At my 25th birthday party, five months pregnant, my husband’s "tomboy" best friend lost a drinking game. She glanced at me, a smirk playing on her lips, and proudly announced to the room: “Let me tell you a secret, guys. Ethan’s stamina is absolutely insane...” “This son of a bitch kept me up so late last night, my legs were numb. My back is still killing me today!” It felt like I had been struck by lightning. Seeing the color completely drain from my face, she finally realized she had crossed a line. She giggled and immediately tried to play it off. “Oh my god, relax, Mia! Don't misunderstand, Ethan and I are just bros. Purely physical. You’re pregnant and out of commission right now, so as his best bro, I was just helping him blow off some steam.” “Don't worry, we used protection. Total safe play.” As if remembering something, she leaned into my ear and whispered loudly, “But seriously, the guy has moves. You’re a lucky woman, Mia!” My blood boiled. I raised my hand and slapped her hard across the face. “You stand in front of me and brag about sleeping with my husband? Do you have no shame?!” Before Chloe could even react, Ethan exploded. He berated me for being petty, pointed at the front door, and told me to get the hell out. The moment I stepped out of the apartment, the deafening slam of the door was followed closely by Chloe’s mocking laughter. “Damn, bro, for that slap alone, I’m making you call me 'Daddy' next time!” His frat-boy friends were probably taking bets inside, guessing how long it would take for me to crawl back, covered in mud, begging Ethan for forgiveness. But they didn't know. I didn't want this rotting, putrid marriage anymore. ... Standing in the hallway, I could still hear the noisy chatter from inside the apartment. “Why is Mia always so dramatic? Guys have physical needs, it's totally normal. Pulling a stunt like that... she completely killed the vibe!” “If that was my wife, I would’ve smacked her back and made her apologize to the whole room!” Ethan didn't say anything, but suddenly, the door ripped open. He looked down at me with pure disdain, and abruptly shoved a piece of my birthday cake directly into my face. “Are you happy now that you've embarrassed me in front of everyone?!” “I told you it was just a physical hookup. Do you not understand English?” “You think just because you’re pregnant, you’re the queen of the world? You either apologize to Chloe right now, or you get out! I’m going to cure you of this princess syndrome today if it kills me!” He turned his head. Catching Chloe’s amused, gloating gaze, his expression instantly softened into a tender smile. “Don't worry, I’ll handle her for you. Nobody gets to bully you while I'm around!” Seeing that I had no intention of apologizing, he suddenly snatched my phone from my hand. He opened my banking app and transferred every single dollar from our joint account into his personal one. The moment I received the text alert that my balance was zero, the door slammed shut in my face again. Inside, someone chuckled. “Ethan, it’s literally snowing outside. Kicking her out with zero money... isn't that a bit harsh? Aren't you worried she'll actually divorce you?” “Divorce me? I don't mean to be mean, but have you seen her lately? She’s pushing 160 pounds. What’s the difference between her and a pregnant cow?” “Who the hell else would want her? The only reason I agreed to actually have a wedding after the baby is born is because I'm basically running a charity.” “And she still has the nerve to throw a tantrum? She doesn't appreciate how good she has it!” “I have to teach her a lesson!” Chloe laughed hysterically. “You idiot, I actually feel bad for you now.” Freezing tears streamed down my jaw. I couldn't bear to listen to another word. I turned and ran toward the stairs. But my foot slipped on a puddle of melted snow. With a sickening thud, I crashed hard onto the landing. Agonizing, bone-deep pain exploded through my limbs. I desperately clutched my stomach. The apartment went completely silent for a second. Someone pointed out that I was, after all, five months pregnant, and suggested they should probably check on me. Ethan scoffed. “With her weight? She probably bounced right back up. She won't die... Come on boys, let's drink! I’m drinking you all under the table tonight!” Chloe wrapped her arm around his shoulder, holding a beer. “Ooh, trying to get me drunk so you can take advantage of me? Just tell me you want me, baby...” Laughter erupted from the apartment once again. Chapter 2 I lay on the cold hallway floor for a long time, waiting for the blinding pain to subside. I used the last $20 in my Venmo balance to call an Uber to the ER. I didn't have enough money for a full diagnostic ultrasound, so I just booked an appointment for an induction abortion the very next day. The pity in the triage nurse’s eyes felt like a knife twisting in my open wounds. She handed me a few tissues. “Here. Wipe your face, sweetie.” I wiped the smeared frosting off my cheek and out of my hair, accidentally getting a tiny bit of cream on my lip. I tasted it. It was sweet. I never imagined my 25th birthday would end in such an absolute nightmare. Just like I never imagined the day would come when Ethan would turn into this monster. He used to protect me fiercely, no matter what. But ever since Chloe came into the picture, it was like he became a completely different person. After leaving the hospital, I shivered violently, walking endlessly under the flickering streetlights. At 1:00 AM, the snow started falling heavier. Ethan texted me: [Send me your location. I’ll come get you.] I wanted to be strong and ignore him. But I was completely penniless, I had nowhere to go, and when he kicked me out, I was only wearing a thin cardigan. Two agonizing hours after sending my location, curled into a miserable, shivering ball at a bus stop, I finally saw Ethan’s car pull up. On the dashboard of the passenger side, there was a new custom sticker. It was a cartoon drawing of Chloe's face. Next to it, a bold caption read: [Chloe's Exclusive Seat. Don't even think about it. OK?] “Chloe got totally wasted and wouldn't stop acting crazy. I had to drop her off first, that’s why I took so long.” Ethan offered a casual, dismissive excuse, acting as if absolutely nothing was wrong. When he noticed I was silent, he followed my gaze to the sticker and chuckled. “She threw a massive fit tonight because we didn't give her a dedicated 'best bro' room in our new house. Said I wasn't a loyal friend. She was giving me a headache, so I just let her put the sticker there.” “Just pretend you didn't see it. It doesn't stop you from sitting in the car.” I didn't say a word. I just stared silently out the window. The air pressure in the car slowly began to drop. Waiting at a red light, Ethan slammed his foot on the brake and violently punched the steering wheel. “Chloe and I had a little too much to drink and things got physical! I already told you it was just a biological urge! You threw your little fit, you made your scene. Are you done pouting yet?!” I said softly, “You’re overthinking it. I don't care anymore.” Ethan sneered. “You don't care? Then why are you acting like a pathetic victim? Mia, my patience has a limit. I’m warning you, don't push your luck.” Before I could answer, Ethan’s phone rang. It was Chloe. “Hey idiot! I left my keys in your bedroom. I'm freezing to death out here. Come get me right now! If you're not here in fifteen minutes, I'm going to kick your ass!” His attitude did an instant 180. He laughed, teasing her flirtatiously, “Wash up and wait for me. Daddy's on his way.” He hung up, immediately unlocked the car doors, and dismissed me without a second thought. “We’re close to the apartment anyway. You can walk the rest of the way. I have to go check on this idiot.” Watching his taillights disappear down the street, I didn't even have the energy to feel disappointed anymore. It was a two-mile walk. By the time I reached our apartment, my feet were covered in blisters. The living room was completely trashed. Empty beer bottles and liquor bottles were scattered everywhere. I walked into our bedroom. The normally perfectly made bed was a crumpled, messy wreck. On my nightstand sat a set of strange keys. Chloe's keys. Thinking about exactly what they had done on my bed, a wave of intense, sickening nausea surged up my throat. Just as I was dry heaving into the trash can, Ethan walked through the front door, laughing and joking with Chloe. His eyes swept over the messy bed, then landed on me vomiting. A flash of deep annoyance crossed his face. “She got drunk and laid down on the bed for a bit. Mia, why is your mind always in the gutter? I am so incredibly sick of this.” In that moment, I literally didn't have the strength to argue anymore. Yesterday, Ethan had told me he was planning a massive birthday surprise for me, and that he would be out late preparing it. I stayed awake the entire night, brimming with excitement. The next day, all I got was a pair of earrings. Chapter 3 But I don't even have my ears pierced. While I spent the entire night awake, anxiously waiting for him, he was awake too. The difference was, I was full of anticipation, and he was tangled in the sheets, sweating over another woman. And now, he had the audacity to say my mind was in the gutter. Chloe let out a dramatic sigh. “Pregnant women are so high maintenance. I'm exhausted. I'm just going to crash here tonight. Hey idiot, go make the bed for me.” Ethan followed her out of the room, throwing an order over his shoulder without looking back. “Clean up the living room. I’m going to make the bed for her highness.” In the past, he wouldn't even have had to ask. I would have already been cleaning like a devoted maid. But today, I stood exactly where I was and called his name. “Ethan. Let’s get a divorce.” Hearing those words, he stopped in his tracks. “What?” He suppressed his temper, told Chloe to go wash up first, and then slammed our bedroom door shut. “Are you having a psychotic break? We got our marriage license three months ago, and you're bringing up divorce?!” I nodded. “Yeah. I think Chloe is a much better fit for you.” Ethan let out a cold, mocking laugh. “Just because I slept with her last night? I literally told you it only happened because we were wasted. Do you not understand English?” “And even if we did sleep together, we’re still just bros! She doesn't have all these manipulative, petty, jealous thoughts like you do. She doesn't even care about this kind of stuff...” I cut him off, unable to hide the dripping sarcasm in my voice. “Right. A 'bro' you can fuck. A 'bro' you can have sex with until two in the morning. Such a strong bond.” Until two in the morning. I always thought Ethan just wasn't that interested in sex. Whenever we were intimate, it was always rushed and over quickly, like he was just fulfilling a biological chore. Turns out, he wasn't uninterested in sex. He was just uninterested in me. The moment those words left my mouth, Ethan was furious. He shoved me hard against the door, pinning me so I couldn't move. “You're just jealous! Stop acting like such a fucking victim!” “Here, take your clothes off! I'll satisfy you right now!” He leaned in and tried to crush his lips against mine. Thinking of his naked, sweaty body tangled with Chloe's just hours ago, I shoved him away as hard as I could, but he was too strong. I endured his assault with absolute numbness. The next second, Chloe's voice rang out from the hallway. “Hey idiot! Come here quick, I have an emergency!” Ethan stopped instantly. He didn't even look back at me as he strode out of the room. As I slumped against the door, clutching my cramping stomach, my phone buzzed with a text from Chloe. [Mia, are you guys seriously talking about divorce? Please don't be mad. Ethan and I just had a moment of purely physical passion last night. We really are just pure bros.] [Look, if we weren't, who would ever agree to do something like this? Wouldn't he be completely disgusted?] To prove her innocence, she sent a video. In the video, Ethan was holding Chloe’s bloody tampon. Under her teasing commands, he actually brought it close to his nose and sniffed it. “Fuck, Chloe, are you a monster?! You're bleeding so much, this is fucking disgusting!” “If you hadn't gone so hard last night, would I be bleeding this much?! You still have the nerve to complain? I’ll kill you!” The man’s face was full of exaggerated disgust, but he continued holding the bloody tampon in his hand. The moment the video ended, an explosive, deafening roar went off in my brain. Every single frame of that video stabbed into my heart like a serrated knife. It hurt so much my internal organs felt like they were churning. I rushed into the master bathroom and violently dry heaved over the toilet. From what I knew, Ethan was an absolute germaphobe when it came to that kind of thing. He always thought periods were dirty and gross, and he couldn't even stand to look at my feminine products. Once, I accidentally leaked a tiny drop of blood onto the bedsheets in the middle of the night. He immediately grabbed his pillow and slept in the guest room. The next day, he literally threw the entire mattress in the dumpster. Tears blurred my vision. I didn't sleep a single second that night. When the sun came up, Ethan woke up early and, in an unprecedented move, actually cooked breakfast. When I walked out of the bedroom, I overheard Chloe asking him a question. Chapter 4 “Did you manage to calm her down? If you guys actually get a divorce, I’m going to look like the bad guy.” “Calm who down? She was just horny and throwing a tantrum. I could beg her to divorce me and she wouldn't have the guts to do it.” “Tsk, then why didn't you just throw the covers over her and fuck her to shut her up? Isn't that your specialty?” Ethan shoved a peeled hard-boiled egg into her mouth. “Not interested. Have you seen her body lately? Looking at her for too long takes years off my life. Just eat your food and stop worrying about it.” Chloe burst into roaring laughter. My breathing hitched. Sharp, stabbing pains radiated through my abdomen. So this was the man I was willing to cut ties with my own parents to marry. I turned around and walked back into the bedroom, completely devoid of any remaining hesitation. I packed a small bag and was getting ready to leave for the hospital when Ethan called out to me. “Babe, I made breakfast specifically for you. Come eat.” The breakfast he “specifically made for me” was a steaming bowl of shrimp congee sitting on the table. He had completely forgotten that I was deadly allergic to shrimp. “I’m not eating.” Seeing that I looked terrible, he grabbed his jacket and walked over. “It’s freezing outside, why aren't you wearing a heavier coat? Where are you going? I’ll drive you.” Chloe sat at the table behind him, her legs crossed, watching the drama unfold with amusement. It was like she was mocking Ethan for acting tough but still desperately trying to play the good husband. Ethan glanced back at her, lifting his chin with a smug “watch this” expression. Watching their little performance, I felt nothing but a hollow bitterness. “The hospital.” Hearing the word "hospital," Ethan’s expression finally grew serious. “Why are you going to the hospital? Is the baby giving you trouble...?” Before he could finish, Chloe yelled from the kitchen table. “Hey idiot, I need to go home! Drive me!” “I’m not your chauffeur! I’m busy! Can't you see my wife isn't feeling well and I need to take her to the hospital?!” He said that, but as I was about to get in the car, he yelled back to Chloe, “Get in, I’ll drop you off on the way.” Her apartment was in the exact opposite direction of the hospital, but he still called it "on the way." Chloe laughed, cursed at him playfully, and walked over to the passenger side door. She glanced pointedly at her custom sticker on the dashboard, the meaning in her eyes painfully obvious. She wanted me to get out of the front seat. I had absolutely reached my limit. “Chloe, I haven't finalized the divorce yet. This car does not belong to you.” “But Ethan promised me this was my exclusive seat! Ugh, this is so annoying... Hey, you decide. Who gets the passenger seat?” She spoke with absolute entitlement, crossing her arms and making a threatening gesture at Ethan’s eyes. “If you choose her over your best bro, I will lose all respect for you.” Ethan laughed. “Am I that kind of guy?” He turned to me. “Babe, just sit in the back. It’s just a seat. Think of it as apologizing to her for that slap you gave her yesterday.” It felt like someone was stomping on my heart with spiked cleats. It hurt so much I couldn't stand up straight. I didn't want to miss my scheduled abortion appointment. Swallowing the bitter bile in my throat, I climbed into the backseat. Chloe happily hopped into the passenger seat. The two of them bickered and flirted the entire drive. When we arrived at her building, she complained that her shower was broken and demanded Ethan come up and fix it. Ethan hesitated for a second, then turned to me. “Babe, you head to the hospital first. I’ll be right there.” “Don't worry, I’ve never missed a single one of your prenatal appointments. You and the baby are the most important things in the world to me.” He quickly Zelle'd me $2,000, then walked into her apartment building with Chloe without looking back. He never showed up. Not even as they wheeled me into the operating room. The anesthesia hit my veins. I don't know how much time passed, but through the fog of unconsciousness, I heard the doctor's frantic voice. “Where is the husband?! The patient is hemorrhaging, we might need to perform an emergency hysterectomy! We need him to sign the consent forms right now!” “Where is the emergency contact?! This is critical!”
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