The next day, when Jesus came back, I was busy organizing the closet. He sat on the edge of the bed, watching me for a while. When I didn’t turn to look at him, he chuckled lightly.

“What’s going on? Suddenly, you have the energy for chores and aren’t complaining about your stomach hurting?”

I kept my back to him, focused on my task. He likely thought I was pouting again. With a touch of flair, he pulled out a small food container.

“Look, some spiced honey cake from Derun’s. Didn’t you always say it was amazing but too expensive? Well, I got you some!”

He opened the lid and tried to offer me a piece. The cake had clearly changed color, indicating it had been in the fridge for a couple of days, and a slice was missing. Jesus motioned for me to open my mouth. “Come on, give it a try. Spiced honey cake is great for calming nerves!”

I was about to mention I didn’t want someone else’s leftovers, but then realized how pointless that would be.

“No thanks, I’m not in the mood for sweets. Just leave it in the kitchen.”

Seeing that I didn’t appreciate his gesture, his face immediately darkened.

“Cali, you know Lina had a fever and wanted spiced honey cake. You pretended to have a stomachache to stop me from going. I was really upset, but Lina said not to be mad at you. I’ve forgiven you and even brought you some cake. So, what’s with the attitude now?”

I turned around and looked at him calmly. “Jesus, I’m not sulking or trying to make a scene. I just don’t want anything sweet right now.”

He muttered something about me being unreasonable, and then his phone rang. The screen showed a local number.

Since it was an unknown number, he answered it right in front of me. “Same-city delivery? Who’s it from?”

A few seconds later, he glanced at me, a smile playing on his lips. “I’m not at the office right now. Could you leave it at the front desk? I’ll pick it up when I get there.”

After hanging up, he gave me a significant look, a hint of smugness in his voice. “We’ve been married so long; why the surprises? You could’ve just given me the gift in person instead of sending it to my office.”

A sharp pang hit my heart. The surprise gift…

I clenched my fists tight, holding back tears. I forced a smile in return. “I hope you like it.”

Jesus hadn't been home for long before he left again. Catalina had called, saying she was running a high fever once more. As I continued packing, my heart clenched when I saw the box containing the prenatal check-up reports. I picked up the 3D ultrasound on top and looked at it closely, tears falling onto the paper. This was from last month's detailed scan, where we had clearly seen the baby. But now, the baby lay alone, merely a memory in a box.

I quietly placed the box in my suitcase when my phone buzzed with a message from Jesus. I played the voice note, his anxious tone filling the room:

"Cali, you need to drive over to that little chapel on the north side of town and ask for a blessing card for Catalina. She's burning up again, just like last time. She's probably scared again!"

"You know Father Roger well. Make sure to get one of those special cards he blesses himself. Catalina is so upset she's crying. Hurry up, get it, and deliver it straight away."

I didn’t respond. In the past, I would answer his calls immediately and reply to messages right away. An hour later, Jesus called.

"Why are you so slow, Cali? Where’s the blessing card?"

I used to visit that chapel often, well acquainted with Father Roger. During my preparations for Thanksgiving, I once caught a cold and had a fever. Unable to take medication, I climbed the hill to ask for a blessing card for peace of mind. Maybe it was the placebo effect, or perhaps the illness was mild, but I recovered quickly after that visit.

Later, when Catalina had a persistent fever, Jesus remembered this incident. He couldn’t bear the thought of his beloved climbing the hill, so he ordered me to fetch the card for her. He claimed that since I knew Father Roger, the card I got would be more effective.

I refused to go, and he lashed out, calling me heartless, eventually forcing me to climb the hill. I was newly pregnant, and after the climb, I had a scare. Fortunately, a hospital visit and a timely intervention ensured everything was alright.

Since that incident, Catalina frequently claimed to have high fevers, saying she felt frightened each time. And each time, Jesus would insist I go fetch a card, ignoring that I was heavily pregnant with his child. He assumed I’d go this time after seeing the message, and when he realized I hadn't, he was furious.

I casually lied, "My stomach hurts. I can't climb."

His angry voice pierced the room.

"If you couldn’t go, why didn’t you say so earlier? I’ll have to go myself now! Catalina suffered an extra hour because of you!"

"Cali, I truly regret not making you terminate the pregnancy back then. And even more so, I regret marrying you!"

I replied with a simple "Oh," and ended the call.

Later in the evening, Jesus still hadn't returned home. This time, he actually called instead of staying over at Catalina's without saying a word.

When I answered, I heard a sweet female voice. "Cali, it's Catalina. Jesus can be so proud and stubborn. I'm apologizing on his behalf. He was just worried and didn't mean to lose his temper with you. You know, one day together is worth a hundred. Now that you're expecting, don't let any argument come between you and Jesus because of me."

Her voice carried no real apology, only a subtle attempt to assert her influence over my life. Previously, I would have snapped back and called her out for her feigned vulnerability and innocence. But this time, I chose not to engage. I no longer cared about Jesus, let alone his so-called soulmate.

"This is between Jesus and me; it's none of your concern. If you have nothing else to say, I'm ending this call."

As I was about to hang up, Catalina began to cry. "Cali, I meant well. How could you humiliate me like this? I'm not a homewrecker, nor am I trash. My relationship with Jesus is pure!"

I was taken aback. What was she talking about? Before I could respond, Jesus grabbed the phone and started yelling. "Cali, what nonsense are you pulling now? Your words are truly venomous. Who raised you to be so uncultured?"

"I've told you countless times, I only see Catalina as a sister! Apologize to her now, or this time, I'm really divorcing you!"

When we were dating, Jesus would often threaten to break up, and after marriage, it became the threat of divorce. He used these threats to manipulate me into submission, even when I was not to blame. But this time, I had no intention of backing down.

"Do whatever you want," I replied coldly.

I hung up and immediately blocked all his contacts. My body still needed time to heal, and the stitches throbbed painfully. But what hurt the most was my heart. Thinking of my poor child, who didn't even get a chance to see the world, I broke down in tears again.

Once my emotions settled, I packed up all my belongings and the things I had prepared for the baby. I glanced at the clock. It was late. Jesus probably wouldn't be home tonight.