Her Double Pregnancy Was the End of Us

I was at home packing away things I'd bought for my baby when someone suddenly snatched the tiny onesie from my hands.

"Callum, what are you doing in here? I've knocked three times. Why didn't you answer the door?"

I looked up. It was my wife, Elara Wynn. And standing beside her was Soren Ashby, her first love.

I'd been so consumed by the loss of our child that I hadn't even heard them come home.

Before I could gather my thoughts, Soren reached over and rested a hand on Elara's pregnant belly.

"Come on, Callum," he said, his concern so obviously feigned that it was almost insulting. "Elara's pregnant with twins, and you're her husband. You should be taking better care of her. Try not to be so careless next time."

That was all it took. Elara's expression immediately hardened. "You're my husband, Callum, but somehow Soren pays more attention to me than you do. You're not much of a husband at all."

I said nothing. I simply took the onesie back from her and continued folding it, my expression blank even as pain twisted inside me.

Twins. So Soren's frozen embryo transfer had worked after all. His child would get a chance at life, while mine wouldn't.

The moment Elara learned that Soren's embryo could be cloned, she'd made up her mind. She wanted to carry both babies at once, convinced that this would let some part of Soren live on in the world.

I'd refused, of course.

The doctor had warned me that the embryo transfer came with serious risks. If Elara went through with it, there was no chance our own baby would survive.

I'd begged her more than once to reconsider. If not for me, then at least for our child.

But Elara wouldn't listen.

She was convinced I was only against the procedure because I had something against Soren. Eventually, she even accused the doctor of taking my side and helping me scare her out of it.

"Soren works in this field. If he says it's safe, then it's safe!

"Besides, I'm the baby's mother. Do you seriously think I'd do anything to hurt my own child? I never knew you could be this petty, Callum. You're actually jealous of a man with terminal cancer?"

She would rather trust Soren than believe the doctor or me.

And once Elara made up her mind, there was no stopping her.

On the day of the procedure, she even stationed 50 bodyguards outside the hospital to make sure I couldn't interfere.

The moment she disappeared behind the operating room doors, I knew.

Our baby wasn't going to make it.

After the procedure, I clung to one last shred of hope and contacted the doctor. Then he sent me the death certificate. That was when the last of that hope disappeared.

My poor baby never even got the chance to see the world before Elara's decision took that chance away.

Still, I didn't confront her or make a scene.

I stayed home, quietly packing away all the toys and clothes I'd bought for the baby, tears slipping down my face as I worked.

I was only halfway through when Elara and Soren came home.

Soren's eyes fell on the little outfit in my hands.

"Is that for the baby, Callum?" he asked. Then, as if he'd only just noticed something strange, he added, "Wait, there's only one? What about the twins? Don't tell me you already resent Elara's babies just because they're mine."

He turned to Elara with a wounded expression. "I knew Callum was upset about this. He can't accept the babies or me at all. Maybe I should just leave. I don't want to be the reason your marriage falls apart..."

And there they were again.

Whenever Soren wanted Elara's attention all to himself, he pulled the same childish little act.