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The day I found out I was pregnant, my husband Abner Gilbert brought his young mistress home, her belly big and round, and laid it all out for me.
"Men are just like that. You can't expect one to stay with a single woman his whole life."
"Even if you're angry with me, the child is innocent."
"Have it born, let it call you Mom. Saves you the suffering, doesn't it?"
I meant to divorce him and end the pregnancy.
Then, out of nowhere, I heard the voice of the baby inside me.
"Mom, don't be a fool!"
"In three days my dad's going to die in a car crash. The engine explodes and he burns to ash on the spot."
"After that, I'm the only heir to the Gilbert family."
"And that piece of meat in the mistress's belly can't even pass a paternity test!"
"If you divorce now, hundreds of millions in family assets just go to someone else!"
I laid a hand on my stomach and changed my mind.
A baby, a fortune, and a dead husband. Was there ever a better deal in this world?
1.
Seeing no reaction from me,
Abner pushed his luck.
"Bianca's nine months along. It isn't safe for her to live out there on her own."
"I've already had her things moved to our villa."
"From now on, she and I will take the master bedroom. You'll stay in the guest room for now, so we don't upset the baby."
Not repentance, not a request.
Just a notice, delivered like it was owed to him.
I nodded, calm.
"Of course. We're all family."
He'd be dead in three days anyway.
People are always so generous toward a man about to die.
Abner hadn't expected me to agree so easily. He froze for a second, thrown.
Something like guilt slipped into his face.
"Celine Delgado, if only you'd been this sensible sooner."
"Don't worry. You'll always be Mrs. Gilbert. Nobody can change that."
I said nothing. I only found it funny.
So this was what not caring got called. Being sensible.
The moment he finished, Bianca cradled her belly and whined,
"Celine, you really should keep Abner in line."
"I'm nine months pregnant and he still clings to me every single day."
"Won't give me a moment's space."
She arched a brow, pleased with herself.
Malice with the innocence of someone who thinks she can't lose.
"We'll all be under one roof from now on, so if he keeps pestering me, you'll have to help."
"Or you keep him close to you, so he stops bothering me."
She expected me to crack.
But I only smiled and said nothing.
The man was as good as dead. Who would bother fighting over any of this.
Seeing I wouldn't rise to it,
Bianca puffed out her cheeks, sulking, and stroked her belly.
"Abner, the baby's throwing a tantrum in here."
"It's because there's an outsider around. The baby's unhappy."
Abner panicked at once, helping Bianca up and out.
He forgot to so much as say goodbye to me.
At the door, Bianca threw me one last look of triumph.
I stared at their retreating backs, the tea in my mouth turning bitter and rough.
Abner and I had built everything from nothing.
When we first came to New York, the two of us crammed into a tiny studio.
One cup of instant noodles, split between us.
We were poor then, but everywhere I looked, there was love.
Later the money came, and the love was gone.
At first I couldn't accept it either.
I got work done head to toe, paid a fortune to learn how to please a man in bed.
At my lowest, I even went from temple to temple, praying, pinning my hopes on anything mystical.
But I exhausted every method, and his feelings only grew colder.
It's only now that I understand. A man whose heart has changed is like a lock with a new core.
No matter how you file down the old key, it won't open that door anymore.
I was still sinking into it when the baby inside me got frantic.
"Mom, this isn't the time to be sad!"
"The man's about to be gone. The money has to stay!"
"While there's still time, get my dad's assets sorted out first."
I smiled, taking only a few seconds to pull myself together.
Then I forwarded Bianca's details to my best friend, the private detective.
"Do me a favor. Find out exactly how much my husband has spent on her."
