Never Having Love Fall

After my wife, Selina Drabowski, gave birth to our baby, she told me she had a surprise for me.

I opened the door, thrilled to see her, only to find her nestled happily in Roy Sollett’s arms.

“Roy and the baby will be living with us from now on. You worship the ground I walk on, so you can do the same for him. You’ll take good care of our baby, won’t you?”

Holding Roy’s hand, she looked at me with open contempt.

Roy deliberately pulled the newborn baby closer to make sure I saw the ring on his finger.

“Don’t misunderstand us, Cameron. This baby was through IVF, too.”

I glanced at his ring and offered a flat smile. “Whatever makes you two happy.”

Selina threw her glass at me. “What’s with the attitude, Cameron? It’s done. What do you want me to do about it?”

I paid them no further attention and turned to walk away.

Selina settled back into Roy’s arms. Her voice dripped with contempt as she said, “Ignore him. He just wants more money. That’s why he married into my family in the first place.”

Then, my phone pinged with a notification.

A million dollars had just been deposited into my account.

I heard her mocking voice behind me again.

“I’ve sent you the money. Now, go make dinner for Roy and me. He loves your chicken soup, so make sure you get it right.”

I turned around and saw her playing with the baby she had just had with Roy.

The three of them looked like a happy little family.

Roy kept his eyes on me.

When he caught me looking, he broke into a smug grin.

“If the gentleman of the house would rather I leave, I can go.”

Selina scoffed and said, “Gentleman of the house? Please! His mother was a showgirl. You’re kind to call him that. Most people wouldn’t spare him a second glance.

“Forget about him! Take a picture of the baby and me. I think he just smiled at me!”

Behind them, our nanny, Judith Clay, paced the room with Tommy Lane, the baby Selina and I had together, in her arms.

“Ma’am, Tommy’s hungry. Could you…”

Selina did not even turn around.

“Just feed him then! I told you to keep the formula ready.”

Before she even finished speaking, she lifted her shirt and began nursing Roy’s baby herself.

She had given birth to both children, but she showed Roy’s baby far more affection than she showed mine.

I was not surprised, but it left a dull ache in my chest.

Before I could dwell on it, Judith turned to me with a helpless look.

“Sir, Tommy won’t take the formula. He’s been hungry and crying since birth. I’m worried about what will happen if he doesn’t get fed soon.”

Selina cut in with a sneer, “Why should I nurse him? His father was born out of wedlock. I never wanted his baby.

“A certain someone pulled every trick in the book to get me pregnant with his child. If he won’t take formula, let him go hungry.”

She shot me a contemptuous look.

“Let’s see if he inherited his father’s talent for groveling.”

She was talking about me. She accused me of pulling every trick in the book to get her pregnant.

I said nothing. I took Tommy into my arms and smiled at him.