Mask

My wife, Chloe Miller, was a dance teacher. Sweet-faced, with a figure that could kill. To make her mine, I agreed to three cohabitation demands during our first meeting. For the dowry, her mother didn’t mince words: two houses and two million dollars in cash! Back then, I was head-over-heels in love. My family was well-off, so I agreed without a second thought. After we married, I spoiled her rotten, treating her like a little princess. She didn’t have to worry about anything, inside or outside the house. I always let her have her way. When she said she didn’t want kids, I nodded, even convinced my parents to go along with it. I admit, at first, I was a total pushover around her. But I really did love her. Her gentleness, her innocence. Later, I learned that her gentleness and innocence were just a mask. I’d just gotten home after a three-month business trip. The project had kept me away, and the moment I walked through the door, Chloe threw herself at me, radiating passion. That night, she didn’t want me to use protection. That surprised me, because normally, she’d never let me go in without it. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, right? I didn’t think much of it. Not long after, she was pregnant. When I saw those two red lines on the pregnancy test, I nearly cried tears of joy. Truth be told, I’d always longed for a child. My parents had been subtly pushing for grandkids, but Chloe had always refused. I was so overwhelmed, I could barely string a sentence together. I asked her several times if she was *really* pregnant. Chloe, however, didn’t seem thrilled about the pregnancy. She snapped impatiently: “Are you done? Of course it’s real. Do you think I’d fake something like this?” I chalked it up to pregnancy hormones and gently coaxed her: “Honey, since you’re pregnant, let’s keep it. Don’t worry, you just carry the baby. I’ll take care of everything once it’s born.” I expected her to refuse, but to my surprise, she sighed and said: “Fine. But remember, you’re raising it. I’m not doing anything.” I was so happy, I kissed her several times. She pushed me away, looking disgusted: “Gross, your spit stinks.” Then, she went to the bathroom to wash her face. I knew she was a germaphobe, so I didn’t take it personally. I immediately called my parents to share the good news. They were ecstatic and booked flights from out of town that very night. As soon as they arrived, they gave Chloe a generous cash gift. It was a thick stack of hundred-dollar bills, a full ten thousand dollars! My parents cheerfully said it was for her prenatal care, so she could focus on keeping healthy. They promised that once the baby was born, boy or girl, they’d directly reward her with a house. Chloe’s face, which had been overcast, finally brightened. She wasn’t as resistant to the pregnancy anymore. From that moment on, Chloe became the queen of our house. Even though we had a housekeeper, my mom still cooked for Chloe every day, preparing all sorts of delicious dishes. I canceled all my work to stay home and be by her side. But as time went on, her temper grew worse. She’d snap at me constantly. She said having too many people in the house made her irritable. To keep her happy, I had to ask my parents to temporarily go back home. Then she told me to go back to work, saying my idling around the house bothered her even more. I reluctantly agreed, but I didn’t realize it was all just an excuse to get rid of me and my family. It was so no one would be watching her, and she could go out and party again. Two months into her pregnancy, she went clubbing and nearly lost the baby! 2 She called me from the hospital, and I rushed over. The doctor said Chloe was pregnant with triplets and showed signs of miscarriage. When I heard that, my heart nearly leaped into my throat. She stayed in the hospital for a month to stabilize the pregnancy. During that time, Chloe wouldn’t let me tell my parents, saying she didn’t want them to worry. She had her mom come to take care of her instead. By the time she was discharged, her belly was significantly larger. A three-month pregnant belly looked like she was six months along. I thought it was a bit strange, but figured it was probably due to carrying triplets, so I didn’t dwell on it. After leaving the hospital, she moved straight back to her mother’s house, claiming it was easier for her mom to look after her. Her temper was explosive. I walked on eggshells every day, trying to manage her moods. She was still irritable and prone to fits of rage, complaining that I’d made her pregnant, making her body swollen and ugly. When she got emotional, she’d grab whatever was nearby and throw it. One time, she threw a glass at me, splitting my head open. Afterward, she didn’t even apologize or offer a word of comfort. Eventually, my mother-in-law, tired of me being around, told me to go to work and stop hovering. I had no choice but to leave, but I visited her every day. Still, her attitude towards me was incredibly cold. Sometimes when I spoke to her, she wouldn’t even glance my way. I told myself that she was carrying triplets for me, so it was understandable that her emotions were out of whack. After all, she was so vain; pregnancy had made her body bloated and changed, so she must have blamed me, the culprit. To cheer her up, I gave her gifts every day: designer handbags, lipsticks, jewelry—anything she liked, I bought. After that, when I visited, she finally had a smile for me and a hint of her old tenderness. I told her I had to go on a business trip to close a big deal and would probably be gone for a month or two. She seemed unusually happy, telling me to go and not worry about her. I then said I missed her and wanted to stay the night. She flatly refused, saying her belly was too big and I’d press on the babies. Frustrated, I went home alone. I’ve always been a faithful man. Since Chloe got pregnant, I’d handled my needs myself. But I never imagined that Chloe was finding *other* ways to handle hers. What happened next completely unmasked her true colors. I wished I could slap myself silly. I hated myself, hated myself for bringing such a disgusting person into my home. I was away on business when I suddenly received a call from Chloe’s best friend, Mia. She said Chloe had gone into early labor and told me to rush back. Without a word, I booked the first flight home and immediately headed to the hospital where Chloe was delivering.

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