The One Thing I Never Expected

My husband, Lawrence Ashford, loved me—or so I thought. For ten years, he chose a childfree marriage to protect my health.

However, he confessed that he had another family outside our marriage on his birthday. He even told me that he had a child with his mistress.

We had been married for ten years. Yet, six of them were filled with deception and lies.

I broke free from the shackles of my failed marriage and chose to start anew.

On my journey, I found true love once more, only for my ex-husband to say he regretted everything.

The Birthday He Chose Another Life

I was born with a natural scent, and had a birthmark shaped like a camelia on my shoulder.

My husband, Lawrence Ashford, was obsessed with it. He would rain kisses on it every single day.

We had fallen into each other's embrace over and over during our 10 years of marriage. We've had fun in the kitchen, on the couch, in the car, and even in the public restroom.

He never forgot a single anniversary. In fact, he had even given up the chance to study abroad just to stay with me.

Yet, he stood before me neatly dressed on his birthday and said calmly, "I won't be spending my birthday at home this year."

Before I could speak, he took a family photo out of his pocket.

The woman in it looked gentle and composed. The little boy was sweet and well-behaved.

Lawrence held the picture with a gentle smile on his face. It was a picture of domestic happiness. "This is my other family," he said evenly. "I want to spend my birthday with them this year."

I shook at his confession. I looked at him with bloodshot eyes. "We've been married for ten years, and now you're telling me you have another family?"

The indifference on his face told me everything. He no longer wanted our marriage.

My voice came out hoarse. "Lawrence, let's get a divorce."

He frowned, genuinely puzzled. "Aren't we fine like this? Why do we need a divorce?"

The man who once treated me as his entire world now looked at me with casual disregard.

He was behaving as if cheating on me were the most ordinary thing in the world.

I could no longer stand his disrespect. So, I snatched the photo from his hand and tore it into shreds.

"Lawrence, you kept another woman behind my back and even had a child with her. Yet, here you are, asking me why I want a divorce? You were the one who insisted on being childfree. You kept refusing, no matter how much I begged for a child. So tell me. Why?"

He stood there, watching me spiral.

After a long pause, he sighed as if exhausted. "That's enough, Sylvia. Stop making a scene. You're not young anymore. It's inappropriate for you to behave like a jealous teen and throw tantrums. If you don't like those photos, I won't show them to you again."

His casual tone made me seem like I was a hysterical lunatic.

It was as if I were a court jester and he was watching me lose my mind with aloof detachment.

I finally snapped and hurled everything within reach at him.

He crossed his arms and stood there. He didn't even bother to dodge, acting as if it was beneath him to react to my anger.

It wasn't until I grabbed a souvenir we had bought together on one of our trips that his expression finally shifted.

That was the thing I cherished most. Yet, I threw it straight into the trash without hesitation.

My tears blurred my vision. Eventually, my strength gave out as I collapsed toward the floor.

The pain I expected never came as I fell into the embrace of the man who once meant everything to me.

I struggled to leave his hold. During my struggle, my foot accidentally knocked over a vase. Shards sliced a line of blood across my calf.

Lawrence gently placed me on the couch and rushed to get the first-aid kit.

His own eyes reddened when he saw me wince in pain as tears rolled down my cheeks.

Alas, I had no strength left to speak. My heart felt so shattered that the despair I was feeling threatened to crush it into pulp.

I allowed him to carefully tend to my wound.

I had always been bad with pain. So, even the slightest ache felt like someone had stabbed me.

That was why Lawrence had always been gentle with me when we first fell in love. He would protect me and do everything he could to keep me from getting hurt.

Whenever I needed to be treated, he would cry before I could.

I opened my eyes and met his gaze. His eyes were filled with concern. Honestly, he looked exactly the same as before.

But how did this happen?

Lawrence knelt on one knee and kissed the tears from the corner of my eye.

Then, he murmured, "Sylvia, you can act out if you want, but don't hurt yourself, okay? It breaks my heart to see you in pain."