Love Wanders Between First Love and Current Love
Chapter 1
The day my husband took me for a pregnancy check-up,he got a call from his old-flame.Just a simple“I miss you,”and he left me standing on the curb without a second thought.
I expected to lose it,to yell and scream at him,but I didn't.I just stayed quiet and calmly booked an appointment for an pregnancy termination surgery.the next day.But when my husband found out,he completely lost it,practically shoving his‘beloved’out of his arms,begging me in tears to forgive him.
Today was supposed to be the day Kris Blanchard,my husband,took me to the hospital for a pregnancy check-up.Halfway there,his old-love,Fern Robbins,called to tell him her son had a high fever.Without any explanation,he told me—his three months old pregnant wife—to get out of the car and drove straight to Fern’s house,which was in the opposite direction.
He left me stranded on a deserted road.The heavy snow that night had turned everything into an icy mess and I slipped and fell.Pain shot through my stomach like a hundred needles stabbing at once.A kind stranger found me and drove me to the hospital.I was so glad to hear the doctor said my baby was fine.
After the check-up,I kept calling Kris,hoping he’d come pick me up,but he never answered.Call after call went to voicemail or a busy signal.But when Fern called him,he picked up right away.It reminded me of how things were before we got married—his phone was always on,always waiting for my call.I went home,my heart heavy and just collapsed on the bed.
Kris came back around 1 a.m.,annoyed and muttering under his breath as he walked in.
“You went to bed already?You didn’t even leave the light on for me.”
I used to wait for him no matter how late he came home.And if I fell asleep,I’d leave the bedside lamp on.But tonight,I just didn’t have it in me to care.I turned over,facing away from him and leave his questions on air.
He clicked his tongue in irritation.“Are you serious right now?Fern’s son had a 102-degree fever.If I hadn’t taken them to the hospital,he could’ve ended up with brain damage.Show a little compassion,would you?”
“Did you think about me at all when you left me on the curb in the middle of a snowstorm?Did you even care if I managed to get to the hospital or not?I’m pregnant,for heaven’s sake—with our baby!”I snapped.
“Who’s your wife,Kris?Is Fern so incapable that she can’t call 911 on her own?Why does she have to ask someone else’s husband to deal with her problem?”I kept going.
Kris let out a long,exasperated sigh,looking at me like I was losing hold.
“Don’t be so petty,Elodie.Fern’s just return from England.Her British husband divorced her and she doesn’t have anyone else here.I’m the only person she knows.Things hasn’t been easy for her.Raising a kid alone is draining.If there’s something I can do to help her,then I had to.
“For her?”I felt tears prick at the corners of my eyes.“Then why don’t you just divorce me and go be with her?That’s what you want,right?”
The more I talked,the more my heart hurt.I remembered the days before we got married.The Kris I used to know would put me first in everything.When I had even a slight cold,he’d be frantic,rushing me to the hospital,ignoring urgent calls from his boss in the process.But now,he was like a stranger,indifferent and distant.
Maybe he saw the heartbreak on my face,because he softened a little,stepping closer and wrapping me in his arms.
“Come on,don’t be mad,honey.Forgive me this one time.I swear I’ll never do it again,”he said softly,trying to soothe me.“I’ve missed you.”
I slapped his hand away,hard.
“What do you mean,a while?The doctor warned me—We can’t do this before the baby comes or I might lose our pup!”
“Alright,alright,”Kris muttered,clearly frustrated as he let me go.He grabbed his phone and whatever he saw made his whole face light up.His eyes went soft and gentle and he looked completely absorbed.I called his name,but he wasn’t answering.It was like he didn’t even hear me.
While he was in the shower,I picked up his phone from the bedside table.To my surprise,he had changed the lock screen password.It used to be my birthday.After several failed attempts,I tried entering 1123 and it worked.
Chapter 2
November 23rd was the day his precious Fern Robbins returned from England after her divorce.I couldn’t help but scoff as I unlocked Kris’s phone,immediately seeing their message history.Fern’s words dripped with sweetness,her constant calling on my husband was getting on my nerves.
[Fern:Kris,thank you so much for today.I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.If only you were Toni’s dad.]
[Kris:If you don’t mind,let Toni call me Dad.I actually quite like it.]Topped with smiley face,
My heart sank,my whole body going numb.It felt like all the blood in my veins froze solid.Just then,a notification popped up—another message from Fern.It was a voice message,just two seconds long.I hit play.
A young boy’s voice chirped,“Thank you,Daddy Kris.”
I couldn’t help but laugh,though it was the kind that laced with bitterness.Here I was,carrying Kris’s child and he was off playing father to another woman’s son.I could still remember his promises from our wedding night,the vows to love me forever,to be loyal—to cherish only me.It had barely been three years and those promises had rusted over.
Kris stepped out of the shower,catching sight of me with his phone.His face contorted with rage and he shoved me hard enough that I crashed to the floor.Pain shot through my belly and I had to grit my teeth against it.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?Ever heard of privacy?”
I stumbled and hit the floor,feeling a sharp pain in my stomach.I gritted my teeth against the pain.
“Privacy?What about boundaries?”I spat,struggling to get back up.“You’re letting Fern’s kid call you‘Dad.’What does that make our baby?”
“Oh,come on!It’s just a godfather thing.Why do you have to make everything a big deal?”he said coldly.He didn’t even bother to help me up,staring down at me with annoyance,his brows furrowed.“It’s not like I’m leaving you to marry Fern.Isn’t that enough for you?”
His words stung. My thoughts flashed back to three years ago when he proposed.He had looked at me with eyes full of warmth back then,his words sweet enough to make bees swarm.But now?Now he couldn’t even look at me without disdain,as if I was something he wished he could scrape off his shoe.
Just as I was about to respond,his phone rang.I glanced at the screen—he had saved Fern’s contact under a ridiculously affectionate nickname:Fernie.He picked up immediately,completely unbothered by my presence.
“Hey,Kris,”Fern's voice purred from the other end,“Sorry to bother you again,but Toni’s been fussy all night.He says he misses his Daddy Kris and wants you to come and read him a bedtime story.”
Kris’s face lit up like a kid on Christmas morning.He didn’t hesitate for a second.
“Aww,isn’t he a cute boy?Well,I can’t let him down,can I?Alright,I’ll be right there.Wait for me,Toni.Daddy’s on the way!”
“Kris!”I called out,my voice trembling as he headed for the door,practically begging.“Please don’t go.Stay here with me.I sprained my ankle when you pushed me.”
It was true—my ankle throbbed with every slight movement.But Kris just looked at me,eyes full of disdain.
“Seriously?I barely pushed you,Elodie.Stop being so dramatic.”
He shrugged on a fresh jacket,even taking the time to fix his hair in the mirror and then turned to leave.I could feel my anger boiling over.
“Kris,if you walk out that door tonight,we’re getting a divorce.”
Chapter 3
“Divorce?”Kris chuckled dismissively.“Don’t be ridiculous.You really want our child to grow up fatherless?”He paused,turning to look at me.When he saw determination on my face expression,he shook his head in disbelief.
“Unbelievable.”He walked over,scooping me up and dropping me on the bed like he was doing me a favor.“There,alright?Just stay in bed and rest.You’ll be fine by morning.”
I said nothing,watching him leave.Once he was gone,I pulled out my phone and arranged for surgery to terminate my pregnancy the next day.I couldn’t do this anymore.I had to take control of my own life.
Ignoring the pain in my ankle,I hobbled to the freezer,grabbed a washcloth and chilled it until it was cold enough to use as a makeshift ice pack.I pressed it against my swollen ankle,tears streaming down my face.If he wouldn’t take care of me,then I’d take care of myself.I didn’t sleep a wink that night.It wasn’t like I was waiting for him.I just couldn’t.But just like what I had in mind,Kris didn’t come home.
At dawn,just as the sky began to lighten,a message from an unknown number came in.There were several photos,all of Kris.He was holding around a five-years old boy in his arms.The boy clutched a picture book while Kris read to him,his face gentle and relaxed—the very image of a doting father.
I didn’t need to ask who had sent the pictures.A moment later,a message came through.
[Fern:He really is a great dad,isn’t he?]
My vision went blur as rage churned in my gut.I didn’t reply and I blocked the number instead.
At noon,I went to the hospital alone and had the operation. My body was weak after the procedure and I had to rest for the entire afternoon before I could manage to walk without feeling like I’d collapse.Lying there in the sterile room,I had plenty of time to think.
I was pondering about the loss and gain I had in the way.I didn’t want my child to be born into a family poisoned by conflict.Bringing a baby into a world full of shouting parent and deceit would mean giving them a childhood starved of stability and love.If that was the life I could offer,then perhaps not giving birth was the more responsible choice.I refused to bury my head in the sand,pretending to be happy with a husband who had betrayed me,pretending that everything was okay while drowning in lies.
I decided to let go of Kris for good.I would spend the rest of my life learning how to love myself.
When I finally left the hospital,hobbling down the steps on my weak state,I saw him.Kris,standing there like the universe's cruel joke,holding a little boy in one arm and gripping a woman’s hand with the other.It was Fern,of course.The woman who had stolen everything from me.They looked like a happy little family—a picture-perfect trio standing in the afternoon sunlight.
I couldn’t help it—I laughed.A sharp,bitter laugh that echoed off the hospital walls.It was all so pathetic,so cliché.
“What a lovely family,”I said,slow claps punctuating each word,my voice filled with a cold,empty amusement.
Kris's head snapped up and I watched the panic flash across his face before he quickly let go of Fern’s hand.He looked at me with a frown,his eyes narrowing.
“Elodie,what are you doing here?”
I gave him a thin,humorless smile.“Terminate my pregnancy,”I said,my voice flat.I looked down at the boy in his arms,who was sticking his tongue out son now.
“Congratulations.He’s officially your father.All yours now.”
Kris froze,his face going pale.He set the boy down and stormed over to me,grabbing my arm tightly.
“What are you talking about?You got rid of our baby?Are you out of your mind,Elodie?!”
His grip was so tight I could feel my bones grinding together,but I didn't flinch.“What do you think I’m talking about?”I yanked my arm free and,with a sick feeling in my stomach,slapped him as hard as I could.
“We’re done,Kris.I want a divorce.”
Kris was stunned by my slap,standing there frozen,his face a mix of shock and disbelief.It was Fern who rushed to his side,hands cradling his face as if he were a wounded animal.She glared at me with red-rimmed eyes,full of indignation.
“Elodie Martin!Look at what you've done to him!You’ve gone too far!”she yelled.
“Too far?”I let out a cold laugh.Without a second's hesitation,I slapped her too,hard enough that the sound echoed down the sterile hospital corridor.
“If you think that’s too far,then what do you call tearing apart someone’s marriage?Does that make you the victim now?”
Fern let out a high-pitched scream,stumbling back,clutching her cheek in shock.Her son,who had been clinging to her side,jumped in front of her,arms spread wide as if to shield her.
“Don’t hurt my mommy!You witch!”he shouted,his little face scrunched up in fury.
I let out a bitter,humorless chuckle.“A witch?If I’m the witch,then your mom’s the witch mistress,shameless—“
“Enough!”Kris’s voice boomed across the hallway.He stepped forward,fury flashing in his eyes.“Why didn’t I realize how crazy you are?”
The commotion we were causing had attracted a crowd of onlookers,all whispering among themselves.I caught a few snippets—“shameless,”“homewrecker,”“disgusting”—and watched as Kris’s face went beet red with embarrassment.He lashed out,kicking a potted plant at his feet,sending it crashing to the floor.
“Elodie,nothing ever happened between me and Fern!”he shouted,pointing a shaking finger at me.“She's right—you’re out of control!I've been too soft on you and this is the result I get!”
I pulled out my phone and opened the photos Fern had sent,the ones that proved his lies.I zoomed in and showed them to the crowd,making sure everyone saw the damning evidence.“Take a good look,everyone,”I said,my voice cutting through the tense silence.“This is my husband—He showed up at this woman's house in the middle of the night.Can you see those marks on his neck?Don’t tell me they’re mosquito bites!”I raised an eyebrow,daring him to lie.There was an uproar.
