From Postpartum to Heartache

"Natalie, I haven't eaten yet..."

I turned back and looked at him, confused. "If you haven't eaten, then eat. Why are you telling me?"

Did he still expect me to be like before? No matter what, always making sure a home-cooked meal was waiting for him?

Holding the baby, I glanced over my shoulder and added, "Oh, right. If you're hungry, there's still a pack of spicy noodles. You can cook it yourself."

-

Newborns fall asleep quickly. Once the baby was settled, my phone buzzed with a message from my father.

[Natalie, you've turned me down so many times, but I'm getting older. Can't you take over the company for me? Just think of it as doing your dad a favor.

[I know you don't want Daryl to feel like he's been deceived, that the company he's been working for all this time is actually ours. But in the end, you're my only child. If you don't take over, who will?]

A dull ache spread through my heart. My parents had already sacrificed so much for me. And yet, I had nearly let all their hard work go to waste—for Daryl.

I took a deep breath and typed my reply. [Dad, I've made up my mind. I'll take over the family business.]

Sullivan Enterprise had investments in major companies across the country. My parents had brought it up many times, hoping I would step in as they aged.

But I kept turning them down—for the sake of Daryl's fragile self-esteem.

Daryl and I met in college. He was the only person from his village to make it to university, thanks to the community pulling together to fund his education.

He could endure hardship. And because he worked hard, he achieved success.

But what he never realized was that every step of his success had been carefully orchestrated by me. Someone from a small village could never truly navigate the treacherous waters of the business world on their own.

On my birthday, Daryl stood in the snow and waited for three hours.

The moment he saw me, he immediately dropped to one knee.

"Natalie! Will you marry me?"

Daryl's nose was red from the cold, his eyelashes dusted with snowflakes that shimmered under the moonlight.

For that moment, his gentle eyes reflected only me.

My heart pounded wildly, and my hands fidgeted with the hem of my coat, unsure of what to do.

Then, he stood and stepped closer. He pressed a soft kiss to my cheek before leaning in to whisper against my ear.

"Natalie, be my wife, okay?"

"Okay."

I said before I could even think.

Daryl knew I would say yes. Everyone at Aurelia University knew how much I liked him.

And just like that, we were soon married.

After the wedding, Daryl insisted he could provide for me and refused to let me work. Whenever I brought it up, he would drink himself into oblivion.

"Natalie, even you look down on me, don't you? Have you always despised my origins?"

I knew it was just his pride talking, so I never called him out on it. I thought I had already done everything a wife was supposed to do.

My father must have sensed something because he sent me a message.

[Are you and Daryl okay?]

I didn't reply. A moment later, another message came through.

[Sweetheart, no matter what you decide, your mother and I will support you.]

-

After dinner, Daryl came into the bedroom. I turned away from him, lying on my side with my back facing him.

"The baby is still so little. It's hard for me to nurse her at night if you're here. You should sleep in the guest room."

In the past, whenever Daryl came home from a business trip, I would cling to him and not want to leave his side.

Now, just looking at him made me sick.

I didn't expect him to explode in anger, completely disregarding our sleeping daughter.

"That's enough! How long are you planning to throw a tantrum? I already explained everything! A week ago, Madison and I were stuck together because of work. This trip was for work too—what the hell was I supposed to do?

"If I don't work, who's going to support you? Who's going to support Jennifer? Everything costs money! How much longer are you going to throw this childish jealousy fit?

"You can't even help me at work, and all you do is make things harder!"

Oh, yes.

If Daryl hadn't brought it up, I might have forgotten just how foolish I had been.