In the fifth year of my marriage to Jrue, he suddenly expressed his longing to become a father. A month later, I discovered I was pregnant. While organizing the house, I stumbled upon his secret. Jrue had an unattainable love, a "white moonlight" figure. He planned to give our first child to her, Lilian, who couldn't have children. Everything was part of Jrue's scheme. So, I went to the hospital to arrange an abortion and watched as he continued dreaming about a blissful future.

When Thanksgiving arrived, he invited Lilian to join the family gathering. That was when I tossed the abortion paperwork in front of him, leaving him completely shattered.

---

“Please schedule an abortion for me, as soon as possible.” The doctor was surprised, adjusting his slipping glasses. “Are you sure? Your recent check-ups show that your baby is very healthy.” “I’ve made up my mind. Please arrange it quickly.” Before the doctor could ask more, I hurriedly grabbed the prenatal exam papers and left his office. As I stashed the papers in my bag, the corner of a book pricked my hand. My gaze fell on the notebook inside, already yellowing with age and worn at the edges, evidence of frequent perusal by its owner. The handwriting was unmistakably Jrue’s.

I had initially intended to clear out the cluttered room to create a nursery for our soon-to-be-born child. Instead, I found Jrue’s diary, filled with scribbles of adoration for another woman. Sadly, that woman wasn’t me. Her name was Lilian Perry. The diary chronicled their journey from being together to their eventual separation. The latest entries were from a few months ago. As I calmly flipped through Jrue’s diary, my heart began to sink.

A few days ago, Jrue had promised to accompany me to a prenatal check-up. Yet, just as we arrived at the hospital, he was summoned away by a phone call. He left with a sense of urgency, offering no explanation for his sudden departure. By the time I finished the check-up, he was gone without leaving any message. I endured the pitying glances alone, completing the remaining tests, even stumbling once due to my limited mobility, without him ever returning.

According to the diary’s notes, Lilian had come back from abroad that day. The call must have been from her. I had hoped that the check-up would mark a turning point in my relationship with Jrue. But clearly, it was only wishful thinking on my part. I gently caressed my belly, feeling the vibrancy of the small life inside. Baby, I can’t let you be born into this kind of family, nor will I let you call someone else your mother!

After leaving the hospital, I went home to prepare for my hospital stay. My phone suddenly rang—it was Jrue's brother. “Hey, Melanie, Jrue's had too much to drink. You should come pick him up; he's causing a scene.” On the other end was Jrue's friend, and I replied indifferently, “Got it.” This wasn’t the first time; whenever Jrue drank too much, no matter how late, I would go and bring him home. I used to worry about him catching a cold after drinking, so I always carried a jacket when fetching him. But he never wore it and brushed off my concern as meddling. Now, I felt nothing but deep disgust. I’ll pick him up one last time and finally tell him clearly—this isn’t working anymore.

I followed the directions from Jrue’s best friend and arrived at the bar. Before I even pushed open the door to the private room, I could hear laughter and chatter inside.

“Lilian, what brings you back from overseas? Are you here because you couldn't resist Jrue?”

“Come on, guys, we're just friends now. Besides, Jrue has a family, doesn't he?”

The flirtatious voice slipped through the crack in the door, freezing me in place.

Lilian Perry. That name from Jrue’s diary, his obsession abroad.

Taking a deep breath, I steeled myself and opened the door. As soon as I appeared, silence fell over the room. My gaze settled on the man huddled in the corner, looking somewhat pitiable.

Jrue was slumped on the corner sofa, his large frame appearing dejected. Beside him sat a woman with flowing waves of hair, radiating magnetic charm. As soon as she noticed me, her lips curled into an amused, almost mocking smile. I recognized that face from Jrue’s phone wallpaper.

Back then, I asked him whose face it was and why he used that picture. He brushed it off as just a random image from the internet.

Turns out, he was deceiving me all along.

“I’m here to take him home,” I said, my voice trembling, pointing to the man on the sofa. Jrue instinctively glanced at Lilian, then shot me a look full of irritation, as though I had interrupted their moment.

“Jrue, is this your...?”

“Assistant. She’s just my assistant.”

With Jrue’s words, all eyes landed on me—some filled with pity, others with ridicule, each gaze cutting painfully into my chest.

“Jrue...” His friend, who had called me, stood up, uncertainty written on his face, as if he wanted to say something, but I cut him off.

“Yes, I'm Jrue’s assistant, here to take him home.”

Jrue rubbed his forehead, casually tossing his coat to me, then walked over to Lilian with a concerned look.

“Let me take you home. It’s late, and I wouldn't want anything to happen to you.”

My grip on the coat tightened. So he understood the dangers for a woman out alone at night, yet always had me pick him up and drop him off. Only Lilian’s safety seemed to matter. What about mine?

“No need, remember we’re in a safer place now than back in the States.”

“I know what happened a couple of years ago when I was attacked abroad left a scar, but don’t worry. I can handle myself now.”

I noticed Lilian sneak a glance at me, her eyes filled with challenge.

All these years, Jrue had been keeping track of Lilian’s life, even knowing about her troubles overseas. The thought made me laugh at myself.

“You're Jrue’s assistant, right? He’s pretty drunk, so take it easy on your way home.”

“When Jrue drinks too much, he can be a handful at night. You’d better stay at his place tonight to keep an eye on him.”

Lilian spoke with a commanding tone, and the others exchanged knowing looks. Lilian might be oblivious to my true identity, but everyone else knew. Many of them had attended our wedding.

I clenched my fists, wanting to speak up, but Jrue grabbed my arm.

“We’ll head out now. Lilian, if you need anything, call me. It's still the same number.”

With that, he pulled me away.

Watching his retreating figure, I felt a chill sweep over me, my mind teetering on the brink, my body numb and cold.

I’ve been married to Jrue for years, and I know he can be difficult when drunk. But tonight, he was unusually quiet, going straight to the bedroom without a word once we got home.

If he'd just looked at me a little longer, he would notice how pale I am, my lips devoid of color. But he couldn't spare me even a glance.

Normally, I would rush after him to care for him, but today I couldn't find the strength. Seeing him only reminded me of that heartbreaking diary, suffocating me with its memories.

Jrue's phone lay neglected on the couch; he hadn’t taken it with him to the bedroom. It kept buzzing, and after what felt like an eternity, I picked it up. I tried several passwords without success until I recalled Lilian's birthday from his diary. I hesitantly entered it, and the screen unlocked immediately. I laughed quietly at myself. This relationship must have meant the world to him; after all this time, he still used her birthday as his password.

The messages in their group chat kept tagging Jrue repeatedly, and I browsed through their past conversations. My mind went blank and my head felt empty, but my heart was pounding fiercely in my chest.

"I originally thought that by marrying Melanie, Lilian would get jealous and come back to me. But when she didn’t, I went ahead and married Melanie anyway."

"Lilian can't have kids, but she really wants one. I need to make that dream come true for her because a child would be the only thing connecting us."

The impact of those words struck me like a bolt of lightning. My heart turned cold instantly.

"But this is unfair to Melanie. After all, the child would be hers, born through her own effort and pain."

"Melanie is healthy; we'll have more children. But Lilian will never have any in her lifetime. She can be expected to stay quiet about it."

I suddenly looked up towards the bedroom. Jrue must be asleep; soft snores floated down from upstairs. Tears streamed down my face. My fists clenched so tightly that my nails cut into my skin. My chest heaved violently, and my lips trembled beyond control.

No wonder Jrue suddenly started talking about wanting a child. I naively believed that my years of perseverance had finally touched him, but now I realized it was only because Lilian couldn’t have children. Jrue wanted to give her one. A bitter smile appeared, and the hatred in my eyes seemed to materialize.

Their scheme was meticulous, but how could they assume I would let my child call another woman 'Mom'?