: My Husband Is with Someone Else on My Birthday

On my birthday, I cooked a spread of my husband's favorite dishes.

I placed the confirmation of my pregnancy in a beautiful box, wanting to give him a surprise.

But my husband left the country without so much as a word.

All to take care of his first love after her miscarriage.

Later, when I grew disillusioned and decided to divorce him, he knelt and begged me not to leave.

I walked away without looking back. "Belated affection is worthless."

...

"Mrs. Kaelen, President Kaelen had to fly abroad for an urgent business trip. Please don't worry."

After calling Ethan Kaelen countless times, I finally confirmed with his assistant that he was all right, and the weight on my chest lifted.

Just then, the clock on the wall struck twelve, marking the start of a new day.

My birthday passed just like that.

My worry vanished, replaced by an endless sense of disappointment.

'No matter how urgent the work was, he could have at least called or sent a text, right?'

This cold indifference… it was just like when we first got married.

My marriage to Ethan Kaelen was born from a scheme.

It was a scheme that drove his disillusioned first love out of the country and allowed me to marry him.

Ethan Kaelen resented me, hated me. After we were married, he refused to lay a finger on me. He couldn't even be bothered to put on an act for public appearances.

'But I was a victim of that scheme, too.'

Just because I was in love with him, he took it for granted that I was the one who'd set him up, and he refused to listen to a word of my explanation.

That was until a year ago, when Ethan Kaelen's first love got married abroad. That night, he came home reeking of alcohol.

He kept calling out his first love's name.

Through my tears, I kept correcting him, "I'm Mira…"

Not Nina.

The alcohol didn't make Ethan Kaelen forget what had happened.

He treated me much better after that.

And just like that, I got pregnant.

I had planned to tell him the good news yesterday, on my birthday.

At noon the next day, Ethan Kaelen finally called me back.

I answered eagerly, but the moment I heard his voice, a wave of resentment washed over me, and I couldn't help but complain, "Why are you only calling me back now?"

His voice was cold. "What is it?"

My heart sank.

I wanted to question him, but I bit my tongue. Our relationship had only just started to thaw, after so much difficulty.

I clutched the report from the hospital, the corners of my mouth slowly lifting into a smile. "I was going to tell you yesterday, Ethan. I…"

"Ethan…"

A woman's voice on the other end of the line suddenly cut me off.

My heart clenched. I immediately asked, "Who's calling your name?"

"You misheard. I'm busy. I'm hanging up."

The call ended.

I couldn't have misheard.

A woman had called my husband's name in a voice full of intimacy and longing.

A sudden cramp seized my lower abdomen.

I suddenly remembered I hadn't eaten since last night.

'That won't do. I have the baby to think about.'

I reheated the dishes I hadn't touched last night, forcing them into my mouth one bite at a time, even though everything tasted like cardboard.

My phone chimed with a notification. I glanced at the screen, and my heart instantly seized.

It was a breaking news alert. The headline read: [NEW LOVER'S MISCARRIAGE?! PRESIDENT OF THE KAELEN GROUP RUSHES HER TO MATERNITY WARD ABROAD!]

I bit my lip, but I clicked on it anyway.

The photo inside felt like a punch to the gut.

Ethan Kaelen, my husband, was carrying a woman into a maternity ward.

And the woman was none other than Ethan Kaelen's first love, Nina Shaw.

Though I'd never met her in person, I had seen Ethan Kaelen gazing at her photograph countless times, lost in a daze.

There was no mistaking her.

: My Husband's Tenderness Isn't for Me

There were more photos.

Ethan Kaelen was at Nina Shaw's bedside, holding her hand tightly.

He carefully adjusted the height of her bed.

He thoughtfully helped her drink some water.

He patiently held her while she cried, comforting her.

I'd never seen him look so gentle.

'So it's true. An iceberg really can melt for the person he loves.'

There were many more photos, but I didn't have the courage to look at them.

My heart ached with a bitter pang. I took one deep breath after another, trying to force back my wretched tears.

'They're just photos. Who knows if they're real? I should trust him.'

After reassuring myself, I called Ethan Kaelen.

'As long as he explains, I'll believe him.'

But the call went unanswered.

I didn't give up. I called again and again.

'Pick up, please pick up!'

'Just explain, and I'll believe you!'

"I'm sorry, the number you have dialed is currently unavailable..."

I heard that message until I was numb, my vision blurring.

But I kept dialing, over and over, though I didn't know who I was fighting against.

A phone call interrupted my one-sided battle.

"What's going on with Ethan and that woman?"

A familiar, displeased tone.

It was my biological father.

"I don't know."

I replied coldly.

"I did everything I could to get you married into the Kaelen Family, and you can't even keep an eye on your own husband! You useless thing, you've completely disgraced me!"

I sneered. "Destroying my mother's family, driving my Grandfather to his death, pushing my mom to suicide, and scheming against me... you're quite 'useful' yourself. Not something just anyone could pull off!"

"Shut up! Is that any way to talk to your father?"

I curled my lip. "What? Did I hit a nerve? I'm surprised you have enough humanity left to know you'll face retribution for what you've done."

"You've got such a sharp tongue, but in three years of marriage, I haven't seen you make Ethan Kaelen happy enough to produce a son!"

I didn't say a word, and he must have thought he had me cornered.

He ordered, "Get someone to take down those headlines immediately. And tell Ethan you'll both be attending our family's dinner party in two days!"

The call ended.

It felt as if all my strength had been drained away. I closed my eyes, completely spent.

The pain in my lower abdomen grew worse. I forced myself to dial 911.

After a battery of tests, I was relieved to hear the baby was fine.

After the IV drip was done, the doctor lectured me on the importance of staying relaxed and stress-free before finally letting me go home.

Just as I stepped out of the hospital, Ethan Kaelen's assistant came up to me.

"Mrs. Kaelen, President Kaelen instructed me to take you home."

I was pleasantly surprised. "Ethan's back!"

The assistant nodded.

I quickly pulled out my phone, realizing that even now, he hadn't returned a single one of my calls or even sent a single text.

In the car, I asked the assistant, "Does Ethan... does he know I was at the hospital?"

The assistant nodded. "Security informed President Kaelen."

'That makes sense. He sent his assistant to pick me up from the hospital, so how could he not know?'

'Then why didn't he come himself?'

The assistant dropped me off at the villa's main gate.

"Mrs. Kaelen, President Kaelen is waiting for you inside."

All the heartache and resentment I'd been feeling were easily dissolved by those words.

I opened the door and went inside, my eyes immediately landing on a figure busy in the kitchen.

"Ethan..."

"Ethan..."

My voice rang out at the same time as another woman's.

I stiffly raised my head to look at the top of the stairs, and my heart plummeted.

Nina Shaw was looking down at me, her hair unbound, wearing my favorite pajamas.

Ethan Kaelen came out of the kitchen. He glanced at me for only a second before turning his full attention to Nina Shaw.

"Why are you out of bed? Didn't I tell you to rest? You're not even wearing slippers. Go on, get back in bed. The nourishing broth is almost ready."

: I'm the Extra One

Nina Shaw stuck out her tongue. "I was just so hungry…"

Their sweet interaction made me feel like the third wheel.

Ethan Kaelen ladled a bowl of nourishing broth and walked past me, his eyes fixed straight ahead.

I suddenly grabbed his arm. He finally looked at me, but his patience was thin.

"Aren't you going to explain? Or did you already divorce me and marry her when I wasn't looking?"

Even then, I somehow managed to force a smile and deliver the line in a joking tone.

Ethan Kaelen frowned. "Show Nina some respect. Stop talking nonsense!"

Nina Shaw quickly chimed in, "Don't misunderstand. I'm not feeling well, so Ethan had me stay here. He said it would be easier to take care of me."

I looked at Nina Shaw, trying to soften my tone so I wouldn't sound so aggressive.

"Is that so? But who are you to my husband?"

Nina Shaw's expression instantly turned awkward.

"I'm the one who let Nina move in. Don't give her a hard time!"

Ethan Kaelen's gaze was as cold as a dagger stabbing my heart.

Nina Shaw lowered her head, looking weak and pitiful. "It's my fault. I've made you unhappy. I'll leave right now. Don't let me damage your relationship."

As she spoke, she started to walk away, her body swaying as if about to collapse.

Ethan Kaelen threw down the bowl in his hands and rushed over in a few strides to catch her.

"You just had a miscarriage. Your body is still weak. Don't push yourself!"

Nina Shaw struggled, but Ethan Kaelen simply swept her up into his arms. "She and I don't have any feelings for each other. There's nothing to damage!"

He looked at me. "And here I thought you'd changed. Turns out you're still as selfish and vicious as ever!"

I watched, helpless, as Ethan Kaelen carried Nina Shaw into our bedroom.

I stood there, numb. At some point, tears blurred my vision.

'So in his heart, there were never any feelings between us.'

'In this marriage, I was the only one who paid with her heart.'

'Then what does that make me?'

'What about the child in my belly?'

I looked down and saw the top of my foot, red and scalded by the hot nourishing broth.

'Forget it.'

'I give up.'

This ridiculous marriage, filled with schemes and resentment, had to end.

I'm not the type of person to give up easily.

Ever since I was a child, no matter how difficult things got, I would always fight to the bitter end.

Like the last big question on a math test, or making my father pay the price.

My marriage to Ethan Kaelen was the first thing in my entire life that I wanted to willingly give up on.

I went to see my best friend, Penny, who's a lawyer. I stayed the night at her place and asked her to draft a divorce agreement for me.

She was already in bed, but when she heard I wanted a divorce, she immediately jumped up to draft the agreement.

"If you really go through with the divorce, what are you going to do about the baby?"

I took the drafted agreement. "I'm having it, of course."

Penny immediately exploded.

"What?! Are you crazy?! He cheated on you, and you're still going to have this scumbag's baby?!"

I looked up at her and smiled. "Ethan Kaelen doesn't need to know this child exists."

Penny was stunned for a few seconds before it clicked.

"True. Ethan Kaelen might be a total scumbag, but that body and face are undeniably good."

I stroked my belly.

My Grandfather and mother are gone. The only person left in this world who shares my blood is that man I consider my sworn enemy.

'But not for long.'

This baby might mean nothing to Ethan Kaelen.

But to me, this baby in my belly, the one who shares my blood, is my only hope.

I was about to put the divorce agreement into my bag when Penny stopped me.

"Wait, I need to revise the asset division part! A kid is a money-devouring beast, you know. We have to ask for more!"