On the day my wife gave birth, I followed her hospital bed all the way from the hospital room to the door of the operating room.
I had already agreed with my wife beforehand that I would be the one accompanying her, and just as I was about to follow her inside, the doctor gave me a look.
“Are you Michael Carter?”
I froze for a moment. Michael was my wife Sarah Miller’s ex-boyfriend, the man she once considered her first love.
While I was still stunned, hurried footsteps sounded behind me. I turned and saw Michael, panting heavily, stop right in front of the doctor.
“Doctor, I’m Michael.”
Watching the doctor lead Michael inside, I rushed forward, only to be blocked by a young nurse standing to the side.
“Only the husband is allowed to accompany the mother-to-be. What are you doing here causing trouble?”
The operating room door closed right in front of me. I forced down my humiliation and tried to comfort myself.
It’s fine. They must have mistaken him for someone else.
I crouched helplessly by the door, tortured by the thought of Sarah enduring the pain of childbirth alone while I, her husband, couldn’t be by her side.
Time passed slowly until at last the door of the operating room opened.
I rushed forward in one step.
“Doctor, how’s the mother?”
The doctor hadn’t answered yet, but my gaze had already locked onto Michael, who was holding a tiny baby in his arms.
The joy of becoming a father instantly overwhelmed me, sweeping away the irritation I’d felt about Michael being inside.
“Give me the baby.”
I reached out my hands, but Michael completely ignored me and walked past, holding the child.
My face darkened, and I was about to follow, when Sarah’s weak voice came from behind.
“What are you standing there for? Hurry up and push me back to the room.”
I stopped in my tracks and looked at her pale face, moving closer to comfort her.
“You’ve worked so hard, honey. I wanted to go in with you, but the doctor called for Michael.”
Sarah’s expression flickered unnaturally, and she gave a couple of forced coughs.
“Maybe the doctor made a mistake. It doesn’t matter—you were still here waiting for me.”
Though I found it strange, I didn’t press further, mindful of her condition.
I pushed Sarah’s hospital bed back to the room. Michael was already standing beside the baby’s crib. When he saw us, he smiled warmly and walked over.
Right in front of me, Michael scooped Sarah up and gently placed her on the bed. Their intimacy stabbed at me like a knife.
Sarah never once refused him, even looking shy.
Only after a while did Sarah finally think of me, meeting my gloomy stare before quickly looking away.
Michael put her down and then got up to pour her a glass of water.
I snatched the cup from his hands.
“Michael, thanks for your help, but my wife and my son are mine to take care of.”
Michael’s expression didn’t change, but Sarah’s face filled with dissatisfaction.
She said outright that I was being rude, that Michael was only being kind.
“You have to look after me and our son all by yourself. Isn’t it better to have Michael help share the burden?”
Sarah slapped the cup from my hand, ignoring the scalding hot water splashing across my skin, and then turned to Michael.
“Michael, help me pack up my things. We’re going home.”
Just then a nurse came to tell us to complete the discharge paperwork. Sarah gave me a look, and I bent to pick up the cup, swallowing my anger as I followed the nurse out.
I thought Sarah was only upset because I embarrassed her in front of an outsider. Since she had just given birth, I decided not to argue with her.
But when I returned to the hospital room, the sight that met me made my blood boil.
Sarah was cradling the baby, while Michael stood at her side, the three of them looking like a perfect little family.
Their conversation cut into my heart like knives.
“This baby looks just like you.”
“Really? I thought people said babies resemble the first person they see. Michael, maybe he looks like you.”
I kicked the door open with a loud bang. Both Sarah and Michael jumped in fright, and Ethan woke up crying loudly.
Ignoring Sarah’s murderous glare, I gave Michael his marching orders.
“Michael, we’re going home. We don’t need your help anymore.”
“No!”
Sarah stopped me quickly. I stared at her in disbelief.
“He’s an outsider. Are you saying he’s supposed to come home with us too?”
I looked at Michael through gritted teeth. He tilted his head, smiling at me with open provocation.
We both turned our eyes to Sarah. Without hesitation, she sided with Michael.
“I asked him to come back. You’re always busy with work. With Michael here to take care of me and the baby, you don’t have to worry.”
A wave of anger and sorrow nearly drowned me.
To outsiders, it would look like I had neglected Sarah during her pregnancy.
But the truth was, I hadn’t worked for half a year just so I could take care of her.
And even if she needed help now, we could’ve hired a nanny. Why bring in her first love?
I blurted out my frustration, only to receive Sarah’s eye-roll in return.
On the way home, Michael sat in the back, holding Ethan and chatting happily with Sarah.
I kept my hands clenched tighter and tighter around the steering wheel.
When we got home, while Michael eagerly offered to change Ethan’s diaper, I pulled Sarah aside.
“Be honest—are you still hung up on Michael? Are you trying to rekindle things with him?”
My blunt words made Sarah flush with anger. She slapped me hard across the face.
“Do you think everyone is as twisted as you? Michael and I are just friends. If you keep making these nasty accusations…”
“Divorce!”
“That’s right, divorce… you—!”
Sarah had been about to threaten me, but I said the word first. She froze, then gave a cold laugh.
“Trying to play games with me? Careful, or you’ll get burned.”
With that, she stormed out. I stood frozen, punching the wall in frustration.
No matter how unwilling I was, Michael still moved into my home.
He and Sarah took turns looking after Ethan, while I, the baby’s father, was left on the sidelines.
When Michael saw me standing awkwardly, he mocked me, telling me to just go back to work.
I was about to retort when Mrs. Johnson showed up. Hearing our exchange, she rolled her eyes at me.
“David, I hate to say this, but if you don’t go back to work, how do you expect my daughter and grandson to eat? Michael’s not even holding a grudge and is willing to help you, but you just sit around doing nothing. Aren’t you ashamed?”
After scolding me, she turned to Michael, her face lighting up with a smile.
“Michael, thank you for everything. You must let my daughter treat you to dinner sometime.”
The two of them carried on chatting warmly as if I didn’t exist. Just then Sarah came downstairs.
“Mom, perfect timing. Michael and I were about to take Ethan for a walk. Want to come with us?”
The three of them bustled out together without even glancing at me. I shivered as I looked around the empty living room, my mood sinking to rock bottom.
Even a fool could see it now—Michael, as Sarah’s so-called first love, was clearly favored far above me, her husband.
When I first met Sarah, I already knew she had someone in her heart.
The three of us—Sarah, Michael, and I—were college classmates. I had witnessed their passionate love story, and I knew that when Michael had to choose between love and his future, he chose his future.
So when Sarah later came to me and suggested we be together, I knew full well she was only doing it to spite Michael.
At the beginning, I reminded myself constantly that Sarah didn’t really love me. But as time went on, with Michael gone, Sarah gradually changed—moving from indifference to genuine warmth.
After graduation, we naturally ended up together. Until that moment in the delivery ward when I saw Michael again, I had truly believed Sarah loved me.
The thought made me let out a bitter laugh. My gaze fell on Ethan’s bottle beside me, and my eyes softened.
No matter what, I still had my son. As for Sarah—if she wanted to chase her old love, I could let her go. But I had to fight for custody of Ethan.
With my mind made up, I began packing my things and Ethan’s into a suitcase.
When Sarah and Michael came back, laughing together, they froze at the sight of the luggage in the living room and me checking through it.
Sarah’s face fell.
“David, what are you doing?”
I paused.
“You’re just in time. While it’s still early, let’s go get our marriage certificate.”
I said it calmly, as though it were an ordinary matter.
Sarah’s smile stiffened, while Michael’s eyes lit up.
“David, are you done yet?”
Sarah grew impatient, thinking I was being petty.
I stayed silent.
When I still didn’t answer, Sarah stomped her foot in anger and ran out. Michael shot me a look before hurrying after her, nearly bumping into Mrs. Johnson, who was carrying Ethan.
Confused, Mrs. Johnson immediately turned to me.
I looked at Ethan in her arms, gently taking him.
“She’s upset. Mom, why don’t you go talk to her?”
Mrs. Johnson glared at me, muttering as she walked out.
“I knew you were heartless. My daughter bore you a son. If it were Michael, he’d be worshiping her right now. But you? You don’t care at all.”
This wasn’t the first time Mrs. Johnson had compared me to Michael. Ever since I’d been with Sarah, she had never once treated me kindly.
In her eyes, I could never measure up. Back in college, Michael was top of the class, from a wealthy family, and now he was successful in his career.
Meanwhile, I had always been ordinary, just another office worker after settling down.
I had no doubt—if Sarah wanted to get back together with Michael, Mrs. Johnson would cheer her on wholeheartedly.
In the past, I endured her attitude for the sake of her approval, even when she called me useless.
But now, since I no longer cared about Sarah, I didn’t need to keep pleasing Mrs. Johnson.
Cradling Ethan, I spoke to her retreating figure.
“Mom, if you can’t stand me, then let your daughter divorce me and marry Michael.”
“You—!”
Mrs. Johnson pointed at me, so furious she couldn’t even form words.
Then, suddenly, she swayed and collapsed backward.
I barely had time to react before Sarah’s shrill scream filled the air.
