My husband’s female best friend lost a drinking game and was dared to reveal the most intimate thing she’d ever done with someone of the opposite sex. She suddenly turned to me with a mischievous grin: “I once gave Jack a handjob.” The room erupted in shock. I clutched my five-month pregnant belly, feeling it tighten and harden. She seemed to only just realize what she’d said, shrugging nonchalantly: “Oh, it was when you’d just gotten pregnant and he was blackout drunk. He was really uncomfortable.” “No need to thank me, sis-in-law. Just helping out a friend. Better than him cheating because he couldn’t hold it, right?” 1 Before the words had even finished leaving her mouth. Jack raised the half-eaten cucumber he was holding and smacked Tiffany’s hand: “Shut up, will you? Your skills are amateur hour compared to my wife’s!” Tiffany laughed and took the cucumber, biting into it suggestively: “I must say, it’s about the same size.” They burst into laughter, as if an invisible barrier had formed, isolating me from the group. No one looked at me. No one seemed to care about my feelings. It was as if I, five months pregnant, was just an unwanted prop that shouldn’t be there. The game continued, and this time Jack lost. The card read: “French kiss someone of the opposite sex for three minutes.” There were only two women present – me and Tiffany. But they all instinctively pushed Jack towards Tiffany. “Come on, we all agreed it’s just a game! Only an idiot would take it seriously!” He was laughing, she was giggling, and a group of people raised their phones to take photos and videos. I couldn’t take it anymore. I picked up my glass and smashed it on the ground. The shattering glass silenced the room. In the dead quiet, I slowly stood up, steadying myself against the pain in my back. My voice was eerily calm: “Want to play something more exciting?” “I’ll help you!” I took out my phone and dialed 91
“Hello, officer? There’s a group engaging in lewd behavior here…” Jack was the first to react, rushing over to grab my phone: “Emma, have you lost your mind? It’s just a game, why are you overreacting?” I looked at his hand still resting on Tiffany’s waist and suddenly laughed, tears spilling out without warning: “Jack, when the baby is born, how do you plan to explain this?” “That daddy can’t keep it in his pants, and mommy is a complete idiot?” Jack’s face darkened as he shielded the pouting Tiffany behind him, his voice barely containing his anger: “You’re going too far. We said it was just a game!” If this counts as a game, then I certainly can’t play. I turned to leave. Jack grabbed my wrist: “My friends threw this party specially to celebrate your pregnancy. Do you have to ruin the mood like this?” Hah, friends again. “Slap!” I turned and slapped him hard across the face. The entire room fell silent. Tiffany stepped forward and pulled Jack into her arms, patting his head. “Listen to mommy, don’t talk back!” She smiled helplessly: “Sis, Jack and I have been best friends since we were kids running around naked together. He doesn’t see me as a woman at all! Don’t take it so seriously!” She pushed Jack towards me as if suddenly realizing something: “Hurry up and apologize to your wife. She’s pregnant, if this keeps up, everyone will suffer.” With one sentence, she made everyone else look at me with disdain. Jack stood there stiffly, refusing to lower his head. Tiffany leaned in and whispered something in his ear, giggling. He smirked, then reluctantly looked at me. “It’s my fault, happy now?” The nausea hit me like a wave. I left the room without looking back. I didn’t expect Jack to follow me out. The whole way, my stomach cramped painfully, but all I could hear were his complaints. “Did pregnancy make you stupid? Tiffany is my friend, how can you be jealous of her!” “Why don’t you just tie me to your waist like a dog? You’re suspicious of everyone anyway!” “Use your brain and think about it. If there was really something between us, would she dare to say it out loud?!” Something in my chest shattered completely. “You’re right, there’s nothing between you. I’m just being a bitch.” I shouted, my whole body shaking. “I’ve been tolerating you two for a long time!” All the past grievances felt like slaps across my face. Only I knew how much hurt this final straw had piled onto. “Jack, let me tell you, when I was hospitalized for appendicitis, you were with her getting manicures. When I was bleeding and on bed rest to save the pregnancy, you were with her playing claw machines. Every time I needed you, you were with your female best friend, up until today!” I gasped for air, tears blurring my vision. “She casually mentioned those unspeakable things right in front of me, and you acted like nothing happened and continued flirting with her. When I couldn’t take it anymore and called the police, you didn’t stand by me, but hysterically said I was crazy!” “From that moment on.” “Jack, we’re over.” No response. Jack’s gentle voice suddenly rang out: “Don’t be afraid, I’m here. I’ll protect you.” I turned around. He was wearing headphones, voice chatting with Tiffany while they played a game together. … The sounds of their game continued late into the night. I sat alone on the balcony, repeatedly stroking my stomach as the baby kicked vigorously, and dialed the doctor’s number. “Doctor, I’d like to schedule an abortion.” The next morning. I was woken by sharp pains in my abdomen. I struggled to find Jack. He was sitting on the couch, long legs crossed. His phone kept pinging with notifications, and he was smiling from ear to ear. I called his name several times before he looked up. Seeing my pale face, he froze for a moment, then hurriedly helped me sit down, his fingers kneading my shoulders. “Honey, I can’t accompany you today. Mr. Murphy is waiting for me to discuss acquiring a cruise ship. The company is developing a new tourism route.” His tone was light, as if everything from yesterday had already been forgotten. He was always like this, letting me go to bed upset. As if just ignoring me and giving me the cold shoulder would automatically solve the problem. The pain made me instinctively grab his hand, but his other hand was still focused on typing, completely ignoring me. Tiffany’s shameless yelling came from outside: “Jack, your dad’s here! What are you dawdling for?” Jack immediately broke free from me, put down his phone and ran towards the door. I collapsed on the floor, my elbow knocking over his phone. On the screen, a group chat called “Princess Tiffany and Her Knights” was pinned at the top. I couldn’t help but click on it, and froze in place. “Emma is such a drama queen. I told you ages ago that you two weren’t compatible, but you wouldn’t listen.” “It’s so exhausting having an outsider at every gathering. You should’ve just married Tiffany back then!” Tiffany sent a tongue-sticking-out emoji: “Whatever, it’s my birthday today, why bring up that killjoy? Jack said he’s buying a cruise ship as my birthday gift. This princess is ready for the sea breeze and sunshine!” Jack’s teasing reply followed: “Kowtow to daddy and this life is yours.” Tiffany immediately sent a kowtowing emoji: “Now your life is mine, I order you not to bring your wife today!” “Bro, I saw Tiffany packed a bikini. Who’s the real birthday gift here? [wink]” It felt like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over me, leaving me cold and breathless. As expected, people can act, but their true colors always show in their inner circle. When I first tried to fit in with them, everyone seemed as friendly as angels. But I mistook their politeness for sincerity. They were an impenetrable fortress, and I would always be the unwelcome outsider. The pain intensified. I trembled as I took out my phone and took screenshots, page by page. When Jack came back for his phone, I was already curled up on the couch in pain. He didn’t even glance at me, in a rush to leave. “Honey, my friends want to go play on the cruise ship too. You’re pregnant and can’t join in the fun anyway, so don’t bother coming along.” I was deathly pale as I grabbed his sleeve: “My stomach hurts, can you take me to the hospital?” Asking a question when I already knew the answer was my last attempt to give him a way out. If he insisted on leaving, I’d be done with him too. As we were stuck in this standoff, Tiffany impatiently clicked her tongue outside: “Hurry up, I’m dying of heat out here!” Jack yanked his hand away from me, extremely irritated. “What are you playing at? You were fine just now. I’m so sick of you using the baby as an excuse.” I was thrown back onto the couch by his forceful shove, my heart dying along with it. Tiffany came in from outside and grabbed Jack’s ear: “Are you trying to get yourself killed? Why are you being so mean! All pregnant women are like this, always wanting everyone to revolve around them. What’s wrong with being a little dramatic?” Jack snorted in disdain: “If she was even one-tenth like you, I wouldn’t be so annoyed.” His gaze suddenly fell on Tiffany’s shoulder strap, and he reached out to adjust it naturally. “Silly piggy! Didn’t you notice it was loose?” Tiffany swept her hair to one side, enjoying his touch and giggling: “Gentle! You’re hurting me.” Jack pressed down on her chest, grinning mischievously: “Where? It’s as flat as an airport runway.” Amid their laughter, they disappeared around the corner. I dialed Ryan’s number directly: “I’ll come find you at your cruise ship later.” He replied with a simple “Okay.” Jack didn’t know that Ryan was my childhood friend. After over 20 years of open and honest friendship, I knew better than anyone what pure friendship looked like. Six years of love, from school uniforms to wedding dresses. I wanted to see for myself just how rotten this relationship had become at its core. The salty sea breeze blew. On the deck of the luxury cruise ship, screams and laughter mixed together. I leaned against the railing not far away, wearing sunglasses and a mask. Watching Tiffany in her bikini sitting close to Jack, who was only wearing swim trunks. They were playing a vulgar game of passing tissues with their mouths. Tiffany deliberately bit the tissue until only a tiny corner was left. Jack leaned in several times but couldn’t grab it. “Jack lost! Time for punishment!” Someone shouted: “How about you publicly confess to someone? What about Tiffany?” Tiffany giggled and collapsed onto Jack’s lap, playfully punching his chest: “Oh my, how embarrassing!” Another person yelled: “Things have already gone this far, what’s the point of confessing?” “Tiffany, what exactly happened back then? Give us brothers the juicy details!” As everyone joked around, Tiffany suddenly said bluntly: “Watch daddy’s skills! Monkey steals the peach!” Jack deftly blocked her, laughing and cursing: “You little brat!” As they roughhoused, he inadvertently grabbed the string of her bikini top and yanked. The strap instantly came loose! Amid Tiffany’s screams, Jack reflexively pulled her tightly into his arms, shouting at everyone: “Turn around, don’t look!” The waves crashed relentlessly. He gently helped her retie the strings, his fingertips grazing her bare back. Their gazes intertwined, sparks flying. In that moment, I watched as the man I loved, who once stood in the sunlight with me, exploded into a mess of rotten flesh. While I hid in the shadows, fully covered up, peeking at other people’s happiness like a cockroach. Pathetically watching the father of my child instinctively protect another woman. Ryan beside me couldn’t hold back anymore and wanted to rush over, but I firmly held him back. After hesitating for a long time, I called Jack’s phone. Across the not-too-far distance, I saw his phone light up. He glanced at it. The ringtone sounded once, then twice. He just looked at it, never answering. Tiffany saw the “Wife” contact name and pouted. “You promised to keep me company. No distractions allowed, not even her. Otherwise I’ll never talk to you again.” Jack smiled and raised his hand to toss the phone into a glass full of alcohol, raising an eyebrow: “My little princess, satisfied now?” Seeing Tiffany finally nod, Jack lifted her high above his head and spun her around. Her excited screams carried on the sea breeze. I put down the phone that was still recording video, tears already soaking through my mask. Jack, so six years of love amounted to only this. I hope you’re prepared for the eighteen levels of hell waiting for you. They must have gotten tired of playing, as the group sat down to chat. Tiffany’s voice drifted over on the wind: “Actually, on Jack’s wedding night, I got totally wasted and said I wanted to just marry anyone. He panicked and came to find me, wearing Emma’s wedding dress.” “Isn’t that hilarious? The two of us were like kids playing house, bowing to the moon as if we were getting married.” My heart clenched painfully. I remembered that custom-made wedding dress I’d searched for so long. Jack said it got dirty and he sent it to be cleaned, but accidentally lost it. Tiffany laughed and added: “I joked at the time that bowing to the heavens made it real, so I wouldn’t get married in the future. But I said I wanted a child, though I was afraid of the pain of childbirth. Guess how this idiot reacted?” Jack just smiled and drank, not stopping her. Tiffany raised her eyebrows proudly when everyone urged her to continue: “He actually took it seriously! Then he really took me to do IVF!” She winked, signaling Jack to pick up the story. “Jack, what about that child?” Jack drained his glass, his eyes dark. “The baby in Emma’s belly right now is mine and Tiffany’s test tube baby.” Boom— Something exploded in my brain, leaving it blank. In my ears was Ryan’s enraged cursing of “beast”, in my vision was Jack’s nonchalant expression. I suddenly clutched my stomach. As if sensing my grief, it began to move violently. But I only felt bitter irony. From the very beginning of trying to conceive, Jack had lied to me, saying his sperm count was low so IVF would have a higher success rate. Countless days and nights, I took medicine until I was nauseous, my belly covered in bruises from injections. The day it successfully implanted, he pressed his ear to my stomach and said gently: “Good baby, daddy will definitely make you and mommy the happiest people in the world.” It turns out that sentence was never meant for me at all. Tiffany’s voice drifted over again, full of contempt: “Jack was so clever. Looking at how Emma’s body has gone to shit, tsk tsk, I definitely wouldn’t want to turn into an old hag like her.” I couldn’t listen anymore and turned to leave. Suddenly a huge wave hit, violently rocking the ship. Tiffany was standing at the edge, too absorbed in talking. Amid screams, she was thrown overboard. Jack didn’t hesitate for a second. He grabbed a life preserver and jumped in after her, swimming towards her with all his might. I was completely stunned. He was terrified of water. He once said water was his biggest fear! He really would risk his life for her without a second thought. I turned away, unwilling to watch that heroic rescue scene any longer, and went straight to the hospital for an abortion. As the anesthesia entered my body, in my hazy consciousness I had only one thought: Jack, you can get lost now. When I opened my eyes again. Only Ryan was by my bedside, his eyes red-rimmed. I instinctively reached for my belly, finding it flat. An unfamiliar feeling of lightness. I turned my head, my voice hoarse: “Where’s Jack?” Ryan looked away and handed me a video clip. The footage was shaky. On the beach, Tiffany was crying as she performed CPR on Jack. When Jack woke up coughing, she immediately hugged him tightly, refusing to let go. “Jack, I can’t go against my heart anymore.” “I love you! You big idiot, I love you!” Amid the cheers of those around them, they kissed passionately, soaking wet. The mermaid had saved her prince. Their love was unwavering. Only I was the pathetic, laughable bubble. The bubble shattered in the sunlight, turning into tears that slid down my cheeks. The second video clip showed Jack carrying Tiffany into a hotel bridal style. At the same time, I received a message from an unknown number on my phone: “Honey, I dropped my phone in the water. Borrowing a friend’s phone to text you.” “I’m still busy here, so I won’t be home tonight. Sweet dreams to you and the baby~” I stared at that message for a very long time. Then, I slowly sat up. “Ryan, help me put the aborted fetus in a foam box.” “And hire a group of gossipy old ladies with drums and gongs.” “What are you planning to do?” Ryan asked, confused. I said each word clearly: “Of course I’m going to bring this grand gift to the hotel and celebrate my husband taking a concubine with drums and gongs!” With the drum troupe in place, I immediately started a livestream, pretending to be troubled. “Everyone, the host is really having a headache lately. My husband says he and his female friend are just platonic, but I don’t think so.” The comments immediately had people mocking me: [Jealous much? Men and women can totally just be friends.] [The host is obviously narrow-minded.] I quickly shook my head in denial. [No no no, the host isn’t narrow-minded at all. After fighting with my husband’s female friend, I had an epiphany.] I paused for half a second, watching the viewer count skyrocket. [If there really is something between them, I’ll immediately arrange for my husband to take her as a concubine.] A mix of insults and sympathy flooded the comments. Using an online tutorial, I got the room key and led the drum troupe towards the room. I pushed open the door. The room was a mess, two half-naked bodies were entangled together. I covered my mouth and shouted: “Wow! Groping boobs and dicks, enjoying yourselves! Such good friends indeed!”
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