Valerie said, "Don't be like this, Chucky. I want to see! Show me, please! I'll only take one look, okay?"

The nurse gave her a contemptuous look before wiping the sweat from my brow.

Ultimately, Chuck gave in and allowed Valerie to take one look. She only moved away after taking a look, appearing pleased.

I didn't have the strength to get up, but Chuck merely threw a few tissues at me. "I have something to attend to, so you clean up after yourself."

After that, he and Valerie took off their surgical gowns and left the operating theater. The nurse gave me some painkillers and told me to rest for a while before leaving.

When I left the operating theater, I saw that Chuck's office door was shut. I had no idea where he was; he didn't even bother sparing me a glance before leaving. I knew his so-called work was just an excuse for him to spend time with Valerie.

I headed home and went to the kitchen to make some oatmeal. I only felt better after drinking it. I checked my phone to see that I didn't have any unread messages.

Chuck hadn't bothered checking in with me, but I still called him. "Are you coming home tonight, Chuck?"

I heard the carefree chatter and laughter on the other end of the line come to an abrupt stop. He said, "I have another operation tonight. I won't be back. I'll sleep in my office. Don't bother bringing me anything to eat."

Chuck hadn't gotten any better at lying. He'd already left the hospital before me, and I'd clearly heard Valerie's laughter over the phone.

I smiled self-deprecatingly. Where would I find the time and energy to cook for him when I could barely care for myself?

In the past, I would make him chicken noodle soup and bring it to the hospital in the middle of the night when he was working the night shift. He could never sleep or eat well when on duty.

I didn't know when things had changed, but he stopped needing my concern. Valerie was now the one who brought him food and cared for him.

Chuck quickly hung up, seemingly afraid that I would disturb him and Valerie. I scrolled through social media to see that Valerie had shared a new photo. It was captioned, "Thanks to a certain someone for carefully putting this candlelight dinner together."

The photo was one of Valerie's selfies. She made the peace sign at the camera, and there wasn't anyone else in the photo with her. However, I still sharply saw half of a man's hand in the bottom right corner.

I immediately recognized it as Chuck's because he wore the wedding ring we'd bought together. I locked my phone and headed to the bedroom, falling onto the bed tiredly without even washing my face or showering.

I thought about the things Chuck had done. No matter how deeply I loved him, it couldn't withstand the torment he had put me through.

Chuck's mother, Marge Brown, had never liked me. On the contrary, she liked Valerie, who looked like she was easier to control. She'd originally been trying to talk Chuck into divorcing me when I'd suddenly announced my pregnancy. She'd had no choice but to suppress her displeasure.

However, she called Chuck one day and told him she'd gone to a church to ask for a blessing. The pastor had told her that my baby couldn't be brought into this world because its fortune opposed Chuck's. If we were to insist on having the baby, Chuck would be in trouble. There was a chance it would be fatal.

Chuck had been terrified upon hearing them. He frequently did abortions, so he thought it was the fetuses he'd aborted coming back to haunt him.

So, he decided to personally abort my child. He was unmoved despite my pleas and even told me we could always have another child. This one just had to go.

He forcefully dragged me into the operating theater and got rid of the baby. Only then could he rest easy.

I hadn't expected him to get Valerie involved, though. I couldn't believe his mind had still been on her at a time like that.

Valerie and Chuck were childhood sweethearts, but she'd later left the country to study abroad.

During Valerie's absence, I entered Chuck's life as a patient. We got to know each other after some interaction, and he started pursuing me.

Before marriage, I had no idea he'd always had Valerie in his heart because he'd treated me with such care and concern. However, as soon as Valerie graduated and returned to the country, everything had changed.

It turned out she was the one he'd always loved.

…

Chuck only came home the next day. He had a broad smile on his face but dropped it when he saw me. I sat on the couch in the living room while sipping a glass of water and staring at a painting. I couldn't help finding the situation ironic.

"You spent the night at Valerie's place, right?" I asked calmly. I wanted to see whether he would be honest with me.

He put his car keys down and sat beside me. "So what if I did? It's not like anything happened. Val's just returned to the country, so she's not used to things here. I'm like her brother—it's only right for me to care for her.

"You, on the other hand, need to stop being so paranoid. I wouldn't have married you if I wanted to get back with her."

He looked contemptuous. I could see he didn't feel the slightest bit guilty over what had happened yesterday. When had he become so heartless? I was starting to feel like I didn't know him anymore.

"I was just asking. I didn't mean anything else by it." I looked at my glass and pursed my dry lips. It was supposed to be one of a matching pair, but it was the only one left. Chuck had thrown the other one in the trash, complaining that it was too childish. He was the one who'd excitedly bought it, though.

"Get yourself cleaned up. We're going back to see Mom. She's quite sad that she's lost a grandchild."

With that, he got up and headed to the bedroom.

I placed my glass on the table and got up. The abortion had been Marge's idea. How could she be upset?

Chuck was about to take his shirt off when I entered the bedroom. He immediately pulled his shirt back on, but I still saw the hickeys covering his neck. There wasn't any space that had been left untouched.

"How can you move without making a sound? You're like a ghost," he complained.

I leaned against the door frame and smiled in resignation. "You're my husband. Can't I even look at you when you're changing now?"

He didn't look at me. Instead, he rummaged in the closet for a turtleneck sweater before heading into the bathroom to change.

When we arrived at the Gross residence, Valerie was already there. She was helping Marge in the kitchen, and they chatted happily. She dropped everything and hurried out when she heard Chuck's voice.

Unlike Chuck, she didn't bother hiding the marks of their wild night together. She generously displayed them.

Chuck hadn't touched me for a long time after Valerie's return. The one time he'd slept with me, I managed to conceive. He kept telling me he was too tired because of work and didn't have the energy to think about that. Thus, I'd always expressed my understanding.

Marge curled her lip scornfully when she saw me. Then, she pulled Chuck to Valerie's side and said, "No matter how I look at it, I think you two make a better match."

She held Valerie's hand and said, "It's all Chuck's fault for not being able to resist Stephanie's seduction. If not for that, he wouldn't have married her."

I stepped forward to speak up for myself. "You need to get your facts right, Mom. Chuck was the one who pursued me. I didn't seduce him."

Marge pushed Valerie and Chuck aside. She stormed over to me and slapped me hard. The sharp sound echoed inside the home, and blood trickled from the corner of my lips.

She screeched, "How dare you interrupt when an elder is speaking! Is that how your parents raised you? Besides, am I wrong? Chuck would never have fallen for someone like you if you didn't seduce him!"

Marge snapped, "Not only do I deeply dislike you, but I'm even going to give Val this bracelet. It's a family heirloom! Only a woman with this bracelet is considered a member of the Gross family!"

She removed the bracelet from her wrist and carefully put it around Valerie's wrist.

Valerie showed it off, looking smug and challenging. "I'll gracefully accept this, then. Don't blame me for this, Stephanie. You're the one who doesn't have anyone on your side. Your mother-in-law doesn't like you, and your husband doesn't love you…"

She clicked her tongue.

I cupped my swollen cheek as tears rolled down my face. This wasn't a family gathering—this was an occasion for them to insult me.

Chuck only came to me after Valerie and Marge returned to the kitchen. He hadn't spoken up for me at all; I finally gave up on him. I knew he was on Valerie's side.

"Stop crying. Mom didn't even put any force into that slap. Also, don't be so sensitive. You know she's always been like that. Just grin and bear it," he said.

I couldn't take it anymore and roared, "Grin and bear it? That's all you tell me to do! How much longer do I have to put up with this? Will I have to wait until you and Valerie end up in bed together while I watch? I can't take it anymore!"

My chest heaved with rage. I thought Chuck would take pity on me when he saw me like this, but I'd forgotten how cold he'd been in the operating theater.

He slapped me, and I stared at him in disbelief. "Who the hell do you think you are, Stephanie? How dare you talk to me like that! I didn't say anything when you were rude to Mom, but that doesn't mean you can cross the line.

"Do you want to stay for this meal or not? If you don't, get the hell out of here and reflect on your mistakes! Mom didn't do anything wrong, and neither did Valerie. There's no way I could be wrong, either!"

I nodded. "Yes, I'm the only one who's at fault. I've been wrong from the beginning. I should never have married you or gotten pregnant. It's my fault."

I slapped myself repeatedly with my head bowed. It hurt at first, but I later grew numb.

I turned and left the house, only realizing that it was pouring when I stepped outside. I heard a clap of thunder, to which Valerie cried out in fear from inside. "I'm scared of thunder, Chucky!"

Chuck hurriedly ran back inside. "Don't be scared, Val. I'm coming."

I used to be scared of thunder, too. Chuck would always hold me in his arms and comfort me when it rained. Now, however, I didn't seem to be scared anymore. It wasn't because I'd become braver but because I no longer had anyone to protect me.

I left, knowing that Chuck would say I was shameless if I stayed any longer.

…

That night, I had many dreams. I dreamed about my past with Chuck and jolted awake when I dreamed about him dragging me into the operating theater. I felt my forehead and realized that I had a fever.

I instinctively grabbed my phone to call Chuck before remembering that I probably didn't have the right to do that anymore. Instead, I dug out something to make the fever go away and took it before getting back into bed.

I went to the hospital the following morning, wanting to talk to Chuck about getting a divorce. When I got to his office, I saw Valerie sitting on his lap. They were fooling around with each other without a care for the world.

Suddenly, Chuck noticed me. "What are you doing here, Stephanie?"