Chapter 4
When I got home, the house was filled with Chloe’s relatives.
Chloe, looking shy, handed me a small box and looked at me with expectant eyes.
The moment I opened the box, I was utterly shocked. Inside, the pregnancy test clearly showed two lines.
Chloe was pregnant. A soft spot in my heart slowly began to blossom.
I looked at Chloe’s belly, where my own flesh and blood was now growing.
Chloe’s entire family was overjoyed, and even Jake struggled to hide his smile.
Dinner that night was exceptionally lively. Mrs. Miller even cooked personally, and Jake went over to help her.
After a few rounds of drinks, I couldn’t resist everyone’s enthusiasm and went outside for some fresh air.
I stared blankly at my phone, hesitating to make the call. Now that Chloe was pregnant, it seemed the wedding was definitely on.
I quietly lit a cigarette. Just as I finally made up my mind to call Mr. Sterling, I saw Chloe sneaking into the backyard.
I followed closely. Chloe entered the backyard shed and pushed open the door, and a dark figure immediately pulled her inside.
Suspicious, I pressed my ear to the door. A familiar voice came from inside.
“Chloe, I’m so happy you’re pregnant. Is the baby in your belly mine?”
My grip on my phone tightened until my knuckles turned white. I held my breath, waiting for Chloe’s answer.
“Jake, I counted the days. This baby must be yours because Alex wasn’t home during that time.”
My suspended heart plummeted to the ground. My heart felt as if it were being squeezed tightly by a rope until I couldn’t breathe.
This child wasn’t mine; it was Jake’s.
They had been carrying on an affair behind my back all along. I slumped against the door, feeling all the strength drain from my body.
Inside, I heard the sounds of passionate kissing. Chloe panted, “Jake, be careful. It’s still the first trimester, it’s not stable yet.”
Jake laughed slyly. “Just thinking about Alex, that big idiot, being tricked into being a father makes me so happy.”
Chloe quickly replied, “You need to stay calm and make sure no one finds out. Wait until I get the wedding money from him and marry him, okay?”
“Chloe, you’re always so thoughtful. He’ll even cover the child’s future support.”
I don’t know how I left the yard. At that moment, my heart felt more desperate than when I fell into the lake that day.
Every word they uttered twisted a knife in my gut, like a thousand tiny cuts.
Chloe, I treated you well these past few years. But you bit the hand that fed you, toying with me like this.
I stood amidst the falling snow, behind me the scene of their family’s joyous reunion.
Even I, a grown man, felt my eyes well up. At that moment, my phone vibrated.
“Alex, your deployment papers came through. We leave tomorrow, remember to report on time.”
I sniffled hard, trying to keep my emotions steady, and replied, “Understood, Mr. Sterling. I’ll be on time.”
In the middle of the night, after Chloe’s family had fallen asleep, I took my pre-packed suitcase and headed downstairs.
Snow was falling heavily as I got into a taxi and drove toward the station.