Half a month ago, Giselle told me that she wanted to stay at a friend's house for a few days. But then I saw a video posted online by Coyle.
Giselle looked pale and was leaning in his arms, sipping something he fed her.
The caption said, "She said she wouldn't want any child if it wasn't mine. I'm so touched. She made such a big sacrifice for me."
There was even a location, which showed a maternity and child hospital not far from my home.
I stumbled out of the house and lost one of my shoes because I was in such a hurry.
It rained heavily that night. I drove to the hospital regardless of the danger.
I would never forget how I went barefoot from ward to ward. Then I saw Giselle's calm face through the small window on the door.
I knelt by the door of the ward and cried until I almost fainted. After crying, I knew that it was time to end our marriage.
Giselle's knuckles began to turn white as she held the paper ball.
She didn't ask me when I found it out. She knew better than anyone how many calls I made that night, but she hung up all of them ruthlessly.
I couldn't wait for an explanation, and I didn't want to give her another chance.
After a long silence, she said, "It's good that you know. I don't bother to hide it from you. Someone like you can't be a good father."
Those cold words were hurtful. I couldn't bear it any longer and slapped Giselle in the face.
We had been in love for ten years and had countless arguments, but I had always been the one who gave in.
Giselle's eyes suddenly turned red. She covered her face with her hands, turned around, and left without saying a word, thinking I would coax her in a humble manner like before.
But this time, I said nothing and let her go.
My love story with Giselle was a bit cliché.
No one could have imagined that a good girl from a wealthy family with excellent character and academic performance would be with a bad boy who only knew how to fight and smoke all day long.
We first met in a dark and narrow alley.
I just happened to pass by and saw Giselle being surrounded and teased by a group of thugs. I had no intention of interfering in other people's business. But just as I was about to turn around, Giselle looked up at me.
She had tears in her eyes, looking pitiful and helpless.
Inspired by the glance, I rushed over, knocked down the leader, and ran away with her.
After that day, I started pursuing Giselle. But we were not from the same world.
The gift I gave her was thrown into the trash can, and she handed the love letter I wrote to her to the teacher without even opening it.
Everyone laughed at me, saying that I was not good enough for Giselle.
But Giselle bravely stood in front of me when I was retaliated by that group of thugs. Even when they pulled out a dagger to threaten her, she did not retreat.
When thugs rushed over, Giselle screamed in fright. I protected her under me and got beaten. Only when those thugs saw blood did they disperse.
Giselle hugged me and couldn't stop shaking. A rare expression of fear appeared on her usually cold face.
She buried her face in my chest and cried uncontrollably, "Lemuel, please be okay. Don't you like me? I promise you that I will always be with you."
Though slim, Giselle used up all her strength to carry me on her back and asked passers-by to call an ambulance. She accompanied me to the ambulance. On the way to the hospital, she never let go of my hand.
The doctor teased her and asked her if she was my girlfriend, for she looked so nervous.
Giselle nodded with a red face and begged the doctor to save me, which amused the doctors and nurses.
After that day, she started forcing me to study hard so that I could get into the same university as her.
She said I was so stupid that I would be cheated if she was not around. But it was also her who deceived me.
After graduating from college, we started our own business. We were very poor at that time, and in order to save money, we rented a small basement.
During that period, we had a very tight budget. We even once ate bread for a week straight.
But we were very happy. We went out together holding hands every day. Even if we only had enough money to share a hamburger, we would laugh and feed each other. We once regarded each other as the only one in our lives.
Later, our business boomed, enabling us to live in a bigger house and have more money.
But we began to drift apart, and we seldom held hands again without us noticing.
Half a year ago, Giselle met Coyle at a party.
She told me more than once that her new friend was interesting and could find various ways to make her happy, which was very much like my old self.
Feeling guilty that I spent too little time with her, I just let her go. But I didn't expect that it would take Coyle such a short time to completely replace me.
"Mr. Geldof, the film shows that there is a possibility of cancer here. Do you want to have it removed?" The doctor's concerned words interrupted my recollections.
My hands were shaking slightly as I held the inspection report. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, saying, "Doctor, please arrange surgery for me as soon as possible."
"Do you need to inform your family?" the doctor asked.
I rejected his proposal. Since I had made up my mind to divorce, there was no need to bother Giselle any further.
When I prepared to pay the bill with the doctor's prescription, I unexpectedly met Coyle.
He asked, "Mr. Geldof, why are you here?"
He looked up at the words "Oncology Department" behind me and covered his mouth, continuing, "Mr. Geldof, you don't have cancer, do you?"
His feigned concern was disgusting.
I glanced at him coldly and replied lightly, "No, I just passed by."
Being focused on getting rid of him, I didn't notice when Giselle appeared beside me.
Giselle's face was full of worry, and she was holding a large bag of medicine in her hand.
As soon as she appeared, Coyle immediately put on an aggrieved expression and explained to me anxiously, "Mr. Geldof, I don't know what's wrong with me today. I've been having stomachaches. I don't have many friends, so I can only ask Giselle to come with me. Do you mind?"
The obvious pride in his eyes upset me.
"Giselle, let's go. We still need to go get the doctor's report." Coyle held Giselle's hand and reminded her in a low voice.
But Giselle shook off his hand and just stared at the prescription in my hand.
"Lemuel, what's wrong with you?" she asked.
Seeing that I didn't say anything, Giselle reached out and tried to take the report.
But I dodged her easily and answered, "It's just a common cold. I will leave you to your business."
I turned around, ready to leave, but Giselle blocked my way, saying, "Lemuel, you look so pale. Let me take you back."
She was just about to reach out and hold me, but Coyle moaned at the right time, "Giselle, my stomach hurts, but you don't have to worry about me. Go with Lemuel first."
Giselle looked at me hesitantly and finally retracted her hand as she said, "Lemuel, go back first. Coyle needs my care more."
She turned around and supported Coyle, her eyes full of concern.
I laughed at myself and didn't stay any longer. For a moment just now, I even thought about whether I should let her accompany me for the operation. Now I understood that I shouldn't ask for too much.
The cold operating table made me desperate for company. But when I thought about how Giselle and Coyle kissed each other at the hospital entrance just now as if no one was around, I felt so sick.
As I watched the anesthetic flow into my body bit by bit, I closed my eyes calmly.
The operation went smoothly. After waking up, I found it was not as painful as I expected.
But the sight of the patient in the next bed having the food cooked by his wife with a satisfied look on his face wrung my heart. I once had that kind of faithful love.
I stayed in the hospital for seven days before I was allowed to leave.
After making an appointment to pick up the pathology report, I took a taxi home alone. I returned to a home that only belonged to me.