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And he brought Sera with him.
Caleb carefully helped her out of the car.
Sera saw me and lifted her neck, covered in faint marks.
“Sister Aubrey, would you be my bridesmaid tomorrow for our wedding?”
I looked at her, utterly bewildered.
Caleb’s face looked unnatural as he explained, “Aubrey, Mom and Dad insisted that Sera
and I have a wedding. It’s all for the child…”
I scoffed. “It hardly seems appropriate for an ex–wife to be at your wedding.”
Sera’s eyes reddened at the corners. “Sister Aubrey, you know Caleb only loves you.
Please don’t be sarcastic and upset him…”
Caleb stepped forward, gently comforting her. “There, there, you have a baby in
belly, you can’t keep crying.”
your
Then he looked up at me, his eyes full of helplessness. “Aubrey, the wedding is just a formality. No matter what outsiders think, you’re the only one in my heart.”
I stared coldly at Caleb.
Just like that, he was shamelessly standing here. Yesterday, he was begging me to agree
to their IVF.
Today, he brought pregnant Sera home.
He swore up and down he loved me, yet he was marrying another woman and having children with her.
Was I truly naive, or was he just deluding himself?
<
Seeing me turn to leave, Caleb’s temper flared. He frowned deeply.
“Aubrey, Sera is already being so understanding. Why are you still not satisfied?”
“What exactly do you want us to do to make everyone happy?”
I closed my eyes briefly. “Fine. I’ll go tomorrow.” And then leave you forever.*
That night, after I showered, Caleb appeared before me.
His eyes held that familiar warmth.
He reached out to hug me from behind, but I stepped away.
He didn’t give up, chuckling softly, his warm breath fanning my neck.
He mysteriously pulled a small box from his pocket.
Inside was a pink diamond ring.
His voice husky, he said, “Aubrey, after the baby is born and we remarry, we’ll go on a honeymoon trip.”
“Sera and the baby are just for Mom and Dad.”
“She’ll never interfere with us.”
He leaned in for a kiss.
A knock on the door came at the perfect moment, saving him from the slap I was about
to deliver.
It was Sera.
Her face was pale. “Caleb, my morning sickness is really bad this time. Can you make me
the sour plum soup you made when I was pregnant before?”
She glanced at me, then covered her mouth, as if she’d said something she shouldn’t
have.
Tue, 24 Jun
Caleb peered at my expression. “What are you talking about? I don’t know how to make
that!”
He slammed the door shut.
Blocking Sera’s tear–streaked face from view.
I lay still, and soon fell asleep*.
Caleb, who had been restless, finally quietly opened the door and left.
Sera’s SnapChat feed updated immediately. The picture showed a steaming bowl of sour plum soup.
[Someone scolded me for running around with morning sickness, so he punished me by
making me drink two bowls.]
[Hmph, he messed up, so he’s punished by having to rub my back.]
Then she sent a direct message on SnapChat.
[Sister Aubrey, I heard you were the principal dancer in your dance troupe. But why did he say my waist was softer than yours?]
I screenshot the message and turned off my screen.
I remembered. Three years ago, I heard Caleb had fallen into an icy lake during a
mission.
I forgot I was pregnant and jumped in after him.
After three hours of searching, when I was pulled out, I’d lost the baby.
The next day, Caleb returned and held me, crying as if his heart would break, his eyes of tenderness and guilt.
“Aubrey, it’s okay if we never have children.”
full
13:41 Tue, 24 Jun
<
Because he already had one.
I laughed at myself bitterly in my mind. *Fool.*
Even more foolish for crying over such a liar.
As I drifted into a hazy sleep, I felt someone wiping away my tears.
When I woke again, Caleb was by the bed, putting on his wedding suit.
4
