The Most Painful Keepsake

My best friend, Grace Reed, wrapped her arms around me and gently patted my back.

"I left the country right after your wedding. I thought the two of you had been happy all this time.

"You've put up with enough, Zoe. Come with me. My company could use another partner."

To everyone else, Derek and I really did seem like the perfect couple.

We had been childhood sweethearts and had always been each other's rock.

When Derek proposed, he filled an entire stadium with people to witness it.

His declaration of love went viral online, and countless people copied it for their own proposals.

But after we got married, everything changed.

I pressed a hand to the small swell of my belly.

"All right. I'll file for divorce as soon as possible."

A message from Derek popped up on my phone.

"Something came up tonight. I won't be home.

"Leave a light on if you're afraid of the dark. Remember to lock the doors and windows."

Before he met Jenny Sutton, Derek had never spent a night away from home.

He came home to be with me every night.

But lately, he had been staying away more and more often.

"I need to talk to you. Come home as soon as you can."

I sent the message, then placed my phone face down on the table.

Thirty seconds later, Derek video-called me.

"Whatever it is, you can tell me now. I'm busy."

He looked slightly uneasy.

"I'd rather wait until you get home," I said coolly. "It's about us..."

His camera suddenly jerked toward the ceiling.

"Be good. I'm on the phone."

Derek's tone was indulgent.

"But baby gets bored when she's away from you for even a second," Jenny cooed.

Through the phone came the amplified rustle of clothing, mingled with their faint gasps.

I listened on, torturing myself as a dull bitterness spread through me.

Noticing my vacant stare, Grace leaned closer.

"What are you two doing?" she demanded, raising her voice.

Derek appeared on the screen again.

This time, Jenny was hanging off him like an accessory.

She looked straight at me through the screen, her chin tilted up in challenge.

I ignored the provocation in her eyes. All I noticed was the pearl necklace around her neck.

It was identical to the one Derek had given me and named after her, although her pearls were noticeably larger and more lustrous.

By comparison, mine looked like a free gift that had come with hers.

The sight infuriated Grace.

"So you're Jenny? You knew he was married and still chose to be his mistress, and now you're flaunting it for everyone to see? Do you have no shame..."

Jenny's eyes filled with tears before Grace could finish.

"Derek said the real mistress is the one he doesn't love!"

Derek immediately wrapped his arms tightly around her in a protective embrace.

Then he looked at me with unmistakable displeasure.

He ended the call.

"The real mistress is the one he doesn't love..." I murmured before giving a bitter laugh.

So Derek had stopped loving me a long time ago.

That was fine. I didn't love him anymore either.

After seeing Grace out, I began packing my bags.

Inside my handbag, I found an ultrasound report.

Name: Jenny Sutton.

The pregnancy was already eight weeks along.

One week further along than mine.

My throat tightened.

A violent wave of nausea surged up my throat.

A few days earlier, I had left my handbag in Derek's office, and Jenny had been the one to return it.

I opened my clenched fist, found a picture frame, and slipped the crumpled ultrasound report inside before setting it on the nightstand.

Derek would love this gift.