I’ve been married to Special Forces Commander David Miller for six years. He’s always been attentive to me, yet he did three things that shattered my heart. The first was when our son Jacob Miller died of illness. That day, David brought back a boy who resembled him from Texas. David said, “This is Ethan. He’ll be our son from now on.” The second was on the day of Jacob’s funeral, when David threw a lavish birthday party for Ethan Wilson. The third was during Jacob’s burial, when David took Ethan and his birth mother Jennifer Cooper to a restaurant, not even coming to see Jacob one last time. Holding Jacob’s urn, I felt utterly desperate. In the end, I used the Purple Heart medal my father had earned to exchange for divorce papers from the Pentagon. This marriage that began with gratitude was now over. ***** After getting the divorce papers from the Pentagon’s Personnel Department, I voluntarily applied for a transfer to a military base in Alaska. Even as he walked me out, Personnel Manager Owen Johnson was still trying to persuade me: “Sophia, you’ve been married to Colonel Miller for six years, and he’s about to be promoted to Brigadier General. Why insist on divorcing him and going to such a remote base? “Colonel Miller is deeply in love with you. After the divorce, finding another suitable partner won’t be easy!” Hearing his words, I tried to force a smile, but my heart was breaking. If I hadn’t gone to ask David to pull strings for a specialist when Jacob was critically ill that day, accidentally overhearing his conversation with his aide Quinn Smith, I might still think he was a loyal and honorable man. Quinn asked, “Sir, we’ve brought Jennifer’s child here, but how do we explain this to Sophia?” David frowned and said coldly, “Ethan is my child. I absolutely cannot let him grow up elsewhere! “Keep it from Sophia for now. Tell her Ethan is the orphaned child of my fallen comrade.” Quinn hesitated, “But if Sophia discovers the truth…” David sneered, “Even if she finds out, what can she do? Her parents are dead, and she has a sick child. She can only rely on me. “If she knows what’s good for her, she’ll remain my wife!” Those words stabbed into my heart like knives, making me wish I were dead. David had been having an affair all along, while I was still giving him everything. I was so angry that I coughed up blood. Looking at the blood in my palm, I suddenly remembered what happened three years ago. Back then, David was ambushed during an anti-terrorism mission in Texas. I was pregnant at the time, but I moved stone after stone with my bare hands, scraping them raw and bloody, to rescue him. After returning home, I went into premature labor. Jacob was sickly from birth. My health deteriorated too, and the military doctor said I could never have children again. At that time, David swore in front of his leaders and comrades that he would never betray me. His superiors admired his performance and devotion, promoting him to commander. I never imagined it was all an elaborate performance! David did all this for his career, so his mistress and illegitimate son could live well. Thinking of this, I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth and said firmly, “Mr. Johnson, thank you for your concern, but my mind is made up.” Owen sighed, “Since you’ve decided, take care of Jacob’s affairs and leave as soon as possible.” Hearing Jacob’s name, I felt a stab of pain. He was only three years old. I still remember how he smiled at me just a while ago. Now, only his body remains. He will never smile at me again. David still doesn’t know that Jacob has passed away. He’s still with Jennifer and Ethan. I folded the divorce papers and put them in my pocket, then turned to leave. After Jacob’s cremation tomorrow, I can take him and leave this place.
I had just returned to the apartment when David walked in. Seeing my pale face, he frowned, took my hand and said, “Why are your hands so cold? I’ll have the chef make you some hot soup tonight.” His hands were still broad and warm, but that warmth could no longer melt my frozen heart. David looked around and asked, “Where’s Jacob?” Just when I thought he was finally going to realize Jacob had passed away, he continued on his own, “Is his cold still not better? Is he still in the hospital? Never mind. Do you still have that pure silver cross pendant your mother left you? I want to give it to Ethan.” He spoke in a calm tone, adding, “If it weren’t for his father Mark saving me last Christmas, I would have been dead by now.” I lowered my head, quietly withdrew my hands, and said, “I understand. I’ll go get it now.” Seeing my gloomy expression, David held my shoulders and reassured me, “Sophia, don’t misunderstand. I just want to help Jennifer and Ethan since they have no one to rely on.” My heart ached, but I forced a smile and said, “I understand, don’t worry.” Jacob was gone now, and none of this mattered to me anymore. Hearing this, David visibly relaxed. I turned and walked into the bedroom, retrieving the cross pendant from the deepest part of the drawer. The cold silver pendant lay heavy in my palm, carrying too many of my memories. The day Jacob left, I had taken it off and never dared to look at it again. And now, David wanted to give it to someone else’s child. When I returned to the living room with the pendant, I found David had already taken out several brand-new winter clothes. “These cashmere coats are good quality. Jennifer should like them.” I watched coldly as he collected the new clothes I had purchased with several months’ salary, laughing bitterly inside. In our six years of marriage, David had never shown such care for me. With heavy steps, I handed him the cross pendant and the newly processed adoption documents. I said, “Ethan’s adoption paperwork is complete. It will be convenient for his schooling and medical care from now on.” David froze, then exclaimed with delight, “Sophia, I knew you’d understand me best!” Seeming to realize his overreaction, he quickly cleared his throat to cover it up. “Regardless, I only love you and Jacob in my heart. Once I’ve settled them, I’ll focus on taking care of you both.” With that, he planted a routine kiss on my cheek. But this time, I no longer felt that flutter in my heart. After getting the pendant, David rushed off to Jennifer’s apartment. Watching his hurried silhouette disappear, I felt painful, recalling Jacob’s final moments. Back then, I thought David was truly busy with military duties when I took Jacob to the hospital alone. I stayed by Jacob’s side until he weakly said he wanted to see David, and only then did I hurry to find him. But I never expected to witness that scene. Jennifer holding David’s hand on one side and Ethan’s on the other, shopping. Ethan called David “Dad.” They looked like a happy family. Only when I called out to him did David hastily let go. I was disappointed but didn’t have time to question him, only urging him to go see Jacob at the hospital. But he made excuses again: “I’m busy right now. Let the doctor prescribe some medicine for him. I’ll go see him another day.” David never visited Jacob before he passed away. My trust and love for him collapsed in an instant. Before Jacob died, he held my hand and asked, “Mom, why doesn’t Dad come to see me? Does he hate me?” Before he could finish, he took his last breath. My heart ached so much I couldn’t breathe. I wanted so badly to tell him that his father already had a new family and didn’t want us anymore. But I couldn’t bring myself to say those words, I could only hold his gradually cooling hand and weep.
After composing myself, I began packing my belongings. I had only packed half of my things when David eagerly brought Jennifer and Ethan into the apartment. When I walked into the living room, I saw David directing workers to cut down the oak tree in the yard. That tree was planted together on our wedding Christmas, symbolizing that our love would flourish and endure like an oak. David saw me and hurriedly looked away, pretending not to notice me. Jennifer, however, walked over with Ethan under her protection. She was wearing the cashmere coat David had taken from me this morning. And around Ethan’s neck hung the cross pendant that should have belonged to Jacob. Jennifer smiled and said gently, “I just casually mentioned to David that Ethan has been allergic to oak pollen since he was little, and he immediately had the tree cut down. Sophia, please don’t be upset. I’m sorry.” Jennifer made herself sound innocent, making me appear unreasonable. David shielded her behind him before looking at me, saying perfunctorily, “Sophia, don’t misunderstand. Jennifer and Ethan moved in for convenience with school. We’re all family.” I thought, “For Ethan’s school convenience? What about Jacob? He didn’t even get to taste his father’s spaghetti before he died.” Looking at Jennifer and Ethan hiding behind David, I couldn’t help but smirk coldly. That Christmas, my parents sacrificed themselves to save David’s parents. At their grave, he swore to take care of me for life. Out of gratitude to the Miller family, I willingly married him. But now, for Jennifer and Ethan, he had discarded our past. Even Jacob had lost his life in this sham of a marriage. Seeing my silence, David added, “Why are you wearing black today? We’re having a birthday party for Ethan tonight. Remember to change into something nice.” I jerked my head up, staring at him in disbelief. Today was Jacob’s funeral, yet he wanted to throw someone else a birthday party. In that moment, David seemed frighteningly unfamiliar, as if I had never truly known him. “I’m not interested,” I said. As I turned to leave, David grabbed my wrist. He said impatiently, “Sophia, can you stop making a scene? I’m very busy lately and don’t have time to cater to your emotions. Tonight at eight, we’re having a party here. Remember to bring Jacob too.” My whole body trembled as I thought, “If he knew Jacob was gone and today was his funeral, would David still say such things?” Just as I was about to reveal this, Jennifer suddenly approached and grabbed my hand. She said, “Sophia, your bracelet is beautiful. Which jewelry store did you buy it from?” She smiled, acting friendly, but her eyes flashed with challenge and calculation. I coldly withdrew my hand and heard David say, “This bracelet isn’t worth much. I’ll take you to buy a better one another day.” Jennifer lowered her head and said softly, “But I really like Sophia’s.” David fell silent for a moment, looking at me tentatively. Before he could speak, I took off the bracelet and handed it to her. In that moment, I clearly saw David’s surprised expression. “Sophia, you…” Jennifer took the bracelet but “accidentally” dropped it, breaking it. She said, “Oh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to.” I smirked without saying anything. This bracelet was personally designed by David as a Christmas gift to me. It was good that it broke now, marking the end of our six-Christmas marriage. I smiled bitterly, the last lingering attachment in my heart now gone. Seeing my expression, David quickly said, “If Jacob isn’t feeling well, he doesn’t have to come tonight. I’ll take you both out another day.” I didn’t answer and turned to leave. I thought, “There won’t be a next time. After today, we’ll never see each other again in this lifetime.”
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