lette

nnive

y. Your womb is useless-can't even carry a child.

my head as I stood beside my husband, forcing

y on my face, showing the mixture of genuine and forced smiles around me. I stood at the center of it

ad loved me for five years, despite my childlessness. Ethan Thane

or us to cut the cake, laugh

through the noise, his smile perfec

is year's anniversary?" His voice was

uxury, the wealth. What more could he give me? He had already give

I have everything now," I said, s

ant you to have more. And more you shall get,"

desire?" he urged again, his ha

t a little. I was about to say something-anyt

t's all she s

ght. I followed the directi

in-law. Sh

ven though I knew she would never acknowledge m

" she thundered, her voic

she continued. "A child. You should give us a child, woman. Right n

h venom before stridin

n. Silent. I couldn'

ont of Ethan. I couldn't grasp what they were talking about a

f this house! She doesn't deserve to be called a woman. She's like a stic

ubbing dirt on us in front of all these people? Can't you at

do you understand? And certainly not because of a bar

e. If she can't have a child now, it's not a problem. Have I ever

ou're blind to all of this. Your love for

ould get another wife. A wife who will give you a chil

she added, "Not this old and foolish girl you call a wife.

he last words

an in a woman's body to give you a child, you'

harp, too loud

ll sit here, wasting time, and let your younger brother, Liam- find a wife, have a child befor

e a glance. Like I wasn

I was a broken machine.

ust stood t

n snapped. "You just got back from a t

as frozen to the spot-shame, pain, and humiliat

ar.... I will do better. I'll take my treatments seriously. I will make sure to

ore I could finish. "Get lo

turned and strode out of the hal

lled the space. Murmurs sca

e pulled me close, his warmth th

. Thank you very much for attending,

curious stares lingering un

standing in the vast si

me." Ethan tilted my chin up,

an say whatever she wants, but we...." he exhaled sharply

" My voice trembled. "She's right. I couldn't give this family an heir. I still

so gentle that it almost shattered me. Wit

called softl

voice was calm, p

tears away. He turned to face m

orced the words out

Try what again?" His tone

d. I mean..." I took a deep brea

ingers trembling as th

led away, muttering something about not wanting to "stress me." And

medications Dr. Marlowe prescribed, the ones Mother made sure I

the per

x tonight, Eth

ng for something that should come naturally in a m

ing for what should h