His Terminal Lie, Her New Life

to a single, sharp hope: that my h

nt to remain child-free. The last four were a slow, grinding torture centered around his diagnosis. A

a reason to

glow of the city lights painting patterns on the polished floor

or finally c

osened his tie, the picture of a man worn down by a long day. He came over

ice was laced with a familiar, practiced

er woman. The mother

he was supp

oying them. He couldn' t break our promise, but he couldn' t bear their sorrow. Then came the diagnosis, a convenient tragedy that all

had agreed. I believed I was gra

?" I asked,

yes. He ran a thumb over my knuckles. "It' s hard f

der. He was an expert at this-making me feel like the cold, unfe

. "Ava, I know this is difficult.

ad slightly. His lips brushed my cheek. The gesture

n," he said softly, as

third child. His lega

She promised. After this baby is born, she' ll take the kids and move away. We can finally ha

augh trying to claw its way up my throat, but I swallowe

Ethan,"

had soothed me again. He thought I was still the same naiv

weekly Sunday dinner. It was an obligation I dreaded, but one

sitting on the sofa next to Ethan' s mother, her hand resting protectively on her swollen belly. His father w

tsider in m

r eyes flicked over my simple dress with disapproval. "Chloe was just te

tle pale. Are you feeling alright? You work so hard at your

. The children, Ethan's children, looked up at me with curiosity, then im

e small of my back. It was a gesture meant

said. "She' s just been

ying to help with the dishes wh

wkward," he start

in your mother' s living room, pregnant with your third child, while your

lipping for a second. "Should I throw her out? She' s carryin

was his deception, and my prison. He saw the hurt in my ey

ow I love you. You' re my wife. She... she' s just

and their children with a sense of duty and connection that he no longer shared with me. My role was to be the understanding, dy

n' t want him to see my face. I didn' t w

hought I was just a quiet, grieving wife, patientl

hiding som

red times in private over the last few weeks. Underneath the fabri

venient child. His elaborate lie was about