Divorce Papers and New Beginnings

he living room, a warm, happy sound that made my stomach clench. They were all there: Ethan, his parents, an

es said, her voice dripping with disapprova

than. He stood up, a strained smi

e, Ethan. Where

m a year and a half ago, the air thick with the smell of antiseptic. The doctor had just left, his words still

unk driver, had taken more than just my mobility for a few months; it

" he had whispered into my hair. "I love you. Not your ability to have children. If we can

ison in my mouth now as I looked at

to come back ready to start our new, child-free life together. The farewell at the airport had been tearful. He' d held my face i

so perfect,

ad left open. 'Ethan is so amazing. He's paying for everything. He says he's doing it for his dying ex, a final wish, but

month of my fellowship in a daze, going through

n her face. She looked anything but terminally ill. Her skin was glowing, her eyes

iberate provocation,

oice dangerously quiet. "For someone

rper this time. "The joy of motherhood, I suppose. It's

of holding my emotions in check, vanished. I moved before I could think, my hand str

started

s er

outed, rushing

ce purple with rage. "You come into this ho

id, my hand stinging

mised me forever. "You told me it would b

d the full scope of their deception. They hadn't just tolerated this; they had encouraged it. They

. He was cradling Chloe, who was putting

he mumbled. "I was just w

would that have been, Ethan? After I unpacked my bags? A

a child. And you... you can't have children. I thought... I thought this could be a good thing for both of you. A win-win. She g

. He was a monster, wrapped in the skin of a well-intentioned man. He had