Husband Asked

During my post–abortion checkup, Adrian once again made an excuse to suddenly leave. This had become a familiar occurrence, so I was used to it. I had to admit that I was stung with a sense of abandonment at first, but slowly, I no longer cared.

I took the medicine after the checkup and went back by myself. As I made my way home, I could not shake the feeling of loneliness that seemed to echo within me.

I opened Twitter once I arrived, and saw someone named Lovely One tagged Adrian in a post. It read, [Just had a sore throat, but he insisted on dragging me to the hospital and has been accompanying me since. After all this time, you’re still the best!]

I did not bother to ask Adrian why he kept lying to me, nor did I lose my temper like I used to. Looking back, I should have felt betrayed and confronted him, but it just felt like another exhausting chore, another hurdle in a race I no longer cared to win.

Later, he took this Lovely One to the company’s team building event, and I received intimate photos of them. Was I angry? No.

On a different occasion, I ran into him holding Lovely One’s child on the street, looking like a family of three. I had to admit that I was surprised to find myself smiling calmly and said, “The child needs a father figure. You should spend more time with them, Adrian.”

Adrian, however, grabbed me in a panic and asked anxiously, “Madeline, why don’t you

care at all?”

Part 1

I had a miscarriage because someone accidentally collided with me on my way home from work. Today was the second month after my abortion surgery, so Adrian accompanied me for a checkup.

I did not stop him as he left in a hurry after making an excuse. No longer did I cling to him, pleading for his company as I once did.

Watching Adrian’s back as he slowly walked away, an unexpected wave of detachment washed over me. I suddenly realized that his presence or absence held little effect over my emotions. I did not seem to be that sad anymore when he was not around.

A nurse called my name, and I quietly accepted the test results before gathering my

20:20 Mon, Aug 19

After My Husband Asked for Remarriage

A nurse came my name, and quietly accepted the test results perdre gathering my things and heading home. Not long after, I received a message from Adrian, which read, [Madeline, you can go home on your own, can’t you? I still have things to do.]

In the past, I would have refused desperately and replied with something like, [But I

need you to come get me.]

Now, it just felt pointless to do so. With a resigned acceptance, I simply typed, [Ok.]

I put away my phone and hailed a cab. As I settled into the backseat, a familiar sight caught my eyes. It was Adrian’s car.

Well, that was odd. Why would he return to the hospital? Did he not he say he could not

pick me up?

As soon as I got home, I saw Lovely One tagged Adrian in a post on Twitter, which read, [Just had a sore throat, but he insisted on dragging me to the hospital and has been accompanying me since. After all this time, you’re still the best!]

Unsurprisingly, Sophie posted a photo in her WhatsApp status with the same exact words. A corner of Adrian’s shirt was visible in the picture. It was the one I had picked out for him on his birthday. Yes, the Lovely One was Sophie Davis, Adrian’s childhood

sweetheart.

A few years back, Sophie had moved with her wealthy husband out of town. However, fate had taken a harsh turn last year when her husband went bankrupt. Following their

divorce, she returned with a four–year–old child.

In Adrian’s eyes, I was nothing more than a replacement for Sophie after she left. However, I had been deeply in love with him at the time, foolishly choosing to marry him.

At one time, I had even wanted to get pregnant and bear his child. The following miscarriage was probably a sign, having a child with Adrian would not be good for me or

the baby.

After taking the prescribed medication, I drifted off to sleep. The creak of the door

woke me up in the middle of night.

“What did the doctor say today?” Adrian came to my bedside and gently stroked my

head

I caught a foreign scent on him, a woman’s perfume. My head shook in a silent refusal

as I avoided his hand.

“Nothing important.” I forced a smile and continued, “Everything’s fine,”

Adrian nodded and offered a hurried explanation, “Work just got hectic and I’ve been

kept very busy lately.”

Instead of calling him out on his lie, I rolled over and went back to sleep. “Well, maybe

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After My Husband Asked for Remarriage.