My wife's first love, Hunter McAllister, posted a colored ultrasound picture on Instagram, announcing, [My favorite woman and I are about to welcome our little miracle!]

I couldn't help myself. I hit the like button without thinking and commented, [Congrats to you both.]

Just a second later, my phone buzzed. The caller ID displayed Margot. As soon as I slid my finger to the Accept button, her voice, sharp and loud, made me wince. "I'm just having a baby for him! Dammit, Gavin, can you not make a big deal out of this?!"

Hearing those words come out of my wife's mouth hit me harder than any slap. Dammit, I was his husband! How could I not make a big deal out of this?

I hung up, feeling the weight of a quiet surrender to the inevitable. I could feel the beat of my heart echoing the finality of my thought—it was time for a divorce.

——

I felt hollow, staring blankly at that pregnancy announcement. Suddenly, memories swirled in my mind like a chaotic storm.

I had always wanted kids. I'd picture it sometimes—me coming home from work, and a little girl or a boy running up to me, arms wide open, calling me Daddy. I imagined teaching a son how to ride a bike or watching a daughter perform in her first school play. I wanted our house to be filled with laughter, with the sound of tiny feet running down the hallway, and toys scattered all over the living room floor. I'd even catch myself, staring at families in the park, watching dads lift their kids onto their shoulders or chase them around. I'd imagine myself in their place, hearing my own child's giggles and feeling those little hands clinging to me. I wanted that so badly—to be that dad.

I'd try to bring it up to Margot and suggest we start trying for a baby. But every time I mentioned it, she would shut me down. I'd beg her to make love to me, thinking maybe if I just showed her how much I wanted this, she'd come around. But she always brushed me off. She'd say she wasn't in the mood, or that the timing wasn't right. Then she started making jokes about how kids were too much work, that they were noisy, a hassle like it was something you could just throw away when it got inconvenient.

I thought it was something we'd do together, that having a child would make us feel more connected. But every time I looked at Margot, there was this wall between us. No matter how much I wanted it, it felt like she was slipping further away from the future I dreamed of.

It wasn't just about wanting to be a father—it was about wanting to share that with Margot. But now, I saw it for what it truly was—it's not that she didn't want a baby. It's just that she didn't want one with me.

But lately, something had shifted. I started noticing Margot obsessing over baby prep—things she'd never cared about before. She was up late almost every night, scrolling through articles about pregnancy, what to expect, and even making lists of baby essentials. I'd catch glimpses of her screen—cribs, diapers, baby monitors. At first, I thought, 'Finally, she's coming around.' My heart raced at the thought that maybe, just maybe, she wanted this as much as I did. That we were about to take the next step toward the life I'd always dreamed of.

But then, the reality began to set in. The more I watched, the more I realized those plans weren't for us. She wasn't preparing for our family. She was making plans for someone else's future. The baby stuff—none of it was for me, for us, for the life I'd spent years hoping to build together. It became painfully clear. The late nights, the research—it wasn't about a change of heart. It was about something I wasn't part of.

But tonight, she got home early, which was rare. Normally, I'd hear her come in around midnight, sometimes later, after some work thing or a night out with friends. But today, it was barely 8 PM when I heard the door open. "Hey, babe!" she called out, her voice light and cheerful. But I was sprawled on the bed, staring at the ceiling, uninterested. I could feel all my frustration boiling underneath, threatening to spill over.

I heard the shower running in the next room, the familiar sound oddly comforting despite the tension sitting heavy in the air. When she finally came into the bedroom, she didn't say much. She just turned off the lights and slipped under the covers next to me. For the first time in what felt like forever, she reached for me—her hand brushing my arm, her body curling against mine.

I wanted to feel something other than this dull ache in my chest. I wanted to wrap my arms around her and feel that connection again. But instead, all I could feel was a mix of longing and bitterness. Longing for the life I thought we were building together. Bitterness because I knew, deep down, that her heart wasn't in this the way mine was. Her touch used to ignite something in me, but tonight, it felt different—like we were just two people sharing a bed, not a future.

Then, she nestled her head against my shoulder, her voice suddenly soft, almost sweet. "Honey, Hunter really loves kids, but he doesn't want to have a baby with someone he doesn't love. I promise, once I have this baby, I'll cut him off completely."

I froze. My heart pounded in my chest, and for a moment, I couldn't believe what I'd just heard. Hunter. The baby. It was all laid out so casually, like we were talking about a shopping list, not our future—or whatever was left of it. I didn't have the words, so I stayed silent. Instead, I gently pushed her hand off me, slowly shifting my body to the edge of the bed, away from her. The rejection between us was thick and undeniable. I couldn't pretend anymore, not after that.

She must've felt the shift because she snapped. "I'm trying to be nice here! Don't forget, you said you didn't care about my past, that you just wanted to be with me!" Her voice rose, sharp and defensive as if somehow I was the one at fault.

"Can you stop acting jealous? I could've kept this from you, but I chose to be honest out of respect," she continued, her tone growing harsher with every word. "You're really disappointing me right now."

She unleashed a barrage of complaints—how I wasn't supportive enough, how I never appreciated her honesty, how I was making things harder than they needed to be. Then, she threw out her final blow, an ultimatum dressed up as a solution. "Think about how I've treated you lately. If you want kids, I can still have one for you later. I'll sleep on the couch tonight."

And with that, she stormed off, leaving the room in a huff. I just lay there, staring at the ceiling, unable to move. A bitter laugh escaped my throat. It was dark and hollow, the sound of someone who realized the joke had been on him all along. In her eyes, apologizing to me was some grand favor, something I should be grateful for. If I didn't accept it, I was the unreasonable, jealous husband, the one ruining everything.

As I lay there, I realized something: her attitude, her entitlement, the way she twisted everything back on me—it was a reflection of how blindly devoted I had been, how much I had let myself be trampled in the name of love. I'd given her everything, and in return, she gave me this—an empty promise, a future I wasn't even part of. I had spent years imagining a life with her, kids, and a home filled with joy. But now, all I could see was the wreckage of my own choices.

I guess I brought this on myself. It was a harsh wake-up call, standing in the ruins of my own life, realizing that everything I thought I wanted had turned into a nightmare.

The next morning, Margot was already gone. She'd been leaving early and coming home late for days, and I knew exactly where she was. Wendy James, her assistant, had called several times asking for her.

"Margot hasn't been in the office at all," Wendy complained casually, but it hit me like a punch to the gut. The pieces fell into place, and I knew Margot was with Hunter. My stomach churned, a twisted knot of anger and despair tightening with every thought of them together.

I tried to push the emotions aside as I booked my appointment for the day. I took a cab to the hospital for my kidney stone surgery. The surgery was quick, just ten minutes. When it was done, I felt strangely numb, not just from the anesthesia, but from the weight of what I had finally done. They wheeled me out, my mind still dazed, and I found myself staring blankly at the world outside.

As I was settling the bill, I saw them. Margot, with Hunter by her side, her arm looped through his as they casually walked down the hospital corridor. She caught sight of me and frowned, her expression quickly hardening into a glare. "Are you following me?" she snapped.

I didn't answer. I didn't have the energy to. Instead, I turned my attention to Hunter, who was doing his best to avoid looking at me. He chuckled awkwardly, tugging playfully on Margot's ear as if to deflect the tension. "What do you mean? Gavin wouldn't follow us; we're open about this, right?"

His words were smooth, practiced even, and at that moment, I could see the game he was playing—always spinning things around, making it seem like I was the unreasonable one. I forced a smile, though it felt more like a grimace. "Right, you two are just here for a check-up. Why would I follow you?!"

Margot's face twisted in fury. She stepped closer and shoved me, hard. "What's that supposed to mean? Hunter and I are just friends!" Her voice rose, defensive and sharp as if that lie could somehow make everything okay.

I was still weak from the surgery, my body fragile, and when she pushed me, I stumbled backward, falling hard against the cold hospital wall. Pain shot through my lower back, radiating from the fresh wound. I let out a soft groan, unable to hide the hurt, both physical and emotional, that was tearing through me. Every small movement was a painful reminder of what I had just done to myself, and how far I had fallen in this marriage.

Hunter crouched down beside me, pretending to be concerned. "Margot shouldn't treat you like that," he mumbled, but I saw the smirk playing at the corners of his lips. His words dripped with false sympathy, the kind that made my skin crawl.

I pushed him away, using whatever strength I had left to stand. But before I could fully regain my balance, Hunter dramatically plopped down on the floor beside me, clutching his side. "Ouch, man! That really hurt!" he whined, playing the victim.

Immediately, Margot rushed to him, her concern evident as she knelt beside him. She barely glanced at me as she fussed over him, her voice rising in panic. "Hunter! Are you okay?" She then turned to me, eyes blazing with anger, practically shouting, "If anything happens to him, I swear, Gavin, I won't let you off the hook!"

I stood there, my legs shaky, sweat trickling down my forehead as the pain from my surgery tightened in my chest. But nothing hurt more than watching my wife walk away with another man, her arm around him, protecting him, caring for him—while leaving me there alone like a stranger.

As I leaned against the wall, trying to catch my breath, I couldn't help but feel a bitter sense of relief. At least Margot and I didn't have kids. If she couldn't love her husband—if she couldn't even show basic decency to the man she'd vowed to spend her life with—how could she ever love a child? That dream seemed like a cruel joke. A life we were never meant to have.

Back home, I collapsed onto the couch, the pain in my body a dull throb compared to the turmoil swirling in my mind. I pulled out my phone, ready to vent my frustrations in a long post, hoping to get it off my chest. But as soon as I opened Instagram, Hunter's latest post popped up at the top of my feed, mocking me.

It was a picture of Margot from behind, her silhouette unmistakable. The caption read, [Oh, I'm the luckiest man to have this loving woman in my life!]

My heart sank. The comments flooded in, each one like a fresh dagger to my chest.

Veronica Steele: [LOL. That back looks a lot like Margot's!]

Tiffany Parker: [Are you two up to something?]

Scarlett Frost: [Oh, I get it! So the baby's yours. Congratulations!]

The casual cruelty of that comment made my blood boil.

Before I could process it all, I saw Margot's hasty, defensive reply.

Margot Monroe: [Oh, shut up! Stop with your nonsense, will you? I'm just helping him out! Are you trying to get me and Gavin to divorce? Jeez.]

Her friends quickly responded in agreement to shut up.

But her best friend, always quick with her jabs, fired back without missing a beat.

Ivy West: [What are you scared of? A petty man isn't worth it. Just divorce him! You've been with Hunter for years, Margot. Everyone knows you can't let go. Why not follow your heart?]

She had been friends with my wife since childhood, and she had never liked me. She had made it clear from the very beginning that I wasn't good enough for Margot, constantly comparing me to Hunter. He was the better option in her eyes—charming, manly, everything I supposedly wasn't. Over the years, I'd learned to bite my tongue, to stay quiet for Margot's sake, to endure the constant jabs from Ivy because Margot had insisted we all get along.

But now, with our marriage crumbling, I realized I didn't need to worry about anyone's opinions anymore. Least of all Ivy's.

So I replied to the thread: [Don't worry about Margot anymore. We're getting divorced soon.]

It felt strangely liberating as if I had finally said the thing that had been choking me for months. I stared at the screen, waiting for the inevitable flood of responses. But deep down, I didn't care what they had to say. The reality of my marriage was out in the open, and for once, I didn't have to pretend that everything was fine.

After hitting send, I stared at the screen, the words glaring back at me. [We're getting divorced soon.] My heart was pounding, my hands trembling slightly. But instead of feeling the crushing weight of doubt or regret, I felt… lighter. Like I had shed a burden I'd been carrying for far too long.

I wasn't done yet.

I opened my photo gallery, scrolling through memories that no longer felt like mine. My eyes landed on two pictures: one of our marriage certificate, the day we thought we had forever ahead of us, and the other of Margot's sonogram—the moment I'd thought my dreams were finally coming true. Both photos were once filled with hope for a life I had so desperately wanted.

Without hesitation, I selected them both, uploaded them to my Instagram, and stared at the screen for a moment, thinking of what to caption.

Then I typed two simple words: [Finally free.]

As soon as I hit the Post button, the notifications blew up. Likes, comments, messages—my phone wouldn't stop buzzing. But there wasn't a single word from Margot's friends. They knew better than to engage publicly; they were probably in some group chat, strategizing, hyping her up, making me the villain of their story.

I ignored it all. I wasn't playing that game anymore.

Then came the calls—one after another. My parents. Her parents. Even her. I didn't pick up. I wasn't in the mood for lectures or excuses. Instead, I sent a quick text to my folks: [I'll be home tonight. We'll talk then.]

I grabbed a suitcase, throwing in clothes, whatever I could find, just wanting to get out. My mind raced as I packed—how had I let it get this bad? I should've left long ago, but I kept holding on to a version of her that didn't exist.

Just as I was about to leave, I heard tires screeching into the driveway, followed by the slam of a car door. Her footsteps pounded up the walkway. I froze for a second, steeling myself for what was coming.

"Gavin!" she shouted, voice sharp and angry as she burst through the door. "What the hell's wrong with you?! Posting all that online? You want me to look like a fool? What are our parents supposed to think?!" Her voice cracked, frustration bleeding into every word.

I zipped up my suitcase, not even looking at her. I had nothing left to say.

I walked past her, heading straight for the gate. But she grabbed my arm, yanking me back. "What do you want, huh?!" she screamed, her face contorting in anger. "I told you, once I have this baby, it's over with him! I'm doing this for you!"

The last two words rang in my ears, and I couldn't take it anymore—I slapped her.

The sound hung in the air, shocking both of us. She stumbled back, eyes wide in disbelief. I didn't care. I was shaking with anger, my words spilling out in a rush.

"Stop giving me that 'for me' bullshit, Margot!" My voice cracked, and years of pent-up frustration poured out. I took a deep breath before spitting out, "Ivy was right. You should follow your heart. Why stick with me when you can have your first love? Come on, just go on with your unfinished business!"

I could barely contain the bitterness in my tone. "I've already sent you the divorce papers. Sign them."

I pulled my arm free from her grip, opened the door, and left without another word. Her voice followed me down the driveway, screaming, "You're gonna regret this!"

Regret? No. The only regret I had was not leaving sooner. She had dragged me through years of humiliation, and I let her. But not anymore. Walking away from her was the best decision I'd ever made.

When I arrived at my parents' villa, Mom was waiting at the door. Her eyes were swollen from crying, but she pulled me into a tight hug, sobbing into my shoulder. "I told you... I knew she wasn't right for you."

Dad stood behind her, always the quiet type, giving me a nod. "Divorcing her is the right move, son," he said simply.

They had never liked Margot. They always said she didn't love me. But back then, I couldn't hear any of it. I had chased her for seven years, and when she finally agreed to be with me, I was convinced I could make her fall in love.

But I couldn't. Now, here I was, standing on the edge of divorce. I'd spent a decade chasing after something that was never real.

You can't force love, and I learned that the hard way.

Days passed, and she still hadn't signed the papers. I had to threaten her with a lawsuit before she finally texted me.

"I'll pick you up tomorrow, okay? I'll get Ivy and the others to apologize. Just stop making this a big deal. I'm exhausted. Between Hunter and you, I don't know what to do anymore. I'm sorry, alright? But I'm pregnant, Gavin. I can't deal with this stress right now—I don't want to lose the baby."

It was classic Margot. She acted like she didn't know who to choose, but deep down, we both knew. It was always him. Every. Single. Time.

In fact, on our wedding day, she left me to console him after a fight with his wife. On our anniversary, she ditched me to celebrate his birthday. Even on my birthday, she ran off to toast his promotion. Every moment that should've been ours was his. Every holiday, she bought gifts in pairs—one for me and one for him—like this ridiculous balancing act she was trying to pull.

But her love for him always weighed

I had complained countless times, the words almost mechanical, like a script, I could recite in my sleep. It didn't matter how serious I was, how much I begged Margot to stop prioritizing Hunter. But she'd always meet me with the same blank stare, the same careless wave of her hand.

"You're being petty again. Stop acting so jealous." She'd say it like my emotions were a nuisance she had to endure like my feelings were this trivial detail she couldn't be bothered to acknowledge. Every time, I'd feel smaller. Every time, I'd get quieter, retreating into myself.

But even now, I couldn't shake the irony—the fact that out of everything we shared, the happiest moment was the day I proposed. That memory felt so distant, almost like it had happened to another couple, not us.

We had taken a trip to Everridge, 4,000 meters up in the mountains. The air was so thin that every breath felt like it was filling me with hope. The sky—God, the sky—was like a vast canvas, deep and endless, covered in stars that seemed so close you could just reach up and grab one.

That night, I had it all planned out. I led her to this secluded spot away from the city lights, where the mountains loomed large, and the world felt impossibly big. She was wrapped in a thick scarf, her cheeks pink from the cold, her eyes wide as she looked at the stars.

I dropped to one knee, pulling out the ring I'd saved for. Her breath caught, and for a split second, she looked at me like I was the only person in her world. She wasn't thinking about Hunter. She wasn't thinking about anyone but me. "Will you m-marry me?" I asked, my voice shaky, full of anticipation and hope.

Her eyes glistened, and she nodded before whispering yes. That yes echoed in my mind, over and over again, like a promise. She had looked so genuine at that moment like she truly believed in our future. I had never felt more certain about anything in my life. I slipped the ring on her finger, and she kissed me under that sky, and for a brief moment, everything was perfect. It was the kind of moment you think about for years, the kind you expect to hold onto when times get tough.

But that memory—our memory—had started to feel like a lie. Every time she left me for him, every time she made me feel small, it chipped away at the person I thought I'd married.

Now, standing here, my phone buzzing incessantly in my hand, that perfect night felt like a cruel joke. She'd sent her last text, the one where she played victim, blaming her pregnancy for her indecisiveness. When I didn't reply, the phone lit up with her name, the ringing loud and sharp in the silent room.

I stared at it, the name Margot flashing across the screen, my thumb hovering over the reject button.

I could hear her voice in my head, rising with every unanswered ring. Her anger, her frustration, the blame she'd heap on me for daring to step away. I imagined her pacing in some room, phone clutched in her hand, screaming about how I was overreacting, about how I was blowing this all.

My fingers curled around the phone, the ringing cutting through the silence like a blade until I picked it up.

"Gavin," Margot's voice slid through the phone, calm and unbothered, as if the whirlwind of comments and calls from earlier in the week hadn't happened. "I've got a restaurant booked. Everyone's gonna apologize to you. Let's just move on, okay?"

I took a deep breath, my mind racing. "Is Hunter gonna be there?"

There was a pause like she was calculating her words, before she replied, "Yeah."

"Cool. Pick me up tomorrow," I said. If they wanted to apologize, then it shouldn't just be about me. Everyone needed to own up to their parts in this mess.

The next day, I heard a knock on the door. Margot was waiting while Hunter was already sitting in the front seat. He turned around with that sheepish grin of his. "Hey, sorry, dude. I get carsick, so I had to sit up front."

I forced a smile that felt more like a grimace. "No biggie."

The old me would've been fuming—picturing the two of them laughing it up on the drive while I sat in the back, seething. But now? I couldn't care less. They could do whatever they wanted.

It was almost comical how Hunter only seemed to get carsick when Margot was behind the wheel. Any other driver, and his 'problem' vanished like magic. But whatever. I wasn't here to pick fights over a seat.

By the time we arrived at the restaurant, Margot's friends were already seated, all pretending to wait for us. Their faces were a mix of feigned innocence and guilty anticipation. As we entered, I could sense the collective tension in the air, a thick fog of unspoken words and half-hearted apologies.

Ivy was the first to break the ice, her smile too wide and practiced as she gestured for me to join her at the table. "Come on, Gavin, sit here. I owe you a proper apology."

Her tone didn't match her smile; it felt more like a dare.

Once we settled in, Ivy filled my glass with wine, raising hers in an awkward toast. She tipped her head back, downing her drink like it was water, then turned to me with a smirk. "Look, Gavin, I'm a pretty straightforward person, so I'll just be real with you. Yeah, I think you're kind of beneath my best friend. But hey, it's her choice. So, for her sake, I'll apologize."

She filled her glass again, chuckling a little too hard. "Let's drink to that! Sorry for whatever I said last time." Then she slammed back another drink, enjoying her bravado.

The others jumped in with their half-hearted apologies, sounding like they were reading from a script.

As the tension lingered, Margot stepped in, eager to shift the focus from the uncomfortable atmosphere. "Alright, folks, why don't we now?" she urged, but I sensed her discomfort.

Then Hunter stood up, juice in hand, looking at me with forced seriousness. "Hey, Gavin, I owe you an apology too. I know Margot helping me has really messed with you."

Before he could say more, Margot shot him a look and pulled him back down. "You didn't do anything wrong, Hunter. No need to apologize."

Her gaze turned serious as she faced me. "I messed up. I'm sorry."

I nodded, keeping it cool. "It's all good. But honestly, there's someone else who deserves an apology from you guys."

Just as I finished speaking, the door to the private room swung open, revealing a woman in a sharp business suit, her presence composed and commanding.