Love Wanders Between First Love and Current Love

November 23rd was the day his precious Fern Robbins returned from England after her divorce. I couldn’t help but scoff as I unlocked Kris’s phone, immediately seeing their message history. Fern’s words dripped with sweetness, her constant calling on my husband was getting on my nerves.

[Fern: Kris, thank you so much for today. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you. If only you were Toni’s dad.]

[Kris: If you don’t mind, let Toni call me Dad. I actually quite like it.] Topped with smiley face, 

My heart sank, my whole body going numb. It felt like all the blood in my veins froze solid. Just then, a notification popped up—another message from Fern. It was a voice message, just two seconds long. I hit play.

A young boy’s voice chirped, “Thank you, Daddy Kris.”

I couldn’t help but laugh, though it was the kind that laced with bitterness. Here I was, carrying Kris’s child and he was off playing father to another woman’s son. I could still remember his promises from our wedding night, the vows to love me forever, to be loyal—to cherish only me. It had barely been three years and those promises had rusted over.

Kris stepped out of the shower, catching sight of me with his phone. His face contorted with rage and he shoved me hard enough that I crashed to the floor. Pain shot through my belly and I had to grit my teeth against it.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing? Ever heard of privacy?”

I stumbled and hit the floor, feeling a sharp pain in my stomach. I gritted my teeth against the pain.

“Privacy? What about boundaries?” I spat, struggling to get back up. “You’re letting Fern’s kid call you ‘Dad.’ What does that make our baby?”

“Oh, come on! It’s just a godfather thing. Why do you have to make everything a big deal?” he said coldly. He didn’t even bother to help me up, staring down at me with annoyance, his brows furrowed. “It’s not like I’m leaving you to marry Fern. Isn’t that enough for you?”

His words stung. My thoughts flashed back to three years ago when he proposed. He had looked at me with eyes full of warmth back then, his words sweet enough to make bees swarm. But now? Now he couldn’t even look at me without disdain, as if I was something he wished he could scrape off his shoe.

Just as I was about to respond, his phone rang. I glanced at the screen—he had saved Fern’s contact under a ridiculously affectionate nickname: Fernie. He picked up immediately, completely unbothered by my presence.

“Hey, Kris,” Fern's voice purred from the other end, “Sorry to bother you again, but Toni’s been fussy all night. He says he misses his Daddy Kris and wants you to come and read him a bedtime story.”

Kris’s face lit up like a kid on Christmas morning. He didn’t hesitate for a second.

“Aww, isn’t he a cute boy? Well, I can’t let him down, can I? Alright, I’ll be right there. Wait for me, Toni. Daddy’s on the way!”

“Kris!” I called out, my voice trembling as he headed for the door, practically begging. “Please don’t go. Stay here with me. I sprained my ankle when you pushed me.”

It was true—my ankle throbbed with every slight movement, the pain shooting up my leg like needles. But Kris just looked at me, eyes full of disdain.

“Seriously? I barely pushed you, Elodie. Stop being so dramatic.”

He shrugged on a fresh jacket, even taking the time to fix his hair in the mirror and then turned to leave. I could feel my anger boiling over.

“Kris, if you walk out that door tonight, we’re getting a divorce.”