The day my wife gave birth to a child for her terminally ill first love, her parents hired ten security guards to stand outside the delivery room. But even as the delivery ended, I didn’t show up to make a scene. Her mother held her hand, comforting her. “Sarah, don’t worry. As long as we’re here, he won’t get within ten feet of you.” “Your dad’s stationed at the hospital entrance too. If he dares to come here and stop you from having this baby, we’ll call the police!” Sarah, pale and exhausted, nodded weakly, but her eyes kept darting toward the elevator doors. When she saw only empty hallways, she finally exhaled in relief. She couldn’t understand why I wouldn’t just support her decision to have a child for her first love, Thomas. Looking at the nurse cradling the crying newborn, Sarah smiled with satisfaction. She thought to herself, If Brian comes to see me tomorrow, I’ll let bygones be bygones. I’ll even let him raise this child as his own father. What she didn’t know was that I had submitted my application to the United Nations earlier that day. In seven days, I would renounce my citizenship to become a doctor with Doctors Without Borders. I would leave this country—and her—forever. The day Sarah left the maternity recovery center, I had just finished handing over my hospital responsibilities. As I approached the front door, I heard laughter and cheerful voices inside. “This baby is gorgeous! Those big eyes—definitely got the best features from his dad,” Sarah’s mother cooed as she played with the baby in her arms. Meanwhile, Thomas was walking out of the kitchen with a steaming bowl of chicken soup. “I made this myself. You’re still weak; you need to take care of yourself,” he said, sitting beside Sarah and gently feeding her like they were the perfect little family. Sarah’s father sat nearby, shaking a rattle for the baby, grinning ear to ear. “This kid is just so lovable! Definitely takes after his dad. Thank God it’s not Brian—that guy’s such a bore. Imagine having a doctor for a father—what a nightmare!” My hand tightened on the doorknob. I thought back to the first time I met Sarah’s father. He had slapped me on the back and said being a doctor was a noble calling, how saving lives was an honor for the whole family. He even mentioned that he, too, had been a doctor before retiring early after a workplace injury. But now, here he was, sneering about how a doctor didn’t deserve a family. I lowered my head and let out a bitter laugh. Sarah and I had been married for three years. She told me early on that she didn’t want kids, and I respected that. I knew how dangerous childbirth could be, so I never pressured her. I still remember the day I left for my year-long advanced medical training abroad. She had cried so hard, saying she couldn’t bear to be apart from me. For that entire year, we talked every day, sharing every little detail of our lives. Even my colleagues teased me, saying we were like newlyweds who couldn’t get enough of each other, even after three years of marriage. But then, a month ago, I managed to take a break and fly home. After sitting through an exhausting eight-hour flight, I didn’t even stop to rest. I rushed straight home, only to find Sarah heavily pregnant, standing beside her first love, Thomas. My thoughts were interrupted by Thomas’s voice. “Brian, when did you get back? Why are you just standing there? Come in!” At his words, everyone in the room turned to look at me. When Sarah’s father noticed the resignation letter in my hand, his expression darkened. “Why the hell did I ever agree to let my daughter marry someone like you? What a disgrace. Quitting your job now—what are you planning to do? Live off us?!” “What kind of husband are you, huh?” Sarah’s mother jumped in, her voice sharp. “You quit your job? You couldn’t even hold onto a high-paying, stable career as a doctor? What else can you do?” “Sarah just had a baby! She and the child need money for everything! Are you planning to let the three of them starve?” I couldn’t help but laugh at her words. “Whose wife and child? Whoever they belong to should be the one providing for them.” “Brian, what’s that supposed to mean?!” Sarah’s voice rose, her eyes red with anger. She glared at me, her chest heaving with frustration. She coughed violently, and Thomas quickly moved to comfort her, rubbing her back with a look of concern. Taking a deep breath, Sarah shouted, “Three years ago, if it wasn’t for Thomas saving me in that car accident, I’d be dead! His parents are gone, and now he’s been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Soon, the world won’t even remember him!” “Why do you keep targeting him? Do you really think I’m some kind of filthy, immoral woman?” Thomas gave her a pained look before turning to me. “Brian, just let it go. This is all my fault. I promise I’ll disappear from your lives from now on. Just don’t let me ruin your marriage.” I looked at the four of them—the perfect little family—and felt a wave of irony wash over me. So this was what a real family looked like. Sarah took a deep breath before speaking again. “Brian, my patience has limits. If you keep badmouthing Thomas for no reason, then don’t bother coming home anymore!” “If you want to stay married to me, you’ll behave yourself. At the baby’s party next week, I’ll even announce in front of all our friends and family that you’re the baby’s father.” Next week? I glanced at the baby sleeping peacefully in the crib. By next week, I’d already be on a plane to another country. But before I left, I didn’t mind giving them a parting gift they’d never forget. Without a change in expression, I nodded. “Alright.” 2 After finishing my sentence, I didn’t bother to wait for their reaction. I turned and headed to the bedroom to pack my things. Since I’d already decided to leave for good, I didn’t want to leave any trace of myself behind. The laughter from the living room seeped through the closed door as I folded my clothes, making my hands pause for a moment. “Thomas, I’ve been thinking…” Sarah’s voice drifted in, soft but filled with affection. “I’d like the baby to have your last name. That way, no matter who he calls ‘Dad’ in the future, he’ll always remember that you are his real father.” Even without seeing her face, I could imagine the tender smile she must have worn as she said those words. And just like that, my heart, already riddled with wounds, took another blow. My mind flashed back to last month, when I’d flown home after a year abroad. I’d been so eager to see Sarah that I hadn’t cared about the long flight. I even brought home a special gift I’d picked out for her. But the moment I reached our front door, I froze. There she was, walking hand-in-hand with Thomas, laughing as they returned from a stroll. Sarah’s face turned pale with panic when she saw me, but Thomas just looked confused, staring at me like I was a stranger who’d wandered into the wrong house. “Are you sure you’ve got the right door?” he asked, his tone casual and mocking. I didn’t say a word. My eyes were fixed on Sarah’s swollen belly. Eleven months. I’d been gone for eleven months, and now my wife was pregnant. No matter how much I wanted to lie to myself, there was no way this child could be mine. Sarah’s panic grew as she rushed to stand between us, stammering an introduction. “This is my husband, Brian…” I thought Thomas would back off after hearing that, but instead, he acted like he owned the place. With an infuriating smirk, he invited me—invited me—into my own home. As we passed each other in the doorway, he leaned in close and whispered, just loud enough for me to hear: “I hear you’re a bit older than me. Guess I should call you ‘big bro.’ After all, my kid’s living in your house.” My blood boiled. I couldn’t take it anymore. Without thinking, I swung my fist and slammed it into his face. Years of longing, frustration, and betrayal erupted all at once. If there’d been a knife nearby, I might’ve done something I’d regret for the rest of my life. The neighbors must’ve heard the commotion because it wasn’t long before the police arrived. We were both taken to the station, but since it was deemed a “domestic matter,” the cops couldn’t intervene. They sent us home with a warning. When we got back, Sarah’s parents were waiting for us. Before I could explain, they immediately tore into me. “How dare you cause such a scene the moment you come back? Do you know how embarrassing this is for us? The whole neighborhood must think we’re a joke now!” “All those years of school, and this is what you’ve learned? Resorting to violence? If something had happened to Thomas, we’d never forgive you!” It was then I realized they’d known about Sarah and Thomas all along—and not only that, they supported it. In just one year, Thomas had become their perfect son-in-law, while I’d been kept in the dark. Bitter laughter bubbled in my throat as Sarah nervously approached me, trying to take my hand. “I never meant to betray you, Brian,” she said softly, her voice trembling. “Thomas… he’s not well. The doctors said he only has six months to live. I couldn’t bear the thought of him dying without leaving behind a child.” “I wanted to tell you, but you were so far away, and I didn’t want to distract you from your work. I thought we could talk about it when you got back.” “Brian, we can raise this baby together. Please?” She spoke about having a child so casually, as if it were just another errand on her to-do list. I didn’t respond. I just zipped up my suitcase and turned to leave. Before I could reach the door, Sarah’s mother walked in. She glanced at the suitcase by my feet and gave me a condescending smile. “Good. At least you know your place. While you were gone, I let Thomas stay in your room. The study’s been turned into a nursery, so you can sleep on the couch tonight—or better yet, find a hotel.” I was too drained to argue. Nodding silently, I headed to the living room and lay down on the couch. That night, the baby’s cries echoed from the bedroom. I rolled over and reached for my earplugs, but then I heard Sarah’s annoyed voice. “Thomas, can’t you do something? He won’t stop crying.” “You’re my baby too,” Thomas teased. “Why don’t I take care of you instead? Let the little guy cry—it’s good for his lungs.” Sarah giggled, whispering something too soft for me to hear, followed by the unmistakable sound of rustling sheets. I pulled the blanket over my head, trying to block out the noise. But every time I closed my eyes, I saw Sarah’s face from the night she first confessed her love to me—so pure, so full of hope. That version of her was gone, replaced by someone I no longer recognized. 3 I barely slept through the night, tossing and turning on the couch. At dawn, I grabbed my suitcase and left without a word. My first stop was the municipal office, where I filed the paperwork to renounce my citizenship and finalize my plans to leave the country. The process was surprisingly quick—having the right government approvals made everything smooth, and the clerk didn’t ask many questions. Just as I was about to leave, the clerk called out to me. She handed me a small piece of candy, her smile kind. “May your wishes come true,” she said softly. I gave her a faint smile, thanked her, and walked out. After checking into a nearby hotel and dropping off my suitcase, I decided to head out and find something to eat. But as fate would have it, I ran into Sarah and Thomas, surrounded by her parents—and their new baby. Thomas looked nothing like a man on the brink of death. He was dressed in a tailored Armani suit, his face glowing with health. “Brian! Wow, I thought I saw you earlier, but Sarah insisted it couldn’t be you,” Thomas called out, his voice dripping with mock surprise. His eyes landed on the recruitment flyer in my hand, and a smirk spread across his face. “So, you’re out here job hunting, huh? With your scrawny frame, are you planning to work construction? Seems like a bit much for you, doesn’t it?” I didn’t respond. The flyer had been handed to me by a young girl on the street, shivering as she stood in the winter cold. Out of sympathy, I’d taken it from her without even looking at it. Thomas took my silence as an opportunity to continue. His laughter grew louder, more mocking. “You should’ve told me you needed help. Who knows? Maybe I could’ve pulled some strings for you. After all, we’re family now, right? If you do well, Sarah will be happy, and I’ll sleep better at night knowing she’s taken care of.” His words hung in the air. My silence must’ve looked like agreement because Sarah’s expression darkened. Her brows furrowed deeply, and the disdain in her eyes became impossible to miss. “Why would anyone help him? He quit a perfectly good job as a doctor, and now he’s out here looking for work? If he starves on the streets, that’s his own fault. He deserves no sympathy.” She crossed her arms, glaring at me. “Brian, you really have no sense of responsibility, do you? What, you think this little act will guilt me into giving up the baby? Dream on.” I looked at her face—once so familiar, filled with warmth and love. Now, she was a stranger to me. I thought back to the early days of our marriage. Once, when the hospital’s cutthroat competition had left me demoralized and considering a career change, Sarah had held me close. I could still hear her voice as she gently patted my back and whispered in my ear: “We’re in this together, no matter what. Whatever you decide, I’ll support you.” “Who cares if you leave the hospital? You’re brilliant, and I know you’ll shine no matter where you go. I’ll always be by your side.” But now, that same woman stood by silently as another man humiliated me. She’d forgotten those promises. She’d forgotten the love we once shared. Even her parents, who had once welcomed me into their family with open arms, were now shaking their heads in disappointment. Sarah’s father let out a heavy sigh. “I must’ve been blind to think you could give my daughter the future she deserves.” “Good thing we’re still around,” her mother added. “If we weren’t here to protect Sarah, who knows what kind of life she’d have with someone like you?” Their voices grew louder, more exaggerated, and I could feel the stares of passersby on the street. My hands slowly clenched at my sides. I was about to speak when Thomas stepped forward, his voice filled with mock sincerity. “We’re actually on our way to take a family portrait. Brian, why don’t you join us? After all, I’ll be counting on you to help take care of Sarah and the baby in the future.” Before I could respond, Sarah let out a cold laugh and cut him off. “Are you serious? Look at him—he looks so pathetic. If he gets in the picture, he’ll just drag down the whole family’s image.” With that, she turned around and started walking toward the photography studio, not bothering to look back. “Hurry up, Thomas,” she called out impatiently. Thomas gave me a smug smile and patted me on the shoulder. “Well, we don’t want to hold you up, Brian. Good luck with the job hunt.” I watched them walk away, their laughter fading into the distance. From the outside, they must’ve looked like the picture-perfect family. If that was the life Sarah wanted, who was I to stand in her way? Letting go was the only gift I had left to give her. 4 Three days before I was set to leave, I received a message from the hospital director. He told me that the cardiologist I’d reached out to—a world-renowned expert—was in town for a medical conference. It was the perfect opportunity to have him examine Sarah’s father’s heart condition. Sarah’s father had always had heart issues. Years ago, he’d even been rushed to the ER for emergency surgery. While I was abroad for my medical training, I collected case studies and resources to help manage his condition. No matter what had happened between us, I still felt obligated to help. After all, years of being family couldn’t be erased overnight. I figured this would be my last act of goodwill before cutting ties with them completely. But when I told him about the appointment, his face darkened immediately. “Why on earth would I go to the hospital? Are you trying to curse me or something? That bypass surgery I had years ago was a success—what’s the point of another checkup?” “There’s a top cardiologist in town today,” I explained calmly. “It would be a good chance to get ahead of any potential issues—” Before I could finish, he hurled a water glass at me, the contents splashing across my shirt. “Cut the crap! You think a jobless bum like you could get an appointment with a top expert? Stop bragging! Thomas stayed up all night once to get me an appointment with a specialist. Where were you when I needed that?” Every word, every comparison to Thomas, made his opinion of me crystal clear. No matter what I did, I would always be wrong. No matter how hard I tried, I would never measure up to Thomas.
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