The Wife He Couldn’t Bring Home Chapter 01
At a private party five years after my divorce, my ex-husband’s childhood friend, Declan, suddenly asked me,
“Maya, do you still hate Cole for hooking up with your best friend while you were pregnant?”
I smiled and shook my head. “I stopped hating him a long time ago. After all, he was young, foolish, and drugged back then.”
The smile on Declan’s lips deepened. “Then do you still love him? He waited for you for years. He’s still single.”
I looked at him in disbelief and flashed the ring on my left ring finger. “But I’m already married with children.”
As soon as the words left my mouth, everyone’s pitying gazes fell on the man in the corner.
He was staring daggers at me, his eyes looking like he wanted to kill someone. I only felt surprised.
I remembered back then, when I was three months pregnant, I had gone to buy clothes for the baby in my belly.
Instead, I saw my best friend, Paige, walking out of a baby supply store arm-in-arm with my husband.
“Cole, the baby is only two months along. We don’t even know the gender yet. You bought out the whole store—how could we possibly use it all?”
Cole brushed a stray strand of hair blown by the wind away from her face.
“This is our first child. It should be grand.”
Behind them, our mutual friends scrambled to chime in.
“A child of the Mercer family must use the best, of course.”
“I’ll gift the crib!”
“Formula is on me!”
It went on until someone hesitantly asked, “Paige’s belly is getting bigger by the day. We won’t be able to hide it sooner or later. What about Maya?”
Cole’s voice was deep. “Keep it a secret for now. At least until Maya has her baby. Her health is fragile, and she can’t take the shock.”
I lowered my eyes and booked an appointment for an abortion.
You didn’t need to hide it anymore. I didn’t want the baby, and I didn’t want you either.
***
My vision went dark in patches. I took a few steps back and knocked over the clothing rack behind me.
The entire row of racks crashed down with a loud clatter.
Everyone outside the door turned around.
The first to see me was Cole’s childhood friend. He was so shocked that he dropped his shopping bags.
“Mrs. Mercer…”
“Maya?”
The smile on Paige’s face instantly froze, and she quickly released Cole’s arm.
Cole was calmer than anyone else.
He strode over and grabbed my hand. His fingertips had thin calluses from years of working out.
“Why did you come out alone? You didn’t even call me.”
He took off his suit jacket and draped it over my shoulders.
“Don’t be afraid. I’m here.” He pulled a black card from his pocket and handed it to the store clerk. “Put the damaged items on my tab.”
I looked up at him, and my tears finally fell.
“Don’t you have anything to explain, Cole?”
“You saw everything.” Cole raised his hand to wipe my tears. “I’m with Paige now.”
“Half a year ago, we were on an overseas business trip, and someone slipped something into my drink. Paige stayed with me that night. Later, she found out she was pregnant. I can’t just abandon my own child.”
“Didn’t you say before that as long as Paige was doing well, you’d do anything? She’s doing very well now. You should be happy.”
“Cole, you bastard!”
I raised my hand and slapped him hard across the face.
A loud slap echoed in the air.
Blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, but he wiped it away without changing his expression.
“Are you done hitting me? Have you calmed down? Are you hungry?”
“Cole, we’re getting a divorce.”
I turned to leave, but Paige rushed over and blocked my way.
“Maya, don’t go. I didn’t mean to ruin things between you and Cole.”
“But I couldn’t go against my heart. I love him. I fell in love with him the first time I saw him back in college.”
“Maya, we’re best friends, and we’re carrying babies from the same man. They’ll be brothers in the future, and we can raise them together. Wouldn’t that be nice?”
“Yeah, Maya, now isn’t the time to make a scene. The media is right outside the store. You wouldn’t want this to make the headlines, would you?”
“Maya, don’t make a scene here. There are cameras everywhere outside. Whatever you have to say, we can talk about it when we get back.”
I didn’t want to say a single word. I pushed through the crowd and prepared to go down the stairs.
Paige suddenly grabbed my arm.
“Maya, if you really mind, once the baby is born, I’ll give the child to you. I’ll transfer to the overseas branch and never come back!”
“Let go of me! Paige, I’m the one who should leave!”
I shook off her hand. Before I even used any force, Paige’s entire body tumbled down the stairs.
The stairs were the stone steps leading from the outside of the store to the parking lot—hard and steep.
She rolled down over a dozen steps before coming to a stop, dark red blood quickly pooling beneath her.
I stood frozen in place.
Cole shoved me hard out of the way and gathered Paige from the ground into his arms.
“Paige! Are you okay?”
“I’m fine… Don’t blame Maya. I fell down on my own…”
“You’re still speaking up for her!” Cole rushed out with her in his arms. “Don’t be afraid. I’m taking you to the hospital! The baby will be fine, too! If you lose your baby, Maya’s baby will have to die with yours!”
He left.
I heard those words loud and clear.
Having known Cole for so many years, I knew he always did what he said.
I instinctively shielded my belly.
I had to leave. I had to leave immediately.Â