01
The day I took my pregnancy test, I couldn’t contain my excitement. I wanted to surprise James with the news that we’d soon be parents. I quietly headed to his office, imagining his happiness when he found out. But as I pushed open his office door, I froze. There he was, holding and kissing his secretary, a woman I didn’t know but
would never forget
Noticing me standing there, the secretary smirked and whispered just loud enough for me to hear, “Aren’t you afraid the wife at home will get jealous?”
James snickered, pulling her closer, his voice dripping with arrogance. “She? Jealous?” he sneered, “As far as I’m concerned, you’re the only one who deserves the title of ‘wife. She’s just a pitiful stray I keep around, nothing more than a pet.”
The words struck me like a physical blow. Holding back the tidal wave of pain, I left his office silently, feeling as though my heart was in pieces. When I got home, I started packing, determined to leave and go far away.
That night, as I was folding my clothes into a suitcase, James finally came home. He noticed what I was doing and, without a word, yanked an old jacket from my hands, tossing it into the trash with utter disdain.
“I told you to get rid of this junk ages ago,” he spat. “Just seeing it here disgusts me.”
Earlier, he’d spoken of me as nothing more than a “pet,” and now, he treated the few things I cherished like trash. My chest ached, my face turned pale, but I fought to keep my expression calm. He didn’t even look at me as he tossed a small, lavishly wrapped box onto the bed.
“It’s your birthday, isn’t it?” His tone was almost mocking “I had a custom piece made. Do me a favor and start dressing like you belong here. I can’t have my wife looking like a disgrace”
I opened the box and found a pair of gemstone–studded earrings. They were exquisite, yet cold and they felt like
they belonged to a stranger. I placed the box gently on the table, my voice barely above a whisper. “Thank you, but there’s no need. My birthday already passed.”
James glanced at the clock, his patience fraying. “It’s barely five minutes past midnight!” he snapped, irritation
coloring his words. “What’s wrong with you, Nadine? Are you just trying to start a fight?”
Taking a deep breath, I tried to explain as calmly as I could, “I’m not trying to pick a fight.” Ignoring his scornful gaze, I crouched down to retrieve the clothes he’d thrown aside. These clothes are precious to me. The headmistress of my orphanage gave them to me when I left. They’re clean, not garbage”
As I spoke, memories flooded my mind–the day we met me in these clothes, him looking at me like I was his whole world. Seven years ago, when I left the orphanage and moved to this big city to study, I met James. I was working part–time in a restaurant when he first saw me and from that moment, he pursued me relentlessly. I was an orphan, unaccustomed to affection and I fell for him so quickly, so completely.
Eventually, I learned that he was the heir to the Hunter Corporation. He came from a life I’d never even dreamed of, surrounded by wealth and luxury and women constantly vying for his attention. But when he brought me home, he assured me that he’d left that life behind. He’d chosen me and I foolishly believed I was his forever
So, on my birthday, when the doctor told me I was pregnant, I couldn’t wait to share the news. I rushed to his office, eager to tell him, only to find… that.
“Rejecting my gift for this old junk? And you say you’re not trying to start something?” James scoffed, his eyes cold as he watched me fold the clothes His smirk grew crueler. “Nadine, have I given you too much freedom lately?”
He grabbed my arm with one swift, unfeeling motion, pulling me so roughly that I stumbled, slamming into
the corner of the table. Pain tore through my abdomen and my heart raced with terror as I cradled my stomach, instinctively shielding the tiny life inside me. My voice trembled as I whispered, “I don’t have my ears pierced… I
can’t wear earrings.”
James‘ face twisted in irritation. He released me, his eyes flashing as he studied my reaction. For a brief second. he looked almost taken aback. I forced myself to ignore the pain, stepping away from him as calmly as I could.
He glanced at my stomach with barely concealed distaste. “Maybe it wouldn’t hurt you to start working out more. You’ve let yourself go, Nadine. I don’t want to see you outshined by other women.”
I bit my lip, fighting the sting of his words, but he turned his back on me without waiting for a reply, shutting the bedroom door with a slam Left alone, I pressed my hand against my abdomen, whispering through silent tears, “I’m so sorry, little one. Your father has changed and now… I can’t have you
As the house fell silent, my mind drifted back to the scene in his office. Seven years of love, seven years of misplaced trust. When he finally quieted down, I walked towards the bedroom, hoping for some final words, some closure
But I stopped short. Through the door, I heard James‘ voice, light and almost gleeful as he murmured into the phone, “Don’t worry about the earrings. She can throw them away if she likes. When I marry you, I’ll buy you jewelry a hundred times better.”
My heart shattered for the final time. I picked up my suitcase and looked around, knowing this was goodbye. And with my heart in pieces, I left the house that held all our memories, stepping into the night alone.
