After Losing My Baby, I Let Him Go

I had a car accident and lost my baby while Joshua, my husband, was out having dinner with his so-called "adoptive sister."

With two numb, bleeding legs, I struggled to crawl to the side of the road, my fingers trembling as I dialed his number.

“What is it now, Lily? Didn't I tell you I couldn't talk? Whatever it is, let's deal with it at home!" Joshua snapped impatiently as he answered the phone.

Then he hung up before I could even respond.

When I woke up from surgery, he and his "sister" were both standing beside me.

"Let's get a divorce," I said resolutely, determined not to let his dismissive attitude sway me.

"What's wrong with you now? We can always have another child..." he replied dismissively.

I just looked at him coldly, a bitter smile pulling at my lips, feeling the emotional rift between us widen even further.

Later, Joshua’s eyes were red, and he grabbed my wrist hard.

"Can’t we just try again? Maybe we can still make this work," he begged.

“There’s no ‘us’ anymore, Joshua. It’s over. Goodbye,” I said firmly.

When the anesthesia started to wear off, I drifted out of that empty fog.

A doctor was standing by my bed, explaining that my legs were badly broken but that the surgery had gone well.

With a lot of rest, I'd be okay.

"Doctor… is my baby alright?"

Even though I already felt the truth sinking in, I was still holding on to a shred of hope, hoping that somehow, after the awful crash, my baby would survive. But that wasn't the case.

The doctor took a deep breath. "I'm so sorry. When you came in, there was no heartbeat. To keep you safe, we had to perform an emergency procedure."

Tears slipped down silently, the pain in my chest so intense it felt like I couldn't breathe.

Just then, Joshua burst into the room. "How are you?"

I turned my head, avoiding his gaze. Suzie, the woman who always made me jealous, stood behind him.

Annoyed, Joshua complained, "I'm getting so fed up! Either you won't stop talking, or you're completely silent!"

Unable to bear it, the doctor asked calmly, "Are you the patient's husband?"

Joshua nodded.

The doctor shot him a look before explaining what had happened: both my legs were fractured, and I'd lost the baby.

Joshua barely reacted. They just stayed calm.

"Has the insurance claim been filed?" he asked, almost like he was discussing the weather.

I stared at him, disbelieving. "Do you think I'm some kind of magician who can deal with that right now? Seriously, Joshua?"

Suzie stepped in, trying to keep the peace. "Joshua, maybe you could take care of her discharge paperwork. I'll stay with her in the meantime."

I shook my head, cold as ice. "That won't be necessary. Just go. I don't want to see either of you right now."

"Lily, what's with the attitude? Suzie came all the way here after hearing about the accident," Joshua defended.

But I just responded, "Please, just leave. I'll let you know when I'm up for talking. See you at the County Clerk's office."

Joshua sighed, rubbing his forehead, but he finally got the hint and left the room with Suzie trailing after him.

Watching them walk out together turned my stomach.

Suzie and Joshua had been friends since they were kids, practically growing up together. He always insisted she was "like a sister," but I knew better.

Women could read between the lines, and I saw what was really there. Only a few months ago, he’d told me his dad wasn't doing well, so we'd made the trip back to his hometown to visit.

But shortly after we arrived, he got ready to go out.

"Josh, where are you going?" I asked.

He didn't give me a direct answer and just said, "You stay here with my parents for dinner. I have something to take care of."

My heart sank immediately.

What was this? Did he expect me to stay with his parents while he left?

At first, I thought it might be work-related, and though disappointed, I tried to understand.

However, before he left, his mother asked him point-blank where he was going.

He smiled casually and said, "Mom, it's nothing serious. Suzie mentioned a guy taking her out tonight, so I'm just going to check in."

His mother frowned, glancing at me. "And if you leave, how will Lily get back home?"

I didn't drive, and catching a bus could take hours with limited transportation in the countryside.

Joshua, indifferent, replied, "She can take the shuttle back to town or stay here for the night. I'll pick her up tomorrow."

Without a second look, he walked out.

Heartbroken, I stayed polite, keeping his parents company for dinner.

By five that evening, I insisted on going back to the city.

For one, I wasn't comfortable with rural life. Secondly, I had a small stall at the night market, which brought in a decent income, and I didn't want to slack off just because of all this.

Though Joshua was a senior executive at a big company, I'd always been an independent woman, never depending on him for my livelihood.

He once claimed he admired my independence, and that I wasn't like other women who acted weak and needy.