She Returned After Five Months With a Child

I came out of the airport, but the car was gone. It was two o'clock in the morning, and the streets were empty. I had to walk all the way home, shivering and pulling myself as close as possible.

My belly was aching, and sweat poured down my forehead. Yet, and yet, the memory of what I saw chilled my heart more than the cold could. Ten years. We went ten years without any children. The Willoughbys did not like that at all.

They told everyone I was sterile. They told everyone I was ruining their daughter's future. Of course, they were oblivious to the truth. I was a healthy guy, but their daughter refused to give me a child.

Every time I said I wanted one, she, in disdain, said she hated children and the role of a mother. But the night before she went on a business trip, she was unusually nice to me. She promised me a better future and even talked about children.

I thought she was having a change of heart.

Well, I was stupid. She was only learning how to be a mother for her lover. When I got back home, it was already dawn. Rochelle came out of her room, hearing the sounds I made.

I was shivering, but she only frowned and tossed me a jacket she grabbed off the couch. Without hesitation, she berated me, "Are you a moron, Timothy? Why did you freeze yourself and stay out all night? I was exhausted! I didn't want to wait for you!"

Five years ago, when she found out Samuel was coming home, Rochelle's attitude started to change. She made it a point to berate, mock, and belittle me every day.

The old me wouldn't have taken this lying down. I would have argued with her, but all I did was give her a look that said, 'You're a child.'

Then, I kept quiet.

My chilly attitude made her mad. "Don't give me that look! Samuel only came back because he wanted to fulfill his one wish of getting a child. I just want to help! No big deal! Not like I'm throwing our relationship away! I'll cut all my ties with him after the child's born. I could've made him stay away, but I took him home because I had to reassure you.

"You knew I've always wanted Samuel, and you married me despite that. Don't act like you're the victim here."

I just needed my rest. She was being a nuisance. However, Rochelle grabbed my arm and pushed me away. "Samuel's not feeling well, so he's using the bedroom. You just got back anyway. Get us breakfast. No big deal, right?"

And the door slammed shut. I stood in the corridor, laughing mirthlessly. No big deal indeed. That bastard took my bed, my woman, and my rest time, yet she thought it was natural.

If I defied her, I'd be called petty, petulant, and worse, trying to embarrass her. The only reason she had the audacity to do this was because I loved her. Well, I used to.

And thanks to that, she took everything I did for her for granted. I took a deep breath and was about to pull out my keys, but someone opened the door. Samuel.

He was in my pajamas, giving me a challenging look. "I just got off the plane. Jetlag's still bugging me, so can you get me the breakfast from that stall about a couple of miles away? You know the one. Here's the money."

He pulled out some money from the back and tossed it all over me. Putting on a fake act of surprise, he said, "Oh, sorry. My hand slipped. Pick it up, will you?"