I gripped my stomach, panting heavily. At that instant, I could not decide whether my body ached more or my heart suffered more.
Early the following morning, I saw Clayton wearing an apron in front of the stove, his actions smooth and patient. Verity looked up at him with gentle brows, carefully dabbing away his sweat.
If strangers had seen this moment, they would think they were the true family, and I was simply an extra presence.
I held back the urge to vomit and walked over to take a seat.
When Clayton noticed me, he spoke softly, “Wife, you’re awake? I made seafood. It’s your favorite shrimp and grits. Try some.”
I lowered my gaze to the shrimp and grits inside the bowl, my mind slightly blank.
I clearly remembered that before Clayton and I officially got together, because my stomach was weak, he cooked shrimp and grits for me daily. At that time, I often skipped meals due to work, and he was the one who watched over me and would not let me go hungry.
Was that tenderness only a performance?
Were those ten years of love only an act?
While my mind was still in a mess, Verity took the lead to ladle a bowl of shrimp and grits for me and carefully passed it over.
“Sister-in-law, thank you for allowing me to stay here. Last night, I truly caused trouble for my brother. He kept looking after me, and you’re pregnant, yet had to sleep alone. I feel very sorry about that.”
My heart tightened, and the small warmth that had risen because of the shrimp and grits faded instantly.
Every sentence Verity spoke sounded apologetic, yet each word seemed to purposely remind me that last night Clayton chose her over me.
I did not want to answer her.
Yet suddenly her wrist tipped, and the whole bowl of steaming shrimp and grits in her hand spilled in my direction.
I backed away in panic and watched helplessly as the hot porridge scattered over the table and onto the floor.
She cried out as if startled and stumbled backward.
Immediately, Clayton had already hurried over and pulled her close.
“Verity, did you get burned?”
His voice was clearly anxious as he lowered his head and repeatedly examined her hands.
And I, the pregnant woman who should have received more care, did not even get a single glance from him.
My heart dropped.
Verity’s eyes quickly turned red, her voice shaking.
“I’m alright… brother, if sister-in-law is unhappy, I can leave… don’t waste the shrimp and grits you made yourself.”
She glanced at me timidly, as if afraid I would create a scene.
Before I could speak, Clayton had already knitted his brows.
“Celestine.”
His voice held restrained anger and blame. “No matter how upset you are or how much you dislike Verity, you shouldn’t bully her like this.”
My eyes widened, staring at him in shock, yet Clayton kept accusing me.
“The shrimp and grits are so hot. What if it had splashed on Verity’s hand and left a scar? You’re pregnant, so I tolerate you in everything, but that doesn’t give you the right to treat Verity this way.”
Suppressing the pain in my chest, I gritted my teeth and answered, “What nonsense is that? I never did such a thing. I would never stoop to that kind of behavior to bully someone!”
As soon as I finished speaking, Verity quickly shook her head and spoke up for me.
“It wasn’t sister-in-law. My hand slipped, and I didn’t hold the bowl firmly, so it spilled. It’s my fault.”
She stepped forward to take the blame, yet I felt disgusted, as though I had eaten something dirty. I had not done it at all, but after she spoke, it sounded as though she had endured all the injustice.
Clayton’s expression darkened.
“Celestine, are you still trying to put the blame on Verity? She is sensible enough to take responsibility for you, but as her sister-in-law, you shouldn’t treat a patient this way!”
I could not believe he would speak to me that way. A bitter taste rose in my throat, and I was unable to reply for a moment.
In Clayton’s eyes, had I already become the type who would set others up?
“Clayton, you don’t trust me?”
I heard myself ask with difficulty, word by word.
“It’s not that I don’t trust you.”
Clayton’s voice lowered. “It’s just that I clearly know what kind of person Verity is.”
What kind of person was Verity?
And what kind of person was I?
I laughed out of anger and raised my hand to point at the surveillance overhead.
“There’s surveillance at home. If you want to see what really happened, you can check it right now!”
The moment I spoke about the surveillance, my heart trembled.
Since I became pregnant, Clayton had been worried about leaving me alone, so he had installed surveillance in the living room, saying it would make me feel safer.
Now it had become the means for me to defend myself.
As Clayton was about to respond, Verity cried and interrupted.
“Brother, sister-in-law, please stop fighting.”
She wiped her eyes. “It’s my fault. I made my sister-in-law misunderstand. Brother, I’m truly okay. Let’s eat quickly, or the shrimp and grits will get cold.”
Clayton exhaled slowly, seeming to regain control. He looked at me, his tone gentler.
“Sorry, wife. I misunderstood you earlier. I was only panicked because I was worried.”
I watched them perform together so smoothly, and a strong feeling of weakness filled my heart. Finally, I said in a flat tone, “Whatever you want.”
My strange reaction made Clayton hesitate. He reached over and caught my hand, trying to comfort me.
“Wife, didn’t we plan to visit the mall today to buy things for the baby? I’ll go with you.”
I almost refused right away.
But the words stopped at my mouth and went back down.
The divorce papers were not yet officially effective. I could not break things openly with Clayton at this moment.
And I worried that if he found out about the divorce, he would fight me over the child. It was better to be careful.
So I nodded.
Still, a thought remained in my heart that I did not want to face.
Maybe Clayton did not love me.
But he loved the baby.
If it were possible, I still wished that after the child was born, there would be complete love from a father.
But when I finished preparing and stepped outside, I saw Verity also standing by the door.
Before I could say anything, Clayton had already explained, “I was worried Verity would feel bored staying home alone, so I brought her with us.”
I did not respond and simply opened the door and walked out.
Behind me, Clayton seemed unused to my reaction.
The former me, even when upset or jealous, would pull him aside to talk things through, or act soft and seek his comfort.
I had never treated him as invisible like this.
