Chapter 4The Wife They Wanted to Erase

That evening, after I finished cleaning the kitchen, Mrs. Davis asked me to take some hot milk upstairs.

Just as I was about to knock, I heard voices from inside. I froze, my hand still.

"Were you deliberately trying to spill hot water on Evelyn?"

"No! It was her own clumsiness. I didn't do anything!"

"I saw everything from upstairs, you're still trying to deny it? That was boiling water! Getting angry and scolding her is one thing, but that was too much!"

"Oh, Alex, I just couldn't help but be a little mad. I promise I won't do it again, okay? Don't be mad at me."

Chloe's soft, cooing voice slowly softened Alex's tone.

"Don't do that again, alright?"

"Okay, I promise I won't. Mwah!"

Was this the "never let me get hurt again" he'd spoken of?

A few sweet words from another woman, and he'd forgotten all his promises to me.

"Chloe, the one-month deadline is almost up. We've had enough fun, isn't it time to return Mrs. Harding's position to its rightful owner?"

My heart clenched violently at his words.

"No! I haven't had enough yet! Didn't the doctor say she might never regain her memory?"

"But, the doctor only said 'might.' What if Evelyn remembers?"

"Alex, you yourself said you were tired of Evelyn after so many years of marriage. Are you really going back to that boring, bland life after just one month of 'fun'?"

I stood outside the door, my grip tightening on the mug of milk.

So he had been tired of me all along.

"But…"

"No buts, Alex! Didn't you say you wanted to see me in that lingerie set?"

"If you let me keep playing Mrs. Harding, I'll wear a different one every day, okay?"

I heard no reply from him.

Only some rustling sounds, then their heavy breathing filled the air.

I stood frozen at the door until a tear fell onto the hand holding the milk, snapping me back to reality.

I think I knew Alex's answer now.

I went back to my room and started packing.

I couldn't stand to be here anymore.

My hand brushed against the two tubes of ointment Alex had given me earlier, still in my pocket.

I flung them directly into the trash can.

Once most of my things were packed, I lay down on the bed, wrapping myself tightly in the duvet.

I stared at the ceiling, thinking about so many things.

I didn't sleep a wink.

The next morning, I went to work as usual, planning to sneak out that night.

Alex was eating breakfast, looking remarkably refreshed and cheerful.

Clearly, he'd been well taken care of last night.

Suddenly, Chloe bounced down the stairs.

She flung herself into Alex's arms.

"Alex, I'm pregnant!"

Alex's face lit up with pure joy.

"Really?"

Standing nearby, I saw the pregnancy test stick in Chloe's hand.

I clearly saw two lines on it.

My heart gave a sudden, painful lurch.

"Of course it's real! See?"

Chloe held the test stick up to Alex's face.

The next second, Alex swept Chloe into a princess carry.

He spun her around a few times, cheering excitedly.

"That's wonderful! I'm going to be a dad!"

I discreetly slipped away.

Right now, I was just an outsider.

I kept telling myself, over and over again, It's fine. It's fine.

Alex had always wanted children.

But after all our years of marriage, I hadn't managed to get pregnant.

Now, it's fine. He got what he always wanted.

I returned to my room.

But I still couldn't stop the tears from falling.

I had clearly overestimated myself.