From dating to marriage, seven years together, Kevin Fletcher bailed on fifty-two trips with me.

Every single time, he had an excuse. A project deadline. A last-minute business trip. An elderly relative who suddenly wasn't doing well.

And every single time, he promised he'd make it up to me.

I believed him.

Fifty-two times.

Until last month, when I found a travel planner tucked away in his study.

Inside were fifty-two plane tickets to the same city.

And fifty-two photos of him and his so-called childhood friend, Fiona Snow.

Written on the first photo:

[She said she wanted to see the ocean, so I cleared my schedule and took her.]

On the thirty-third:

[She got drunk and said her biggest regret was never starting a family with me.]

The fifty-second photo was dated the same day he blew off our fifth wedding anniversary trip.

On the back, he'd written:

[She's pregnant. I'm going to be a dad!]

I wiped my tears away, opened my laptop, and drafted the divorce papers.

Then I booked a ticket to Antarctica.

This time, I was going to see the view alone.

It was past midnight when Kevin stumbled through the door, reeking of alcohol.

The second he saw the photos and divorce papers on the coffee table, he froze.

The color drained from his face.

I shoved the papers and a pen toward him.

"Sign it. I'm not sharing my husband."

He didn't.

Instead, he crossed the room, crouched in front of me, and launched into an explanation.

"Fiona's been dealing with depression for years. She keeps threatening to kill herself if she can't see me. I can't just abandon someone I grew up with. She's like a little sister—"

"'Little sister'?"

I let out a cold laugh.

"What kind of 'little sister' ends up in your bed and gets pregnant with your kid?"

Panic flickered across his face.

"It's not mine. She wrote that herself. There's nothing going on between us!"

When I didn't respond, he frowned.

Like he was the one being wronged.

"We've been together for seven years. Don't you trust me at all?"

I was done listening to excuses.

I shoved the pen back toward him.

He let out a laugh. "Fine. I'll call her right now. We'll clear this up."

He pulled out his phone and dialed. The call connected almost immediately. He switched on speaker.

"Fiona, did you write that nonsense on the photo on purpose? Avery's upset."

On the other end, Fiona sounded shocked before breaking into tears.

"I'm sorry. I was just joking. I didn't think Avery would find out—"

"Whatever happens to you from now on, I'm not showing up anymore. Stop trying to come between us."

Kevin hung up without hesitation.

He looked at me, eyes full of desperation.

"See? It was all a misunderstanding. It's cleared up now. You can hit me or yell at me, but don't talk about divorce, okay?"

Maybe I would've believed him before.

But that wasn't the point.

The point was that all fifty-two photos had been taken on the days he was supposed to be traveling with me.

How was I supposed to just let that go?

How was I supposed to believe the baby Fiona was carrying wasn't his?

When I didn't respond, he lifted his head and pushed himself up. Bracing his hands on either side of me, he tried to pull me into his arms and carry me toward the bedroom.

"You've been exhausted lately. That's why you're overthinking everything. Let's have our own baby. Once we have a child, you won't be stuck on this anymore."

I turned away before his lips could touch mine and stepped out of his arms.

"Sleep in the guest room tonight."

The color drained from his face.

He lowered his head and gave a bitter smile.

"It's okay. I'll prove it to you. Tomorrow, I'll have her get rid of the baby."

I watched him get up and head for the guest room.

That night, I didn't sleep.

When I woke again, it was five in the morning.

The husband who used to make me breakfast every day was standing in the kitchen with his back to me, speaking softly into his phone. "Don't worry, babe. I'll be there for your next appointment...

"I'm sorry about last night. You know how stubborn Avery is. If I hadn't done that, she really would've divorced me. Did you like the Versace bag I got you?

"...Okay, okay. I'll get something for our little one too."

I froze.

In that moment, my heart shattered for good.

I quietly returned to the bedroom and booked a ticket to Antarctica.

This time, I couldn't afford to give in.

When I came back to the dining room, I insisted on a divorce.

Kevin refused.

To win me back, he started coming home on time every day. He cooked, washed dishes, and hovered around me nonstop.

He even deleted Fiona from his chat app and let me check his phone whenever I wanted.

He thought all that devotion would earn my forgiveness.

Then I ran into Fiona at the hospital.

She stood alone in the hallway, clutching a hospital bill.

She looked small and helpless.

Kevin, who'd insisted on coming with me to my appointment, immediately strode over. His face hardened.

"Why are you back? You're pregnant. You should be resting at home."

Fiona looked up at him. Her eyes lit up for a split second before the light faded.

"Kevin, this city is my home too. Am I not even allowed to come back and see a doctor? Fine. If I'm causing problems for you, I'll get rid of the baby right now and disappear."

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she spoke.

Kevin's expression remained cold. "Why are you crying? The department you need is straight ahead, then left. And I'm warning you—don't try anything in front of Avery and me. Otherwise, I'll never forgive you."

She sniffled. "O-Okay."

Kevin came back and took my hand. "Honey, see? I really don't have feelings for her..."

As we stepped into the stairwell, Fiona's sobs echoed behind us.

"But I really like you... I met you first. Why am I not the one who's with you..."

Kevin's voice brushed against my ear. "Honey, I only love you."

Disgusting.

***

The next night, it rained.

Fiona showed up at my door.

She didn't have an umbrella. Rain and tears streamed down her face as she glared at me.

"Happy now? Because of you, Kevin told my parents I'm pregnant. They beat me. They've never laid a hand on me before! I hate you!"

She lunged at me.

I caught her with one hand and shoved her back. "You chose to be the other woman. These are the consequences of your choices, so don't blame me."

Kevin had been inside baking a cake to cheer me up.

Hearing the commotion, he rushed over and pulled me behind him, his gaze turning icy.

The second Fiona saw him, her attitude changed.

"Kevin, I lost the baby..." Her voice broke. "I didn't tell anyone anything, but I still couldn't keep it..."

"What?"

Kevin immediately let go of me, scooped her into his arms, and rushed toward the hospital.

"I don't believe it!"

Halfway out the door, he seemed to remember I was there.

He turned back.

"Avery, I'm just taking her to the hospital for a checkup. Don't overthink it."

I nodded. "Okay."

That night, Kevin never came home.

I suddenly remembered the time he'd pulled several all-nighters at the hospital and almost got hit by a car because he wasn't paying attention.

I'd gone to pick him up.

I shoved him out of the way and got hit instead.

It had been a rainy night, just like this one.

He carried me to the hospital, completely frantic.

In the end, we lost the baby.

And I was left barely able to conceive.

The look on his face back then was exactly the same as it was now.

I finally understood.

Kevin couldn't let go of everything I'd done for him.

But he'd already fallen in love with someone else.

A new friend request popped up on my phone.

[Hello, I'm Leo Reed, your Antarctica tour guide!]

I pulled myself back to the present and replied.

Once I got him to sign the divorce papers, I was leaving.

After Fiona lost the baby, Kevin and I barely spoke.

He still cooked. Still did the dishes. Still told me where he was going.

But that was it.

Three days later, my dad called and said Mom had suddenly collapsed.

By the time I reached the hospital, she'd already been moved to the ICU.

Dad's voice shook. "The doctor said she's in critical condition. She needs a bone marrow transplant right away—"

"I'll do it."

"No. Your body never fully recovered after the car accident. Even if you donate, it'd just be trading one life for another. The only match in the country is Kevin. But I can't reach him. What do we do?"

At the mention of Kevin's name, my head started buzzing.

Why him?

I took a deep breath and called him.

No answer.

I called twenty times.

Still nothing.

After calming Dad down, I grabbed a cab and headed to the hospital where Kevin worked.

The nurse told me he'd taken the day off for a family emergency.

I almost laughed.

Since when had Fiona's place become his family?

I grabbed another cab and headed to Fiona's apartment—the address I'd once seen on Kevin's phone.

By the time I got there, it was dark.

The door was slightly open, warm yellow light spilling into the hallway.

I pushed it open.

Kevin was sitting on the couch.

Fiona leaned against him, her face buried in his neck.

Close. Comfortable.

Kevin looked up and froze, quickly getting to his feet. "Avery? What are you doing here?"

Fiona slowly raised her head, her voice weak. "I'm sorry. I accidentally cut my hand today. Kevin..."

I ignored her and looked straight at him.

"My mom is sick. You're the only one who can save her. Come with me. Now."

He hesitated.

That single second told me everything.

"Fiona just had an accident. She's emotionally unstable. I can't leave. Your mom should be fine. Tomorrow—"

"Tomorrow?" My voice trembled. "My mom can't wait until tomorrow."

"But Fiona can't be left alone either—"