Not long after our wedding, both families began pressing us for children. The whispers and pointed gazes followed me everywhere.
Enduring the endless gossip, I presented the infertility diagnosis.
From that moment, my mother-in-law’s demeanor shifted. Her once amiable tone turned sharp, laced with ridicule. She sneered, her words dripping with disdain as if I were neither man nor woman. Again and again, she lamented her son’s misfortune, how someone as talented and handsome as Hayden had ended up with a wife who couldn’t bear children.
Her scorn cut deep, but what hurt more was seeing my own parents push me toward medical treatment as if I were some defective product that needed fixing.
One evening, as the weight of their expectations bore down on us, Hayden sighed.
“Ella, maybe I should just tell them the truth that I want to dance and don’t want children.”
I reached for his hand, holding it tightly, my voice calm yet firm.
“Hayden, even if your mother accepts it, can you withstand the pressure from my parents?”
“I’m a woman. I can endure their scolding and their criticisms. But can you? Are you ready to sacrifice your dance career for this?”
His lips parted, but no words came. He fell silent.
That day, I spoke softly, my words a quiet promise.
“You can keep dancing for a few more years. If one day you change your mind and want to be a father, just tell me. I’ll have the procedure reversed so we can have a baby.”
“No matter what, I will always support you.”
In the second year of our marriage, Hayden secured an opportunity for self-funded training. Without a second thought, I took money from the furniture business and sent him off to study in another city.
From that day on, his mother changed. She stopped mocking me for being infertile, no longer throwing cruel words like daggers at my heart. Instead, she often returned to her hometown, claiming she preferred the fresh countryside air, that the small apartment I had bought for her felt stifling.
I thought she had finally accepted me, that she was giving us space as a couple.
In reality, she was in another city, caring for her three precious grandchildren.
That was when the truth hit me like a slap to the face: Hayden had never gone for training. He had used my money to support his mistress and raise their children.
I swallowed the ache in my throat, forcing my voice to stay steady.
"Hayden, do you really think having children erases your betrayal? Did you ever stop to consider my feelings?"
Seeing the sorrow in my eyes, a flicker of guilt flashed across Hayden’s face.
"I'm sorry, Ella. I never wanted you to suffer again… and I didn’t want children disrupting our life."
"Eulalie said that by having these children, she’s fulfilled her dream of being a mother. She swore to raise them alone, never remarry, and never interfere in our lives. If you're willing, she even agreed to let them respect you as their godmother one day."
A bitter laugh escaped my lips.
"How considerate of Eulalie. Afraid that I’d have no one to care for me, she selflessly gave birth to three sons to fulfill my need for filial piety. Should I get on my knees and thank her? Otherwise, I really might have been left all alone."
Hayden smiled indifferently as if the weight of his words meant nothing.
"There’s no need for that. Eulalie may be younger than you, but she’s mature and understanding. She knows her situation is complicated, yet she has never once complained. She has devoted herself to raising the children, so I wouldn’t have to worry."
"Now that the kids are older and our financial situation has improved, I think it’s time to give her an explanation. We’ll set aside a million from the demolition compensation, reparation for her hardships over the past ten years. We’ll also buy her a four-bedroom apartment nearby so the children can stay with her. They’re used to being with her, after all."
His voice remained casual as if he were making an ordinary business transaction.
"I’ll visit them occasionally, fulfilling my duty as a father."
Every word landed like a hammer against my chest. I opened my mouth, but my throat was dry, the words barely forming.
"Hayden, are you planning to keep two households?"
"Don’t you think you’re being heartless? How do you expect me to face our family and friends?"
For the first time, hesitation flickered across his face.
"Ella, I know this isn’t fair to you, but haven’t you always said you don’t care about what others think? That as long as we’re happy, nothing else matters?"
His expression darkened, his gaze locking onto mine. "What do you mean now? Are you asking me to be heartless and abandon them?"
