Ghosts of What We Had

Wendy didn't return that night. I didn't call to ask where she was, either. I'd already gotten my update from Harvey's Instagram story.

After leaving the hospital that afternoon, they went straight to Harvey's home and informed his parents about the pregnancy. I saw the photo of Harvey's grandmother saying something to Wendy while holding her hand affectionately. Wendy was smiling gently as she stroked her abdomen with her other hand.

Throughout my five-year relationship with Wendy, she'd only once agreed to visit my family with me, and that was after I had proposed to her. Even though it was less than half an hour's drive to my family's home, she never once initiated a visit.

She claimed she didn't like spending time around older people. It made her feel uncomfortable.

During that sole visit, she simply maintained a polite attitude with my family. There was none of the warmth and friendliness she showed the Sniders in the photo.

I blinked to clear the bitterness from my eyes before turning my phone off.

…

The next day, I invited a few friends out and told them the wedding was canceled.

Wendy said she didn't like weddings. They were nothing more than a meaningless formality to her. At my insistence, she begrudgingly agreed to hold a small-scale wedding. Only a few of our closest friends were invited.

Everyone around us knew how I felt about her. Unsurprisingly, my friends were shocked to hear that the wedding wasn't going to happen.

"Haven't you been in love with Wendy for decades now? Can you seriously bear to let her go when you're just a step away from marrying her at last?"

My heart stung. Could I bear to do it? Obviously not.

I'd dedicated myself to staying by Wendy's side for over two decades before she finally agreed to marry me. How could I move on from over two decades of love so easily?

But as it was, our relationship had been unequal from the start. This whole time, I was the one doggedly trying to keep up with Wendy, and she had never stopped for me.

I didn't care at first. I figured that since I could spend two decades or so convincing her to marry me, I could also win her heart one day. It was only a matter of time. We had the rest of our lives to live after marriage. I was willing to wait until the day she opened her heart to me.

Alas, everything changed when Harvey, Wendy's so-called savior, showed up six months ago. Only then did I realize that she wasn't cold and aloof with everyone.

She would always have a smile on her face when she was with Harvey, even though she was incredibly stingy with her smiles around me. At the time, I tried to console myself by reminding myself that Harvey had saved her life before. She was only acting that way to repay her debt of gratitude.

Nevertheless, it never occurred to me that when Harvey got diagnosed with cancer, Wendy would actually agree to bear his child so that he had someone to carry on his family name! Moreover, she only pretended to seek my permission. In reality, she'd secretly undergone the artificial insemination procedure to get pregnant.

It was then that it hit me. There was no future between Wendy and me. No matter how painful and difficult it was for me to rid myself of my feelings for her, I had to steel myself and do it anyway.

I didn't tell my friends the real reason why the wedding was canceled. I simply said I'd be joining a research lab soon, and that it would be a long while before I could have contact with the outside world again.

Feeling apologetic for springing this on my friends, I stayed out with them until late at night before heading back to the house. When I got back, Wendy had just returned as well.

After smelling alcohol on me, she frowned and took a few steps back. Covering her nose, she said, "Stay away from me. The stench makes me want to puke."

My eyes fell on her other hand, which she had subconsciously placed defensively on her abdomen, and I snorted self-deprecatingly. It was such a noticeable reaction. It seemed like she had no intention of hiding her pregnancy from me.

Still, since she didn't plan on telling me, I wasn't going to bring it up myself. Without speaking, I went off to take a shower.

When I came back out, Wendy was tapping away on her phone with a smile on her face. I merely glanced at her before heading toward the bedroom to get some sleep. However, she stopped me, saying, "I've got something to discuss with you."

I paused. She last said that to me a month ago, when she told me she wanted to give Harvey a baby. We'd been arguing over that since then.

Well, she was already pregnant now, so what else could she possibly have to discuss with me this time?