I, Juliet Collins, was hosting a welcome-back party with my husband Edwin Weaver for my sister Kayla Collins, who had just returned from abroad. When someone asked about her biggest regret in life, she held her empty wine glass, gazing at Edwin with unfocused eyes. “Probably not having the courage to keep Edwin’s baby back then.” The room erupted in whispers among our relatives and friends. I instinctively clutched the pregnancy test results I was about to pull from my pocket, my lower abdomen aching from the emotional turmoil. Kayla seemed to snap back to reality, covering her mouth with a light laugh. “I’m just kidding! Edwin and I were just friends for a while. “Juliet, don’t take it to heart. You’re the one who married him, and you’re the one he truly loves.” All eyes turned to Edwin and me. But he immediately looked toward Kayla, his gaze momentarily dazed, revealing a hint of tenderness. He completely failed to notice my pale face and trembling hands. Kayla seemed oblivious to the tense atmosphere, slowly sipping her wine with an intimate tone. “Speaking of which, Edwin used to have such a terrible temper. I gradually trained him into the considerate man he is today. “Now it’s perfect—my beloved sister gets to enjoy the benefits.” She winked, her tone teasing. “Juliet, does he still pester you for intimacy during your period? “He doesn’t force you to do those weird things anymore, does he?” Edwin remained silent, not denying it—essentially confirming her words. He smiled helplessly and cut a piece of steak, placing it on Kayla’s plate. “Just eat properly. Since you’re my sister now, be good and take care of yourself.” He completely ignored my embarrassment. The suffocating atmosphere around us didn’t ease despite his gesture. Kayla’s friend nearby seemed completely unaware, casually chiming in, “Yeah, Kayla, you’re just too picky with food, only eating what Edwin cooks. “Back then, when he went on that business trip and you got upset, you wouldn’t eat properly. That’s why your health deteriorated and you miscarried.” I stared blankly at the food on the table, my mind going completely blank. So Edwin’s cooking skills existed because of her. After three years of marriage, if Kayla hadn’t returned, I wouldn’t have even known Edwin could cook. Kayla studied me unhurriedly for a moment, then suddenly spoke with feigned innocence in her eyes. “I’m so sorry, everyone. It’s been three years since we last met, and I’ve had too much to drink. I’ve been speaking carelessly. “Let me go wash my face and sober up.” She stood up unsteadily, accidentally knocking over her red wine, staining her dress. Edwin immediately stood up, his movements practiced. “I’ll take you to your old room to change.” I endured the pain in my abdomen and stood up. “Let me help.” But Edwin frowned and pushed my hand away. “Don’t interfere. Kayla doesn’t like others touching her things.” My hand froze in mid-air. I remembered how after our marriage, when I wanted to replace the old curtains in the guest room, Edwin had irritably refused. “Didn’t Kayla say this color looked nice?” This house was filled with traces of another woman everywhere. They went into the guest room. Before long, Kayla emerged. She wore Edwin’s old shirt—oversized, yet making her appear even more delicate. She deliberately rolled up the sleeves, revealing a conspicuous men’s watch on her wrist. It was Edwin’s usual watch, and also the anniversary gift I’d given him a week after our wedding. She shook her wrist and smiled at me. “Edwin’s watch looks pretty good. I’m just borrowing it to match this outfit. Juliet, you don’t mind, do you?” Edwin looked at her, a smile actually appearing at the corners of his mouth. He turned to me and said, “Yeah, it does look good on her.” At that moment, the sharp pain in my lower abdomen suddenly intensified. I dug my nails deep into my palms, forcibly swallowing the moan that almost escaped my lips. Watching their effortless intimacy as if no one else existed, the knife in my heart finally twisted to its deepest point. I slowly sat back down, quietly crumpling the pregnancy test results in my pocket into a ball. Taking a deep breath, a cold glint flashed in my eyes as I made up my mind. Tonight, I had to set things straight with Edwin.
The banquet finally came to an end. Kayla rubbed her temples, her voice weak as she said, “Edwin, I had some drinks and got caught in the wind. I’m feeling really uncomfortable right now. Could I possibly…” Edwin immediately cut in, “Then you should stay in the guest room. It’s too late to be going anywhere now.” He said it so naturally, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. I dug my nails into my palms but didn’t say a word. Late at night, the master bedroom felt cold and empty. Edwin never came back. The unease in my heart grew until I finally got up to look for him. The guest room door was slightly ajar, warm light and hushed voices spilling out. From inside came Kayla’s voice, thick with tears: “Back then, you cared about me the most. After just one fight, you waited downstairs at my dorm all night!” Edwin’s deep voice carried a tenderness I’d never heard before: “Let’s not talk about the past. What matters is that you’re back now.” Kayla said, “Edwin, you still like me, don’t you? You only married Juliet out of spite because I didn’t keep that baby, right?” I burst through the door! Kayla was practically draped across Edwin’s chest, her eyes red and swollen. Edwin’s hand was tenderly stroking her back. When he saw me, Edwin’s brow immediately furrowed, his tone impatient: “Why aren’t you asleep yet?” Kayla hid behind him, clutching his sleeve with only half her face visible, yet she shot me a provocative smile. My voice trembled: “Edwin, it’s very late.” Edwin’s tone grew even worse: “Kayla isn’t feeling well, so I’m keeping her company. Can’t you be a little more mature and stop being so jealous?” Kayla put on an innocent act: “Edwin, don’t blame Juliet. I had too much to drink tonight and said the wrong things, which upset her.” Edwin immediately cooed over her sympathetically, then turned to me and said, “Kayla’s delicate. Since you’re still up, why don’t you go make her some honey lemon tea?” I laughed bitterly: “I’m your wife, not her maid!” Edwin’s face darkened: “Juliet, do you have to be so petty? She’s your sister. If you won’t look after her, then I’ll do it for you. And now you’re blaming me for that?” “Sister?” My heart clenched painfully. “The way you two were just now didn’t look like caring for a sister!” With that, I turned and went back to our room. Before long, Edwin followed me in, his tone softening: “I was wrong. Don’t be angry. Kayla did lose a child for me once.” He held me, kissed my forehead, and spoke soothing words. I remained rigid in his arms. I’d wanted to confront him about his relationship with Kayla, but I no longer had the energy to fight. Thinking I’d calmed down, he went out and busied himself for quite a while. Restless and agitated, I heard some commotion and quietly followed. Edwin entered his study and made a phone call in hushed tones: “Transfer the funding from the Tech City project to Kayla’s newly established studio. She just returned to the country and needs support.” I was thunderstruck. That project was something our team had worked countless nights to secure! It was one of our most important core projects! The person on the other end seemed to have questions. Edwin chuckled softly, his tone more tender than I’d ever heard: “It’s fine. She’s worth it. If we lose money, so be it. Ms. Collins? Don’t worry about her. She’s my wife—naturally she won’t oppose my decisions.”
I leaned against the cold wall, my hands and feet numb with cold, tears dropping onto the floor with dull thuds. Not only did he always keep a place for her in his heart, but he could easily hand over everything we’d built together to her without a second thought. The next morning, I walked out of the bedroom, my steps unsteady after a sleepless night. In the dining room, Kayla was already sitting there, sipping milk in small, delicate sips. She looked up and smiled at me, her fingers casually brushing against her neck. A delicate diamond necklace sparkled blindingly in the morning light. My breath caught. I’d seen that necklace before. It matched the bracelet Edwin had saved three months’ salary to buy three Christmases ago. Back then, he’d held me close and said, “Juliet, when we have money someday, I’ll get you the entire ‘One Love’ set.” Kayla’s voice was sickeningly sweet as her fingers caressed the necklace: “Do you think this necklace is pretty? Edwin said it’s called ‘One Love.’ He said it was a special welcome-home gift he prepared just for me, and insisted I try it on first thing this morning.” She tilted her head, her smile both innocent and smug: “It seems to match the bracelet you’re wearing? What a coincidence! Edwin is so thoughtful, getting us matching sister pieces!” My stomach churned violently, sharp pain stabbing through my lower abdomen as darkness clouded my vision. Warm liquid quickly soaked through my nightgown, sticky and cold. Looking down, I saw shocking red slowly spreading. Cold sweat instantly drenched my entire body. I trembled all over, using every ounce of strength to grab Edwin as he happened to walk by: “My stomach hurts so much…” Edwin looked down at me, his eyes showing not a trace of concern, only heavy impatience and suspicion. He roughly shook off my hand and snapped harshly: “Kayla just started feeling better, and now you’re faking illness again? Is this really necessary? I’ve given you so much jewelry, but you just have to be jealous of that one necklace?” “I will always believe in you and protect you forever.” His choked promise from when he proposed still seemed to echo in my ears, but now it cut through me like the sharpest blade, leaving me completely torn apart. The light in my eyes dimmed bit by bit. Maybe my complexion was truly awful, maybe I’d lost too much blood. Edwin froze for a moment, his anger subsiding slightly, his brow furrowing as if he wanted to bend down and help me. Just then, Kayla moaned and covered her forehead, swaying as if about to collapse: “Edwin, I’m dizzy.” Edwin’s choice was almost instinctive. He turned around and caught her in his arms, his voice urgent with worry: “What’s wrong?” Kayla leaned against him, weakly pointing toward the kitchen counter. There, somehow, sat what looked like a small blood pack, now torn open with red liquid dripping steadily out. “I was just trying to get some water for Juliet when I accidentally saw…” She gasped for breath, tears streaming down her face, “Is she still angry with me? So she deliberately…” She clutched Edwin’s sleeve tightly, sobbing: “It’s all my fault, Edwin. Don’t worry about me, go check on Juliet! She must be so upset that she’d do something like this to make you feel sorry for her. I’m fine, really fine.” Edwin’s expression instantly darkened, fury completely drowning out his last shred of doubt. He whirled around and roared at me, his eyes cold and disgusted: “Do you really have to cause trouble at a time like this? If anything happens to Kayla, I’ll never forgive you!” He remembered how resilient I’d been when I stayed up three straight nights with him working on projects, convinced I could never be as fragile as Kayla, who was “weak from her miscarriage.” He scooped Kayla up in his arms and, without even glancing at me curled up on the floor bleeding profusely, strode out the door. The car door slammed shut, and the engine noise quickly faded away. The world fell completely silent. My heart went completely cold. With my last ounce of strength, I reached for my phone that had fallen beside me and dialed 911 with trembling fingers. When I woke up, the sharp smell of disinfectant filled my nostrils. My body felt completely drained, cold and aching. Instinctively, I touched my abdomen. The flatness there made my heart race with panic. A nurse walked in, her tone carrying professional sympathy: “Ma’am, you’re awake. I’m sorry, but we couldn’t save the baby. Please accept our condolences and take care of yourself.” I thought: “Condolences? My child quietly slipped away while being abandoned by his father, while I bled and struggled alone.” The anesthesia was wearing off, and both my wound and heart throbbed with sharp pain. I picked up my phone. The screen was blindingly clean. No missed calls from Edwin, no anxious messages or hollow explanations. Nothing at all. In the deathly silence, memories flooded back like a tide, completely drowning me. He once waited for me after work in the rain, clumsily holding an umbrella, getting half his body soaked in the process. He stayed up all night making me a birthday cake, flour smudged on his face, grinning like a fool. He knelt on one knee to propose, his hands trembling as he pulled out the ring: “Marry me. I’ll spend my whole life being good to you.” All those warm, shining memories eventually crystallized into his twisted face as he held Kayla and screamed at me. Maybe Kayla was right—I was nothing more than his tool for spite, an emotional substitute. My heart had died, leaving me strangely calm. I called my secretary and coldly signed the resignation and share transfer documents she had prepared the night before. Then I dialed lawyer William Porter: “Mr. Porter, please bring that divorce agreement I consulted you about last night. Yes, right now. The maternity ward at the hospital.” William arrived quickly. I took the thick stack of documents, flipped to the last page, and signed my name without hesitation. The pen tip tore through the paper, completely severing everything between us. Shortly after I left, the hospital room door was violently pushed open. Edwin had finally arrived. His hair was disheveled, his face showing traces of lingering irritation: “The nurse just called saying something happened to you? Stop being so dramatic all the time.” His words cut off abruptly. His gaze swept across the empty hospital bed, finally settling on the nightstand. There lay a document, quietly waiting. “Divorce Agreement” was written at the top. Beside it was a post-abortion care instruction sheet. My wedding ring, which I had never removed, lay on top of the divorce agreement. A corner of a note peeked out from under the ring. He stiffly pulled it out. There was only one line, written with the last of my strength: [Edwin, your obsession killed our child.]
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