My wife’s older cousin, Isabelle, had married a Middle Eastern tycoon. She was almost forty, and they still hadn’t had children. One day, Isabelle came to our door, explaining she was infertile and hoped my wife could help her have a baby. I rejected the idea instantly, without a second thought. I told my wife, straight up, that if she dared to agree, I’d divorce her. A year later, Isabelle suddenly invited me to her baby’s first-month celebration. But Isabelle couldn’t have children, could she? Had my wife actually agreed to that Middle Eastern tycoon’s request behind my back? … This past New Year, my wife’s older cousin, Isabelle, came back from overseas with her husband for the first time in over ten years. My wife’s parents had passed away early, and her aunt (Isabelle’s mother) had taken great care of her. So, Chloe and Isabelle had practically grown up together, and they were very close. When Chloe heard Isabelle was back, she dragged me along, eager to visit them the very next day. Isabelle said their house hadn’t been lived in for a while and wasn’t ready, so she arranged to meet us at a fancy restaurant instead. The moment we stepped into the private room, a man over six feet tall, with a long beard, extended his hand. He greeted us in fluent English. “Hello, I’m Isabelle’s husband. Just call me Omar. I’m from Saudi Arabia!” I only knew my cousin-in-law had married a rich and powerful foreigner. I just hadn’t expected him to be a Middle Eastern tycoon, wearing a traditional head covering. “Hello, Omar. I hope you’ll stay for a few days this time.” “Absolutely, absolutely.” Omar was speaking to me, but his gaze kept drifting to my wife. His eyes held an unmistakable, raw possessiveness. It was no surprise. My wife, Chloe, was incredibly beautiful, with a stunning figure. Her generous E-cup bust always turned heads wherever she went. I frowned, a flicker of annoyance passing through me. Even if we were family, that was incredibly rude. My name is Alex. I worked a demanding corporate job, and overtime was the norm. I was living paycheck to paycheck, barely making ends meet. No silver spoon, no lucky breaks. All I could do was work harder. It took years of savings, but I finally managed to buy our small house with a mortgage. I met Chloe through a mutual friend. Our daily lives weren’t luxurious, but they were calm, peaceful, and truly happy. This year, I’d finally managed to save up a bit, and we were planning to start a family. We were currently trying to conceive. … “Come, sit, sit! Waiter, bring the food!” Omar ushered us to our seats, pulling out gifts he’d brought from overseas. “Wow, is this for me?” Chloe’s eyes lit up with delight as she excitedly hugged a white, deep-V, ultra-low-cut evening gown. Isabelle smiled. “Of course! Omar specifically commissioned a renowned designer for royalty. It took two months to design, and every stitch was hand-sewn. It’s pure couture!” Chloe excitedly hugged Omar’s arm. “Thank you so much, cousin-in-law! You’re the best!” Seeing that, I felt a pang of jealousy. What man could stand seeing his wife so intimate with another man? But then I remembered how, when we got married, we were so broke we had to rent her wedding dress. So, seeing Chloe so genuinely happy, I swallowed my resentment. At the dinner table, Chloe and Isabelle were whispering, gossiping about something. I tried to listen in, but Omar kept pulling me into conversation, urging me to drink. A few shots of hard liquor later, I, who wasn’t much of a drinker, started to feel lightheaded. I excused myself to the restroom. After splashing cold water on my face, I was about to step out when I heard Chloe and Isabelle’s voices. “Chloe, please, think about this carefully. I’m begging you. In my husband’s country, not having children is a huge dishonor. Besides, Omar is so wealthy, he needs an heir! If I can’t give him a child, he’ll divorce me sooner or later. Please, think about my future.” “Isabelle, I’ll… I’ll think about it.” I chose that exact moment to walk out, smiling. “What are you two talking about?” A blush immediately spread across Chloe’s face, and her eyes darted away from mine. She playfully shoved me. “Go on, shoo! It’s girl talk, none of your business!” I knew my wife too well. She was clearly feeling guilty. Instinctively, I felt something was definitely off! Isabelle hadn’t been back in so many years, and her sudden return definitely had some hidden agenda! “Honey, honey, do I look pretty?” The moment we got home, Chloe changed into the white evening gown and twirled around, showing it off. The dress was cut perfectly. It beautifully showcased Chloe’s full curves and generous bust, making my eyes light up. No wonder Chloe was so excited; the dress truly looked high-end. But my wife’s cousin hadn’t been back in years, and the moment she returned, she gave such an expensive gift. Who would believe there wasn’t a motive behind it? 2 Remember, before this, Chloe had often mentioned wanting to visit Isabelle, but Isabelle kept making excuses. Her words were laced with impatience, hinting at disdain for her less fortunate relatives, as if she wanted to cut ties. Now, she had suddenly changed her tune, showering us with attention. What was it all for? But then, what could we, an ordinary family, possibly have that they would want? After much thought, I decided I should warn Chloe, give her a heads-up. “Honey, your cousin is back, inviting us to dinner, giving us gifts… is she looking for a favor?” Chloe was happily admiring herself in the mirror. She instinctively denied it. “You’re overthinking it. Isabelle and her husband are so rich; what could we possibly do for them?” Was I really overthinking it? Then, Chloe hesitantly walked over and hugged me, burying her head in my neck. She spoke softly. “Honey, Isabelle does have something she wants to discuss with us.” I chuckled lightly. *That* made more sense! I made myself comfortable, indicating I was all ears, and Chloe began to explain. “Middle Eastern tycoons are everywhere. Your cousin-in-law, Omar, is rich, but sometimes money can’t solve everything – like having children! He and Isabelle have been so worried about not having a baby.” Hearing that, I sighed. That was indeed a painful problem. Chloe continued, “Isabelle is almost forty. They’ve been married for over ten years, and she hasn’t had a single child. She went to the doctor, who said a past abortion when she was young damaged her uterus, and with her age, it’s basically impossible for her to have children now. So, Isabelle wants me to help her with a small favor!” At this, I was confused. “If doctors can’t solve it, what can *we* do? No one in our family, direct or distant, has been a doctor for three generations!” “Oh, just let me finish!” Chloe pouted, her face flushed. She gave me a captivating glance before hesitantly continuing. “Isabelle wants me to help her have a baby. You know my parents passed away early, and Auntie (Isabelle’s mom) took such good care of me when I was little. I don’t want Isabelle to be alone and miserable in her later years.” I suddenly understood. After thinking for a moment, I reluctantly put my arm around Chloe’s shoulders and sighed. “So that’s what it is. It’s not impossible. If push comes to shove, we can have an extra child and they can adopt them. Their family is well-off, so it wouldn’t be a disservice to the child! But they absolutely must treat my child well, no bullying.” Chloe looked troubled, biting her lip, silent for a long time. Seeing her reaction, I asked, puzzled, “What’s wrong? You don’t agree? Well, it’s your own flesh and blood, after all! If you don’t want to, we can just refuse… Honestly, I’d be sad to give up a child too!” “No.” Chloe cut me off. “Isabelle’s idea is that the child *must* be Omar’s. That way, it’s a true heir for them. So, she’s asking me to stay with Omar for a few days!” My mind reeled, trying to process what she meant. Then it hit me. *Bang!* I slammed my hand on the table. “No way!” “What kind of insane idea is that?” No wonder Omar had been looking at Chloe strangely, and Isabelle had been avoiding me. They were planning something sick, setting their sights on my wife. “I absolutely forbid this!” Chloe hugged me from behind, her voice trembling with tears. “Honey, if Omar doesn’t have a child, he could always find another young, beautiful woman and kick Isabelle out! What would Isabelle do then?” Seeing that she seemed genuinely considering helping, I couldn’t hold back anymore. I stood up abruptly, my face grim, and told her sternly: “This ends here. If you even *think* about agreeing to this, we’re getting a divorce.” Chloe’s expression froze, then she rolled her eyes at me. “I was just discussing it with you! If you don’t agree, I’ll just tell Isabelle no tomorrow. Why bring up divorce so easily?” With that, Chloe even leaned in and kissed me. Seeing Chloe’s clear attitude, I breathed a sigh of relief and softly apologized to her. I thought that was the end of it, but what happened next made me realize how naive I was. I spent days working myself silly, finally making it to the weekend. I’d planned a romantic getaway with Chloe. But she refused, claiming she wanted to spend more time with Isabelle. “Honey, Isabelle wants me to go shopping. I won’t be back for dinner tonight, so you’ll have to find something to eat yourself.” “Honey, Isabelle wants me to go out for a nice meal. Eat without me, okay?” “Honey, Isabelle’s only back for a short time. I’ll be spending more time with her lately!” Recently, Isabelle and Omar were staying in their villa in the country, and Chloe went there almost every day, not coming back until eight or nine at night. I ended up meeting a few friends to play some hoops. That afternoon, after a few drinks, one of my friends joked: “Your wife isn’t messing around with that Middle Eastern foreigner, is she?” “I heard those Middle Eastern guys are quite impressive!” “Rich and powerful… what woman could resist that?” Their words made my stomach churn with unease. The gathering broke up, and I headed straight home. 3 I called Chloe repeatedly on the way home. But no one picked up. I was about to call Isabelle to ask about her when Chloe finally called back. “Hello, honey… huff, huff… mmph…” “Where are you? What’s that sound?” “Oh… honey, I just got home. I’m jogging. When are you coming back?” Hearing that Chloe was home, my heart finally settled. “I’ll be there soon.” “Oh? Then can you pick up some ice cream for me? I’m so hot.” I didn’t think much of it and turned into the supermarket next to our complex, buying two popsicles. As I walked up to our building, I saw a luxury car driving out of the complex. Our neighborhood was for ordinary people. Most cars were pretty standard, maybe twenty or thirty grand. There were absolutely no cars worth millions like that one. I took a few extra glances. Back home, Chloe was getting off the treadmill, her face flushed. Sweating profusely, she snatched the ice cream from my hand and started slurping it. “Can you give me a foot massage? I’ve been walking all day; I’m exhausted.” To please Chloe in the past, I’d even taken a few days of foot reflexology classes. I never thought it would come in handy now. But when I came back with a basin of water, Chloe was already asleep on the couch. I shook my head, chuckling softly. She must have been truly tired today. I picked her up and carried her into the bedroom, changing her into her pajamas. Suddenly, I noticed a faint scent of smoke on her clothes. I’d quit smoking right after we got married. And smoking was forbidden in the mall. Could it have been in the car? I went into the bathroom, and a gleaming cigarette butt in the trash can startled me. A man had been in our house! I immediately yanked Chloe from the bed, holding up the cigarette butt. “Who was here?” Chloe looked annoyed. She slapped my hand away. “Are you insane? Isabelle and I went shopping, and her husband dropped us off. Is there a problem with them coming up for a minute?” “Alex, can you put something useful in your head? Why don’t you think about how to make more money instead of always being so suspicious!” Oh, so that was it. I immediately relaxed. … The next day, I received a notice from my boss. The company was expanding its overseas business and needed capable people to open a new market in Saudi Arabia. I was appointed as the head, leading a team to be stationed abroad for a year. Though I was reluctant to leave Chloe, when my boss clapped me on the shoulder and promised me the Vice President position if I completed the mission, I agreed without hesitation. I told Chloe about it, filled with apprehension. I imagined she’d be upset about us being apart for a year and our plans to have a baby being postponed. But to my surprise, Chloe was incredibly understanding. She leaned against my chest, comforting me. “It’s okay, honey. What’s one year? When you come back, you’ll be Vice President, and our child will have a better quality of life. Go for it. A man should prioritize his career. I’d never be your stumbling block!” I was deeply moved by Chloe’s thoughtfulness. That night, I held her and made love to her with all my passion until her voice was hoarse. A few days later, I landed safely in Saudi Arabia. I sent Chloe a SnapChat message from the airport to let her know I was safe. I didn’t get a reply. I checked the time; it was late night back home. She must have been asleep. From that day on, Chloe and I could only communicate by leaving messages for each other. But Chloe was just as before, often sending me photos of herself and sharing funny stories. Seeing that my absence hadn’t affected her life, I gradually put my mind at ease. I couldn’t help but admire Chloe for being such a supportive wife. Midway through, I heard Chloe was hospitalized with a bad cold, and I desperately wanted to fly back home immediately. Chloe quickly FaceTimed me. Isabelle was there, taking care of her. “Honey, are you adapting to life abroad?” “Isabelle’s husband is coming back tomorrow to handle some business. Is there anything you want? I can ask him to bring it for you.” I shook my head, refusing. Deep down, I didn’t want any more contact with that Middle Eastern man. And so, I slowly adapted to living alone. In my free time, I’d sometimes go out for drinks with colleagues or play basketball. A year flew by in a flash. My overseas assignment was successfully completed. Finally, I could return home to see my beloved wife. Coming out of the city airport, I saw Chloe waving at me by the roadside. To my surprise, she looked a lot rounder than before. Even with makeup, she couldn’t hide the exhaustion on her face. Chloe said it was because she’d been too busy to work out lately, and she hadn’t been sleeping well while I was away. I felt both heartache and helplessness, so I just hugged her tightly. Not long after I returned home, Isabelle sent us an invitation. She was inviting us to her son’s first-month celebration. “Isabelle had a baby? When did this happen? How did I not know?” A surge of questions filled my mind. She was infertile, wasn’t she? 4 Chloe linked her arm through mine. “Isabelle never gave up. She finally found a renowned traditional healer back home, drank a lot of medicine, and spent six months adjusting her body before she finally got pregnant.”
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