His Last Vow, My First Goodbye

In our fourth year of marriage, Fabian's ex returned with twelve love vows he'd promised her.

On our anniversary, she pulled an "Anniversary Coupon," sending him to Fisherman's Wharf—their first date spot.

When I had a minor accident with just a scraped arm, she used an "Emergency Help Coupon," making him abandon me to comfort her.

I cried and fought, but he'd snap, "Victoria and I are innocent! Only dirty minds think otherwise!"

Soon, I learned she was pregnant.

Fabian's eyes lit with fatherly joy as he said, "This is her last coupon. Once our child is born, I'll cut ties and come home."

This time, I didn't cry. I simply smiled. "No need. I wish you both eternity together."

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1

With that, I calmly slipped the pregnancy test report into my purse.

My mind raced, wondering when would be the best time to schedule the procedure.

After all, Fabian already had a child on the way—the one he wanted. I couldn't be so selfish as to bring my child into this world only to have them compete for the love of a father they deserved.

“What nonsense are you talking about!” Fabian snapped, his features tight with impatience. “Stop with the snide remarks. This is Victoria’s first pregnancy, and she's still in the delicate early stages. Stay away from her. Don't cause any trouble.”

“I promise you, as soon as she delivers the baby safely, I’ll come back home for good and build a proper life with you.”

I stared at the face before me, so familiar yet so strange, a bitterness I couldn't wash away spreading through me. A bitter, self-mocking smile touched my lips as I asked, “Are you so sure you’ll be able to let them go—the mother and her child—and never contact them again for the rest of your life?”

At my question, his expression faltered, his features clouding with conflict and helplessness.

He pressed his lips into a thin line, his face weary as he looked at me. “Jasmine, I already told you I’ll come back and build a life with you. What more do you want? For me to become a man who breaks his word? Would that make you happy?”

Seeing the impatience and disgust in his eyes, a bitter laugh escaped me.

Before I married him, my best friend had warned me. She told me he’d once had a passionate, all-consuming love affair. Men have a nostalgic streak. Regardless of how their first love ended, they can never forget the woman who first made their heart pound.

She had warned me, telling me to think carefully before we married.

Back then, I paid her no mind, naively believing that I could make him settle down, that I could make him forget every little moment he had spent with someone else.

But reality slapped me hard across the face.

Not only had he not forgotten his ex, Victoria, he hung on her every word.

Seeing my silence, he seemed to assume I'd accepted his decision. The tension in his face eased, and he said softly, “Victoria hasn't been feeling well lately. I have to go take care of her.”

“From now on, I'll come home on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. The rest of the time, I'll be at her place. If you need anything, call me. You are not to show up there and disturb her.”

As he spoke, his phone rang in the quiet room.

Without a moment's hesitation, Fabian answered the call right in front of me.

Listening to the voice on the other end, the impatience on his face melted into tenderness. “I've already made it clear to her,” he said. “I'm just grabbing a few clothes and then I'll head over. Wait for me at the apartment, okay?”

He was like a teenager with his first crush, radiating an impatient eagerness to be with her. He hung up the phone and turned to head upstairs, without giving me so much as a glance.

Just then, the housekeeper, Margaret, walked over, her expression a mixture of anxiety and confusion. Helplessly, she asked, “Madam, why didn’t you tell him that you’re pregnant too? If he knew, he might have chosen to stay.”

I remained silent, pulling out my phone to schedule the surgery.

After I was done, I finally lifted my gaze to meet hers and said calmly, “I will handle this. Please, don’t tell him for now.”