CHOOSE

For a second, I honestly thought I heard him wrong. Did my brain refuse to accept what just came out of his mouth, so it tried to twist it into something less cruel? Something that wouldn’t cut so deep?

But the way he looked at me calmly, distant, completely unaffected told me I hadn’t misheard anything.

“Then get rid of it.”

The words settled in the room like something toxic. It was real, heavy and impossible to ignore. My fingers slowly slipped away from my stomach.

“What… did you just say?” My voice sounded unfamiliar, thin and unsteady. He didn’t even blink.

“You heard me.”

No regret whatsoever, just certainty. My breath choked and I exhaled “You’re telling me to get rid of our child?”

His jaw shifted slightly at the word our, like it didn’t belong there.

“It’s better this way,” he said.

Better.

I let out a quiet, broken laugh, shaking my head. “Better for who?”

“For everyone.”

“Everyone except me,” I whispered.

He didn’t respond.

My eyes burned, but I forced myself to keep looking at him. I needed to see it. I needed to understand how someone I loved this much could stand there and say something like that without even flinching.

“You think this is just a problem you can erase?” I asked, my voice trembling now. “Like it’s nothing?”

“It complicates things, Debbie.”

“There you go again,” I snapped softly. “Complicates things. That’s what this is to you? A complication?” He sighed like I was exhausting him.

“We’re getting divorced. That’s already decided and keeping the baby will only make things harder for you.”

“For me?” I repeated, disbelief creeping into my voice. “You think this is about me struggling?”

“You won’t be able to handle it alone.”

Something inside me snapped at that.

“You don’t get to decide what I can handle,” I said, my voice shaking but stronger now. “You lost that right the moment you chose someone else.”

His eyes narrowed slightly. “Lower your voice.” I almost laughed.

“Or what?” I asked, my heart pounding. “You’ll leave again? You’re already halfway out the door.”

Thick and uncomfortable silence engulfed the air but this time, I didn’t look away.

“You’re being emotional,” he said after a moment.

That did it. A tear slipped down before I could stop it, but I didn’t wipe it away.

“Of course I’m emotional,” I said, my voice breaking. “My husband just told me he’s been cheating on me for months, got another woman pregnant, handed me divorce papers and now he’s telling me to get rid of my baby. What exactly did you expect from me? A smile?”

He didn’t answer, no apologies. He didn't even try and that silence said everything.

I swallowed hard, my throat aching. “You really don’t care, do you?”

Something flickered in his eyes for a second again but it disappeared so fast I almost imagined it.

“This is the best decision,” he said.

“For who?” I asked quietly.

“For everyone.”

I let out a slow breath, shaking my head. “You keep saying that like it makes it true.”

He didn’t respond.

“I need you to say it,” I continued, my voice softer now, but steady. “Say it clearly.”

He frowned slightly. “Say what?”

“Say you don’t want this child.”

A pause, long enough to hurt then…

“I don’t.” The words landed exactly where I knew they would, right in the center of my chest. It hurt more than I had expected.

I blinked quickly, forcing the tears back. I wasn’t going to break down again, not in front of him and not like this.

“Okay,” I said quietly. He looked at me like that wasn’t the reaction he expected.

“Okay?” he repeated. I nodded, even though my chest felt tight and hollow at the same time

.

“Yeah. Okay.” I saw the confusion in his eyes now. Good. For once, he didn’t understand what I was feeling.

“I get it now,” I said softly. “You’ve already moved on.”

Silence.

“You already have a new life,” I continued. “A new family.” He didn’t deny it.

“And I…” My voice wavered for a second, but I pushed through it. “I was just something left behind.”

“That’s not…”

“Don’t,” I cut him off gently. “Please don’t try to fix it now. It’s too late for that.”

He went quiet again. I wrapped my arms around myself, suddenly feeling colder than I should have.

“I begged you,” I said, almost to myself. “I actually begged you to stay.”

“I won’t do that again.” This time, when I said it, I meant it. Something shifted between us. Subtle, but there.

“You’re not thinking clearly,” he said.

I shook my head slowly. “No… I think this is the clearest I’ve ever been.”

His expression hardened. “You’re making a mistake.” I almost smiled.

“A mistake?” I echoed. “Keeping my child is a mistake?”

“It will ruin your life.” The certainty in his voice should have scared me but instead, it made something in me stronger.

“Or maybe,” I said quietly, meeting his eyes, “it’ll give me one.” He didn’t respond right away and for the first time, I thought I saw something in his expression I hadn’t seen all night. Uncertainty. It was small but it was there.

“I’m keeping the baby,” I said. The words felt heavier this time, more real and final.

His face went still.

“No,” he said. I let out a small breath. “I’m not asking you.”

“You don’t understand what you’re doing.”

“And you don’t understand what you’re asking me to give up.”

We stood there, facing each other like strangers because that’s what we were now. Whatever we used to be…

It was gone.

“You won’t get anything from me,” he said after a moment. “No support. Nothing.” The warning was clear, maybe even a threat.

“I’m not asking for anything,” I replied.

“You’ll need it.”

“I’ll figure it out.”

“You won’t.” The confidence in his voice made my stomach twist but I didn’t let it show.

“Watch me.” Silence stretched between us again then he stepped closer. I could feel his presence, the familiarity of it hitting me harder than I expected. It used to comfort me, now it just hurts.

“You’re underestimating how hard this will be,” he said quietly.

“And you’re underestimating me,” I whispered.

For a moment, neither of us moved then he stepped back just like that.

“Sign the papers,” he said. “My lawyer will contact you.”

I nodded slowly. “I will.” That seemed to surprise him but I didn’t give him time to question it. I signed the papers immediately in his presence.

“Get out.” The words came out softer than I expected but firm.

He stilled. “What?”

“Get out,” I repeated, meeting his eyes. “Please.”

Something flickered across his face again. Something sharp, almost like irritation but it faded quickly. Without another word, he turned and walked away. No hesitation, no looking back. The door closed behind him with a quiet click and just like that he was gone.

The silence that followed was unbearable.

My legs gave out before I could stop them.

I sank to the floor, my hands shaking as everything I had been holding in finally broke loose. A sob tore out of me, raw and uncontrollable.

It hurt so much I didn’t know where to put it. My chest, my throat or my head.

Everywhere. I pressed my hand against my mouth, trying to quiet myself, but it didn’t work.

Nothing worked. A knock on the door and it was his lawyer, told him I signed the papers and the divorce was finalized.

Everything was gone. The future I thought I had and the man I thought I knew, all of it gone just like that.

I don’t know how long I stayed like that. Crying, breathing and trying not to fall apart completely.

Eventually, the tears slowed, not because I felt better but because I was too tired to keep going. I sat there for a while longer, staring at nothing then slowly, I pushed myself up.

My body felt heavy, but my mind felt different. It was clearer and quieter as my eyes fell on the papers scattered across the floor.

The divorce agreement., The photos. Proof. I walked over and picked them up one after the other. I looked at them again. This time, I didn’t cry. I understood.

A small, bitter smile touched my lips.

“So this is how it ends,” I murmured.

Fine. If that’s what he wanted then I’d give it to him but not the way he expected.

My hand moved to my stomach again, resting there gently.

“I’ve got you,” I whispered, I believed it while I turned to leave the room and just then, my phone buzzed.

The sound was sudden, sharp in the silence.

I froze. Something about it made my chest breathe hard again. Slowly, I reached for it.

Unknown number. For a second, I hesitated then I answered.

“Hello?”

Silence then a voice. Low, calm and unfamiliar.

“You found out about your husband… didn’t you?” My heart skipped.

“Who is this?” I asked, my grip tightening on the phone. A soft chuckle came through the line.

“Tell me something, Debbie,” the voice continued. “Did he also tell you how your brother died?” Everything inside me went cold.

“What are you talking about?” I whispered but the line went dead. I pulled the phone away slowly, staring at the screen.

My brother, his death… It was an accident.

That’s what everyone said and that’s what I believed but now I wasn't so sure.

And for the first time since my marriage fell apart, I felt something worse than heartbreak.

What really happened to Debbie’s brother… and why is her husband connected to it?