A Twist of Betrayal
onths pregnant, Co
their moans growing louder and louder. They t
ght next door, listening to their breat
, be ge
be afraid of? S
as I stood outside the bedroom I shared with Collin, listeni
ning, completely unaware
all calmly, nu
man who once promised to treat me well for life,
d change, feel guilty
day, and he had the audacity to b
room, sneering, gently
d to be l
idn't know i
wnstairs step by step, and recalled
adness wash
go, everything had
n was still a man whose
overwhelming. He couldn't help but spin me around three time
sing my belly while kissing my hand, solemnly p
re, just like when
misunderstood him, "So you'll just be goo
could that be? You'll always be my baby, Estelle. Even
troublesome little kid, "Hey, little guy, I'm warning you. If y
his arms, warmth
ime mom, I thought I was the
otected me, a lovely son or daughter
ot that ol
are lifted, the
omething was off was when
ing sickness, and my emotions were unusually
hold me, guiding me through my
y softly, "If only I could take o
u can't get
ated regret, "Yeah, why can't
pointment, as if being pregnant was his li
. In fact, he was quite reserved, but he
sual, so I decided to read some
nt light appear
ling crept in
e, always asleep by ten. During my pregnancy,
over. He must have sensed my movem
es, glancing at
emojis and a few lines. Collin, usually so composed, lo
gh me. I couldn't hold back an
ng his phone away and looking at me
d, I turned o
e your
hiding it be
raight into his eyes. At that moment of h
him to unlock it. Once he did, a chat page wit
et me ex
im off, scrolling
of the messages were work-related, but recent
y, they even talked about me-just a brief mention. "Her name'
ovie. No flirtation, no suggestive comments. Just
hed my heart, and I felt nause
ce she's in my department, she added my WhatsApp to ask fo
sh can, gently patting my back
barely drank a sip of water, feeling slightl
d perfectly normal, n
for an employee, tw
favorite movie in the dead of night, sharing
y. I could feel it-my bab
ither we get rid of the baby
latter, embracing me joyfully a
again, "I swear, baby, I will never
ped
He didn't step out of bounds agai
er takeout to get by. Now, he prepped ingredients for all three of my meals eve
even small stuff like wiping t
ted to make up for it, or if he truly mea
he spoiled me like I was hel
lf, "Did I l
. Dee
him when he was still a broke nobody,
ed the basketball team-tall,
bumped into each other backstage
papers, and scoured every eatery in the university district
nd passion drew m
gave him all the money I'd saved from years of part-time jobs. I stayed up with him
im pitch to sponsors during the day, an
ddled under a thin blanket in the f
I make it big, I'll treat y
he d
rew into a real company. I didn't need
e it through t
tered a relationship, it c
otion didn't
s pregnant, he started pull
awdle forever. When I pressed him, he b
, and he'd mumble something vague while
t the phone down and half-heart
is eyes kept drifting to th
ped coming home on time. Someti
imes, but all I got wa
soothe me with, "Baby, I'm swamped.
ng on me during l
heart grew stro
a promise. He s
to tru
henever he came home, I greeted him with a smile, massaged his
o wait for him at home, to take car
. The gentle world he built
hattered the perfect lie
f pregnancy, my dear husband, the one who swore
a checkup at the hospital an
I picked it up and saw it wa
he early days of his startup, a sh
andful of people, I often pitched in.
would he
er of curiosity. Before I could s
ht is really important. Are yo
I asked,
y, sorry, I dialed
r his words. "Work's been hectic lately.
said Collin... he's p
nity slip. He thrived on expanding the bu
w what's gotten into Mr. Ellis lately. He's skipped several projects. He's dum
. did y
the phone. That uneasy feeling
He quickly backtracked. "Uh... if there's
sound steady. "Go ahead and t
not re
pe
I hated h
lmest tone he could muster, he revealed a secret that
ed, named Megan. Back then, everyone was swamped with work. No one had time to
Lazy Little Megan" from Co
rted to ma
is suddenly made Megan the design director. She'd only been here t
freeze. My hand shook harder
ut I felt like I'd fallen into a
't escape. I couldn't believe the Collin he describe
em, laughing and chatting when they return. Those women guessed Megan must've used some sly tricks to hook Mr. Ellis completely. I said no way. Mr. Ellis is so good to Estelle. He would
.. are yo
easy when I d
rs. But I don't get why he'd... Estelle, I shouldn't have said this. It's your
for a long time befo
Thank you... It's f
om the couch. My hands shook as I searche
more after that, but
es of Collin and me l
ng, first hug, first
my life belonged to Coll
ight when he pushed the snack cart
ss the university district's eaterie
arnest, heartfelt promises to tr
se his mind over some fr
to be fak
ve a single wo
n. Even when Collin came home l
e hotel Collin often booked. I pulled some family s
screen with another woman, I broke down.
etrayal felt like.
felt like a million poisone
led up on the couch, tormented
of me. He didn't even take off his shoes. He rush
clutched the checkup r
g, baby? Don
act, he seemed g
I met his frantic, innocent eyes and aske
unned, as if my que
? You're the one I love mo
hispered sweet words like always
oug
f I ever find out you don't love me anymor
ly, then broke free from his e
aknesses. I knew w
was his fin
behind the bedroom door. Then he turned, leaned on h
ing. Flies don't sw
his kindness felt forced. It carried a desperate edge, like he feare
ime, his kindne
rgave him again. But this time
es after he left for work. I wanted to see if
into her office under the pretense of checking
to keep me posted on Collin's e
on to something. Whenever I was there
s distance from her at the office
Collin told her to drop the files and
elief, but nause
t I knew Collin cared about his image. In front of colleagu
understood what
ee him as the good guy. That way, Collin knew he couldn't
ds, one
llin seemed to have cut
ght women wer
sed them. They cooked, cleaned the house, and managed the home. They burie
my crumbling family. I preserved digni
en find the allure of t
an't change
a business tr
rville. It'd take about
u company soon." He stocked the fridge with
appens, call m
ou off. Lizzie's off today anyw
y high schoo
nds
shot him a glance. He caught on quick, grabbed Collin's suitcase, and
Kevin's shoulder. "How abo
t off. "Nah,
re he left, we hugged and kissed,
ned away, muttering, "Can't watch, can'
a coffee shop we
wore 10cm heels and a tight, fiery red dress
d over like an unleashed horse
to stop her mid-pounce. She froze, then s
ou're carryin
fty-fifty. How're you
wanted a
could the kid not turn out amazing
and changed the subject. "Enough about that. You're dre
nt. "You nailed it. Your girl
u'd stay single forever?
short kid from high school? The on
e name, flipping through my
ll!" Lizzie rolled her eyes. "But that's not the point. The point is, h
ut? Could be a different
ad's our company's owner.
his to climb the ladder u
lipped through the old yearbook, saw he'd le
ead at her g
uy! I'm locking him down!" Lizzie sipped her coff
in advance, Mrs.
you're the wors
help stopping by baby stores. I'd browse the
ring them, babbling and reac
y that w
and had the clerk bag them. I planned to vid
offered to drop me home before h
e getting back. I'll t
y now. If anything happens, Collin will h
for your good news!" I brus
aking sure I'd be fine
g glowed b
city basked in the sunset's golde
ass, breathing in t
pulled out the baby clothes I'd bought, running my fin
ld my waist with the other. I cradled our child
the sunset. The light str
happiest fam
, a joyful smile spre
d my perfect vision, yan
as K
them into my bag. I answered the
vin, wha
urgent. "Estelle
thought was that someth
ght. I jumped in. "
nd it to you
ze in place. My gut screa
f dread
. It was a blurry video.
, I felt invisible h
le, Mr. Ellis br
d into an endless ab
you and Kev
, not a vacation. More peop
will you
long without you,
ough my mind like a movie
n lied to