He chose her over me_ now he wants me back

CHAPTER THREE

"I promise to be back. It's just something urgent I need to fix," I said quickly over the phone before hanging up.

Robert came in just as I dropped it. His eyes moved from the phone to my face, studying me. For a second, I thought he might ask who I was talking to, but then he looked away like he had decided not to care.

"Jasmine needs me, but I’ll be back before noon," he said, giving me one last look before walking out.

I would rather count individual grains of rice than count the lies Robert had told me in the past six years.

Robert never came to the hospital for the rest of the week.

A nurse walked in to run a check-up on me, and for some reason, she started grinning so widely it felt like she was mocking me.

"Mr. Robert looks so good with Miss Jasmine. They are so lovely. Everyone on the internet can’t even get over them. Just take a look," she said, holding her phone close to my face.

It was a video of Jasmine and Robert on a yacht, all loved up. He was rubbing her stomach, kissing her, touching her like I had never existed. The caption underneath read, "A soft life for my queen and our little miracle."

“Everyone in the comments is just all over them,” the nurse added, still grinning like it was the best news ever.

My stomach twisted, but I managed to say nothing.

***

I got discharged and was ready to leave. As I walked past the gynecology department, laughter echoed from the hallway. I paused. It sounded like Jasmine’s voice. And it was. The same set of nurses surrounded her again.

"Mr. Robert is madly in love with you. He hardly leaves your side. I really wish for a marriage like this," one of them said with a giggle.

Robert stood next to Jasmine, looking at her with eyes full of softness.

I brushed my hand over my stomach, remembering the last time I had been pregnant. I had gone to tell my dear husband, only to walk into his study and find Jasmine on her knees in front of him.

"I'm so sorry, Mrs. Mia, I just…" she had stammered, tears streaming down her face.

"How dare you not knock before entering my study? Can't you see you're upsetting Jasmine? Close the door and get out," Robert had shouted at me without hesitation.

He cuddled Jasmine, lifting her up as she cooed around him like a child. My stomach twisted as I rushed out of the room, clutching the pregnancy test. But then, I felt it—warm blood trailing down my legs. I lost the baby that same day. He never got to know.

“Mia? What are you still doing here?”

Robert called out.

“Nothing, I’m just…” I started to say.

“She looks so weak like she might die,”

Jasmine said, clinging to Robert.

“You don’t need to worry about her. I’m sure she’s fine,”

Robert replied, his eyes scanning me briefly.

“I think we should just take her home with us. She donated some parts of her liver for me. The least we can do is give her something to eat so she doesn’t pass out from weakness.”

“You’re so lovely, Jasmine, and thoughtful,”

he said, planting a kiss on her forehead.

“Why are you still standing there? Get into the car and don’t waste Jasmine’s time,”

he snapped.

I didn’t want to go with him, but I had a few original documents like my medical records and some personal identification papers that I needed to pick up before leaving. So I followed them into the car.

I went into Robert's library. I needed to hurry out because Robert hated seeing me in his library and had warned me never to enter it again. But I had to take the documents. I rushed over, checking the boxes, and found the papers, including our marriage certificate and some medical files. I also wanted to pick up my wristwatch, but instead, my hand brushed over some used condoms on the table.

Robert hated having anyone in his library, yet now he did this here?

“Oh, help me throw that away. I forgot to,” Jasmine said from the door.