Now, that bouquet of lilies in the photo felt like a glaring insult.
A single Instagram post, simultaneously flattering his wife and his mistress.
Ha! Dereck truly mastered the art of hitting two birds with one stone.
The post quickly garnered over ten thousand likes.
[Can’t wait to see the adorable baby! Dereck is definitely going to be a super dad!]
[What a winner in life—career success and now a baby on the way. Congratulations!]
The comments section was filled with well-wishes, yet I felt as if I had been plunged into an icy abyss.
We had been together for three years and married for ten.
In the first few years of marriage, we were inseparable, sharing tender affection night after night.
But for some reason, we never had a child. I never once considered that the issue might be with Dereck.
To protect his pride and self-esteem, I told my parents that I was the one unable to have children.
When my mother heard this, she sighed deeply and said with a pained look, "A woman should have her own child. Otherwise, life will become very difficult down the line."
It was only later that I fully understood the meaning of her words.
A few years after our marriage, Dereck stumbled into the world of livestreaming by chance.
The man who once promised to be by my side forever gradually lost his way.
One by one, flawless, seductive female streamers began to surround him—with their heavy makeup, revealing outfits, and cloying smiles. They shamelessly flirted with my husband.
"Dereck, will you visit my livestream tonight and pamper me?"
"Dereck, come to my stream, and I’ll show you what you love the most~"
When they learned he had a wife, they became even more audacious.
"Let me know when your wife isn’t home tonight, okay?"
From team members to viewers, everyone fawned over him.
Slowly, Dereck began to disdain our once peaceful, steady life. He came home less and less.
Sometimes, he would drop off some things and leave without a second glance, as if even sparing me a look was a waste of his time.
To him, our home became nothing more than a temporary stopover.
I, in turn, became an obstacle to his pursuit of excitement and novelty.
—
That night, outside, the city was lit up, bustling with life.
Inside, I sat in the dark, alone and growing cold.
Staring at the flood of congratulatory comments on his Instagram post, I spoke to the empty room with a bitter smile, "Congratulations, Dereck. Truly, congratulations."
"Neither my child nor the mistress’s child belongs to you."
The next day.
I attended a celebratory banquet in honor of Dereck’s successful endorsement of the German luxury brand Jil Sander.
The brand’s executives appreciated his relatable charm, hoping to further tap into the French market.
The brand’s senior manager raised his glass to toast Dereck.
For a moment, something unreadable flickered in Dereck’s eyes.
Taking advantage of his tipsy state, the German executive commented in German, "Your manager has such a sexy figure."
Dereck had spent an entire month learning German for this deal.
With a relaxed expression, he replied fluently, "She’s quite enjoyable, and very open in bed."
The executive chuckled knowingly and added, "I heard both your wife and your manager are pregnant at the same time?"
Dereck froze for a brief second, panic flashing in his eyes.
When he glanced over and saw me casually scrolling on my phone, my expression calm, he assumed I hadn’t understood a word.
He then curved his lips into a warm smile and replied, "Yes, a sweet burden indeed."
The group of German executives exchanged amused glances, their smiles filled with innuendo.
"Mr. Hughes, you’re impressive—two women having children for you at the same time!"
