Theater: NovelMaster | Language: English | NEW
Synopsis
While I was pregnant, Kyle Vance played the "suck and blow" card game with his first love, Gina Hayes.
They dropped the card and ended up making out in front of everyone for five whole minutes.
His best friend yelled, "Chloe, if you don't step in, they're going to get a room right here!"
I didn't say a word. I just kept scrolling through my phone, reading pregnancy care tips from my OB-GYN.
Kyle finally broke the kiss, looked at me, and laughed. "She’s carrying my baby. Even if I slept with someone else right in front of her, she wouldn’t dare leave."
I smiled bitterly. He was right. That was how much shit I could take from him.
Or so he thought.
The moment our baby was born, I handed him divorce papers.
He stared at me in disbelief. "Are you crazy? You want this kid to grow up without a father?"
I scoffed. "The baby's father died years ago."
When I went for my ultrasound alone, Kyle was across town at the hospital taking care of Gina, who had fractured her leg.
He had the nerve to ask me over the phone, "You're only three months along. You don't actually need me there, right?"
I smiled. Even at eight months, I could come alone. This baby had nothing to do with him anyway.
A month later, Gina was discharged. His friends threw a massive welcome-back party for her.
Someone suggested the card-passing game.
My pregnant body wasn’t up for party games, so I sat in the corner on my phone. Nobody bothered to ask, "Chloe, you don't mind, do you?"
They all knew I wouldn't. Throughout our seven-year marriage, no matter what Kyle did, I was always the one soothing his temper and keeping the peace.
When the card reached Kyle and Gina, it dropped.
They leaned right in and kissed. A deep, passionate kiss that lasted five suffocating minutes, oblivious to the entire room.
Zack couldn't watch anymore. He called out, "Chloe, if you don't step in, they're going to get a room right here!"
I didn't flinch. I kept my eyes on my screen, reading up on prenatal care.
Kyle pulled away, panting, and smirked. "She’s carrying my baby. Even if I slept with someone else, she wouldn't leave."
I gave a faint smile. Yes, I was that good at enduring pain.
The crowd gasped, suddenly realizing I was pregnant. Shock and awkward whispers rippled through the room.
"Kyle treats her like dirt, and she's still having his kid?"
"Man, she really loves him."
"What kind of spell did Kyle put on this girl?"
"God, I wish I could find a wife as obedient as her."
I smiled quietly to myself. If you ever met a woman like me, it would be the curse of your life.
This baby wasn't for Kyle. It was for me.
When the doctor first confirmed my pregnancy, I never planned on telling Kyle. I had waited three agonizing years for this baby.
Three years ago, on our wedding anniversary, Kyle sat me down and said with dead seriousness:
"Gina is back in town. I thought I could move on, but I can't."
Gina had chosen the date perfectly. On our anniversary night, Kyle rushed out to welcome her back with their old college friends. I waited up until five in the morning, staring at a cold dinner. He never came home.
Kyle had never stayed out all night before. That was the moment I realized what Gina was to him: she was the one that got away.
She was the golden girl who made everyone else fade into the background. The first love I could never outshine, no matter how hard I tried for four years.
That very night, I made up my mind: the second I gave birth to a child, I was dumping him.
I used every trick in bed to keep him coming back to me instead of her, all for the sake of getting pregnant.
The day the test came back positive, he assumed I’d still be my usual docile self in bed.
He stumbled home from a networking event, smelling like bourbon. He was buzzed, but not blacked out, and he pinned me onto the mattress.
"You've been holding out for months," he mumbled against my neck. "Time to do your duties as a wife."I already had what I wanted. I didn't need to force myself anymore.
Even drunk, his grip was strong. Before I could push him off, his hand slid under my skirt.
Physical resistance wasn't working, so I blurted out, "Stop! I’m pregnant. You're going to hurt the baby."
I had debated telling him, but I had to say it to make him stop.
Kyle froze. A sudden, overwhelming joy flashed across his eyes—a kind of pure happiness I had never seen on his face during all our years together.
Flushed with alcohol and excitement, he gasped, "You mean... I'm going to be a dad?"
I said nothing.
He let go instantly, his touch turning unbelievably gentle. "Right, right, we can't hurt the baby. Don't worry, Chloe. I won't touch you like that until the baby is born."
The alcohol seemed to vanish from his system. He paced around the bedroom like an excited puppy, muttering, "I'm going to be a dad..."
My joy was nothing like his. To me, this baby's arrival meant one thing: the end of us.
Back at the party, the music was blaring, but a sudden wave of morning sickness hit me. I rushed to the bathroom to throw up, and Gina followed me in.
She stood behind me. In the mirror, I saw her voluminous waves, her bright red lipstick, and her brazen, triumphant smirk.
"Don't think getting knocked up will keep Kyle tied to you forever," she said, leaning against the vanity.
I didn't answer. I kept dry-heaving into the sink.
She sneered, "Men don't care about kids just because their DNA is in them. A man only loves a child if he loves the mother."
I grabbed a paper towel, rinsed my mouth, dried my hands, and turned around to look her straight in the eye.
"Don't worry. I'm not using this baby to trap him," I said calmly. "In fact, I hope he hates the kid. That way, it'll be easier for me to set you two free."
"What do you mean by that?" Her smirk dropped, replaced by confusion.
I didn't bother explaining. She would find out soon enough once the baby was born.
Still, the disgust she triggered inside me was real. I turned that disgust into real tears, marched right out of the restroom, and walked up to Kyle.
"Kyle... did you tell Gina to ask me to get an abortion?"
The party instantly fell dead silent.
"What did you just say?" Kyle slammed his glass onto the table and walked toward me. "Gina told you to get an abortion?"
I dabbed my eyes with a tissue, my voice trembling. "Yeah. She said you never wanted this baby anyway."
I hadn't seen him that furious in years. His face flushed red, and the veins on his neck bulged.
When Gina stepped back into the living room, Kyle snarled at her, "Gina, I never knew you could be this cruel! How dare you tell Chloe to abort my child?!"
Gina froze, completely caught off guard. All her smugness vanished, leaving only a desperate, high-pitched defense: "I didn't say that!"
Her words meant nothing to Kyle right now.
"I've let you get away with whatever you wanted," Kyle said, his voice cold and menacing. "But if you ever try to hurt Chloe or the baby inside her, I swear I'll make you pay."
He sat back down and downed the rest of his whiskey in one gulp.
The atmosphere turned instantly hostile. The friends who had been cheering them on minutes ago began scolding Gina:
"Gina, how could you tell her to terminate? She's his wife!"
"Look, we know you have feelings for Kyle, but going after an unborn baby is crossing the line."
"Yeah, Gina, that's messed up."
My tears and distress looked completely genuine—mostly because the misery was real, I had just repurposed it. Everyone believed me. It worked like a charm, and I was deeply satisfied.
Drowned in the crowd's harsh whispers, Gina couldn't get another word out. She glared at me, her eyes burning with pure hatred.
It was a total contrast to her arrogant sneer in the bathroom. And honestly, watching her crumble made me feel revitalized.Kyle didn't love me, but he truly cared about this baby.
Once he knew I was pregnant, he hired a private housekeeper and bought every top-of-the-line baby product on Amazon.
"Tell me the second you feel uncomfortable or need anything," he would say.
"Chloe, I can't wait to meet this baby."
"I'm going to learn how to be a great father."
I never had the heart to tell him: You'll never get the chance.
I let myself enjoy being pampered during those months. Kyle hadn't been this attentive in years. Ever since Gina returned, outside of our nights in bed, he had been cold and distant.
For a brief moment, it felt like we were back to how things were three years ago. Even though he still disappeared to see her every now and then, it was enough.
After all, I had no intention of raising this baby with him.
Nine months flew by, and labor arrived faster than expected.
What I didn't expect was that on the day I went into labor, he still abandoned me.
We were taking a walk in the park when my water broke. Sharp, agonizing contractions hit me, and Kyle rushed me straight to the hospital.
But right before the nurses wheeled me into the delivery room, his phone rang.
He took the call, then turned to me as I was crying out in pain. "Don't be scared, Chloe. I'll be waiting right outside."
Yet after fourteen hours of grueling labor, when they wheeled me out of the delivery suite, he wasn't there.
Exhausted, I held the newborn in my arms, and for the first time in years, I felt alive again.
He was a healthy baby boy. His eyes and brow were identical to Kyle's.
The doctor told me the baby was in perfect health, and the heavy stone on my chest finally lifted.
I had my baby. And I could finally put an end to this loveless marriage.
Eight hours after the delivery, Kyle rushed into the room, out of breath. Seeing me cradling our son, his eyes welled up with emotion.
"Chloe... thank you. You were so brave," he whispered, gently taking the baby into his arms. "He's so beautiful."
He held him for a long time before he realized I hadn't eaten a single bite since the delivery.
"I'm so sorry," he stammered, guilt written all over his face. "Right when they took you in, Gina's dad called me. He said she—"
"Save it," I cut him off.
I didn't care to hear it. What was the point of an excuse after the fact? If he knew it would hurt me, why did he leave in the first place?
He ordered gourmet postpartum meals to the room and went back to holding the baby. His usually sharp, stern face had softened into something tender and paternal.
Too bad he wouldn't be holding him for much longer. This child belonged to me alone.
A few days later, I checked into a luxury postpartum recovery retreat.
With round-the-clock professional care, I recovered quickly. Finally, I had the energy to confront him.
I handed him a crisp white folder.
"Sign this," I said, my voice completely flat.
He flipped through the pages several times, his brain struggling to process the header.
"Divorce papers?"
In his mind, he was the only one who had the right to call it quits. I was the pathetic woman who would cling to him until the day I died.
"Yes. Kyle, I want a divorce."
The nanny was out in the nursery soothing the baby. It was just the two of us in the suite.
"Are you insane?" he snapped. "You're bringing up divorce right now? The baby was just born! You want our son to grow up without a father?"
"Do you really think having you around makes any difference?"
"Listen, about the day you gave birth, Gina's dad—"
"This isn't about that. Not just about that, anyway."
"Then tell me what it's about! I can change, Chloe. Just tell me. I won't let our son grow up without a dad!"
There was no point in arguing. What could he possibly change?
I was sick of the back-and-forth.
"Just think of me as crazy. The truth is, the baby's father is already dead."
Kyle stared at me in shock. "What the hell does that mean? Are you saying this isn't my kid? That's impossible! He looks just like me—"
Before he could finish, I cut in coldly:
"Biologically, yes, you're the father. But emotionally and spiritually? You're a stranger."Men aren't the only ones with a lost love they can never forget. I had one too.
Everyone thought I loved Kyle more than my own life. After all, I was the one who pursued him relentlessly in the beginning.
I quit my job and moved across the country to his city. Because of his weak heart, I learned how to brew traditional nourishing broths every single day. Because he loved gaming, I spent months practicing until I became a top-tier player just to play with him.
Because he didn't like my simple, nerdy style, I overhauled my wardrobe into sleek, mature elegance.
I told him I’d go wherever he wanted, and do whatever he asked.
Kyle was guarded at first. My intensity freaked him out. But who turns down a woman throwing herself at his feet with unconditional devotion?
Eventually, under my relentless affection, he caved.
Honestly, he never treated me half as well as I treated him, but he wasn't cruel back then.
Before Gina came back, we had our sweet moments. But the second she reappeared, everything collapsed.
I knew better than anyone how lethal a first love could be.
I had thought about fighting for our marriage, but I gave up.
I couldn't win. I had chased him for a year, and I knew how exhausting it was. He had chased Gina for three years—his obsession ran even deeper.
You always crave what you can't have, and take for granted what's already yours.
That was when reality slapped me in the face: Kyle and Julian were never the same person.
I remembered the day Kyle finally agreed to date me. Right before saying yes, he asked, "How much do you love me?"
I answered without hesitation: "More than anything. Even if the world ends tomorrow, I will love you until my last breath."
When I said those words back then, even I couldn't tell whether I was saying them to Kyle Vance... or Julian Brooks.
In the end, we all pay for the choices we make.
"What do you mean, I'm only the biological father?" Kyle demanded, his voice cracking.
I didn't want to dig up the past for him. It was too long and too painful of a story.
"It doesn't matter. We're getting a divorce. I keep full custody of the baby. I'll take only what I came with; you can keep every single cent of your fortune."
Kyle threw the papers onto the nightstand, dropped to his knees beside my bed, and grabbed my hands.
"I know you're still mad. You hate that Gina came back. But we've made it through so much together! The baby just got here. How are you going to manage on your own? Let's just calm down, please."
"No need," I said, pulling my hands out of his grip. "Sign it. If you don't, I'll take you to court."
My eyes were steady, cold, and dead set.
Seeing my resolve, he stopped begging.
"Fine. I'll sign," he said bitterly. "Just don't come crying back to me when you regret it."
He still clung to his arrogant pride. We had fought before, but he was always the one threatening breakups or divorce.
And back then, I would always run after him, pleading, "I'm sorry, don't leave me," or "I was wrong, please don't divorce me."
He was convinced I would crawl back on my knees within a month. So he signed the papers without a fight.
After all, until the judge finalized the decree, he thought there was still room to reel me back in.What I didn't expect was that my parting words would drive him to get a DNA test.
Two weeks after signing the agreement, Kyle stormed back into my recovery suite, waving the lab results.
"The baby is mine! Why the hell did you tell me his father was dead?!"
My anger boiled over. "His name is Julian Carter! Julian!"
Startled by my sudden outburst, his aggressive posture deflated slightly. "Fine, Julian. But why did you claim he wasn't mine?"
"Does it matter?"
"Yes, it matters! You're not taking my son anywhere until you explain yourself. Either you leave alone and leave the baby with me, or you both stay."
A strange calm suddenly washed over me.
They were never the same person. They didn't even look that much alike.
All these years, I had been blinded by grief, latching onto Kyle just to have somewhere to pour out my love and longing.
I looked at him calmly. "Do you remember the person who donated his heart to you?"
Kyle blinked. "Yeah. The doctors told me he was a police officer. Died in the line of duty."
"He was the love of my life."
The remaining arrogance on Kyle's face shattered. His words stumbled out: "You mean... he was your ex-boyfriend?"
"He was never my ex. We never broke up. Not for a single second."
Kyle grabbed his hair with both hands, trying to make sense of what I was saying. It didn't take a genius to connect the dots.
"You mean... the only reason you ever approached me, the only reason you married me... was because his heart is beating inside my chest?"
"Yes. Exactly."
Every drop of love I had shown him over the years was nothing more than a misplaced shadow.
"So you never loved me? I was just his stand-in?"
"Yes."
"For seven years... you've been lying to me this whole time?"
"Yes."
His emotions detonated. He wanted to rage, but he had nowhere to aim it.
Watching him lose his mind was almost comical. Didn't he have his own precious first love?
Kyle grabbed everything within reach—vases, glasses, fruit bowls—and hurled them onto the floor, shattering them to pieces.
I sat quietly on the bed, watching him tear the room apart. A sharp, twisted satisfaction flared in my chest.
I loved it. I loved watching him taste this raw, bloody agony.
"Chloe Carter, you're a monster!" he roared, tears of rage springing to his eyes. "You played me for seven years!”
“No wonder you were so calm whenever Gina was around! No matter how terribly I treated you, you never cared! Because you never gave a damn about me to begin with!"
Now that we were divorcing, he wanted to act like a devoted, brokenhearted husband? It made me sick.
"What's the point of shouting now?" I snapped, matching his intensity. "Did I ever stop you from running to Gina? Are you the only one allowed to have a first love you can't get over? Am I not allowed to have mine?!"
"Gina and I are just—"
"Just what? Just friends? Was making out with her in front of everyone just friendly?”
“Was ditching me on our anniversary to stay out all night just friendly? Was leaving me screaming in labor to run to her just friendly?!"
I stared him down. He went dead silent. He couldn't deny a single word.
"Say whatever you want, this baby has my blood in his veins!" he hissed.
"Yes, your blood runs through him. But without that heart, would your blood even be pumping?" I countered ruthlessly.
"To me, your heart belongs to Julian Brooks. Your life is an extension of his. And this baby is the continuation of Julian's life. Without Julian, you'd be six feet under.”
“Without you, this baby wouldn't exist. At the end of the day, the man behind this child is Julian."
I would never forget that day.
Chapters (5)
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Watch & Promotions
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