Revenge Against the Player

My baby wasn't even a month old when I received a lab report from a homewrecker.

The result showed that she had been pregnant for over a month.

I felt like my boundaries were being brutally challenged. While I was anxiously awaiting the arrival of our child, my husband who should have been by my side was apparently busy making another one.

I paid attention to the sender's address and couldn't help but think, The women come and go, but my husband stays the same. My emotions spiraled out of control. At times, I even considered running away with the baby to escape it all.

(1)

Since I became pregnant, my symptoms had been far worse than normal-constant nausea, dizziness, fatigue, and a complete lack of appetite were common occurrences.

Since I had been living with my husband at his parents' house after our wedding, I wasn't close to my mother, but she would always call to check on me. Tonight, after hearing that I had felt some tightness in my chest after dinner, she was even more concerned and called to check in. It was nearly 11 PM, and she hadn't gone to bed. "Cecelia, how are you feeling now? Is it any better?"

To avoid worrying her, I forced myself to suppress my discomfort and replied, "I'm feeling better."

She asked, "Has Clayton come home yet?"

I lied, "Yes, he's here."

But my mom didn't seem to believe me. "Then let me talk to him."

I called out his name twice, half-heartedly, before giving my mom an excuse. "He's in the bathroom."

She sighed deeply. "You... I raised you, not for you to suffer like this."

"Mom, I know. Please, go to sleep." I bit my lip, feeling helpless. This wasn't the first time since we got married that Clayton had disappeared when I needed him. As a newlywed, I was often left waiting alone while he was nowhere to be found.

I couldn't stand being at home without him.

My mother-in-law, Julia, who was watching TV in the living room while waiting for Clayton, saw me pacing the living room and, without hesitation, scolded, "It's so late, why aren't you in bed? I've told you time and again, pregnant women need plenty of rest."

I gave her a blank look and asked, "Mom, has Clayton come back yet?"

She frowned and said, "The men are out socializing. We women need to support their work."

I fell silent and left the room, returning to our bedroom feeling utterly defeated.

As I closed the door, I could hear Julia's mutter, "Complaining just a few days into the marriage, how childish."

That was the last straw. Tears started flowing uncontrollably.

All I wanted was to know where my husband-my child's father-was, and when we could see him. Was that really too much to ask?

(2)

Instead of following Julia's advice to go to bed, I waited for Clayton to come home. After all, we needed to have a serious talk.

Around midnight, I finally heard Clayton's footsteps-staggering, as though he had been drinking. "Why are you drunk again?" I asked, annoyed.

He hooked his arm around my shoulders and slurred, "Come on, let's drink."

"Drink? What do you mean, drink?" I helped him onto the bed. "Clayton, I'm asking you, who am I?"

"My wife," he said with a grin, then rubbed my belly. "Daddy's back, son."

I slapped his hand away. I couldn't stand the sight of him. How could he be so irresponsible-having a wife and an unborn child at home but choosing to get drunk instead of coming back?

I decided to wait until tomorrow to confront him, but as I helped him out of his suit, I noticed something strange-he wasn't wearing our wedding ring on his left hand.

When would a married man take off his wedding ring? It made me wonder, especially considering his past.

(3)

"Didn't sleep well again last night? You look awful," Clayton said when he woke up the next morning.

Of course, after a sleepless night, there was no way my face would look good. I smirked at him, "Where did you go last night?"

He answered casually, "Out for socializing."

I snorted in disbelief. "Socializing? Since when did socializing make you forget to wear your wedding ring?"

Clayton checked his hand for the ring, then explained lazily, "Better safe than sorry. I was worried I might lose it if I got too drunk."

"Lies, all Lies. Clayton, you're such a liar." I grabbed our framed photo from the nightstand and threw it at him. "Did you go out looking for another woman?"

"Cecelia, stop making a big deal out of this," Clayton snapped, his face changing color when he heard the words "another woman." He stood up, towering over me, making me feel small. "Doesn't the fact that I made you the only Mrs. Bailey count for anything?"

"That's not enough," I said, my tears beginning to spill over as I looked up at him. "I'm carrying your child."

"Stop using the child as leverage," Clayton scoffed. "There are plenty of women who want to have my child. You just happened to get pregnant at the right time. And my father likes you."

The words "just happened" and "right time" were enough to make me laugh bitterly, and my tears couldn't stop falling.

I had feelings for Clayton, which was why, after seeing his true nature, I still held on to the hope that our relationship could be different-that I could be the one person he truly committed to.

I wiped my tears and said, "Fine. I'm leaving. Don't regret it."

Clayton lit a cigarette, indifferent. "Leave if you want. You think this is some kind of threat?"

Pregnant women shouldn't be exposed to cigarette smoke, but he didn't care. Clearly, neither I nor the baby mattered to him.

I gave him one last glance before walking out, never looking back.