Welcome Party for My Wife's First Love

Louisa's first love, Simon, had returned to the country, and our old classmates organized a welcome dinner for him. He had once left due to financial issues, but now, during the gathering, he asked Louisa publicly, "Am I now qualified to stand by your side?" Louisa fell silent. Everyone thought he was joking, but then she firmly said, "You’ve always been my only choice."

In the sudden hush that followed, I was the first to raise my glass and toast them. Simon's gaze toward Louisa was filled with a love that had been pent up for five years. They were once the couple everyone in school envied. However, five years after they had gone separate ways, Louisa and I now had a cute son, Eddie.

Our old classmates assumed Simon's question was a joke, but after a pause, Louisa reiterated, "You’ve always been my only choice." The lively atmosphere turned awkward. Some of the gossiping girls looked at me with teasing eyes, but I acted unfazed, calmly raising my glass.

"Then let me be the first to wish you both a long and happy life together," I said. A few friends who knew me well patted my shoulder with concern.

"What's going on? Haven't you loved Louisa for ten years? Are you out of your mind?"

"Your son is a big boy now! Are you drunk? We haven't even started drinking yet!"

I smiled and waved it off. "I'm serious. I'm tired. We've already divorced."

Louisa's face fell, and she gave me an accusing look.

"I was just joking. Everyone knows I didn’t mean it. Are you crazy?" she said.

A bitter taste filled my mouth when I heard her righteous tone.

It was indeed hard to forget a love that had lasted for ten years. Even having a child hadn't softened her heart toward me. If I hadn't accidentally discovered her secret, I might still be in the dark.

Two weeks ago, our son Eddie had a high fever and was hospitalized. I stayed up all night caring for him. When I went home in the early morning to get a change of clothes for him, I found Louisa asleep on the couch. I meant to carry her to bed, but when I tried to lock her phone, I saw a chat between her and someone she called her "advisor."

"The man I loved for eight years has come back home. How can I divorce my current husband and leave him with nothing?"

That sentence shattered me. I stood there, stunned. Ten years of love had turned into a joke. They were together for only three years, which meant that during our five-year marriage, Louisa had been thinking about her first love, Simon. She had asked that advisor numerous questions, mostly about how to win Simon back after they were separated due to family circumstances. My hands shook as I scrolled through the chat, tears slipping down my face and dripping off my stubble. At that moment, I looked at her sleeping face, unable to recognize her.

I quietly took Eddie's clothes and left. While driving, my mind replayed the chat messages. I almost ran red lights several times; luckily, the roads were mostly empty. I slapped myself to let the pain clear my head. My son was waiting for me. But as soon as I hit the gas, I received a call from the hospital. Eddie's high fever had led to pneumonia, and he had been rushed into surgery. I gritted my teeth and said, "I see... I'll be there right away."

After hanging up, I shook my head to push those thoughts aside. When I arrived at the hospital, Eddie was still in surgery. The anxiety nearly overwhelmed me. My marriage was failing, but I couldn't lose my son. As the sun rose, the doctor finally emerged from the operating room, looking exhausted.

"The surgery was successful, but someone needs to stay with the child at all times. What kind of parent are you?"

I lowered my head, unable to argue. "I'm sorry. I went home to get some clothes for him. It won't happen again. Thank you."

The doctor snorted and walked past me. "I don't know what the mother is doing..."

In the hospital room, Eddie looked even paler than before. I wanted to get him breakfast but hesitated to leave him alone. After some thought, I called Louisa. The phone rang once before she answered.

"What now? Didn't I tell you I would be busy today? There's a company matter I need to attend to. Don't call me. Text me if you need something. I'm heading out."

The call ended, and I stood there, phone still in hand. When I returned home earlier that morning, the clothes scattered on the couch meant she had been carefully choosing her outfit. Today was the day Simon returned. I paced around the hospital, eventually paying a hefty fee to hire a caretaker to get some breakfast for me. By the time breakfast arrived, Eddie was just waking up.

"Where's Mommy?" he asked.

I paused, the spoon of oatmeal halfway to his lips. A bitter smile briefly crossed my face. "Mommy’s busy today." Eddie had tears in his eyes, and he whispered, "Daddy, I want Mommy..."

I coaxed him into having some oatmeal, but I couldn't bring myself to call Louisa again. Eddie’s eyes were full of confusion and tears. I finally took a deep breath and dialed her number. The phone was picked up quickly, but Louisa’s voice was impatient.

"What's your problem? Didn't I say I was busy? Are you incapable of functioning without me? I have a client here; I'm hanging up!" Before Eddie could call out "Mommy," she hung up. His teary eyes were filled with confusion. Just before the call ended, I heard an airport announcement in the background. The woman I had loved for ten years no longer had the patience to talk to me.

Bitterness spread, and jealousy and frustration grew uncontrollably. I spent an hour calming Eddie down enough to rest. But then, I saw Simon's post on social media. It was the reflection on a floor-to-ceiling window: in a hotel room, a man and a woman were embracing. The pair of high heels beside the bed was the birthday gift I had given her.

I clenched my phone so tightly that my knuckles hurt from the pressure. I stepped out of the hospital room, took a deep breath, and dialed her number again. As the phone rang, I kept telling myself, "This is the last time. I'll humiliate myself just one more time. I only want my family to remain intact, and my child has a loving mother."