My Husband Drugged My Womb

The day I found out about my husbands affair, my family hauled my numb body back home, all of them urging me to pretend that nothing had happened.

Youre a stay-at-home wife, what would you live on without him? Youll forget about this soon enough.

A chill went through me, and the tears wouldnt stop. I was a wreck.

That was why, while my husband was away on a business trip, my parents had my cousin try to stand in for him.

Just try it a few times. If you get used to the proximity, youll accept it. Life will go on as before. Just try to be practical.

My cousin went through the motions of my husbands routines. Their figures overlapped; everything seemed unchangedstill gentle, still attentive.

But I couldnt bear it. Every caring gesture he made brought back the image of her: them kissing on the street without a care, that same mouth having kissed me just that morning.

I screamed with revulsion, shattering a vase, but the agonizing question still tore out of me:

Why did you cheat? Was I not enough? Is she really that much better than me?

I wasn't being asked to forgive him just once. I was being asked to forgive him every single time the memory surfaced.

Those images sliced me into pieces, like knives.

I collapsed to the floor, helpless. Twelve years of a relationship. He was supposed to be the husband who loved me most. Id quit my job to become a full-time wife so we could prepare for a baby. We were supposed to be having children.

But he had cheated.

How could I possibly pretend nothing happened?

I was sobbing hysterically. When I looked up again, I pleaded with my parents.

Please, let me go. I can support myself. I promise.

My parents exchanged a long, tense look, then sighed in defeat.

Fine, but you need to think this through. Divorce isn't easy, and we dont want to hurt you.

Marriage doesn't always need love to last.

They left, and the house fell into a terrifying silence. Before leaving, Mom told me to give both myself and him some time, to just try to make it work.

Divorce, she insisted, wouldn't be good for me.

I mumbled a reply, then curled up in the corner, the cold seeping into me from all sides.

I thought and thought, for hours. The sweet moments we shared flashed before my eyes like a slide show.

How could a person so deeply loved change like that?

How long had it been? Had they gotten a room? Gone further? What positions had they used?

I even had the perverse thought: What if someone who looked exactly like him did it, that it wasnt him? But no, we knew each other too well. That person was definitely him.

A whirlwind of thoughts tormented me, driving me nearly insane.

I tugged at my hair, pulling myself further into the corner.

Maybe if I didnt love him, I could pretend it hadnt happened.

But we had loved each other, deeply.

I couldnt accept his infidelity and then have to either pretend everything was fine, or have him say, Im sorry, and me say, Its okay, and somehow expect everything to go back to normal.

Tears streamed down my face again at the thought.

I didnt sleep. I sat in that corner all night.

The sound of the front door opening.

Ronny Maxwell walked in.

Seeing me on the floor, he rushed over, picked me up, and headed toward the bedroom.

The unfamiliar scent of perfume was a loud declaration, making my nose sting with a mix of sadness and revulsion.

There was a smear of uncleaned lipstick on the inside of his shirt collar.

In that moment, everything was clear. The pain spread throughout my body.

I had imagined so many reactions: I would lash out, I would force him to tell me why he cheated, I would make him swear on his knees never to do it again, I would drag that woman to my face, I would torment them like a lunatic, ending everything in mutual destruction

But the words caught in my throat, all of them.

It seemed to make no difference. They all led to the same result.

He was frantically checking to see if I was hurt or sick, when I finally spoke.

Ronny, lets get a divorce.

Ronnys face froze.

Wifey, what are you talking about? Were not getting a divorce.

He quickly wiped my tears away.

Dont say things like that. Have I been too busy lately, traveling too much, not paying enough attention to you? Im sorry. Im just trying to work hard now so I can spend more time with you and the kids later.

He raised my hand to his lips and kissed it, acting as if his love for me was absolute.

I pulled my hand back, cold and uninterested in even speaking.

I was too tired

I fell into a heavy sleep. When I woke up, Ronny had already prepared dinner.

He presented a delicate necklacea matching couples piece I had mentioned wanting ages ago.

He happily put it around my neck, but received no joyful reaction.

He looked a little deflated.

You dont like it?

I shook my head, my voice exhausted.

I like it.

If he had given it to me last month, I would have jumped up for a huge hug and a big kiss.

But now, an overwhelming fatigue consumed me.

Ronny returned to the kitchen to busy himself.

The doorbell rang. I opened the door.

The delivery person checked the house number.

Hello, package for Mr. Maxwell. Could you sign for it?

I took it. Driven by curiosity, I opened the box.

Inside was an identical necklace.

Ronny came out of the kitchen and saw me staring blankly at the necklace.

He nearly dropped the bowl he was holding. He quickly took the necklace from my hand.

Look at me, Im so forgetful. I accidentally bought two of the same one. Ill return this one tomorrow.

When he lied, he instinctively touched his ear.

That habit hadn't changed.

After twelve years together, I knew all his tells.

He had no idea how transparent his lies were.

I didn't expose him. It was too meaningless.

After dinner, I fell back asleep, my body inexplicably drowsy.

Ronny went out late that night.

As if to confirm a suspicion, I called out softly.

Ronny.

He paused, came back, and kissed my forehead.

Something came up at the office. Ive been busy lately. Ill be back soon.

He left quickly, not giving me time to react.

I stood by the window, watching him walk in the complete opposite direction of his office.

A suffocating ache tightened my chest. I tried desperately to make excuses for him.

No, its just work

Ronny came home early the next morning, and his first stop was the shower.

The heavy scent of sex on his clothes was sickening, and a massive wave of nausea hit me.

I ran to the bathroom and vomited until I felt empty, the bitter taste of bile filling my mouth.

I broke down and cried.

Ronny and that girl they had done everything.

So dirty!

I curled up in the bathroom corner.

Even with all that noise, Ronny didnt notice. He finished his shower and left the house again.

I felt another surge of acid bile.

Following a friends advice, I used a pregnancy test.

Staring at the two clear lines, I was completely stunned.

The baby I had longed for had chosen this moment to arrive.

I touched my lower abdomen, thinking for a long time.

My friend urged me.

Think about it carefully. Its hard for you to get pregnant. You drank so much herbal medicine just to conceive. Maybe you should keep the baby and ditch the father.

I was lost.

I never imagined giving my child an incomplete family.

But if I terminated the pregnancy, would my body ever be able to conceive again?

I remained in a daze.

While chopping vegetables, I accidentally sliced my finger.

Blood welled up, but I kept repeating the motion, as if I felt nothing.

Until Ronny came back and quickly took the knife away.

He seemed to finally take a good look at me.

Seraphina, your condition has been terrible lately. Was that trip not fun?

I answered coldly.

It was pretty awful.

To cheer me up, he took me out for a special candlelight dinner.

I bumped into someone around a corner.

We looked up, and in that instant, I felt the blood drain from my body.

Ronnys hand, which was holding my arm, tensed slightly.

The young woman spoke first, breaking the silence.

Boss, Im so sorry. Look at me, always walking without watching where Im going.

She introduced herself with a natural poise.

Hello, Mrs. Maxwell. Im Ronnys secretary. Ive heard so much about how much of a devoted husband the boss is. See how much in love you two are.

I dug my nails into my palm to keep myself from exploding.

That necklacethe one Ronny claimed he would returnwas now hanging around her neck.

Ronny gave a cold, distant nod, even asking the young woman to return to the office to work overtime, making it seem like they were nothing more than employer and employee.

At the dinner table, Ronny ordered a feast.

The waiter brought out a plate of boiled crab.

Ronny even pushed the crab closer to my side of the table.

Your favorite.

He had forgotten. I was severely allergic to crab.

It was something that should have never appeared in front of me. Now, however It seemed someone else liked it, and he was remembering her preferences.

Feeling sick, I got up and headed to the restroom.

I considered just leaving, turning the opposite way from the main dining area, but I heard voices coming from the corner.

Ronny was coldly ordering Laney Vance to leave.

I told you, dont cause a scene in front of Seraphina. Are you looking to get fired?

But his coldness shattered the next second. The young woman stood up and kissed him.

I know, I just miss you.

Ronnys ears turned red, his emotional defenses completely broken. He wrapped his arms around Laney and deepened the kiss. Soon, I heard muffled gasps.

My heart shattered into a million pieces. I stood rooted to the spot.

Ronny pulled back slightly.

I have to go back to dinner. Dont cause trouble. Im yours tonight.

They finally emerged from the corner and made direct eye contact with me.

The panic on Ronnys face was unmistakable.

Seraphina, its not what you think. Let me explain

His face was flushed. I gave a bitter smile, and oddly, I felt a heavy weight lift from my chest. I felt a sense of release.

Ronny Maxwell, lets get a divorce.

It was too obvious. His infidelity was everywhere. He was so careless. I couldnt pretend nothing had happened.

Ronny was about to speak again, but Laney clutched her head, looking pained.

Ronny immediately rushed to her side, picking her up and hurrying away.

Seraphina, wait for me to come back and explain.

Ronny didnt come home the next day. He didnt even call.

I booked an appointment for an abortion and contacted a law firm.

He probably hadn't even realized it.

Laney Vance was already his priority.

As I packed my things, I found our old wedding video and couldn't resist watching it again.

The footage was blurry, and my eyes stung with tears.

He had loved me so much then.

But the scene changed in my memory, and that other figure appeared again, the unspoken understanding in their intertwined gazes.

My hand started shaking uncontrollably.

Seven years of marriage. He had been cheating for a long time.

I was only just finding out now.

Why?

If he was cheating and didnt love me, why did he marry me in the first place?

The past seven years of love felt like a stinging slap across my face.

I was such a fool.

Just as I was lost in thought, my phone pinged with a video message.

I opened it. It was a montage of Ronny taking care of Laney in the hospital: rubbing her feet, massaging her back, feeding her soup with a spoon Everything was done with practiced ease, every action something he had once done for me.

Only the recipient of the service had changed.

Their familiar intimacy was indistinguishable from that of a married couple.

I was surprisingly calm.

Seven years. A full seven years.

They had done everything. It made sense. They might even have a child together already.

I composed myself, saved the evidence, and headed for the law firm.

Just then, a car sped toward me, driving the wrong way.

I couldnt dodge it in time and was slammed to the ground.

As I fell, the world spun.

The driver sped away.

My abdomen hit the pavement hard. Blood flowed profusely. Excruciating pain shot through my entire body.

But all I could think about was the baby.

I regretted everything. The child I had suffered so much to conceive, the one Id taken all those years of herbal medicine for. If I lost this gift from God, would I ever be able to be a mother?

I no longer loved Ronny Maxwell, but I loved this tiny life.

I wanted to keep the baby. I wanted to be a single mother.

I desperately reached for my phone, which had been flung away.

I intended to call for an ambulance, but due to the blood loss, my hand was shaking, and I accidentally dialed Ronnys number, which was set to speed dial.

The phone rang. It connected.

It sounded like a bar VIP room, the loud noise drowning out my feeble calls for help.

My consciousness began to fade.

Until the other side went quiet. Ronny, sounding drunk, was encouraged by everyone around him to reveal his darkest secret.

The boldest thing Ive ever done? Because Laney was afraid Id have a kid, I put birth control pills in my wifes food for three years. All her attempts to conceive failed. I even hired someone to fake her medical reports. She was in the dark, thinking she had fertility issues, taking herbal medicine for three years, and she even quit her management job because of it.

Laney kissed Ronny.

Thank you for everything youve done for me, Ronny. I have great news tooIm pregnant.

A burst of cheers erupted, everyone celebrating their sordid affair.

I listened, stunned.

My baby, as if sensing my despair, made its final attempt to leave my body.

I was completely numb.

I forgot to even ask for help.

Until the call disconnected, and a passerby finally noticed my terrible condition.

When I woke up again, I was in a hospital bed, my mind blank.

The doctor followed protocol and tried to contact Ronny, but couldnt reach him.

He was probably drunk, passed out in Laneys bed, ready for another post-drinking session of passion.

The doctors face was full of regret.

We couldnt save the baby, but thankfully, there was no damage to your uterus. Having another child later shouldn't be a problem.

I thanked the doctor, then looked at the few-months-old fetus.

Was he also completely disappointed in his father?

The final tear escaped.

I signed the divorce papers, copied the phone recording, and mailed them to Laney Vances address.

Then I arranged for a real estate agent to sell our marital home.

With everything taken care of, I boarded a plane, leaving the city behind forever.

Ronny Maxwell woke up with Laney in his arms. They lingered together all morning.

He felt a nagging uneasiness in his chest but dismissed it as the aftermath of too much drinking.

Then, the delivery guy knocked on the door at the worst possible time.

Hello, Mr. Maxwell. I have a package here that needs signing.