His Colleague’s Pregnant Belly Ruined Our Marriage

Ethans female colleague was pregnant, and she was about to pop.

When she showed up at my doorstep, flaunting her massive baby bump and demanding a baby shower gift, I was in the middle of decorating our wedding house.

I screamed at him, demanding answers. But he just stood there, looking completely innocent. "I only did a private sperm donation to help her out, Elena. My heart still belongs to you."

After saying that, he actually took her to the mall to pick out a gift.

I didn't hesitate. I immediately texted our family group chat on Snapchat and canceled the wedding.

But everyone thought I was just throwing a tantrum.

Ethans mom said with a heavy sigh, "Ethan is handsome, highly educated, and a pilot. Perfect genes like his should be passed on. Hes doing a service to society."

Ethans dad sneered, "He didn't cheat on you. Why are you making such a big deal out of nothing?"

My dad was so angry his chest hurt. "You stubborn girl! How dare you call off such a perfect marriage?"

My mom sobbed hysterically, "If you call off this wedding, youll end up alone for the rest of your life!"

With red eyes, I texted back: "Then Ill gladly stay single forever!"

But then, another message popped up on my phone: "Elena, youve finally dumped him. When is it my turn to be your man?"

That evening, Ethan carefully guided Chloe into the apartment, holding her arm as if she were made of glass.

They had bought a massive box of toys for the unborn baby.

Chloe gently caressed her baby bump. The two of them smiled at each other, their faces glowing with the shared joy of expectant parents.

Seeing me, Chloe smiled and handed over a small, beautifully wrapped gift box. "Elena, I personally picked this out for you. I only realized today how much this whole situation bothered you. Please accept this... as my apology."

I didnt even look at it. I grabbed the box and threw it straight into the trash can.

Chloes smile froze instantly. Tears began to stream down her face like a broken string of pearls. "Elena... Im... Im so sorry."

Sobbingly, she shrank behind Ethans back.

Ethan immediately shielded her, looking at me with a tired, disappointed expression.

"Elena, don't be like this."

"I was just responding to our company's initiative to help single women who want children. Chloe is a dedicated single mother by choice, and she needed a quality donor."

"We are just ordinary colleagues. There is really nothing going on between us."

"Ordinary colleagues?"

My voice shook. "Do ordinary colleagues text each other 'good morning' and 'good night' every single day? Do ordinary colleagues share a Spotify playlist? Do you cover for her at drinks, and take the long way home just to drive her back after overtime because you're 'just colleagues'?"

He pinched the bridge of his nose, looking utterly exhausted.

"Here we go again. Haven't I explained all of this to you? You're just paranoid. You're overthinking everything."

I let out a cold laugh.

His explanations were laughably pathetic. "Normal workplace communication." "A mentor looking out for a rookie."

The lies were full of holes, yet I had chosen to believe them time and time edition over the last five years. But five years of loveI couldn't just let it go without a fight.

Clenching my teeth, I pointed at Chloes belly, testing him one last time.

"Fine. Let's say I'm the crazy one. Let's say I misunderstood you both!"

I stared straight into Ethans eyes. "Make her get rid of the baby. Do that, and I'll pretend none of this ever happened. The wedding goes on."

"No way!" Ethans voice spiked, though he tried to suppress his anger. "The baby belongs to Chloe. I have no right to make that decision."

Chloes face turned deathly pale. Suddenly, she fell to her knees right in front of me.

She wrapped her arms protectively around her stomach, sobbing. "Elena, Ethan and I really have nothing between us. The baby is eight months old. She just kicked me. I can't... I can't kill her..."

She wept so pitifully, her entire body trembling.

Ethans face hardened. He struggled internally for a few seconds before his heart ultimately softened for her.

He helped her up, offering me a weak, cold smile.

"Elena, asking her to abort the baby now is no different from ripping her heart out."

I stared at him, a mocking smirk playing on my lips. "What? Does your heart ache for her?"

Ethan froze, a flash of pain crossing his face.

"I never knew you could be so heartless, Elena. If this is your condition for marriage, then we are clearly not the same kind of people... Let's break up."

"Elena, Ethan is innocent! Don't take your anger out on him!" Chloe suddenly wailed. "If you want to blame someone, blame me! I can't give up my baby... but I'll prove our innocence with my life!"

Before the words even fully left her mouth, she lunged toward the balcony, making a dramatic move to climb over the railing.

My heart leaped into my throat. Instinctively, I moved to stop her.

But Ethan had already panicked. He sprinted past me and grabbed her.

Before we even got close to the edge, Chloe collapsed onto the floor, crying so hard she could barely breathe.

Ethan pulled her tightly into his arms, his entire body shaking with fear.

After a long moment, he looked up. His eyes, cold as ice, locked onto me. "Elena! Your baseless accusations almost killed Chloe!"

His gaze was freezing, like he was looking at a complete stranger.

"Shes just a young girl carrying a child. You can stand by and watch her die, but I can't." His voice trembled with rage.

With that, he scooped Chloe up in his arms. He walked past me and barked, "Get out of my way!"

I froze, my mouth hanging open. "I didn't mean to"

"Ethan... the baby... I think she's coming," Chloe whimpered weakly before losing consciousness.

"Chloe!"

Ethans face went pale. He violently shoved me out of the way, holding Chloe as he dashed out the door.

I collapsed onto the floor, biting my lip so hard it bled, trying to suppress the overwhelming coldness spreading through my chest.

I stayed awake all night. When the sun finally rose, my phone buzzed. It was a text from Ethan.

"I was too stressed last night. My words were too harsh."

"Elena, I'm sorry."

A wave of soreness hit my nose, and tears finally spilled over.

In all our years together, he was always the first to bow his head after an argument, and I would always find an excuse to forgive him.

But this time was different.

This was a barrier I could never cross.

Before I could type a reply, he sent another photo.

It was a selfie of him and the newborn.

He was cradling the tiny infant with utmost care, looking down at her with a tenderness I had never seen before.

"Chloe went into early labor, but both mother and daughter are safe."

"The baby looks just like me."

"She has no family here, so I have to stay at the hospital to look after her for three days."

"Let's postpone the wedding by a week. I really can't handle everything right now."

Every single word of his seemingly ordinary message stabbed right into my heart.

Numbly, I stood up. I tore down the wedding decorations on the wall one by one. I took a pair of shears and shredded my wedding dress into pieces.

My hands shook uncontrollably as I packed my bags.

Just as I zipped my suitcase, Ethans mom pushed the door open, a bright, uncontainable smile on her face.

"Ethan asked me to bring him some clean clothes. And as a grandmother, I can't wait to see my little granddaughter."

Seeing my silence, she walked over and warmly wrapped her arm around mine. "Oh, Elena, Ethan was wrong this time. He shouldn't have hidden the donation from you. It hurt your pride. But at the end of the day, it's not some unforgivable sin, right?"

"I know how much you love him. You can't just throw away your relationship over something this trivial. Let's just forget the angry words you said in the group chat yesterday."

"Come on, let's go to the hospital together to see the baby. Give Ethan a way out, and we can put this whole thing behind us."

I let her drag me along like a lifeless corpse. By the time I snapped out of it, I was already standing outside the hospital room.

Chloe lay weakly on the bed, her pale face stained with tears. She had clearly had a rough labor.

And there was Ethan, gently cradling the baby, humming a soft lullaby.

Ethans dad actually smileda rare sight. "Ethan is a pilot. We should name the baby Maverick. Let her reach the skies!"

"What nonsense!" Ethans mom teased. "That's a boy's name!"

She eagerly reached out to hold the baby.

But Ethan turned his body, shielding the infant. "Mom, you don't know how to hold a newborn. Don't hurt her."

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted me. His eyes lit up. "Elena, come look at her. Look at her tiny hands and feet. Isn't she adorable?"

He leaned down to kiss the baby but stopped himself, looking flustered like a guilty child. "No, no, Daddy can't pass his germs to you."

I had never seen this childish, gentle side of him.

He was bursting with the urge to show off his joy to the entire world. But I should never have been part of that audience.

My lips curled into a stiff, mocking smile. I turned to leave.

But Ethan quickly chased after me, carefully presenting the baby to my face. "Elena, look. Her nose and mouth... don't they look exactly like mine?"

I looked down. The babys face was indeed a carbon copy of his.

The resemblance stung my eyes, and a sharp lump formed in my throat.

I coldly pushed the baby blanket away. Staring into Ethans expectant eyes, I decided to shatter his fantasy. "Get her away from me. She looks hideous. She disgusts me."

The baby suddenly burst into a loud wail.

Ethans face instantly darkened. He gently patted the crying baby, his heart aching for her.

Ethans mom glared at me as if she wanted to slice me in half. "You are the one who is hideous and disgusting!"

Ethans dad pointed directly at the door. "You are not welcome here. Get the hell out!"

On the bed, Chloe slowly opened her eyes.

"Elena..." She looked pleadingly at the Miller family. "I want to talk to Elena alone for a minute."

Once the door closed, a look of faux apology washed over Chloes face. "Elena, I don't want to break you and Ethan up. He really loves you. Actually... that night, Ethan got drunk, and we..."

My brain went completely numb. "It wasn't a sperm donation?"

She looked away, feigning guilt.

"Ethan told me to keep it a secret. He was afraid it would break your heart."

"By the time I realized I was pregnant, it was already three months. He was furious. He said hed give me a lump sum of hush money once the baby was born, as long as I never mentioned it again."

"Then why are you telling me this now?" I stared at her coldly. "Why did you show up at my door flaunting your belly? Why didn't you keep it a secret forever?"

She clearly didn't expect me to call her out so bluntly. Her expression shifted rapidly before she ultimately bit her lip and stayed silent.

I let out a sarcastic laugh. "Well, he and I are broken up now, and your baby is born. Your perfect little family of three can live happily ever after. What else are you worried about?"

Suddenly, she glared at me, a creepy, twisted smile appearing on her face.

The next second, right before my eyes, she rolled straight off the hospital bed, crashing heavily onto the floor. She screamed in absolute terror:

"Elena, I know I was wrong! Please don't hit me! Please don't hurt my baby!"

I stood there, completely dumbfounded.

Before I could even process what was happening, a powerful force violently shoved me aside.

Slap!

My cheek burned with sharp pain, and the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth.

Ethans dad stood there, his face livid with rage, pointing a shaking finger at me. "You disgraceful brat! How dare you act like a savage in a hospital?"

He raised his hand to strike me again, but Ethan quickly caught his wrist. "Dad, stop. She's my fiance. I'll handle this."

He dragged me out to the hallway, retrieved an ice pack, and gently pressed it against my swollen cheek.

I kept my head down, whispering, "I didn't push her..."

"Okay," he replied softly. He didn't yell, nor did he ask for details.

I knew him too well. This silence was his ultimate denial.

If he believed me, he would have fought for me.

If he didn't, he would react exactly like thiswith cold silence.

But if he didn't believe me, why was he still being so gentle?

Tears finally spilled over, dripping hot onto the back of his hand.

As if he had been burned, he flinched and pulled his hand back, standing up. "If being here around Chloe and the baby makes you this miserable, you should go home first."

In a panic, I grabbed the hem of his shirt, my voice cracking. "Just believe me once. Please?"

He let out a deep, heavy sigh. One by one, he pried my fingers off his shirt, his face filled with utter disappointment. "Elena, I can overlook everything you've done. I love you, so I can forgive you. But at the very least, you have to be honest with me."

Suddenly, his phone started ringing. It was Chloes custom ringtone.

How much further do I have to go to reach your heart...

I had once asked him, "Is it appropriate to have a custom ringtone for a female colleague?"

He had looked at me with confusion. "She just likes the song, so I set it. Don't overthink it."

I watched him answer the call and walk away without a single backward glance.

I sat frozen on the bench, one side of my face swollen and red. I found myself laughing and crying at the same time, like a patient diagnosed with a terminal illness.

He demanded honesty from me. But had he ever been honest with me?

I went back to the apartment and grabbed my bags. I was planning to go back to my parents' house when a FaceTime call popped up. It was my parents.

My dad was clutching his chest, pointing a trembling finger at the camera as he roared:

"The Millers said you went crazy at the hospital and attacked a girl who just gave birth! What is wrong with you? The hospital director is a close friend of mine. He texted me asking what happened! You have humiliated our entire family!"

My dad started gasping heavily for air. My mom frantically handed him his medicine, then turned to glare at me through the screen.

"Ethan explained everything. They are just colleagues. You just had to make a scene and force them into a corner, didn't you?"

Noticing the bruise on my face, she let out a cold snort. "You deserved it!"

"What did I do wrong that makes everyone turn on me?" I took a deep breath, my voice raspy. "Why would you rather believe outsiders than your own daughter?"

"Believe what? Go on, tell us!" my parents demanded in unison.

Staring at their cold, unsympathetic faces, all the fight drained out of me. "Never mind."

I hung up the call.

I couldn't let them see me cry anymore. Otherwise, Id just hear the same old line: "What else can you do besides cry?"

At this moment, I realized I had absolutely nowhere to go.

My phone vibrated. It was a Snapchat message from Marcus.

"Elena, when are you going to let me take his place?"

"Right now," I replied instantly, without a second thought.

This guy, who used to be the worst student in our grade back in high school, suddenly turned his life around during senior year just to follow me to the same university.

After that came years of relentless pursuit. He had confessed to me a hundred times, and I had rejected him a hundred times.

Back then, I was attracted to smart, academically successful men. Even though he was incredibly handsome and had a smile that could make my heart skip a beat, I still turned him down.

After graduation, I ended up with Ethan.

Marcus went to Switzerland for his master's degree, but he never stopped texting me.

From daily check-ins to sharing mundane details of his life, to asking every few days, "When is it my turn?"

I had never replied. Yet, like a tireless robot, he never gave up.

Thinking of this, I sent him another text:

"We're getting married in three days. You'll be the groom. Are you in?"

Bam!

The front door was suddenly kicked open with brute force.

Ethan stood at the doorway, his face dark with rage, his eyes locked onto me like a predator.

"Elena! What the hell did you do to my clothes?!"

"What...?"

"Shut up!"

He stormed over, grabbing my wrists and slamming me hard against the wall.

I had never seen him like this. His eyes were bloodshot, and his breath hitched with tremors.

"I wore that shirt you packed for me to hold the baby. Within ten minutes, she broke out in hives and had respiratory failure! Shes in the ICU right now!"

"She's just a newborn, Elena! Give me a goddamn explanation!"

"I didn't do anything!" My wrists hurt terribly under his grip, and I struggled to free myself. "Let go of me first..."

Before I could finish, his fist flew toward my face.

Instinctively, I squeezed my eyes shut and flinched. A loud crack echoed right next to my ear. His fist had smashed into the wall beside my head.

When I opened my eyes, I saw blood dripping from his split knuckles.

My voice shook uncontrollably. "Ethan... were you really going to hit me just now?"

As if suddenly waking up from a trance, he quickly released me and pulled me into a tight embrace.

"Elena... I'm sorry. I just panicked."

"I told you, I don't care what you've done. But you crossed the line this time. Chloe is crying, saying she wants to die with the baby. Just come to the hospital and beg for her forgiveness, okay?"

A hot tear dropped onto my neck. "Do it for me, please. I promise you, as long as you apologize, we can still get married."

This man, who hadn't shed a single tear even when he broke his ribs during flight training, was actually crying now.

When a man cries, it means he has a weakness. And Chloe and her baby were clearly his.

Looking at his trembling shoulders, I suddenly smiled.

"Sure. I'll apologize."

He let out a massive sigh of relief, as if a mountain had been lifted off his chest. "Let's go to the hospital right now."

He reached out to hold my hand.

I coldly slapped his hand away. "I can walk by myself."

"Okay," he nodded, then urged anxiously, "Hurry. I'm afraid Chloe is going to have a breakdown..."

The moment we arrived outside the emergency room, Chloe threw herself onto the floor and wrapped her arms tightly around my legs. "Elena, I beg of you. You can take my life, just please let my baby live!"

She sobbed hysterically, her body convulsing.

I let out a cold laugh. I reached down to pull her off me.

"Stop acting. I'm the one who's here to apologize. Please, Chloe, show some mercy and let me go. You can have Ethan. I don't want him anymore. He's yours."

She snapped her head up, a flash of smugness crossing her eyes before she quickly replaced it with a look of sheer terror.

"No, that's not true! Ethan will always belong to you! How could I ever dream of taking him? I just want to raise my baby in peace."

"Get up!" I completely lost my patience.

She suddenly grabbed my hands. Disgusted, I shook her off.

Using the momentum, she threw herself backward. Her head hit the tiled floor with a loud thud, and she let out a piercing scream.

"Enough!" Ethan rushed forward to shield her, looking at me as if I were some kind of monster. "Elena! If you didn't want to apologize, you shouldn't have come! Chloe just gave birth, and the baby is still in the ICU! How could you be so cruel?"

I kept my head down, realizing there was nothing left to say.

He wouldn't believe me anyway, would he?

After a long silence, Ethan let out a self-deprecating laugh.

"Forget it. What did I even expect from you? I saw you hurt Chloe and the baby with my own eyes. Just go home. You're only making things worse here."

"Parents of the baby, come here!" the doctor called out.

Without looking back, Ethan quickly ran toward the doctor with Chloe.

The doctor frowned, glancing at me. "If you're not family, please don't loiter here and cause a scene."

Right. They were the parents. I was just an intrusive outsider.

Twice in one day, I had humiliated myself at this hospital. In everyone's eyes, I was probably just a psychotic, malicious woman.

Suddenly, all the energy drained from my body. I stumbled backward, expecting to hit the cold floor, but instead fell into a warm, solid chest.

Marcus caught me securely, his voice buzzing with excitement.

"Elena, were you serious about letting me take his place?"