Deborah was abused all her life. During her childhood, she was mistreated by her stepmother and stepsiblings, causing her to lose her ability to speak due to the trauma. As an adult, she thought things would change when she married the man she loved, Roger Peterson, but he hated her with a passion and considered her a nuisance for being mute.

Roger was always distant and never cared about the pain he caused her. Instead, his attention fell entirely on his childhood sweetheart, spoiling her and making her his mistress.

Afraid of being alone, Deborah endured her marriage to Roger for three years, thinking that if she loved and understood him, he would notice her worth and leave his mistress. But she soon realized that would never happen and had reached her limit. Deborah wanted a divorce to seek her own happiness. Even if Roger refused to out of pride, she wouldn't give up because she had found a reason to fight for her right to live a happy life.

"Sir, today is your wife's birthday. Don't you want to go back to the apartment?" asked the driver of the luxurious SUV.

"I told you not to mention her," snapped the man with black hair, frowning.

"I'm sorry, sir," the driver said, looking troubled, and continued driving back to the company.

Roger Peterson, the CEO of the city's top tech company, grimaced before leaning back in his seat, staring out the window.

He was the pride of his family, nearly perfect, but his talents and good looks were overshadowed by one flaw: the woman who lived under the same roof, the one who ruined his life.

Roger frowned again, thinking about her. He hated her so much that he even cursed her existence, wondering why she didn't just die. Unfortunately for him, he was bound to her forever by some cruel twist of fate.

When they arrived at the company, Roger sighed and got out to head to his office.

After a while, he tried to relax in his chair, closing his eyes for a moment to clear his mind of the day's stress. It wasn't work that had him so wound up.

"Mr. Peterson?"

Roger's frown deepened even with his eyes closed. He hated being interrupted. When he opened his eyes, he saw a ginger-haired man standing next to him.

"It's time to wake up," the man said.

"What do you want, Fabian?" Roger asked, opening his eyes fully.

"You told me to remind you of the time," Fabian replied.

Roger glanced at the clock on his desk; it was 5:15 PM.

"Right, thanks," he said, standing up and straightening his clothes. Satisfied with his appearance, he headed for the door.

"Have my car ready," he told Fabian on the way out. "And hey, did you get--"

"Yes," Fabian interrupted, making a face. "Everything is ready: the car and the gifts you always bring for her."

"Hm... thank you," Roger said, leaving the office with a big smile.

Fabian watched him go and sighed, shaking his head. What his boss was doing didn't sit right with him, but he knew his opinion wouldn't matter.

When Roger arrived at the parking lot, an employee handed him the keys to his luxurious black sports car and the gifts Fabian had bought.

He thanked the employee, placed the items in the car, and set off for his special appointment.

His destination was the most luxurious hotel in the city.

Upon arrival, Roger handed his car over to the valet and, carrying the roses and gift, walked slowly into the hotel.

As usual, several women nearby stared at him and whispered excitedly about how hot and handsome he was, comments that only inflated his ego and made him smile arrogantly.

"Honey."

Roger turned and smiled, seeing a beautiful blonde with long, straight hair and a curvy figure coming toward him. She leaned in to kiss him on the lips.

"Did I make you wait?" he asked Sophia as she approached.

"You know I would always wait for you," she replied, love shining in her emerald eyes.

"I know. I brought you a little gift," he said flirtatiously, handing her the flowers and a black leather box.

"Ah... how thoughtful," Sophia said, taking the flowers and smelling them before opening the box to find a beautiful diamond necklace. "Ah... Roger."

"Only the best for you," he said with a smile.

"You know... I have a little gift for you too," Sophia whispered flirtatiously, pressing her body against his suggestively.

"Hm... interesting," he said amusedly, grabbing her by the waist as they walked toward the elevator to reach their usual room.

The room was one of the most luxurious and expensive suites in the hotel, decorated with romantic touches—candles, flowers, and even a filled bathtub ready for a romantic evening.

"Wow, you've prepared everything," Roger said, taking in the decorations.

"Of course. And by the way, happy anniversary," she said, giving him a passionate kiss.

The kiss quickly grew more intense, and they closed the door as they began tearing each other's clothes off, eager to start their special night.

It was a great night full of passion for them, which promised to last until dawn. But just as the clock struck one in the morning, Roger's phone began to ring.

"Ah... no... don't answer," Sophia complained, trying to pull him into another kiss.

"Wait..." he said, annoyed, pulling away to grab his phone without checking the caller ID.

"What is it?!" he shouted angrily. There was no response, so he glanced at the number. He saw the call was coming from his apartment, so he abruptly separated from Sophia to sit on the bed.

"What the hell do you want?" he asked. In response, he heard tapping on the phone.

"Who is bothering you, honey?" Sophia asked, covering her body with the sheets.

"Nobody," he said, looking at her lovingly before returning to the call. "Stop messing with me. I'm not coming home, so go to sleep and don't call me again."

"That idiot is bothering you again," Sophia complained, frowning.

"Yeah."

"Well, leave it and come back to bed. I'm starting to get cold," she said, taking the phone from him.

Without hanging up, Sophia tossed the phone onto the floor. She then made Roger lie down on the bed and climbed on top of him, picking up where they had left off.

The person on the other end of the line listened as the two started having sex. Silent tears streamed down her face. She didn't hang up until she heard them declare their eternal love for each other.

After ending the call, she wiped her tears and turned off the recorder app she had installed to capture the conversation.

This was the final piece of evidence she needed. Even though she already knew she wasn't loved, hearing them together still hurt deeply. Yet, she found some solace in the fact that Sophia's arrogance had provided proof of Roger's infidelity.

The person who had called Roger was actually the source of his troubles: his legitimate wife.

"So, you recorded them having sex?" a female voice asked over the phone.

The other person tapped back a response in Morse code: [Yes, she didn't hang up.]

"Excellent... well, you know the plan."

[Don't worry, I understand.]

"When I bring your cake and gift tomorrow, give me those recordings so I can hand them to my husband for him to help you file for the divorce."

[Thank you.]

"You don't need to thank me. Rest well." the person said before ending the call.

The woman who communicated in Morse code sighed, feeling her eyes sting with impending tears. Remembering how her husband professed love to his mistress was painful.

She walked slowly to her room and paused at the large mirror in the hallway. The reflection showed a beautiful woman with slightly wavy brown hair, though her eyes were swollen from sadness. The blue of her eyes was unique, her figure slender—perhaps not as voluptuous as Sophia's, but well-proportioned.

The blue-eyed woman was undeniably attractive, if not for the cruel disability caused by a childhood accident that left her mute. She communicated through sign language and Morse code, something Roger hated because he had to learn them just to talk with her.

Placing her hand on the mirror, she pondered if what she was about to do was right. But she could no longer live as a shadow in that house.

Apart from her childhood friend, her friend's husband, and the neighbor, no one cared for her: her father never loved her, her stepmother and step-siblings abused her, her husband openly betrayed her, and her mother-in-law humiliated her whenever possible. Without the three who supported her, she would be isolated in that big place called ‘home.’

The place was a modern, luxurious apartment, equipped with the best and most expensive decorations. They were supposed to live in a mansion, but Roger refused to buy one, insisting he would only buy one to live with the woman he loved.

The woman turned around and headed to the kitchen to store the dinner she had prepared for Roger. She knew that when he spent the night with Sophia, he wouldn't return until 7 AM. And even then, he just came back to shower, change, and have breakfast before heading straight to the office.

After cleaning the dirty dishes and tidying up the kitchen, she went to Roger's room to lay out clean clothes on his bed for the next morning. Then she went to her room to sleep—they slept in separate bedrooms.

The next morning, she was awakened by the sound of running water, an indication that Roger had returned and was taking a shower. She got up to prepare his breakfast, quickly setting it on the table before sitting to wait for him.

Her wait was short. Five minutes later, Roger appeared—showered and dressed—and sat down to eat without greeting her.

She signed her greeting: [Good morning.] But Roger ignored her, his attention focused on his phone. He was probably texting Sophia judging by the foolish smile on his face.

The woman sighed and began eating with her gaze lowered.

When Roger finished, he stood to leave, but his supposed wife stood as well and approached him.

"What do you want, Deborah?" he asked, frowning as she reached out to touch him. When he realized that she was only adjusting his tie, he sighed.

[Have a good day.]

"I always do," he retorted sarcastically, bumping into her shoulder as he walked past her. Deborah fell but he didn't care. He continued on his way without looking back.

Deborah endured the pain of the fall and stood up, quickly drying the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. She focused on a specific spot on the wall in front of her.

Carefully, she approached that spot and removed a hidden mini-camera from behind an ornament. Deborah had been gradually gathering evidence to support her demand for a divorce.

Yes, she had reached her limit. She couldn't endure more humiliation. Deborah simply couldn’t understand: why did everyone hate her? Just because she couldn't speak?

It wasn’t fair, and it hurt especially the most today because her husband ignored her birthday. The most she hoped for was at least a birthday greeting.

Feeling sad and a sudden bout of nausea, Deborah ran to the bathroom.

Lately, she had been feeling weak and dizzy, and often vomited after eating. She knew she should see a doctor, but she simply thought it was all due to the psychological stress she was under.

Deborah lay on the sofa, trying to calm her nerves before getting to the household chores. But her rest was interrupted by the ring of the doorbell announcing a visitor.

Deborah stood up to see who it was, and her discomfort vanished when she saw it was her friend, whom she immediately let in.

[Hello, Carrie.] Deborah signed while smiling.

"Hi, Debbie. That jerk is gone, right?" said the black-haired woman, approaching to hug and kiss Deborah on the cheek.

[Yes.]

"Good, because I didn't bring anything for him," Caroline said as she held up a paper bag.

Deborah looked puzzled until she saw the bag's label and realized Caroline had brought food from her favorite restaurant.

"And by the way, happy birthday!"

Deborah smiled and hugged Caroline, grateful for the gesture as her friend was the only one to wish her a happy birthday.

They set the table with the food and chatted about trivial things such as TV shows or the latest drama showing on the 9 PM TV slot.

[You really make things tough for Christian.]

"Well, he knows I'm not a docile girl, and he loves me for it," Caroline joked as she stuck her tongue cheekily, making Deborah laugh.

[Here, these are the recordings.] Deborah handed Caroline two USB drives with all the evidence she had gathered.

"Perfect. I'll give them to my husband so we can start the divorce proceedings," Caroline said seriously, putting the USB drives in her bag.

Deborah thanked her for the help before they continued their meal and conversation. But the meal was interrupted when Deborah suddenly stood and ran to the bathroom to vomit what little she had eaten.

"Deborah? Are you okay?" Caroline hurried after her, alarmed by the unexpected reaction and the sound of her vomiting. She didn't hesitate to enter the bathroom to help and saw how pale Deborah looked. "How long has this been happening? Have you seen a doctor?" Caroline asked, handing Deborah a towel.

[Only recently. And no... I haven't gone to the hospital]

"Forget the meal, I'm taking you to the hospital now," Caroline said with a frown as she helped Deborah stand.

[But my chores…]

"Ah, forget that. The damned house won't collapse if you don't clean it for a day. Your health is more important," Caroline scolded.

[Let me inform Roger.]

"Deborah, please, forget about him. Does he ask for your permission when he sleeps with his mistress?"

[No…]

"Then let's go, my dear. Right now, you need to remember that the most important person in your life is you," Caroline said.

[Thank you.] Deborah smiled, grateful for her friend's support.

"Alright, get up and grab your bag," Caroline ordered as she supported Deborah before pulling out her phone to send a text. “Come on, I'll take you to my doctor to avoid any issues with that maniac."

At the hospital, Caroline spoke with the doctor, asking for a thorough examination of her friend because Deborah wasn't feeling well and had been vomiting.

The doctor, noticing how pale the young brunette looked, immediately ordered a complete exam to identify the potential causes.

[Carrie, I’m scared.] Deborah was terrified that something might be seriously wrong with her body and her anxiety grew with each test they conducted.

“Calm down, no matter what, I’m here for you, okay?” Caroline reassured her, holding Deborah’s hands to try to ease her worries.

Deborah nodded. After a few minutes, a nurse arrived with the test results.

“Thanks, darling,” the doctor said flirtatiously as he winked at the nurse who smiled and slowly left the room. The friends chuckled at the interaction they just witnessed.

The doctor began reading the results and his expression turned more serious as he flipped through the pages.

“So, what’s wrong with my friend?” Caroline asked, unnerved by the doctor’s continued silence.

“Relax, Caroline. Your friend is healthy,” the doctor clarified.

“Healthy? Then why has she been vomiting and looking unwell—?”

“Because she’s two months pregnant. Congratulations,” the doctor interrupted, surprising both women.

“Two months…” Caroline turned to Deborah, who was in shock.

“You seem a bit surprised,” the doctor remarked at Deborah’s lack of reaction.

[Very…] Deborah was struggling to digest what she just heard.

“She says ‘Very’, but are you sure?” Caroline pressed.

“Yes, we did a thorough examination and now that we have these results, the symptoms make sense. The dizziness and vomiting are early signs of pregnancy,” the doctor explained to the incredulous friends. “I see you still have doubts. Here,” he said, pulling out a card and tearing out a page from his notepad. “This is the name of a good gynecologist for your follow-up and care. If you choose otherwise, this is the address of a clinic for an abortion.”

[What... no, no, no.] Deborah signed frantically.

“I don’t think she liked the idea of an abortion,” Caroline said, trying to calm Deborah down.

“Sorry for suggesting it,” the doctor apologized after seeing how horrified Deborah looked. “It’s just that you didn’t look too happy upon hearing the news so I thought I should at least mention it.”

“Thank you, Doctor. But she’s not happy because she just fought with her partner,” Caroline explained, trying to change the subject.

“I understand. But remember, communication is key, and I’m sure your husband will be thrilled about becoming a father.”

Deborah made a face and nodded, not wanting to explain everything to a stranger.

“Doctor, is there something my friend can take to relieve her symptoms?” Caroline asked.

“Of course,” he said, quickly writing a prescription. “These vitamins will help with the lethargy. Avoid anything that makes you feel worse and increase your intake of fruits and vegetables. Understood?”

Deborah nodded, taking the prescription.

[Thank you.]

“She says ‘Thank you very much’, Doctor.”

“You’re welcome. Take care,” the doctor said as they left.

Walking out, Caroline noticed her friend was lost in thought.

Pregnancy…it was wonderful news. It had once been a dream of Deborah, a longing… but why now when she was determined to get a divorce?

Doubts started entering her mind: should she still proceed with the divorce? Or could the doctor’s words be true and everything would change with the baby?

“Deborah,” Caroline’s voice pulled her from her thoughts.

She stopped and looked into Caroline’s eyes, seeing worry reflecting back at her.

“This pregnancy is from that time, right?” Caroline asked, distressed, recalling the day she had found Deborah bruised after a visit.

[I think so…] Deborah signed sadly.

“Deborah, what are you going to do? I know you, and abortion isn’t an option, but tell me, will you follow the doctor’s advice or continue with the divorce?”

[It’s his baby…]

“So what? You don’t know how he’ll react.”

[But it’s his baby… surely everything will change for the better.]

“My dear…”

[Carrie, I know you’re angry, but I still think I need to tell him about my condition.]

“Deborah, promise me, swear on your mother’s memory, that you’ll only ask what he thinks about having a child. Don’t tell him you’re pregnant. I don’t want him to turn and hit you until you miscarry.” Caroline said, looking into Deborah’s eyes while holding her hands.

Caroline’s words scared Deborah because the latter knew it was not a farfetched reaction to expect from Roger, so she agreed and promised to keep her word.

Deborah started to remember that day, the day she must have conceived. Sadly, the way it happened wasn’t out of love or affection. It was rough sex accompanied by blows and insults because Roger had used her as a punching bag to vent his frustrations from a fight with Sophia. The fight, like always, was because of Deborah. Sophia wanted to be the wife, not the mistress, and those hits were him blaming Deborah for ruining his life.

That event marked the final line of her tolerance of the marriage. She had never done anything to deserve such treatment and couldn’t understand why he hated her so much.

Deborah shook off the bad memories and continued walking with Caroline to the pharmacy to get the prescription.

After buying the pills, she took some and put the rest in her bag.

“Now that we have the vitamins, how about a trip?” Caroline suggested.

[But…]

“Yesterday was your birthday, and you stayed home waiting for that jerk. Today, we’re going out and eating cake,” Caroline said, grabbing Deborah’s hand to lead her toward the mall.

After some thought, Deborah agreed. It was time to enjoy life and celebrate her birthday outside the house.