A Love Divided

My eyes were wet as they opened. The pain in my body made me remember what happened. Yes, I had miscarried.

My heart ached even more when I heard my husband, Matthew Christopher, talking to the doctor at the other end of the room.

“Remove the uterus! Make sure that Kate won't be able to get pregnant again!”

I bit the corner of my lip. I glanced at Matt and the doctor who still had their backs to me. Next to them, there was a woman who was holding Matt's hand so intimately.

“Give Hannah the best. I don't want her pregnancy to be interrupted or have any problems. I want that child to be the heir to the Christopher family,” Matt said as he stroked Hannah's stomach. Yeah, who I knew very well was a brand ambassador for Matt's company.

I started crying when they came out. My heart was breaking like a wave. After five years of living together and our desperate attempts to have a baby, Matt had betrayed me. Even so, I wouldn't let my pride be trampled on by the two of them. So I decided to leave Matt and let them live in sin.

***

I cried silently. How could Matt be so heartless? The five years we had spent together, his excitement about having a child—all of it—felt like it had meant nothing.

Flashes of memories came rushing back: Matt rubbing my belly before bed, comforting me through my tears whenever I saw a negative result on the test pack, and showing his love through words and actions. All of it made his current behavior feel unbelievable.

My mind was still swirling with questions when a nurse came into the room carrying a tray of food.

“Lunchtime, Ma'am.” She approached me and was about to feed me, but I shook my head in refusal.

“Where's my husband?” I finally asked. I realized Matt hadn't come home last night. I had tried calling him a dozen times, but he never picked up. Eventually, I asked the maid to take me to the hospital.

“In the doctor's room. Your husband has been talking a lot about your condition,” she said.

I turned away, especially when the nurse mentioned that Matt had been crying his eyes out because he couldn't be there with me. He was so sorry and kept blaming himself.

The nurse also said Matt hadn’t slept since he arrived. He stayed by my side, keeping a close eye on me and fussing over the nurses. Nothing could be overlooked during my treatment. Matt always wanted the best for my health.

“You're very lucky, Ma'am. Mr. Matt is so protective. His love for you is pure and sincere. I saw him crying non-stop until the doctor came to check on you an hour ago.”

My silence was enough for her to stop talking. She excused herself, leaving me alone, and I felt like screaming in anger.

Why was Matt so cruel? The sincerity of his love for me had always felt real. Yet, when he had the heart to tell the doctor to remove my uterus, why did he still pretend to love me?

“Babe, are you awake?”

Matt suddenly walked in before I could wipe away my tears. His soft voice no longer stirred my heart but filled me with disgust instead.

I didn’t react as he approached. I couldn’t even bring myself to look at his face. Matt gazed at me with a semblance of compassion, wiping away my tears as he pulled me into an embrace.

"It’s okay. You can’t let sadness consume you—it will only hurt you more. You have to believe that a miracle will come," he said gently.

I wanted to fight back, but my body felt like it was collapsing in on itself. I didn’t have the strength to speak; the pain I felt had multiplied beyond comprehension.

“You need to eat, Babe,” Matt urged, forcing me to take a few bites. I ate reluctantly, and when he handed me my medication, I refused, pushing his hand away.

“You have to take your medicine if you want to get better. Don’t you want to recover quickly and have a child? Please, don’t be stubborn!” His voice rose slightly, betraying his frustration. I knew Matt must be upset with me.

Even so, I wasn’t afraid. I wasn’t sure if the medicine would truly heal me. Deep down, I suspected Matt might already be plotting something to break me even further.

“I don’t want to!” I refused weakly, my voice trembling.

“Kate, please—”

“Where were you all night? I called you dozens of times, but you didn’t pick up. What kind of job makes you work all night?” Although I was furious, my voice didn’t rise. I had completely lost my strength. All I could do was cry.

“I’m sorry, Babe. Work keeps getting in the way. And last night, I still had a few things to take care of,” Matt admitted while gently stroking my cheek.

I didn’t believe him, not really. Maybe he was busy spending time with Hannah and their soon-to-be baby.

“Come on, Babe!” Matt coaxed, gripping both of my hands. His touch made my body recoil, and I fought back as hard as I could.

“No!” I shouted, though my voice cracked. Overwhelmed, I broke down, my sobs pouring out uncontrollably. Maybe crying hard would dull the ache in my chest, even just a little.

But as my tears fell, a wave of darkness suddenly swept over me. Everything went silent. Everything disappeared.

(To be continued)