I glanced at her flat belly and gave a bitter smile, "Fine."
She never wanted the child anyway.
That day, I saw her message page and saw her complaining to her best friend that she hated the child. She had even scheduled an abortion surgery and was planning how to deceive me.
If that was the case, then forget it.
As soon as the words fell, Briella's face turned red and she looked broken and aggrieved.
She rushed over and grabbed my shoulder. "What nonsense are you talking about! How could you have the heart to ask me to abort this baby? Don't you treasure the baby in my belly the most?"
It was not surprising that she was so shocked. She saw how much I was looking forward to the birth of this child.
In order to take care of her pregnancy with peace of mind, I resolutely gave up the invitation from the research institute to hire me as the person in charge and resigned to become a househusband.
Briella liked to eat raw vegetables and meat. So, I drove for three hours into the village before dawn to buy vegetables picked that day.
Even though I was a scientific researcher who spent most of my time in the laboratory and in the field, I was willing to take the time to pray for the safety of the mother and baby every day.
However, I knew, the child was born in unwanted and disgust situation.
Such a life was sure a torture for him.
Her eyes were full of brokenness as she held onto my hand -- completely ignoring her purpose of coming here.
She insisted on me taking back what I had just said.
Just then, a cry came from behind.
It was Santiago, his voice was trembling and sharp. "Briella, didn't you promise to marry me? Why are you holding his hand? Why is he wearing a suit?"
"Sergio, did you ask me to come here just to let me see Briella betray me? I hate you!"
He turned and rushed to the road, crying.
Megan yelled and Miranda slapped me in the face.
"Why did you call Santiago here? You have to drive him crazy to be happy, right?"
"If anything happens to him today because of you, I'll never let you go!"
"Briella, stop him!"
Briella suddenly shook off my hand and I fell backwards.
My trousers were torn by stones and my knees was scratched, leaving bloodstains.
I sat on the ground, smiling bitterly, watching their backs as they ran towards Santiago. I had seen such a back view too many times.
I did have a good time when I first came back to this home.
It was a time when Miranda smiled and cooked for me and Megan would take me to play video games after school while Margot would drag me to play with her favorite doll.
But everything changed the day I started dating my neighbor’s Briella.
Santiago began to go crazy.
He cried and shouted -- saying I was scaring him, I was going to send him back to his biological parents' house.
He pointed at me, tears streaming down his face and shouted hysterically, "He said, why does he have to live that kind of life? Why does he have to be beaten and scolded, but I can live a good life in his place? He doesn't accept it, he wants me to live a miserable life too!"
At first, Miranda, Megan and Margot would reason with him.
Miranda whispered. "That's impossible! Sergio wouldn't say that."
Megan also explained. "He's a good kid. He wouldn't say that."
Margot said, "Santiago, you must have misunderstood Sergio."
But over time, Miranda and Margot finally sided with Santiago.
They would scold me with a cold face when Santiago cried.
"Are you done yet? You have to bully Santiago. You're only happy when you see him scared like this, aren't you?"
