( THREE MONTHS LATER)

It felt as though heaven itself had smiled at me.

I was barely three months pregnant, yet my body felt heavy, fragile—like I was already close to delivery. Walking even a few steps left me breathless. James’s mother had been taking such good care of me, watching over me as though I were made of glass.

But one thing kept disturbing my heart.

James had brought Vanessa to live with us.

Even though I wasn’t staying at the mansion anymore but at the Williams family estate, the thought still gnawed at me. I didn’t want to ruin the peaceful atmosphere or hurt my mother-in-law, so I decided to return briefly to the mansion to pick up a few of my belongings.

Miss Kathleen refused at first.

“You’re not strong enough,” she insisted.

“I’ll be back in no time,” I said gently, trying to sound lighthearted.

She laughed at my reassurance and finally agreed, reminding me to return quickly.

I took a taxi. I couldn’t drive anymore, and I disliked the Williams family drivers—they were either too rough or too fast. I preferred slow. Gentle. Safe.

When I entered the mansion, silence greeted me.

Too much silence.

I walked into our bedroom.

That was when I saw it.

An opened packet of condoms used.

My steps froze.

I said nothing. I told myself not to overthink. I turned toward the wardrobe, opened it… and my breath caught.

Letters.

So many of them.

The dates were written carefully a year ago, seven months ago, five months ago.

All from Vanessa.

My hands trembled as I flipped through them. This was before she returned. She had been writing to James all along, and I hadn’t known a thing.

My chest tightened.

I told myself to calm down. These were old. Old things. Things from the past.

But the condom packet wasn’t old.

My phone suddenly vibrated in my pouch.

I pulled it out.

And my world shattered.

Photos.

Intimate photos.

James and Vanessa in our bed, her body pressed against his, his arm wrapped around her while he slept. Bite marks on her skin. On his.

The phone slipped from my hand.

At the same time, rain began to fall outside.

Then my phone rang.

“I’m so sorry,” a voice said softly.

Vanessa.

“What did you do?” I whispered.

“I didn’t mean to send them to you,” she said lightly. “I’ll delete them right away.”

“You did this on purpose,” I said, my voice shaking.

“Oh,” she chuckled. “Maybe I did. Maybe I didn’t. I just wanted you to hear something.”

I stayed silent.

Then I heard another voice.

“Hey, babe,” James said casually. “What’s wrong? Can you get me some juice? I’m tired.”

My heart stopped.

James hadn’t visited the family estate in days. He always said he was busy.

Vanessa laughed softly. “Why don’t you call him and ask where he is?”

Then she hung up.

I stood there, frozen, one hand resting on my stomach, rounder now, heavier.

I looked at myself in the mirror.

Chubby. Swollen. Dark spots scattered across my face. Wrapped in a loose maternity gown.

Unappealing.

Then I thought of Vanessa, slender, flawless, glowing.

Why, James?

Why do you always hurt me?

When I returned to the estate, my heart felt hollow. Miss Kathleen noticed immediately. She called James, insisting he take me out, maybe a vacation, an amusement park, somewhere pregnant women enjoyed walking around.

James agreed instantly. He said he’d pick me up the next morning.

Once, I would have been thrilled.

This time, I simply nodded.

She asked if something was wrong. I said I was tired.

She called the maids to take me to my room.

I wanted to laugh at how caring she was.

But my heart was already breaking.

The next morning, James arrived early. He hugged me tightly.

“Why are you dressed like this?” he joked. “You look like one of those old ladies from the hospital.”

Vanessa laughed.

That was when I noticed, she was with him.

“I also want to go shopping,” she said sweetly.

James decided to give us a ride.

“I hope you’re not angry,” he said.

I stared at them.

My mother-in-law came out, her eyes lingering on Vanessa. She said nothing, only reminded James to take care of me.

I climbed into the back seat.

He asked me to sit in front. I refused.

“I’m comfortable here.”

Vanessa smiled faintly. “Pregnant women are like that sometimes.”

An insult wrapped in sugar.

At the amusement park, Vanessa followed us everywhere, shamelessly. James said nothing. He walked beside her, hand in hand. People smiled at them, complimented them.

I looked like a stranger.

When I tried to rest, James urged me to keep going.

Then his phone rang. He walked away.

Vanessa turned to me.

“You look terrible,” she said bluntly.

I ignored her, watching the children play.

Then she leaned closer.

“You think you have everything, don’t you?” she whispered. “You think James is yours.”

My heart skipped.

“You’re just here to give birth,” she continued. “After that, James will divorce you and marry me. We’ll raise your bastard child together.”

My blood went cold.

I slapped her.

She screamed and grabbed my hair. We struggled. She shoved me.

We fell.

Down a narrow slope.

My stomach hit hard.

Pain exploded inside me.

“Vanessa, are you okay?” I gasped, even then.

Something warm ran down my legs.

Blood.

James’s voice echoed.

“Vanessa! Vanessa!”

He ran past me.

Past me.

He knelt beside her, shaking her.

I tried to call him.

Then everything went dark.

When I woke up, the lights were blinding.

James stood there, in his doctor’s uniform.

Relief washed over me.

My baby will be saved.

Then a nurse spoke.

“There’s only one operating room left.”

James froze.

“You must choose one patient now. Time is running out.”

James… why are you hesitating?

That was the last thing I thought before I lost consciousness again.