Liam’s longtime friend, Maya, lost a round of truth or dare during their party, and everyone egged her on to confess the most scandalous thing she’d ever done with someone of the opposite sex. She suddenly grinned, looking straight at me. “I gave Liam a handjob.” A stunned silence fell over the room, quickly followed by gasps and whispers. I instinctively clutched my five-month pregnant belly, a wave of intense tightness and hardening sweeping through my lower abdomen. Maya finally seemed to register the gravity of her words, but she just shrugged, completely unconcerned, and added: “Oh, come on, Chloe. It was just when you first got pregnant. Liam got totally wasted, blacked out, and was just… really desperate for release.” “You don’t need to thank me, honestly. Just a buddy helping a buddy out. I mean, it’s better than him cheating on you, right?” My Husband’s “Best Friend” Carried Our Baby Before I could even finish. Caleb picked up the half-eaten cucumber and smacked Chloe’s hand with it. “Shut up, you! Your pathetic skills? Nowhere near my wife’s!” Chloe laughed, took a bite, and savored it. “Gotta say, this size really holds its own.” They burst into laughter, an invisible barrier shutting me out. No one looked at me. No one cared that I was there. As if my five-month pregnancy made me nothing more than an unwelcome backdrop. The game continued, and this time, Caleb lost. The card read: “Tongue-kiss one person of the opposite sex present for three minutes.” There were only two women in the room: me and Chloe. But everyone, in unspoken agreement, pushed Caleb towards Chloe. “We all agreed, it’s just a game! Anyone who takes this seriously is a total idiot!” He was laughing, she was playing along, and a crowd of people raised their phones, cheering and taking pictures. I couldn’t take it anymore. I picked up my glass and smashed it violently onto the floor. Glass shattered, screams erupted. In the dead silence, I slowly stood upright, clutching my back, my voice terrifyingly calm: “Want to play something more exciting?” “I can help you with that!” I pulled out my phone and dialed 91
“Hello, officer? There’s public indecency happening here…” Caleb was the first to react, rushing over to snatch my phone. “Aria, are you crazy? It’s just a game! Do you really have to do this?” I looked at his hand, still resting on Chloe’s waist, and suddenly laughed, tears unexpectedly welling up. “Caleb, when our baby is born, how are you going to explain this to them?” “Are you going to tell them Daddy can’t keep it in his pants, and Mommy is a complete fool?” Caleb’s face turned cold. He shielded a teary-eyed Chloe behind him, his voice laced with suppressed fury. “You’re going too far! I told you, it’s just a game!” If this was considered a game, then I definitely couldn’t play. I turned to leave. Caleb grabbed my wrist. “My friends heard you were pregnant and threw this party to celebrate you. Do you really have to be such a buzzkill?” “Haha, ‘friends’ again.” *Slap!* I spun around and slapped him hard across the face. The entire private room fell silent in an instant. Chloe stepped forward, grabbed Caleb by the back of the neck, and pulled him into a hug. “My boy, listen to your daddy, stop arguing!” She laughed helplessly. “Aria, Caleb and I have been inseparable since we were kids, practically grew up in the same bed. He never saw me as a woman! Don’t take it so seriously!” As if just realizing, she then pushed Caleb towards me. “Hurry up and apologize to Aria! She’s pregnant, if you keep this up, everyone’s going to suffer.” Her words made everyone look at me with thinly veiled contempt. Caleb stood stiffly, refusing to lower his head. Chloe stealthily whispered something into his ear, making him chuckle. He then reluctantly looked at me, a forced smile on his lips. “My bad, alright?” The nausea that hit me in that instant went straight to my throat. I left the private room without looking back. I hadn’t expected Caleb to follow me. All the way out, my belly cramped, a dull ache growing more intense with each passing minute, but all I could hear were his complaints. “Are you losing your mind because you’re pregnant? Chloe is my best friend! How can you be jealous of that?” “Why don’t you just tie me to your belt like a dog, since you suspect everyone anyway!” “Just think for a second, if there was really something going on between us, would she dare to say it out loud so openly?!” Something in my chest shattered completely with a sickening crack. “Yes, there’s nothing between you two. I’m just pathetic.” I yelled, trembling all over. “I’ve tolerated you for too long!” All the accumulated grievances from the past slapped me across the face. Only I knew how much unbearable sorrow this last straw had piled on top of. “Caleb, let me tell you. When I was hospitalized for appendicitis, you were doing your nails with her. When I was bleeding and needed to save our baby, you were playing claw machines with her. Every single time I needed you, you were with your ‘girl best friend,’ right up until today!” I gasped for air, my face streaked with tears. “She, right in front of me, casually talked about those disgusting things, and you, as if nothing was wrong, kept flirting with her. When I couldn’t take it anymore and called 911, you didn’t stand by me, but instead screamed that I was crazy!” “From that moment on.” “Caleb, we are over.” No response. Instead, Caleb’s gentle voice suddenly rang out beside me. “Don’t be scared, I’m here. I’ll protect you.” I turned my head. He was wearing headphones, on a voice chat, playing games with Chloe. … The sounds of intense gaming from the bedroom lasted well into the night. I sat alone on the balcony, gently stroking my belly where the baby kicked furiously, and dialed my doctor’s number. “Doctor, I’d like to schedule an abortion.” The next morning. I was startled awake by a sharp pain in my stomach and struggled to find Caleb. He was sitting on the sofa, legs crossed. His phone chimed, and he was smiling, beaming with joy. I called him several times before he finally looked up. Seeing my pale face, he paused, then quickly helped me sit down, gently massaging my shoulder. “Honey, I can’t be with you today. Mr. Vance is waiting for me to discuss the cruise ship acquisition. The company needs to develop a new travel route.” His tone was light, as if everything from yesterday had been completely forgotten. He was always like this, letting me stew in a whole night’s worth of emotions. As if by simply ignoring me and giving me the silent treatment, the problem would magically resolve itself. The sharp pain made me instinctively clench his hand, but his other hand was still busy typing on his phone, completely oblivious to me. From outside the villa, Chloe’s unrestrained shouts echoed. “Caleb, your daddy’s here! What are you dawdling for?” Caleb immediately pulled away from me, dropped his phone, and rushed towards the door. I tumbled to the floor, my elbow knocking over his phone. On the screen, a group chat named “Princess Chloe and Her Knights” was prominently pinned at the top. I unconsciously tapped into it, and my whole body froze. “Aria is just way too dramatic. I told you two weren’t a good match ages ago, but you never listened.” “It’s such a drag having an outsider at every party. You should’ve just married Chloe back then!” Chloe sent a tongue-out emoji: “Blech, it’s my birthday today, why talk about that annoying person? Caleb said he’s buying me a cruise ship as a birthday present! Your princess wants to face the sea and see the flowers bloom!” Below it, Caleb’s playful reply: “Give Daddy a good kowtow, and my life is yours.” Chloe immediately sent a kowtow emoji: “Now your life is mine! I command you not to bring your spouse today!” “Caleb, I saw Chloe brought a string bikini! Who’s the real birthday present here? ” It was like a bucket of ice water poured over my head; I felt a suffocating cold. Sure enough, people can put on an act, but their inner circle never lies. When I first tried to blend in with them, everyone seemed as friendly as angels. But I had taken their politeness for genuine acceptance. They were an impenetrable fortress, and I was, and always would be, the unaccepted outsider. The cramps intensified. Trembling, I pulled out my phone and took pictures of the chat log, saving them page by page. When Caleb came back in to grab his phone, I was already curled up on the sofa in agony. He didn’t even spare me a glance, eager to leave. “Honey, my friends want to go to the cruise ship too. You’re heavily pregnant and won’t really fit in with them, so don’t bother joining.” My face was deathly pale. I tugged at his shirt sleeve. “My stomach hurts. Can you please take me to the hospital?” Asking a question when I already knew the answer was the last chance I was giving him. If he chose to walk away, I’d give up on him too. In the stalemate, Chloe’s impatient voice came from outside. “Hurry up! It’s boiling out here!” Caleb roughly flung my hand away, utterly exasperated. “What are you playing at? You were fine just a minute ago! I hate it when you use the baby as an excuse.” He shoved me back onto the sofa with such force, and my heart died with it. Chloe came in from the doorway, grabbing Caleb’s ear. “Are you trying to get yourself killed? Why so aggressive? Pregnant women are like this, they always want everyone to revolve around them. What’s wrong with being a little dramatic?” Caleb scoffed, his voice full of disdain. “If she had a tenth of your charm, I wouldn’t be this annoyed.” His gaze suddenly fell on Chloe’s bra strap. He reached out naturally to adjust it. “You silly goose! Didn’t you see it was loose?” Chloe purred, tossing her hair to one side and giggling. “Gentle! You’re hurting me.” Caleb casually pressed his hand against her, a mischievous grin on his face. “Where? You’re practically flat-chested.” Amidst their laughter, they disappeared around the corner. I immediately dialed Liam’s number. “I’ll be at your cruise ship in a bit.” He replied with a simple, “Okay.” Caleb didn’t know that Liam was my childhood sweetheart. Twenty years of open, honest friendship. I knew better than anyone what pure friendship looked like. Six years of a relationship, from school uniforms to a wedding dress. I needed to see with my own eyes just how rotten this relationship had become from its roots. The sea air was salty. On the deck of the luxury cruise ship, screams and laughter mingled. I wore sunglasses and a mask, leaning against the railing not far away. I watched Chloe, in a string bikini, sitting tightly pressed against Caleb, who was only wearing swim trunks. They were playing a vulgar game of passing tissue. Chloe intentionally bit the tissue until only a corner remained. Caleb leaned in several times but couldn’t quite grab it. “Caleb lost! Punishment time!” Someone egged him on, “How about you publicly declare your feelings for someone? What about Chloe?” Chloe giggled, flopping onto Caleb’s lap and playfully punching his chest. “Oh my, how embarrassing!” Someone else shouted, “We’re already at this point, what’s the fun in just a confession?” “Chloe, what exactly happened back then? Share the juicy details with the guys!” As they joked around, Chloe suddenly, without a hint of politeness, yelled: “Watch this, Daddy! A playful jab below the belt!” Caleb quickly blocked her, laughing and cursing, “You’ve gone too far!” In their playful scuffle, he unintentionally grabbed a thin strap of her bikini, lifting it up. The strap instantly came undone! Chloe shrieked, and Caleb almost reflexively pulled her tightly into his embrace, shouting at everyone: “Everyone turn around! Don’t look!” Waves crashed and churned. He gently helped her re-tie the strap, his thumb brushing her bare back. Their gazes entangled, sparks flying. In that moment, I watched my beloved, standing in the sunlight, explode into a mess of unspeakable flesh. And I, fully armed, hid in a dark corner, peeking at others’ happiness like a cockroach. Pathetically watching the father of my child instinctively protect another woman. Liam, beside me, couldn’t help but move to confront him, but I held him back tightly. After a long hesitation, I called Caleb. From not too far away, I saw his phone light up. He glanced at it. The phone rang once, then again. He just stared at it, never picking up. Chloe saw “Wife” displayed on the screen and pouted. “You promised to spend time with me! No distractions, not even her. Otherwise, I’ll never talk to you again.” Caleb smiled, then raised his hand and dropped his phone into a glass full of wine. He raised an eyebrow. “My little princess, satisfied now?” Seeing Chloe finally nod, Caleb lifted her above his head and spun her around. Her excited screams filled the sea breeze. When I put down my recording phone, tears had already soaked my mask. Caleb, six years of love amounted to nothing. I hope you’re ready for hell. **截断点** Perhaps tired from playing, the group sat down to chat. Chloe’s voice drifted over with the wind: “Actually, on the night Caleb got married, I was completely drunk and said I just wanted to marry anyone. He panicked and came to find me, bringing Aria’s wedding dress with him.” “Isn’t that hilarious? We were like kids playing house, bowing to the moon as if we were getting married.” My heart gave a sudden, sharp pang. I remembered that custom-made wedding dress I’d searched for so long. Caleb had said it got dirty and he sent it to be cleaned, then accidentally lost it. Chloe laughed and added, “I was joking at the time, saying if we bowed, it would be real, and I wouldn’t marry anyone else. But I also said I wanted a child but was afraid of the pain of childbirth. Guess what that idiot’s reaction was?” Caleb chuckled, drinking his wine, not stopping her. Urged on by the crowd, Chloe’s eyebrows lifted, and she said, with a proud look, “He actually took it seriously! And then he really took me to do embryo cultivation!” She winked, signaling Caleb to speak. “Caleb, what about that child?” Caleb tilted his head back, draining his glass. His eyes were dark and deep. “The baby Aria is carrying right now, is Chloe and my test-tube baby.” *Boom!* Something exploded in my mind, leaving it utterly blank. In my ears, Liam’s enraged shout of “Beast!” echoed, and in my vision, Caleb’s nonchalant expression. I instinctively clutched my belly. It seemed to sense my grief, moving violently. But all I felt was bitter irony. From the very beginning of trying to conceive, Caleb had lied, telling me his sperm motility was a little low and that IVF had a higher success rate. Countless days and nights, I took medication until I was nauseous, my belly covered in purple needle marks. On the day the embryo successfully implanted, he pressed his ear to my belly and gently said: “My sweet baby, Daddy promises to make you and Mommy the happiest people in the world.” Turns out, those words were never meant for me. Chloe’s voice drifted over again, laced with disdain. “Caleb is so clever. Look at Aria’s figure, all out of shape, tsk tsk. I definitely don’t want to become a worn-out, frumpy wife like her.” I couldn’t listen anymore. I turned to leave. Suddenly, a giant wave crashed, and the cruise ship swayed violently. Chloe, standing at the edge, was lost in her own words. Amidst screams, she was flung directly overboard. Caleb barely hesitated, grabbing a lifebuoy and jumping in, swimming desperately towards her. I was completely stunned. He was a terrible swimmer. He had always said he was terrified of water! He truly, was willing to risk his life for her. I turned away, unwilling to watch that scene of a hero saving his damsel, and went directly to the hospital for the abortion. As the anesthesia was injected into my body, my consciousness blurred, and only one thought remained: Caleb, you can get lost. When I reopened my eyes. Only Liam, with red-rimmed eyes, was guarding my bedside. I instinctively touched my lower abdomen – it was flat. A long-lost sense of lightness washed over me. I turned my head, my voice hoarse. “Where’s Caleb?” Liam averted his face and handed me a video. The shaky footage showed Chloe crying and giving Caleb CPR on the beach. When Caleb coughed and came to, she immediately hugged him tightly, refusing to let go. “Caleb, I can’t go against my feelings anymore.” “I love you! Caleb, you big idiot! I love you!” Amidst the cheers of the crowd, they, soaking wet, kissed passionately. The mermaid had saved her prince. Their love was unwavering. Only I was the pathetic, ridiculous bubble. The bubble shattered in the sunlight, transforming into tears that streamed from my eyes. The second video showed Caleb carrying Chloe into a hotel. At the same time, my phone received an unknown message: “Honey, my phone fell into the water. I’m using a friend’s phone to text you.” “I’m still busy here, won’t be back tonight. Good night to you and the baby~” I stared at that message for a long, long time. Then, I slowly sat up. “Liam, help me put the aborted fetus into a foam box.” “And please hire a brass band and a chorus of gossiping older ladies.” “What are you planning to do?” Liam asked, perplexed. I said, word for word: “Of course, I’m going to take this grand ‘gift’ to the hotel and throw a grand ‘welcome to the family’ party for my husband’s ‘special friend’ – with a bang!” The brass band was in position, and I immediately started a live stream, feigning distress. “Families, your streamer has been having a real headache lately. My husband says he and his ‘girl best friend’ have a pure friendship, but I just don’t think so.” The comments section immediately filled with mockery: [Is she a living embodiment of a vinegar jar? Men and women can totally have pure friendships!] [Streamer definitely sounds petty.] I immediately shook my head, denying it. [No, no, no, this streamer isn’t petty at all! Since having issues with my husband’s ‘girl best friend,’ I’ve reflected deeply.] I paused for half a second, watching the number of viewers soar. [If there’s really something going on between them, I, as his wife, will not hesitate. I’ll immediately throw a ‘welcome party’ for my husband’s ‘new partner.’] Insults and sympathy flew side by side. After getting a room key using an online tutorial, I led the brass band directly towards the room. Pushing open the door. The room was a mess, and two scantily clad bodies were entangled, making out passionately. I covered my mouth and shrieked. “Wow! Looks like plenty to get your hands on! So much fun to be had! What true ‘best friends’ they are!” The suona blared, and the older ladies made their grand entrance.
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