Chapter 7%
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“That’s not what I meant, honey.”
Brynn’s voice carried a hint of panic, his expression stiffening with unease.
“Daddy, it’s okay if Auntie doesn’t like me,” Solomon murmured softly, his lashes trembling, looking like he might burst into tears.
Seeing that, Brynn’s heart seemed to soften.}
He glanced at me, his eyes filled with helplessness and a quiet plea.
“Honey, can you try to accept Solomon?”
“I’ve already locked the snake away,” he added. “Just keep him company for a bit, okay?“}
didn’t answer. Instead, I walked over to Solomon and gave him a cursory glance.}
“What do you want to play?”
He didn’t respond. Instead, his gaze shifted upward, and a strange smile twisted at the corners of his mouth.
Sensing something was wrong, I instinctively tried to step back, but before I could, he suddenly pulled something from behind his back.” It was a live snake.
Its skin was cold and slick, its tongue flicking out with a hiss. Solomon held it by the tail with two fingers, and without a second thought, he flung it toward me.”
“Ah!”
I screamed, my heart hammering in my chest, and I stumbled backward, crashing to the floor. A sharp pain shot through my back, and my head slammed into the edge of the coffee table.
Even worse, a searing pain sliced through my lower abdomen as if a hundred knives were carving through my flesh.
Clutching my stomach, everything went black, and the world around me faded.}
“… It hurts… it hurts so much…”)
I curled into a ball, the waves of pain crashing over me, cold sweat soaking my back.
“Honey!”
Brynn rushed over, his face drained of color, eyes wide with alarm. “What’s wrong?!”
“I’m pregnant….” I lifted my face toward him, tears spilling down uncontrollably.
He froze for a moment, his face draining of color, turning as white as a sheet. Without a word, he scooped me up and rushed out the door. Solomon stood there, frozen, his eyes dark with malice no child his age should possess.}
Outside the operating room, in my dazed state, i vaguely heard the doctor’s hushed voice.
“The fetus is gone.“”
“There’s been excessive bleeding; she’ll need rest and observation.”
I closed rny eyes, tears streaming down my face, soaking the pillow beneath me.}
Even though I had already decided to end the pregnancy, the sudden loss still crushed my chest, leaving me gasping for air.
Baby, I’m sorry. You didn’t deserve any of this.
When I awoke, I was alone in the hospital room.§
a
The door creaked open, and Brynn stood in the doorway, looking drained, holding a cup of warm water in his hand.
“Honey, why didn’t you tell me you were pregnant?”
That was the first thing he said.
I stared at him, the absurdity of his words washing over me.
“So now you’re blaming me? Blaming me for not telling you sooner that I was pregnant? Your son threw a snake at me, and now I’m at fault?*%
He paused, his expression softening for just a moment, before he lowered his voice, almost as if changing his tune.
“That’s not what I meant, honey. You don’t know how terrified I was when I saw you bleeding; I was so afraid of losing you. From now on, let’s just focus on raising Solomon. I don’t want you to go through the pain of pregnancy again”
I turned my head away, feeling the weight of exhaustion settle over me.
He was still playing the part of the loving man.
“But honey, Solomon didn’t mean it…” Brynn explained softly.
“He said he thought you liked animals; it was just a misunderstanding. Don’t be too hard on him, okay? He’s still a child. He might even be the only child we ever have~”
I bit my lip so hard it nearly bled %
“So that’s it? It’s over? He scared me with a snake. I lost our baby, and that’s how it ends?“%
Brynn stood there, speechless, unable to find a response.
The silence was broken by Sylvie entering, carrying a steaming bowl of carrot and chicken soup, her voice soft and gentle.
Sister–in–law, you’ve just had a miscarriage, and your body is weak I stewed this for two hours.”
10:56 AM
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Her mention of the miscarriage brought a brief flicker of relief in her eyes.”
I glanced at the bowl, my vision clouded by a familiar sting.
Carrots. The one thing I had hated since childhood
Brynn didn’t notice. He coaxed gently, “Honey, just drink a little. Don’t be stubborn, you need to nourish your body now.”%
I raised my hand and sent the bowl crashing to the floor, the hot soup splattering across the tiles, filling the room with its sweet, meaty scent
“I said I’m not drinking it.” I gritted my teeth. “Do you not understand what I’m saying?”
“Natalie!” Brynn finally snapped
“You’re emotionally unstable because of the miscarriage, I get that. But you can’t take it out on Sylvie! She worked hard to make this soup!”
I shut my eyes, not wanting to face either of them.”
“Fine. You stay here and calm down.”
Brynn’s voice turned icy as he dragged the pitiful–looking Sylvie out of the hospital room.
In the days that followed, he didn’t come near me.”
I saw Sylvie posting pictures of Brynn taking her and Solomon to Disneyland on social media.
I couldn’t lie to myself anymore.
Brynn’s love for me had never been as deep as I had imagined./
All the warmth I thought I saw had been filtered through my own blind affection for him. When my postpartum confinement ended, I returned to that house, no, their house.”
I opened the storage room and began slicing my wedding dress, piece by piece, with scissors.
Wedding photos? Gone.”
Videotapes? Gone.”
All the foolish keepsakes? Thrown to the floor.
Everything that held memories of sweetness between me and Brynn shattered it all.
