MY HUSBAND FELL IN LOVE WITH MY BEST FRIEND

han Chu so

that he has no time to ca

l check-up, I ran into my mother a

nths, and he still lets y

them can b

r's voice rang out loud and clear, her criticisms

und belly, her eyes betraying

He's away on

e back early to go with me, but

e from some worsening anemia lately, the

y had been well-behaved, n

never liking to rely on others

dmired and resen

self-sufficiency, but at other times, he wishe

ished speakin

hen turned away to gather the hospit

till in City D, but work was wrapping up. He planned to have dinne

come bac

doing

project

Ethan's and mine. She had been my

work in Ethan's project department, but

lways disliked Ethan's seemi

, couldn't stand Lily's

ith his usual ton

fine. Do you think I'd da

rted to act

an't you show your loving hus

k about is

ished him safe travels

ped me down to the parking garage to get the c

I had never wished for Ethan to come home soon

ght, I casually scrolled through m

ily had posted somet

ed with a necktie. She lay on a bed in

ative, and under the

atching the game,

"transformed" overnight after so many years of being

heart-limited edition, identical

ng your phone so much. Don't

rang out again,

profile to view her page, but

d happened. Mayb

arp pain gripped my belly. My vision b

tal bed, receiving a blood transfusion

ly. Lunch had been light, and

, but that terrifying photo ha

er sitting nearby, worry etche

hand on my swollen

ays make

ry family, and within less than

marry into a well-off family an

d for the first time, they didn't just i

ring. After my father passed, she had en

ongly opposed it, worried that his humble

am lead in branding design

his career too-promotions, raises, a

our car, bou

due. Everything seem

ocial media, I would've dismissed

ry. Yet if Ethan keeps working himself to death, never home even whe

ed times before, but t

gined that phot

years-long rivalry b

mediately. I hated ambig

hospital room door burst open. E

I couldn't let this doubt fester-I asked di

e t

r a second, then calmly appr

caught a faint whiff of cigarette smoke mixed with a hin

ng before I even started

se. What's wrong? A

. My eyes had unknowingl

slightly but

pulled out the striped tie I

ed, the red heart still perfec

a post had been nothin

the eyes. He was calm, which made

t, I had rarely lost

had forced me to cultivate patience. My mother's

ays reminded me: stay composed,

en I stared at Ethan's arm wrapped around my wai

erhood. I feared the toll on my body. I eve

, what's so special a

no longer hold i

cus on your w

d just fainted-and all you do is w

om. It won't

ps for the next few months. From now on, I'll be here fo

armth from his palm spread to min

didn't mean to mak

wonder if maybe I had imagined it all.

of joy only a soon-to-be father could have. He gentl

keep you and Mommy waiting.

ing so hard for our family. Our marriage ha

him when Lily burst

en Ethan and me and rushed straight to my

ame faint fragrance-blended with the c

ion... might alre