Marriage on Countdown

I still have a week before my due date when a truck suddenly hits me, sending me flying several feet and leaving me bleeding profusely on the ground. As I lose consciousness, I call my husband, Wallace Brown, begging him to rush over and save our unborn child, only for him to reply coldly, "It's Beth's 18th birthday party today, Meryl. You can't seriously be pulling one of your stunts on a day like this, can you?" In the next instant, I hear my son, Daniel Brown, exclaiming, "You're always using the baby to threaten us, Mommy! I really hate it when you do that!" Wallace stresses the importance of Beth's birthday party again, demands that I attend immediately, and then hangs up on me. With a pool of blood spreading beneath me, I close my eyes, overcome by despair. When I open my eyes again, I am met by the sight of a death certificate. The doctor delivers a crushing pronouncement. "I'm sorry, but if you had gotten here sooner, we might have been able to save the baby's life…" I look at the death certificate, feeling as though my heart died with my baby. I finally decide to leave this family, yet now they're the ones begging me to stay. Chapter 1 Wallace's Point-of-View It was 10:00 pm when I returned home with my son, Daniel Brown. I opened the door, only to find that it was completely dark inside. I furrowed my brow as I flicked on the light, asking, "Why didn't you turn the lights on, Meryl? You do know that the baby's due in a week, right? What if you trip and hurt yourself?" Without waiting for my wife, Meryl Stewart, to respond, I added, "Go heat up some milk for Daniel, and then prepare a cup of hot coffee for me." At the time, I had no idea that Meryl had already been rushed to surgery and was lying unconscious in the operating room. She was covered in wounds beyond count, the blood staining her clothes completely. Daniel and I waited, but the usual prompt reply from Meryl never came. My irritation flared at the delay. Daniel called out softly toward the room, asking, "Where did you go, Mommy? I want to drink some milk." Upon hearing no response from Meryl, I instantly furrowed my brow. Marching straight to her room, I snapped, "Do you have any idea how pregnant you are right now? How could you still play hide-and-seek here, Meryl?" I pushed the door open, only to find it pitch-black as well. I flipped on the light switch and looked around, my gaze hardening once I confirmed that Meryl wasn't around. I took my phone out and sent her a voice message. "It's Beth's 18th birthday celebration today, Meryl. How could you throw a tantrum just because of that? You can't use our unborn baby to threaten me, Meryl. You should get back here and apologize to Beth. Maybe then I'll overlook this." Unbeknownst to me, Meryl was lying on the operating table at that moment. She caught the faint sound of her phone chiming, but she couldn't reach it. Having waited for more than ten minutes without Meryl's response, I brought Daniel with me to the adjacent house belonging to Meryl's parents. "Meryl isn't at home. She hasn't replied to any of my messages either, Jennifer." Upon hearing that, Meryl's mother, Jennifer Hill, grimaced. "Meryl's been acting like this ever since she became pregnant! It's entirely our fault for coddling her too much when she was younger." It was then that Meryl's sister, Beth Stewart, turned to her parents with a look of remorse. "Meryl must be furious that I'm having my 18th birthday party a week before her due date. That must be why she didn't return home. I'll call her now to apologize and urge her to come home so that you and Wallace can be at ease, Mom." Having said that, Beth immediately took her phone out. Jennifer's eyes were filled with heartache as she looked at Beth, mirroring how Daniel and I felt. Jennifer reached out and gently patted Beth's back. "You're always so thoughtful, Beth—unlike Meryl, who fails to exhibit the proper qualities of an elder sister." I chimed in sympathetically, saying, "You don't have to apologize to her when you haven't done anything wrong, Beth. Meryl's hormones are clearly acting up due to the pregnancy. I'm sure she'll show up as soon as it's her due date." Beth's fingers paused on her phone after hearing what I said. Daniel burrowed into her embrace and, in his soft, endearing voice, declared, "You don't have to worry about Mommy, Aunt Beth. If she's willing to use the unborn baby to threaten Daddy, then she really needs to be taught a lesson!" Beth looked slightly disgusted as Daniel embraced her. She, however, quickly put on a gentle expression and said in a conflicted tone, "Alright, then. It's indeed unacceptable to threaten someone with an unborn baby. I'll go with what you want—let's teach Meryl a lesson." We shared a quiet, cozy evening together, completely unaware that Meryl was fighting for her life. … Meryl's Point-of-View It was already noon the following day when I finally regained consciousness. The first thing I did was call a nurse over, asking, "Did my baby make it?" The nurse regarded me with an expression of profound sorrow. Instead of replying to my question, she said, "I'm terribly sorry, but due to the excessive hemorrhage, despite the baby's resilience, our efforts were ultimately unsuccessful." I felt a deep chill settle over me, paralyzing my senses as I heard the nurse's pronouncement and caught sight of the death certificate. I had been due to give birth to my baby in just a week, yet now that possibility was gone. I slowly closed my eyes as tears streamed down my face. My phone chimed at that moment. I thought it was from my husband, Wallace Brown. Yet opening it, I noticed that it was a message from Beth. "How does it feel to be hit by a truck, Meryl? It's a shame you didn't perish along with your baby! I'm still very glad that you didn't show up at my 18th birthday party, though. It would have been better if you just disappeared from the world, Meryl!" My eyes immediately widened in surprise. It turned out that Beth was the one who had orchestrated the entire crash! Chapter 2 I had merely assumed the crash was accidental. I knew Beth despised me and loved forcing my parents and Wallace to pick sides between us, but it had never once crossed my mind that she even wanted me dead. I immediately sent Wallace a message to demand a divorce. Yet even after a long time, no response came. I then followed up by sending the news that the baby was gone. Before his reply came, Mom called me. "How could you be such an irresponsible sister to Beth, Meryl? How could you run away from home, skip Beth's 18th birthday party, and ignore our calls? "Your sister wants to eat your homemade pizza, so get back here and make it for her! You can think of it as compensation for missing her party." I was about to respond when I suddenly heard Beth's voice. "You shouldn't talk to Meryl like that, Mom. She's in no state for a party since the baby is due next week. I'm the one at fault for throwing my party at such a time. I should be the one apologizing to her. I should have put Meryl's needs before my own." Beth's voice trembled with grievance, making it sound as though she were on the verge of tears. "Is this what you wanted, Meryl? If so, get back here right away! You're almost nine months pregnant and still cause nothing but trouble!" Mom's exasperation was palpable as she ended the call without even waiting for my response. I took the initiative to call Wallace right after Mom ended the call. "I want to get a divorce, Wallace." There was a brief pause on the line before he asked, "Is this another attempt to get my attention, Meryl? I'm not falling for it this time. For the sake of the baby, you should return home before the due date next week. I'll be there for you when you give birth, Meryl." "I don't have the baby anymore—" I didn't even manage to finish speaking before he ended the call. It wasn't long before I received a video from Beth. In it, she had accidentally nicked her finger, and Wallace was frantically searching for a band-aid, while Daniel was attentively feeding her fruit. "I was the only one our parents cherished before you got married, and now, even your own husband and son favor me. You'll never be able to defeat me, Meryl!" Upon seeing Wallace's gentleness and care in the video, I was suddenly reminded of the early days of our relationship, when he treated me with that same tenderness. Yet he had completely changed ever since he met Beth. He started to believe Beth's words and formed a negative opinion of me, even accusing me of being selfish and routinely tormenting Beth. He was utterly convinced that Beth's description of me was the accurate one. Wallace and I fought constantly over Beth's claims, and the worst part was that she would always appear right on cue, delivering an apology and painting herself as the victim in the whole situation. That was how Beth won our parents' favor back when we were children, and as an adult, she used the exact same tactic to win Wallace's partiality, driving a wedge between us. She would come and parade it over me every time she took something that was rightfully mine, as if to boast that both our parents and Wallace would always choose her over me. If this had happened before, I would have grieved. Yet in that moment, I felt no emotions whatsoever, for I had made my choice—to leave forever and never look back. I sent Wallace an email explicitly stating my demand for a divorce. I received his reply only two hours later, stating, "You're nine months pregnant, and the due date is imminent, Meryl. You shouldn't be joking about our marriage or our unborn baby in such a manner. You'd better not bring this up again!" I couldn't stop my tears from streaming down my face as I read his response. I longed to think the loss of my baby was a mere illusion, but the profound, hollow ache in my belly was a crushing reality. Chapter 3 I was discharged from the hospital five days later. My body had yet to heal fully, but I forced myself to walk toward the house that was no longer my home. I paused at the entrance as soon as I caught the sound of voices from within. "Isn't it Meryl's due date tomorrow? Is she really not planning on coming back?" my dad, Timothy Stewart, asked. "You know what Meryl is like, Timothy. She uses these tactics to manipulate us for attention. You know, she even brought up divorce. It's just her way of trying to make me pay attention to her," Wallace explained firmly. "That's right! Meryl had always been like this since childhood! How could she disappear during Beth's birthday party and then bring up the divorce with you, though? How outrageous! She needs to be taught a serious lesson!" Mom chimed in, agreeing with Wallace. Wallace nodded firmly. "If she doesn't admit she's in the wrong and apologize to Beth, I'll refuse to go to the hospital for the delivery. That should be enough of a punishment to make her see the error of her ways." Beth immediately interjected, exclaiming, "You can't do that, Wallace! You have to stay with Meryl when she delivers the baby. After all, the baby is what matters the most right now. We can't abandon Meryl and the baby just because she's clearly trying to strong-arm us by running away for days." She sounded as though she were genuinely concerned for the baby and me, but in reality, she was accusing me of being childish and causing completely unnecessary drama. I pushed the door open and walked in, making them immediately turn their attention to me. Upon spotting me, Wallace became more convinced of his assumption. "I knew you'd come back on your own. You've achieved your goal, so you don't need to use divorce and the baby to get my attention anymore. I'll personally accompany you to the hospital for the delivery, Meryl." I offered no reply. I simply stood at the door, silently watching the people who were supposed to be my closest family speak such cruelties about me, all thanks to Beth. I limped as I moved across the threshold, instinctively tightening my coat around me. It was clearly colder outside, but stepping in felt even more bitterly cold. They spotted the gauze-wrapped wounds still visible on my body and instantly concluded that I was merely putting on an elaborate show. "I already agreed to accompany you to the hospital for the delivery, Meryl. Why are you still going to such lengths with this act?" Wallace asked, his brow furrowed in utter annoyance. I wasn't putting on a show, though. My leg had come perilously close to breaking, and I had gotten severe abrasions when I had rolled across the street during the crash. I walked right up to them, took out the divorce agreement from my bag, and handed it directly to Wallace. Mom shot me a reproachful look, saying, "Wallace has already said he'll be with you during the delivery, Meryl. How could you still bring this here?" Beth was the only one who moved. Snatching the divorce agreement from me, she casually flipped through it. She moved closer to me and asked with feigned innocence, "How come the agreement doesn't have the court's approval, Meryl? You must have brought some fake documents, right?" Beth's words were all the proof Wallace and Mom needed to believe I was merely staging a performance. The initial flicker of tension they felt instantly dissolved, leaving them with only resignation and profound disappointment in me. "You can go ahead and keep up with the whole charade, Meryl. You want to get a divorce, right? How do you intend to get it when this agreement doesn't even have the court's approval?" Mom asked, looking at me with disappointment. I stated plainly, "I've already submitted the documents for a no-fault divorce. The court has already approved it, which means that, in a month, we'll be officially divorced. This document is merely the official summary of the divorce agreement that I'm required to give Wallace." Beth immediately cut in, exclaiming, "Even if you want attention, you can't just make things up, Meryl! You know, applying for a no-fault divorce is extremely complicated! You don't even meet the minimum requirements to file for it!" It only took a single remark from Beth to convince them that I was just throwing a childish temper tantrum. Mom and Dad's expressions immediately hardened with stern disapproval. Wallace's demeanor turned even colder. "That's enough of this nonsense, Meryl! You ought to know that none of us will believe any of your lies anymore! You should pack your things now—I'll take you to the hospital for the delivery!" "The baby is gone!" I roared as tears streamed uncontrollably down my face. It was only then that their attention finally shifted to my abdomen, where the once-prominent baby bump was now noticeably flat. Chapter 4 Upon seeing my flat belly, Wallace was stunned into silence for a few seconds. "Did you secretly deliver the baby all on your own while you were gone for the past few days, Meryl?" I wanted to respond to him, but my body was utterly exhausted from standing too long. I felt my vision blur, and my throat refused to make a sound. I desperately stretched a hand out to the side, searching for something to steady myself so I wouldn't fall. I had just reached out when Beth preemptively grabbed me, stabilizing my fall. She asked with feigned concern, "Where have you hidden the baby, Meryl? You shouldn't use your own child as leverage against us—" She grabbed my wrist mid-sentence and used it as leverage to dramatically fling herself away from me, causing her head to hit the corner of the dining table nearby. A thin trickle of blood appeared on her head. I hadn't even fully registered her sudden collapse and injury when Mom suddenly shoved me aside. They immediately rushed toward Beth, their eyes filled with frantic concern for her well-being. I, on the other hand, had been pushed to the floor, making my wound split open. If they had just turned to look, they would have seen the fresh blood flowing from my abdomen. Yet, their entire focus was on Beth. They completely forgot that I had only just been discharged from the hospital and was still covered in injuries. Mom exclaimed anxiously, "What should we do? Beth's bleeding! Go call for an ambulance and get her to the hospital now!" Beth feebly opened her eyes. She was gasping for air as she tightly gripped Mom and Dad's hands, saying, "You guys shouldn't blame Meryl. I'm sure she didn't mean to push me—I'm the one to blame for not keeping my footing!" Upon hearing that, Wallace immediately turned to accuse me, snapping, "Beth was only trying to help you, Meryl! You shouldn't have pushed her even if you're upset! Do you see how she's bleeding from the back of her head—" He suddenly stopped mid-sentence. He looked downward, where the sight of my flat belly and the blood pooling beneath me seized his attention. I caught a glimpse of worry and hesitation flickering in his anxious eyes, but in the next second, Beth weakly cried out, saying, "You should hurry and help Meryl first, Wallace. I know she's always put on a show, but I truly believe she’s not faking this time! You should hurry—" She lost consciousness before she could finish her sentence, causing Mom, Dad, and Wallace to completely dismiss my state. They frantically rushed Beth to the hospital, while I was left at home, once again succumbing to another deep coma from excessive bleeding. The image of them turning away from me and carrying Beth out the door kept flashing through my mind—a cruel reminder that their love had never been mine. That was when I finally realized there was absolutely no reason for me to stay here anymore. … I found myself back in a hospital when I regained consciousness. I had no idea how I got there, and I was genuinely surprised that I had survived. In the next instant, someone entered my field of vision. It was none other than Wallace. I finally noticed genuine concern crossing his face as he looked at me. "I've brought you some fresh fruit and a few snacks. Do you feel hungry right now, Meryl? I can unpack them for you right away." I met his gaze and let out a long, weary sigh. I didn't acknowledge his offer, choosing instead to ask, "How did I end up in the hospital, Wallace?" Wallace replied, "Beth is in the room next door. Jennifer unintentionally knocked you over after you shoved Beth. You were bleeding profusely on the floor, and while I refused to believe it at first, now…" "What is it?" I asked as I kept my gaze lowered, urging him to continue.