At a gathering with friends, someone patted my wife Lara Blanchett on the shoulder and asked: "Lara, a beauty like you must have had a first love back in school, right?" Lara smiled and reached up to adjust my shirt collar. "No, I only love my husband." As soon as the words left her mouth, Parker, her male best friend sitting beside her, suddenly laughed out loud. "First love? No." "But she did have a fuck buddy." He propped his chin on his hand and looked at me, blinking smugly. "Don't be nervous, Mason. I'm talking about back then." "Lara was like a nymphomaniac—she dragged me to all kinds of places for sex. Nearly wore me out." Someone cursed in surprise, and laughter instantly exploded in the private room. Parker wasn't satisfied yet. He slowly twisted the knife deeper: "Sorry about this, but I got to sleep with your wife before you did. Three hundred and sixty-five times, to be exact." He raised his glass and smiled at me with curved lips: "Don't take it personally, Mason. Just joking between guys. It's all in the past." "If we still had something going on, we wouldn't pick the day you announce you're having a baby to say it, right?"
The air froze for a moment. Finally, someone reacted first, raising their glass to smooth things over. "Well, everyone did foolish things when they were young." "It's all in the past. Don't dredge up old accounts." "Besides, Lara treats Mason so well now. No matter how busy she is at work, she comes home. He can use the card however he wants. She drives him everywhere. Now that she's pregnant, she's arranged everything at home perfectly." Another person chimed in: "Exactly. A woman like Lara is already rare." "Parker has a loose tongue and loves to joke. Don't take it to heart." The private room became lively again, laughter and clinking glasses mixing into a cacophony. As if that previous exchange had really just been a harmless joke. I smiled too, but my fingertips were growing colder bit by bit. They weren't wrong. Lara treated me well—proper, thoughtful, flawless. She gave me a watch for our anniversary, called a doctor when I was sick, never missed giving me gifts or clothes. But when Lara had sex with me, she was always calm, like completing a task. Always the same rhythm, the same positions, the same silence. No kissing, no flirting, no eye contact. From start to finish, she barely made a sound. Even her breathing was as controlled as if she were in a meeting. After it was over, she'd get up to shower immediately, her retreating figure efficient, without even asking how it was. At first, I thought it was because she had a reserved personality. Later, I thought it was because I wasn't good enough. I tried many times. Changed to shirts she might like, learned those clumsy, pleasing moves from videos, and on nights when she came home from working late, I'd hold her with a flushed face. But she'd only frown and remove my hands. "Stop it. I'm tired today." "Behave yourself." Once, I worked up the courage, sprayed on new cologne, and changed into the suit she'd once complimented. She didn't even look. She just draped her coat over the sofa, her tone flat. "Don't wear that anymore. It doesn't suit you." Doesn't suit me. That night, I washed the hair gel out bit by bit alone in the bathroom, suddenly feeling like the person in the mirror was a ridiculous clown. And now, Parker leaned next to her, laughing as he talked about their wild times back then. Lara said "that's enough," but she didn't deny a single word. I finally understood. She wasn't naturally cold. She just gave her passion to someone else and saved propriety for me. "Honey?" Lara suddenly called me, handing over a glass of warm water. "You don't look well. Don't overthink it. He's had too much to drink and is talking nonsense." I took the glass, my fingertip pressing against the warmth of the cup. Warm. But it couldn't warm my heart at all. I looked up at her and asked softly: "Lara, have you ever truly loved me?" Her expression froze. She was about to speak. But Parker beside her laughed first, slowly swirling his wine glass: "Mason, that question really hurts the mood." "For women, isn't it enough that she's willing to give you status and bear your child?" "After all, Lara slept in my arms for so many years and never gave me status." I looked at him and suddenly laughed too. "You're right." "Status really is enough." Except from this moment on, I don't want it anymore.
On the drive home, the car was so quiet only the sound of the windshield wipers remained. Lara gripped the steering wheel. After a long time, she finally spoke. "Don't take what Parker said seriously." "It was just youthful foolishness. He can't keep his mouth shut." She paused, as if soothing someone being unreasonable. "I married you now. The baby is ours. Isn't that enough?" I looked at the neon lights retreating outside the window, my nails digging into my palm bit by bit. "So you think I should be grateful?" Lara frowned. "Your emotions are running too high tonight. Go home and rest first." When we got home, she took off her coat and, as usual, poured water, washed her hands, checked her phone. Calm, as if the humiliation in that private room had never happened. I stood at the bedroom door, my throat tight. At that moment, I suddenly wanted to know— Did she have no feelings for me, or did she simply not want me? I bit my teeth, unbuttoned my collar, and walked toward her. My fingers trembled, but I still reached out to hold her. "Lara..." "Look at me." Her body stiffened for a moment, then she pulled away. No desire, no attraction—only exhaustion and impatience. She picked up the coat beside her and draped it back over my shoulders, her tone cold: "Stop fooling around." My eyes immediately reddened. "You've been pregnant for three months. The doctor said it's safe during the stable period..." "I'm not fooling around. I just want to know if you still want me." Lara looked at me, her expression sinking bit by bit. "Mason, are you really this desperate?" Those words hit like a slap across my face. I froze in place, even my breathing trembling. But she had already turned around, grabbed her car keys, and headed out. The door slammed shut. The entire house was left with only me and my wretchedness. I sat on the edge of the bed, tears falling onto the back of my hand one by one. Half an hour later, my phone lit up with a notification. Parker had posted on Instagram. The photo showed a woman's wrist in the driver's seat, wearing the bracelet I'd given Lara. The caption read just one line: 【Someone's mad I said too much when I was drunk. But she still came over in the middle of the night.】 Below that, he added another line: 【Back when we were poor students, we tried every place except car sex in a luxury vehicle.】 【Looks like we're unlocking a new location tonight.】 I stared at those two lines of text and suddenly laughed. So when she said don't overthink it, She meant for me to stay home with dignity. While she went to his place to let her true feelings run wild. I wiped away my tears, opened the family group chat, and sent a message. "Dad, Mom, please arrange a lawyer for me." "I don't want the baby anymore. I'm getting divorced too." As soon as I sent the message, my father's call came through. His voice was cold as ice. "Finally figured it out?" "Your mother and I never approved of Lara." "The Blanchett family is good, but she's been spoiled since childhood. Plus she keeps that unclear relationship with Parker as her male best friend." "A woman like that has too fickle a heart. She can't sustain a stable marriage." "We only stepped back because you liked her." "Now that you've woken up, it's not too late." My mother took over the phone, her tone both heartbroken and decisive: "I'll have someone pick you up first thing tomorrow morning." "The divorce lawyer is already on their way." "As for the baby in her belly, Mom knows you can't bear to give it up." "But once this child is born, you and Lara will be entangled for life." "This kind of marriage—cutting it off early is the real blessing."
The next morning, I was woken by the sound of the door unlocking. Lara walked in carrying a paper bag, her expression unusually gentle. "You're awake? I bought you a small cake." She pushed the box in front of me, her tone coaxing like talking to a child. "Isn't this your favorite place?" I looked down. Mango mousse. My stomach immediately churned. I'm allergic to mangoes. In severe cases, I have trouble breathing. I stared at that piece of mango mousse, suddenly remembering many small, piercing moments. Parker can't eat onions. She remembered. Every time before ordering, she'd say first: "No onions in his portion." Parker gets stomachaches from iced Americanos. She remembered. On rainy days, she'd order him a hot latte in advance, with a note for less sugar. Parker's flight lands at 1 AM. She remembered that too. I'd seen the reminders on her phone more than once. 【Parker lands at 01:20, temperature drop, remind him to bring a jacket.】 These reminders were accurate down to the minute. But the fact that I'm allergic to mangoes—after three years, she still forgot. Seeing my terrible expression, Lara's movements paused, and a flash of embarrassment crossed her face. "I... grabbed the wrong one." She quickly pulled another box from her bag, rushing to make amends. "Then look at this. I passed by the boutique today and got this for you." "You said you liked this watch before." The box opened to reveal a beautiful timepiece. It really was the one I'd admired for a long time. If it were before, I probably would have forgiven her with tears in my eyes. But now, I only felt exhausted. I pushed the box back flatly. "Just leave it there." Lara frowned: "Still sulking?" I didn't respond. I picked up my phone. As soon as the screen lit up, group messages popped up. The group was still that familiar "Original Crew." Parker had posted a nine-grid photo set. Men's shirts, women's short skirts, black lace lingerie scattered all over the floor. The group instantly exploded. "Holy shit, who was Parker with last night?" "That's some intense action!" "Details, details! How many rounds did you go?" Parker replied leisurely: "Seven or eight, at least." "Nearly killed me." "Some people act all refined normally, but when they get wild, they really know what they're doing." A bunch of smirking emojis followed below. Then he sent another line: "@Lara Did you get home?" "Does Mason like the watch you picked for him?" I stared at that line of text, my fingers growing colder bit by bit. So even the apology gift was chosen by Parker. Beside me, Lara's phone vibrated almost simultaneously. She glanced down, her face changing instantly, and reached out to grab my phone. I pressed the screen dark first and looked up at her. "I haven't even asked you yet. No need to rush to explain." Lara's movement froze mid-air, her throat bobbing. "Don't jump to conclusions." "What happened between Parker and me is long in the past." "After the baby's born, I'll take you on a trip. You've always wanted to see the Northern Lights in Iceland, right?" "Besides, if I still had something with him, the baby would be gone by now. Would we have made it to today?" She reached out to hold my hand, but I gently avoided it. I looked at her and suddenly smiled. "Yes, you're right." Lara paused, thinking I'd been pacified, and her tone relaxed. "See? That's better. Don't always get stuck in your head." "Parker just loves to run his mouth. He posts whatever without thinking. Don't stoop to his level." I nodded, my voice flat and waveless. "For me, it doesn't matter anymore." Lara frowned slightly, clearly taking this as me being petulant. She glanced at the time and grabbed her car keys. "Alright, stop being moody." "I have something this afternoon. I'll come back later and have dinner with you." The moment the door closed, the room became quiet again. I looked at the mango mousse on the table, slowly picked up my phone, and sent the lawyer a message: "We can proceed with the process now."
At 3 PM, I sat in the hospital consultation room. The sunlight outside the window was blinding. The doctor finished reviewing the materials, looked up at me, and spoke in a calm tone: "Mr. Mason, terminating a pregnancy requires confirmation from the pregnant woman herself." "As her husband, you can accompany her and sign some of the documents, but you cannot make the decision for her." I nodded. Actually, before I came, I already knew. It was Lara's body. Even if I hated her, even if I no longer wanted this child, I shouldn't be the one to put her on the operating table. But I still came. Because I needed to hear a clear statement with my own ears before I could extinguish the last bit of hope in my heart. The doctor pushed the form back, his voice softening somewhat: "If you're just having marital problems, I suggest resolving the relationship first." "Children shouldn't be used as bargaining chips." I lowered my eyes, my fingertips gripping tighter bit by bit. I wasn't being petulant. I finally understood that once this child was born, Lara and I could never cut ties cleanly. My phone vibrated once on the table. The screen lit up with a message from Lara: "Honey, I just picked out a baby stroller." "It's made so beautifully. He'll definitely love it." I stared at those two lines of text, my vision blurring. I suddenly remembered the day we found out about the pregnancy. When the test results were handed to me, Lara froze first, then tears filled her eyes the next second. She hugged me, laughing in the living room like a child. "I'm going to be a mom?" "Mason, I'm going to be a mom!" That night she leaned on my shoulder and talked about so much. Said the nursery should be painted light blue, or light yellow would be good too. Said I should choose the name. Said no matter how busy she was, she'd come home on time to be with me and the child. Back then, I really believed her. I thought this child would warm up the cold places between us again. But now, the same person was sending me baby stroller photos while leaving ambiguous traces in Parker's social media during the night. Sincerity and betrayal could actually exist on the same face. I pressed the phone screen dark and said quietly to the doctor: "Thank you." "I understand." When I came out of the hospital, the lawyer was already waiting for me at the entrance. He handed over the drafted agreement. "Mr. Mason, the agreement states that if Ms. Lara insists on having the child, subsequent custody, visitation rights, child support, and property division can all enter separate clauses." "However, whether to terminate the pregnancy cannot be unilaterally decided by you under the law." I took the documents. The pages were light but felt like they weighed a thousand pounds. "Then let's divorce first." "The child's matter will follow legal procedures." The lawyer nodded. "Understood." When I got home that evening, I'd just pushed open the door when I heard familiar laughter in the living room. Parker sat on the sofa while Lara poured him hot water. Seeing me, he immediately stood up, his eyes reddening, his tone sickeningly soft. "Mason, you're back." "I drank too much last night and talked nonsense. Please don't take it to heart." He walked forward two steps, as if sincerely apologizing. "Lara and I have just been fooling around since we were kids. I can't keep my mouth shut." "She's pregnant now, and you're emotionally sensitive. I understand." "I'll be more careful about boundaries from now on and won't let you misunderstand again." The words were apologetic, but the knife was hidden in every syllable. As if all of this was just me, the husband, making a mountain out of a molehill. Lara also spoke up, her tone certain: "I already said it was a misunderstanding." "From now on, let's live our lives well and raise the child properly. That's more important than anything." "You're about to be a father. Stop overthinking and getting jealous all the time." I leaned against the doorway, pale-faced, feeling exhausted even lifting my hand. Parker saw the hospital documents in my hand and exclaimed with fake surprise: "Mason, why do you look so terrible? You didn't go to the hospital for random tests and scare yourself, did you?" "Men shouldn't be so sensitive." "Lara still has a baby in her belly. Don't use the child as leverage in a fight." I slowly raised my hand and waved it lightly. "Stop acting." The living room fell silent. I looked at Lara and spoke word by word: "I don't want this child anymore." Lara's expression instantly froze. "What did you say?" Before I could answer, the lawyer behind me stepped forward and handed over documents. The pages opened. Black text, clear and piercing. "Divorce Agreement." The lawyer's tone was steady: "Ms. Lara, this is the divorce agreement drafted by Mr. Mason. Please review it." "Regarding the child, the agreement clearly states: if you insist on giving birth, Mr. Mason will fulfill his legal obligations." "But this marriage—he has decided to terminate it."
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