My husband brought his ex-girlfriend and her son home after learning she’d divorced. He even let her son put a potent, dangerous abortifacient into my food. I nearly bled to death, writhing in agony, but he just held Evelyn’s son close and calmly declared, “Don’t worry, Daddy Derek will only ever have you as his child.” I didn’t fight back. Derek visibly relaxed, a wave of relief washing over his face. But what he didn’t know was that I’d just signed a top-secret agreement with the government, and soon, I would vanish from his world entirely. “Aurora Collins, we’ll finalize your divorce once you sign. Are you absolutely sure about this?” My superior, Captain Reed, looked at my pale face, his eyes heavy with concern. My lower abdomen still pulsed with the phantom pain of a recent miscarriage. I sat on the hospital bed, carefully signing my name, stroke by painful stroke. “My duty comes before my personal life.” “What duty?” The hospital room door swung open. Derek Miller, dressed in his military uniform, strode in, carrying Evelyn Hayes’ son, Leo, in his arms. Evelyn stood by his side, her hand linked with his, leaning into him. At first glance, they looked like the picture-perfect happy family of three. Who would remember that I was Derek Miller’s legal wife, the one he’d officially married? Seeing me, Evelyn put on a pitiful act. “Rory, how are you feeling?” Before I could even reply, she dropped to her knees by my bed, tears streaming down her face. “Leo didn’t mean to put the abortifacient in your food. I’m begging you, please don’t let him go to jail!” At that, Leo jumped out of Derek’s arms. He lunged at my blanket, snarling at me like a feral pup. “Bad woman! I won’t let you have babies! You won’t steal my daddy!” Daddy? I looked up at Derek, my heart twisting as if ground by a dull knife. Derek’s gaze flickered, avoiding mine. He bent down and picked up Leo. “Don’t be scared, Leo. Daddy will only ever have you as his child.” Only then did he look back at me. His voice, usually so gentle, now carried a hint of impatience. “Rory, the child didn’t know any better. Don’t hold it against him.” “Our baby… it’s gone. It’s fine. We can just focus on raising Leo together.” My abdomen still throbbed, but my heart had already plummeted into an abyss. I struggled to keep my voice from trembling. “Yeah. You’re right. It’s better this way.” If the baby had been born, he would have been heartbroken seeing his own father act like this… Maybe it was my sudden compliance, but a flicker of panic crossed Derek’s eyes. He opened his mouth to say something more, but Leo, overjoyed, immediately hugged Derek. “Yay, Daddy! Can you and Mommy take me skiing now?” Evelyn cast me a hesitant glance, offering a forced smile. She pulled at the restless child. “Leo, stop bothering your daddy!” But Derek simply said, “It’s fine!” He turned to Captain Reed, requesting, “Please approve our leave. I want to take them skiing.” He didn’t spare me another glance. Nor did he bother to ask why Captain Reed was even here. Captain Reed looked at me, then at Evelyn and her son. Finally, with a subtle look, he responded, “Very well.” The ‘family of three’ before me instantly beamed with joy. When Derek’s gaze finally landed on my pale face, his smile froze, a fleeting mix of guilt and pity flashing in his eyes. “You should come too.” I didn’t refuse. I did need to pack, but not for skiing. Derek had no chance to say anything else before Leo tugged him away, chattering excitedly. Evelyn shot me a triumphant look. “So sorry, Rory. I had no idea Derek liked Leo so much.” Then she hurried after them, her retreating figure disappearing through the doorway. The hospital room fell silent again. I clutched the white bedsheet, Captain Reed’s sigh echoing in my ears. “I understand the situation. Seven days from now, come to the base to pick up your divorce certificate.”
I returned alone to the military housing complex. The medicine bowl, knocked over on the day of the incident, still lay on the table. A dark, scorched stain marked the floor. Clearly, Derek hadn’t been home in days. I ignored it all, walking straight to my desk. From the drawer, I pulled out a small notebook. Flipping it open, I saw it was filled with every little thing Derek had done for Evelyn over the past five years. Arranging for her to join the military’s arts and entertainment corps, taking my spot. Leaving me with a fever to celebrate Leo’s birthday, even letting the child put an animal-grade abortifacient in my food, nearly costing me my life… The entire notebook was crammed with entries, every inch filled, leaving no space for more pain. My hand paused. I could only squeeze one last sentence into the corner of the final page— “Leave Derek Miller.” The baby was gone. The debt I owed him for saving me from that cliff all those years ago? It was paid in full. Suddenly, I heard the door open behind me. Strong, calloused hands wrapped around me from behind, slipping under my clothes. “What are you writing?” I frowned, trying to pull away. “I just had a miscarriage.” My words didn’t seem to dampen Derek’s mood. He’d always liked to bother me late into the night. He nibbled on my earlobe. “I won’t move. I’ll just hold you.” I instinctively tilted my head, but I couldn’t escape his intimacy. As I sighed in resignation, I heard him say, “There’s something else I need to tell you.” “I’m going to officially adopt Leo and give him my surname. That way, Evelyn and her son will have someone to rely on.” His breath hitched against my neck, making me feel sick. Yet, his hand continued to roam restlessly. I let out a hollow laugh. “Fine. Whatever you say.” Derek’s hand froze. As if sensing something was off, he forcefully turned my body to face him. “You don’t mind?” I looked up at him, my voice indifferent. “It’s a good thing, isn’t it?” He stared at me intently for a few seconds, then finally indulged me. “I knew I married a good wife. Well, get ready. We’ll have a celebratory dinner in a couple of days to announce I have a son.” With that, he pulled out his wallet, casually peeling off a few bills and handing them to me. “Buy yourself some dresses. For skiing in a couple of days.” I thought of the research facility I was headed to. I’d heard winter came early there, and by the peak of the season, the snow could be waist-deep. My current clothes definitely wouldn’t hold up. Thinking this, I didn’t decline, and agreed. The next day. Taking all the money I had at home, I went to a store and walked straight past the racks of dresses hanging at the entrance. My eyes fixated on the padded winter coats in the back corner. “Please pack up all your winter clothes for me.” Two days later, the day of the banquet arrived. Derek was unusually excited. He woke up early, put on his neatest military uniform, and even pinned a red flower to his chest. It was the same uniform he’d worn on our wedding day. I said nothing, quietly packing my belongings. There was nothing left for me to cherish in this house. The most conspicuous items in my large suitcase were the two new outfits I’d bought yesterday. Derek suddenly glanced at me, his brows knitting together. “I told you to buy dresses, why did you buy winter coats?”
I calmly tucked a pair of rough, padded mittens into my suitcase, explaining, “They’re last year’s winter coats. They’re cheaper now.” “We’re not short on cash…” Derek grumbled, but didn’t seem suspicious. “It’s almost time for the party to start. I’m going to pick up Evelyn and Leo.” With that, he left without waiting for my reply. Watching the joy radiating from the man’s retreating figure, my hands paused their packing. Then I furiously tied another knot. Only two more days until I left. The name-change banquet was held on the base’s mess hall. By the time I’d finished packing and went downstairs, the banquet had already begun. The lively hall was packed, but there was no sign of Derek or Evelyn and her son. I pursed my lips, intending to find a quiet corner to sit in. But then, my sleeve was suddenly clutched tightly. “Aunt Rory…” Leo, who seemed to appear out of nowhere, grabbed my hand, his eyes red and brimming with tears. “I’m sorry, Aunt Rory. Leo didn’t mean it that day. I… I have an apology gift for you over there. Can Aunt Rory forgive me?” A shiver went through me as I remembered the day of the miscarriage. I frowned, wanting to refuse. But Leo stubbornly pulled me along, heading towards the backyard storage shed. “Daddy Derek is there too! He told me to definitely bring you!” Hearing Derek was there, my guard dropped a little. Could it be that he wanted to apologize to me but was too embarrassed, so he sent Leo? I pursed my lips, half-heartedly following Leo to the door of the dilapidated shed. But it was empty. Something felt wrong. I immediately pulled my hand from Leo’s grip. “Where is Derek Miller?” The next second, Leo shoved me from behind, sending me tumbling helplessly into the not-quite-closed shed. “I knew you still wanted to steal my daddy! Go die!” The wooden door slammed shut behind me with a loud thud. The shed was pitch black. I heard the lock click into place, and panic surged through me. I scrambled to my feet, pounding on the wooden door. “Leo, let me out!” Suddenly, I heard the heavy breathing of a man behind me. The next instant, my body was pressed tightly from behind, and the stench of alcohol filled the air. “You slut, pretty little thing, aren’t you brave…” As he spoke, a pair of thick, coarse hands began tearing at my clothes. A wave of nausea hit me, and I struggled fiercely. “Who are you! Let go of me!” I was pushed to the ground. In my terror, I instinctively kicked and thrashed. Suddenly, a commotion of footsteps sounded from outside the door. Leo’s crying voice filtered through the wood. “Aunt Rory and an uncle are fighting without clothes in the shed! Daddy Derek, quickly, save Aunt Rory!” My mind reeled, a sickening ‘buzz’ in my head. The next second, the shed door was kicked open. Evelyn’s shrill scream pierced the air. “Oh my God, Rory! How could you cheat on Derek with someone else!” The weight on me suddenly lifted. The man who had been pinning me down was violently yanked away. I felt nauseated, my vision swimming. The next second, a military jacket was flung over me. I flinched, looking up to meet Derek’s complicated gaze. “Derek, I…” I wanted to explain, but then I saw the circle of soldiers and their families behind him. No one spoke, but their eyes, scrutinizing me, felt like they were stripping me bare. Evelyn, holding her son and standing behind Derek, actually spoke up. “Sister, how could you be so foolish? Adultery means execution!”
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