Cerita Pendek & Novel Mistress Pregnancy

On the night before my wedding to my childhood sweetheart, Rylan Benton, my sister, Elisa Houghton, shows up with an ultrasound image. She tells me she's pregnant with Rylan's child. When she fails to force me to call off the wedding, she leaves behind a suicide note and jumps to her death, taking her unborn child with her. Rylan hates me for it. He forces me to have his child, only to smother our newborn in its crib. His eyes burn crimson as he grips my jaw. "Amy Houghton, her baby never got a chance at life, so yours doesn't deserve to live either!" Now, I am reborn. I wake up on the eve of the wedding. Ignoring the sly glint in Elisa's eyes, I offer a faint smile. "Fine. The wedding is off."

My boyfriend, Gabriel, was a romance junkie. For ten years, we chased the ultimate high, skydiving from thousands of feet, diving into the deepest oceans. We lived fast and hard. Until I got pregnant. Gabriel held me tight, eyes gleaming. "Let’s climb Mount Denali. I’ll propose to you at the top of the continent." I hesitated. The doctor said my chances of conceiving were near zero. This baby couldn't survive that kind of strain. Gabriel didn't argue. He just slipped the ring onto my finger and walked out. Seven days later, I saw his post on Instagram. It was a photo of him at the snowy peak, down on one knee before another woman. My best friend, Tiana, commented underneath, “I survived days in a cramped truck just to make your dream come true.” Gabriel replied, “You’re still the best. If I were with you back then, you would’ve climbed this peak with me, pregnant or not, right?” A tear dropped onto my stomach. I finally got it. He didn't care about me. All he cared about was the thrill. So, anyone could fill the role. Ten years of his wild romance was enough. It’s time for me to choose peace.

Graham Whitmore had been with me for eight years, all while keeping another woman as his mistress for six. On the eve of our wedding, he swore he had finally cut ties with them. He threw money around, settling things with every woman he had been involved with and making sure I never lost face. I was overjoyed, thinking that, after all those years, I had finally made it to the other side until one flimsy pregnancy test changed everything. Graham drove through the night, tearing across state lines without a second thought, all to get back to his true love. They kissed beneath a tree as if no one else existed, as if I were the villain standing in the way of some tragic love story. So, I took a pair of scissors to my new gown and called off the wedding. By the time Graham rushed back, photos of him with the other woman had already gone viral. Overnight, they had become the targets of public outrage. He pointed at me and snarled, "Luna Calhoun, whatever problem you have, take it out on me. Why did you have to drag Jennifer into this?" "You know what?" I shot back. "Dating you was the biggest mistake and the biggest stain on my life!"

When a wave of labor pain brought me to my knees in the hospital hallway, Orson Caldwell, a brilliant doctor, was just about to wheel me into the delivery room. Just then, his phone rang. When he answered the call, his expression fell. "Seraphina, Cressie's teddy is having trouble giving birth. It's in critical condition, but the vet clinic in her town is closed. I have to perform a C-section on it." I clutched my stomach as blood slowly began to seep between my legs. "I'm fully dilated. If you leave now, what am I supposed to do?" Orson looked annoyed. "We'll get another doctor to do it. You're only giving birth, but Cressie's dog could die. I'll make it up to you and our child someday." With that, he rushed into the elevator without even taking off his white coat. I laughed through my tears, pulled out my phone, and called my father. "Dad, I'll agree to the arranged marriage."