To help his childhood sweetheart who desperately needed money for cancer treatment, my husband volunteered to pay ten million dollars for her virginity. I was about to object, but he shut me down with a lecture. “Vivian has always been so proud and strong-willed. If we just gave her money outright, she’d see it as charity and it would hurt her self-esteem.” “Can’t you have a little compassion? Are you really going to be jealous over something this trivial?” I said nothing, just smiled and nodded in agreement. He had no idea. As an infectious disease specialist, I had already spotted the warning signs. She didn’t have cancer. She was in the late stages of AIDS. When Adrian came home, it was already past midnight. He casually removed his shirt, inadvertently revealing the scratch marks on his back. I froze in place, unable to speak for a long moment. He was the first to break the silence: “It was Vivian’s first time. It’s normal for her to react intensely.” I clenched my fists. Unable to hold back, I couldn’t help but ask: “Did you at least use protection?” He shook his head indifferently: “Vivian took medication beforehand. Stop worrying about nothing.” At those words, my tightly wound heart sank completely. Just then, Adrian’s phone rang. It was Vivian calling, her voice tearful: “Adrian, I’m suddenly bleeding a lot. I’m so scared…” Hearing this, he immediately panicked. He rushed to reassure her: “Don’t be afraid, I’m coming right now. I’ll be there in ten minutes!” Despite feeling utterly devastated, I still couldn’t help myself. I reached out to stop him. I was going to tell him about Vivian’s true condition. But he shook me off with an annoyed expression: “I already told you, I’m only doing this to help Vivian. If there was really something between us, would I have even let you know about it?” He glared at me, quickly changed his clothes, and headed for the door. Before leaving, he turned back and tossed out: “Wash my clothes and underwear. They got blood on them. They’ll be harder to clean if you leave them too long.” The door slammed shut. After Adrian left, I stared blankly at our wedding photo on the wall. All these years, I’d been by his side as he built his business from nothing. From a rental room smaller than ten square meters to a luxurious penthouse in the city center. I knew every hardship we’d endured along the way, each one etched in my heart. Adrian had been, by most measures, a decent husband. After his startup earned its first big profit, the first thing he did was give me the wedding ceremony I’d never had. He even had a ring custom-made for me. The diamond on the ring wasn’t large, and it had a tiny flaw. Despite that, I’d always treasured it. But this very man—the “good husband” everyone admired—had done the thing that hurt me most. Without any protection, the infection rate after high-risk sexual activity was virtually one hundred percent. Though I was furious, I ultimately couldn’t bear it. He still had seventy-two hours. If he took post-exposure prophylaxis in time, he could still effectively avoid infection. I was about to call him to remind him. But just then, a new post appeared in my feed. It was from Vivian, just posted: “I thought married men were supposed to be restrained. Turns out someone showed me zero mercy.” The photo showed her neck and shoulders covered in bite marks. It seemed like a complaint, but it was really a brag about how intense things had been between her and Adrian. More than that, what caught my eye first was the ring on her finger—glaringly bright. The ring was almost identical in style to mine. Except the diamond was larger, more flawless. My heart trembled. I found the serial number engraved inside my wedding ring and called the brand’s customer service. After checking, the representative politely informed me: “Mr. Harris did previously order a diamond ring from our brand, but the first batch had defects, so we remade it for him later.” She paused. “Ms. Sullivan, we’re very sorry for any inconvenience. Is there anything else you’re unhappy with?” I forced down my emotions and softly denied it, then hung up. So this wedding ring had been custom-made for Vivian all along. What I received was nothing more than a defective product. In that moment, I felt like someone was strangling me. It hurt. I couldn’t breathe. I had loved the wrong man. But at least I could cut my losses now.
While I was still reeling, Adrian suddenly called me. His voice was frantic: “Honey, Vivian’s body is covered in red rashes, and she has swollen lymph nodes. What’s going on?” “You’re a doctor—does she need to get tested for this?” Hearing his description, I became even more certain. After being infected, Vivian had never taken medication to control the viral load in her body. Based on her current symptoms, she wasn’t just in the late stages of AIDS. She’d likely also contracted other infectious diseases. Like syphilis. On the other end of the line, Adrian kept pressing: “Honey, give me a straight answer!” I bit my lip and finally replied calmly: “It’s probably just common complications. She should be fine after a few days of rest.” With that, I hung up. Outside, the night was deep. I put on gloves and carefully collected Adrian’s clothes. I walked to the balcony and burned them completely. I knew full well that Adrian’s infection was only a matter of time. Living under the same roof with him, if I wasn’t careful, I could get infected too. To avoid tipping him off, for now, I could only avoid him as much as possible. Early the next morning, I quickly packed my bags and left. Then I sent Adrian a message, claiming I had to travel out of state for work and wouldn’t be back for half a month. After settling into a hotel, I opened a monitoring app on my phone that I’d never used before. A few months ago, the apartment complex had upgraded its security system. They’d sent workers to install surveillance cameras in every unit. Adrian wasn’t home at the time, and I’d been too busy with work to tell him. Soon, my phone connected to the bedroom feed. But what I saw made my blood freeze. I’d only been gone half a day, and Adrian had already brought Vivian home. Right now, she was wearing my pajamas, sitting cross-legged at my vanity, opening my expensive face cream. She didn’t apply it to her face. Instead, she scooped out a large chunk and slowly rubbed it onto her feet. Then, finding that too much trouble, she actually stuck her toes directly into the jar and stirred them around. Adrian was lying nearby, completely ignoring her behavior. “Adrian, these skincare products aren’t cheap. If she finds out, won’t she be upset?” Vivian said this, but her hands didn’t stop moving. Adrian slowly sat up, naturally wrapping his arm around her waist, his expression doting: “That face of hers doesn’t deserve such expensive products anyway. Might as well use them on your feet.” As he spoke, he hooked his finger under the ties of Vivian’s pajamas. “It’s the same pajamas, but somehow they look so charming and seductive on you. Not like that frumpy wife of mine—she looks like she’s wearing a potato sack no matter what.” Vivian leaned into his embrace, laughing delightedly. When I saw the two of them rolling into bed, I quickly shut off my phone. If I kept watching, I was afraid the filth would reach me through the screen. Soon, half a month had passed. I took post-exposure prophylaxis in advance, put on a mask, and steeled myself to return home. I’d notified Adrian ahead of time, so I figured he’d at least have the decency to send Vivian away first. But when I opened the door, I saw she was still there, lounging on the sofa, eating my expensive imported fruit. I suppressed my anger and looked at Adrian: “Adrian, you brought an outsider to live in our home without even consulting me?” Before he could answer, another voice came from the kitchen: “This house was bought by my son. He can let whoever he wants live here. It’s not your place to interfere.” I was startled. That’s when I realized my mother-in-law was here too. She gave me an impatient glance and immediately positioned herself protectively in front of Vivian: “Besides, Vivian is not an outsider.” “She’s carrying a baby now—she’s the most precious person in the Harris family!” Hearing this, I shuddered involuntarily. A woman with AIDS… pregnant…
When I looked at Adrian again, he deliberately avoided my gaze, his lips moving slightly: “Honey, you know my mother has always wanted a grandchild, but all these years… you’ve never gotten pregnant.” Just then, Vivian spoke up timidly: “Victoria, don’t blame Adrian. It’s all my fault. Last time I mixed up my birth control pills with my vitamins and accidentally got pregnant.” “If you’re disgusted, I’ll go to the hospital right now and terminate the pregnancy…” Her eyes reddened as she made to stand up. My mother-in-law immediately flew into a rage. She stormed up and slapped me hard across the face: “Victoria Harris, are you trying to make my son childless? Let me tell you, if anything happens to Vivian’s baby, I’ll never forgive you!” From that slap, my ears rang. I covered my face, unable to react for a long time. Turning my head, I saw three place settings on the dining table. Seeing this, my mother-in-law spoke matter-of-factly: “I didn’t know you were coming back. I only prepared lunch for three!” I understood her implication. I bit my lip and turned to leave. My mother-in-law slammed the door hard behind me. But I could still hear her deliberately raised voice from inside: “Son, you’re a billionaire CEO. You should have divorced that barren woman long ago.” “She’s the one beneath you now, wasting all these years of your life!” With my back against the door, I suddenly laughed. Years ago, to support Adrian’s startup, I worked at the hospital during the day and washed dishes at the night market for extra money. Every cent I earned went to him. How ridiculous. Adrian’s mother had always put me down, and he’d never defended me once. The stinging pain on my face hadn’t faded, but my heart had gone numb. Just then, my phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out to see a message from a colleague: “Victoria, I got someone at the CDC to pull Vivian’s medical records.” My brow furrowed as I quickly opened it. Though I’d expected it, seeing the long string of data still left me stunned. Vivian’s late-stage AIDS combined with third-stage syphilis was what I’d basically confirmed already. But I never imagined that besides those two, she carried over a dozen other infectious diseases. Though these diseases were primarily transmitted through blood and sex, close contact in daily life, sharing towels and utensils, or even contact with broken skin could all pose infection risks. Fortunately, this wasn’t something I needed to worry about. After all, the ones who’d suffer were someone else entirely. I simply requested an extended leave from the hospital, collected myself, booked a flight, and headed to the seaside town I’d always wanted to visit. On the twentieth day away from home, Adrian called: “Victoria, where have you been all this time? There’s a limit to throwing a tantrum, you know.” When I didn’t respond, his tone softened further: “Don’t take what my mother said to heart.” He paused, seemingly weighing his words: “Honey, Vivian and I have already discussed it. After she gives birth, I’ll give her a sum of money and send her abroad. She’ll never come back.” “You’ll be the child’s mother from then on, and we’ll stay together.” I verbally agreed with Adrian’s words, pretending to be moved to tears. After hanging up, I immediately pulled up the home surveillance feed. In the video, Adrian was holding Vivian, his voice full of smugness: “Don’t worry, I’ve got Victoria handled.” “Once you have the baby, I’ll divorce her. A woman who can’t have children has no right to compete with you.” My mother-in-law beamed beside them, handing Vivian a bowl of tonic soup: “My son is so clever! Keep that jinx stable for now so she doesn’t make a scene and disturb your pregnancy.” “Vivian, eat more. You must give birth to a baby boy!” Watching this “heartwarming” scene, I laughed until my sides hurt. With Vivian’s wrecked body, they expected a healthy baby? It would be a miracle if she even survived to delivery. These two lived and ate with her without any precautions whatsoever. They’d probably already been thoroughly marinated in viruses.
Sure enough, a few days later, Adrian called again. Only this time, his voice carried obvious panic. “Victoria, my mother’s sick. It’s really strange—she has a fever that won’t break, and she’s covered in rashes.” “I haven’t been able to eat or sleep these past few days either. My whole body aches.” I suppressed my amusement and deliberately offered gentle comfort: “It’s gotten colder lately. It’s probably the flu or some viral infection.” “Here’s what we’ll do—you take care of my mother first, and I’ll buy a ticket home as soon as I’m done here. Whatever medication you need, I’ll get it from the hospital when I get back.” “Okay, please hurry…” On the other end, Adrian’s voice was noticeably weak. After hanging up, I immediately booked my next travel destination. I let it drag on for several days. During that time, Adrian’s calls never stopped. Finding them annoying, I simply blocked him. Finally, one day, Adrian’s assistant called me, voice panicked: “Mrs. Harris, Mr. Harris suddenly collapsed during a board meeting today and was rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment!” “The old Mrs. Harris was admitted to the ICU yesterday. The doctor says she has multiple organ failure and might not last more than a few days.” Hearing this news, I realized the time was right. I booked the earliest flight and flew back overnight. When I arrived at the hospital, the attending physician called me into his office alone, his expression grave as he handed me a stack of reports. “Ms. Harris, as the patient’s family member, it would be more appropriate for you to inform your husband about these matters.” He hesitated, seeming to look at me with sympathy. “Mr. Harris and his mother’s blood test results are back. The situation is very complex.” “Currently, they’ve been infected with up to twenty different infectious pathogens, including HIV and syphilis spirochetes. I strongly recommend you get tested as well.” I nodded, my expression unchanged as I accepted the reports: “I understand. Thank you.” After putting on protective gear, a mask, and goggles, fully suited up, I walked into Adrian’s isolation room. He lay in the hospital bed, his face ashen. An IV was inserted in the back of his hand, and he was hooked up to monitoring equipment. Seeing me dressed like this, confusion first appeared in his clouded eyes, followed by a trace of fear: “Honey, what disease do I have? Is it serious? The doctor wouldn’t tell me anything…” “Have you seen my mother? How is she?” I said nothing, quietly sitting by the bed and pulling out the test report. Seeing the densely packed list of conditions on the report, Adrian stared for a long time. Then he laughed absurdly: “Honey, you’re still joking with me at a time like this? How could I possibly be infected with so many viruses at once?” “Syphilis, AIDS, and hepatitis B… This is absolutely ridiculous!” I feigned concern as I looked at him: “Honey, I thought the hospital made a mistake at first too, but…” Adrian started: “But what?” I sighed: “But my mother has the same thing. Besides AIDS and syphilis, she has almost every virus that can be transmitted through saliva.” He froze on the spot, then desperately shook his head in denial: “That’s impossible! My mother and I have always been careful about hygiene, and we always eat at home. How could this happen?” As he spoke, Adrian suddenly went rigid, as if realizing something. His voice trembling, his face deathly pale as he looked at me: “Is it… Vivian?” I nodded. “Honey, I had someone investigate Vivian. She used to work as a hostess at a nightclub. Her private life was a complete mess. This disease was probably transmitted to you and my mother by her.” Learning this news, Adrian looked utterly shocked, but still clung to hope: “There must be a mistake. This can’t be true! Vivian has always been so innocent. How could she work that kind of shameless job!” He struggled to get up, insisting on going to the ICU to see his mother. I quickly stopped him: “Honey, my mother isn’t in the ICU anymore.” Hearing this, Adrian immediately relaxed, a relieved smile appearing on his face: “See, I knew it. The hospital must have made a mistake. If my mother’s fine now, it means it wasn’t anything serious…” But my next words plunged Adrian into an icy abyss. “Honey, please accept my condolences.” Watching that trace of relief on Adrian’s face freeze and shatter, finally turning to complete devastation, I added one more sentence: “My mother… has already been sent to the morgue.”
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