1 My husband developed a second personality right after I got pregnant. By night, my Adrian still loved me more than life itself. But by day, his other self was devoted to his young secretary. My rival, Andrew, told me repeatedly that Adrian was faking it, but I refused to believe him. Not until I went to Adrian’s office to drop off his lunch and overheard him on the phone with his best friend. “Adrian, man, this whole split personality act… You’re playing with fire. Aren’t you worried Ella will find out? You’re gonna regret this.” Adrian just scoffed. “It’s just a bit of fun, and I’ve got it covered. Besides, ten years is a long time. A man gets bored.” He continued, his voice dripping with condescension, “Once she has the baby and I’ve had my fun, I’ll just ‘recover.’ Just keep your mouth shut.” My hand flew to my belly, a chill seeping deep into my bones. I turned on my heel and dialed Andrew’s number. “You said you’d raise my child as your own. Your proposal… I accept.” “I’ll be there in three days to get you.” … “Who’s there?” The moment I hung up, the office door flew open. “Ella? What… what are you doing here?” Adrian’s eyes darted around, a flicker of panic in their depths. He quickly composed himself, his face hardening into the cold mask of his "other" self. “I’ve told you, Autumn is the one I love. This obsession of yours is pointless.” Before, I would have seen that flicker of panic as a sign of my real husband trying to break through. Now, I saw it for what it was: a shoddy performance. “Fine,” I said, my voice eerily calm. “I get it.” I turned to leave, clutching the lunch box. “Wait!” Adrian’s hand clamped down on my arm, his face grim. “Did you hear anything just now?” The cloying scent of Autumn’s signature perfume, a scent he once told me he loathed, wafted from his suit. A wave of nausea rolled through me. I laughed, a bitter, hollow sound. “The man I see in the daytime only loves Autumn. What could I have possibly heard that would matter to you?” My gaze drifted to the wastebasket beside his desk. A tangle of used condom wrappers caught the light, and my blood ran cold. “It’s normal to desire the person you love,” he snapped, stepping in front of the bin to block my view. “Don’t start making a scene.” Even in our most passionate moments, he had never been this… prolific. The blisters on my hand, earned from cooking for him, suddenly burned with a searing pain. The lunch box, filled with the meal I’d spent all morning carefully preparing, slipped from my grasp and crashed to the floor. The food scattered across the expensive rug. A muscle twitched in Adrian’s jaw. “Didn’t I tell you Autumn doesn’t like red meat?” he seethed. “If you can’t even do this right, maybe we should just get a divorce!” To keep his “daytime self” from divorcing me, I’d signed every humiliating contract he’d put in front of me. Autumn has a stressful job, so you will cook her a nutritious meal every day. Autumn’s commute is tiring, so you will give her our apartment and move to the suburbs. Autumn is sensitive, so you will tell everyone we are already divorced. … I lifted my chin, forcing back the tears that threatened to fall. “Eat it or don’t. I’m done!” I was done with him, too. The words had barely left my mouth when a sharp, twisting pain shot through my abdomen. My face went pale, and I stumbled toward the door, needing to get away. Just then, the door swung inward with reckless force, and a petite, doll-faced girl stumbled in. “Oops!” The impact sent me sprawling to the floor. “Careful, you little klutz,” Adrian cooed, catching her in his arms. He knelt down, his touch infinitely gentle as he checked her ankle, completely ignoring me on the ground. “You’ll twist your ankle again and then you’ll be whining to me about the pain.” I remembered a time when a simple prick from a sewing needle on my finger had brought tears to his eyes. “Ella, as long as I’m here, I’ll never let you get hurt again,” he had sworn, his voice thick with emotion. “When you hurt, I feel it a thousand times more.” That promise was now a mocking echo. “For God’s sake, Ella,” Adrian’s voice was laced with irritation. “She barely touched you. You’re not even bleeding. Stop being so dramatic.” The pain in my heart was as sharp as the cramps in my belly. I tried to push myself up, my hands slipping on the polished floor, but my body wouldn’t cooperate. A dreadful premonition began to form. “What are you, made of glass?” Autumn sneered, rolling her eyes. Then, the stiletto of her high heel dug viciously into my pregnant belly. “Ah!” A scream tore from my throat. Autumn just smirked, a triumphant glint in her eyes. “See, Adrian? She’s got plenty of energy to scream. She’s fine. Just trying to get your attention.” A flash of alarm crossed Adrian’s face. “What did you do? She’s pregnant! The baby is innocent.” Autumn pouted, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Oh, sweetie, I was just trying to borrow some of her baby luck. I’m just a girl, how hard could I have possibly stepped?” Adrian’s resolve melted. He sighed, tapping her nose playfully. “You’re trouble.” Then he turned his glare on me. “Get up, Ella. Since the baby’s fine, stop the act. I told you, I’m not him. Don’t try to use the baby to manipulate me.” But it was him, the real Adrian, who had once pressed his ear to my belly, whispering promises of protection for me and our child. He really thought his performance was flawless, that I couldn’t see through his pathetic charade. I tried to speak, but a pain so intense it felt like a knife twisting in my gut ripped the air from my lungs. A dreadful warmth spread beneath me. Something was terribly wrong. Panic seized me. I crawled forward, ignoring the mess and the pain, and grabbed the cuff of his pants. “My stomach… it hurts so much. Adrian, please… help me. Help our baby.” “Autumn barely touched you. There’s a limit to how far you can take this act, I swear to…” He looked down, his impatient retort dying on his lips as he saw the spreading pool of crimson on the floor beneath me. Panic finally broke through his mask. He scooped me into his arms, his voice suddenly frantic, shifting back to the man I knew. “Don’t be scared, Ella, it’s me! The real me is back! I’m taking you to the hospital.” Even now, he couldn’t drop the act. A final wave of agony washed over me, and the world went black. I woke up in a hospital bed. My hand instinctively went to my stomach. It was flat. A raw panic clawed at my throat. “My baby? Where’s my baby?” A nurse rushed to my side, gently restraining me. “Easy, easy. You’ve been through a lot, and you need to rest. The baby is in the NICU incubator. He’s stable.” He. A boy. But I sensed a hesitation in her voice. Our eyes met, and she sighed, her expression softening with pity. “Your son was born prematurely, and the trauma… well, he’s not as strong as other newborns. He’s going to require very careful, dedicated care.” The knot of terror in my chest loosened slightly. I could do that. I could give him all the care in the world. After thanking the nurse, Adrian walked in. He helped me sit up, his eyes filled with a familiar, aching tenderness. “Ella, you suffered so much.” He held up a small, elegant box. “I went to The Gilded Spoon and got you your favorite blueberry cake. Will you have some?” The Gilded Spoon was on the opposite side of town from the hospital. He’d gone to a lot of trouble. But I love strawberry cake. Blueberry was her favorite. Seeing my silence, he pulled me into a hug, his voice cracking. “My love, I’m so sorry. I can only break through to protect you for a moment when you’re hurt. This is all my fault.” He pulled back and slapped himself hard across the face, then again, without a hint of hesitation, not caring about the bruises he’d have to explain at work tomorrow. The old me would have rushed to stop him, my heart breaking for his torment. Now, watching his one-man show, I only felt a cold, bitter amusement. “Bring Autumn in here,” he commanded a nurse. Autumn was brought in, her feet swollen, her eyes shooting daggers at me. Adrian kicked the back of her knees, forcing her to the ground. “You’re lucky Ella is okay,” he snarled. “Otherwise, your worthless life wouldn’t be enough to pay for it. You dare glare at her? You’ll kneel in the hallway all night and think about what you did.” The punishment was meaningless. I just felt tired. Lying in the sterile bed, my eyes burned. I had to ask. “Adrian, do you really love me? Is there anything… anything at all you’ve been hiding from me?” He stroked my hair, a weary smile on his face. “Of course I love you. Why else would I have been able to fight through my condition to get you here? Ella, what could possibly make you think I’m hiding something from you?” Hearing his probing question, I just shook my head. “Nothing. Just asking.” “We’re childhood sweethearts. We’ve loved each other for ten years. Don’t let your mind wander. Get some rest, sweetheart.” He kissed my forehead. “I’ll find a way to make this other me disappear for good.” He seemed to relax, then left the room. I closed my eyes, exhaustion washing over me. Yes. Ten years. From high school sweethearts to husband and wife. But in the end, it couldn’t compete with a cheap thrill. He was still lying to me. And I was done with it. Before I fell asleep, I pushed my weakened body up, wanting to see my son. As I passed Autumn’s room, I saw the light was on. Through the crack in the door, I saw Adrian kneeling on her bed, gently massaging her legs, whispering soft words of comfort. He was so meticulous. He must have told her his ‘main personality’ broke through her punishment. I looked away and continued down the hall to the NICU. He was so tiny. His little face was pale, almost translucent, and he was sucking on his own fist. He looked so fragile, so perfect. My heart ached with a love so fierce it stole my breath. I traced the outline of his face on the glass, making a silent vow. Be strong, my little one. Just three more days. Then Mommy is taking you away from all this. In my dreams, I was back in the beginning. An eighteen-year-old Adrian, blushing furiously, handed me a love letter. “Ella, will you be my girlfriend? I’ll spend my whole life making you happy.” A twenty-year-old Adrian, shielding me with his own body as thugs beat him bloody. “How a woman dresses is her choice! It’s not an invitation for scum like you to harass her.” A twenty-four-year-old Adrian, down on one knee with a ring. “Ella, marry me. I promise to love you, cherish you, and be faithful to you for all my days.” A twenty-eight-year-old Adrian, his arm wrapped around Autumn, looking down at me with contempt. “So what if we had ten years, Ella? I’m bored. Autumn is the one I love now.” The Adrian in my dream blurred, and I woke to a searing pain in my cheek. My eyes flew open to see the real Adrian standing over me, his face a thunderous mask. “You are a vicious, heartless woman, Ella.” “Autumn already knew she was wrong, and you made her kneel all night? Do you have any idea she almost had a miscarriage?” “It seems you still haven’t learned your lesson.” Two burly security guards entered the room, each holding a baseball bat. My mind was a confused jumble, but I had the presence of mind to glance out the window. It was daytime. I was dragged from my bed and forced to my knees in front of Autumn. “Don’t you worry, my love,” Adrian said to her, his voice cold and menacing as he looked at me. “I’ll break her legs for you right now.” The bat slammed into my shin, and I screamed. How could I forget? The one time I’d called Autumn a homewrecker, Adrian had hired some thugs to corner me in an alley, just to "teach me a lesson." I only got away after kneeling on the pavement and begging for his forgiveness, calling myself worthless a hundred times. Even though I’d seen him tending to Autumn’s swollen legs last night, I knew he would never admit it. He would only be crueler to me. The bones in my leg felt like they were shattering. I couldn’t take it anymore. “Adrian, I was wrong! I shouldn’t have made her kneel. I didn’t know she was pregnant. Please, just let me go.” I looked up at him, pleading, but he just kicked me hard in the stomach. A fresh wave of agony tore through me. His face was a mask of disappointment. “You’re still lying. You’ve been pregnant. You’re telling me you couldn’t tell that she was?” The wound from my C-section ripped open. Suddenly, I had no desire to argue. The Adrian I knew would have believed me without question. This man wouldn’t believe me if I tore my own heart out to prove my innocence. My consciousness began to fade. Just as I thought I would die from the pain, Adrian finally signaled for the men to stop. “So you don’t forget this lesson, you can stay here and reflect. I’ll have a doctor see to you in three hours.” … I lay crumpled on the cold hospital floor, a spectacle for every passerby. “Serves her right! Trying to break up a happy couple. What a homewrecker.” “He’s so handsome and she’s so beautiful. And he dotes on her! I heard he’s buying her a private island as a gift now that she’s pregnant.” I listened to their insults numbly, wincing as someone kicked my side. They didn’t know. I was Adrian’s wife. That island was where we got married. He promised we’d take our child there one day to show him where our love story began. Now, looking down at my numb, useless lower body, my heart turned to stone. Three hours later, no doctor came. I crawled back to his room. He was sitting by Autumn’s bed, peeling a pear for her. “Oh, Adrian, don’t share a pear with me! Don’t you know the superstition? It means we’ll be separated,” Autumn chirped, playfully pushing the fruit away. Adrian chuckled and apologized. “You’re right, you’re right. My mistake.” But that’s not what he used to say to me. “Ella, that’s just an old wives’ tale. We’ll never be separated.” He’d said, popping a piece of shared pear into my mouth. “See? If the tale were true, we’d be doomed to part ways now.” Today, his words had become a prophecy. I pushed the memory aside and looked at him, my voice flat. “Adrian. I want a divorce.” The knife in his hand stilled. A sudden, suffocating panic seemed to grip him, the fear of losing something vital. He avoided my eyes. “You still haven’t learned your lesson, have you, Ella?” He gestured dismissively at my torn, dirty clothes. “I had a doctor sent for you. Who are you trying to disgust by showing up like this?” Autumn shook her head, pointing an accusing finger at me. “She’s not confused, Adrian! She’s doing this on purpose! She wants revenge. She wants to get rid of me.” She continued, her voice rising hysterically, “Think about it! When you’re gone, that other personality will find out what happened and he’ll kill me! Then she can have you all to herself!” Hearing this, Adrian seemed to let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. “Enough. I don’t have time for your theatrics,” he said to me. “I’ll have a nurse take you back to your room.” I knew what he was thinking. He was sure I loved him too much to ever leave him. But he was wrong. I had no love left to give. That night, Adrian came to my room. He knelt by my bed, his fingers gently tracing the bandages on my legs. “Ella, I’ve already contacted the best orthopedic surgeons in the country. Don’t be afraid. They said there’s a 50% chance they can fix your legs. You’re going to be okay.” His voice was thick with emotion. “Ella, I know my illness has made you suffer. I’ll have someone break Autumn’s legs right now. Just… just don’t leave me, okay? Please?” He looked up at me, his eyes red-rimmed and shining with tears in the moonlight. “I’ll die without you.” I reached out and gently touched the face of the man I had loved for a decade. “Really?” Adrian nodded desperately. “Sweetheart, you have to believe me.” But I couldn’t. I couldn’t tell his lies from the truth anymore. It didn’t matter. I was leaving soon with my son. When I woke up next, I was being wheeled into an operating room. Autumn was leaning against Adrian, a smug look on her face. “I knew you’d try to have that other personality come after me. Good thing my Adrian hid me away.” Adrian stroked her hair, then shot me a look of pure disgust. “You never learn, do you, Ella? Go ahead. Amputate.” The hope of walking again was snuffed out, just like that. When I woke again, I had prosthetics. “Mr. Sterling says that while it may be painful, your duties to Miss Autumn cannot be delayed,” the doctor told me clinically. “He hopes you will adapt quickly.” At the same time, a text from Autumn arrived. You have five minutes to get over here. Or else something might happen to that little weakling of yours… The raw stumps of my legs screamed in protest against the unfamiliar press of the prosthetics, but I didn’t care. I scrambled into my wheelchair and rushed to the NICU. My son was sleeping peacefully in his incubator. My heart settled. I took a deep breath and went to see what new hell Autumn had devised. I kept my face a cold mask. “What do you want, Autumn? I’m warning you, if you touch my son, I will kill you.” She laughed, a high, tinkling sound. “Is that a threat? Adrian cares about the baby in my belly. Yours is just a preemie destined to die young. He’ll always protect me.” I snapped. The slap echoed in the quiet room. No mother could hear someone curse her child like that and do nothing. “Say that again.” Instead of anger, she just smiled, a strange, twisted expression. “Oh, Ella, I know everything. I know you and Adrian aren't really divorced. He just lied to me because he was afraid the stress would hurt my baby.” “But you’re in your thirties now. You’re old news. Why are you still clinging to him so shamelessly?” she taunted. “He deserves better. He deserves me.” I felt nothing. “I don’t want him anymore. If you want him, he’s all yours.” Autumn’s smile widened. “As long as his ‘main personality’ exists, I’ll never truly have him,” she said. “So I’ll just have to use you to provoke him. Push him until he finally kills that other part of himself for good.” I was about to tell her it was all an act when she suddenly grabbed a fruit knife from the bedside table, forced it into my hand, and plunged it deep into her own stomach. “Your son…” As I stared in shock, she leaned close to my ear and whispered, “A baby is nothing. Compared to Adrian, a baby is nothing at all.” The next second, Adrian burst through the door and saw the scene. A raw, primal scream tore from his throat. “Autumn! Don’t worry, I’ll get a doctor! You’re going to be okay!” “Yes, Adrian… I love you,” she whispered weakly. He carefully lifted her and rushed her to the operating room. Then he stormed back, his face contorted with rage, and kicked me so hard I flew across the room and slammed into the wall. “You’re a monster! That was an innocent child!” “No! It wasn’t me! She stabbed herself! The security cameras… check the cameras!” I fumbled for my phone, showing him the threatening text she’d sent. He shook his head, his face a canvas of pure disappointment. “I don’t need to. You’re still lying, even now. I saw it with my own eyes. Do you think I’m a fool?” “Since you refuse to repent,” he snarled, his eyes glinting with a terrifying coldness, “you’re going to feel the same pain.” He dragged me, kicking and screaming, to the NICU. As I watched in horror, he reached behind my son’s incubator and yanked the power cord from the wall. “NO! Adrian, please! He’s a preemie, he’s so fragile! He’ll die! He’s your son, too!” “Whatever you’re angry about, take it out on me! Don’t hurt the baby, I’m begging you!” I sobbed, banging my head on the floor, pleading with him, but he just sneered. “Now you know how Autumn feels. Maybe this will finally teach you a lesson.” Half an hour later, a doctor appeared. “Miss Autumn is awake. The family can see her now.” “Remember this, Ella,” Adrian spat, his voice low and menacing. “If you ever hurt Autumn again, I will make you pay a hundred times over.” He turned and left without a backward glance. My hands trembling, I crawled to the outlet and plugged the cord back in. But inside the incubator, my son was perfectly still. … Three hours later, I was on a plane, leaving the country forever. At that exact moment, Adrian’s phone rang. It was his friend, Leo. “Adrian, bad news! Ella knows! She knows the split personality was a fake!” “You’ve got to get to the airport, man! She’s taking the baby and she’s leaving!”
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