My wife’s old flame shared a sonogram photo on his social media feed.

He wrote: "Thank you, for helping me have a child of my own when I needed it most."

That's when I found out. My wife had aborted our child, then underwent IVF to carry her old flame's baby.

I calmly liked his post and commented below: "Congratulations to you both."

Almost instantly, Sienna Miller’s call came through, her voice laced with annoyance: "I was just helping Ryan out, giving him something he needed. Don't make this more complicated than it is!"

I quietly hung up. I knew it was time to end our marriage.

1.

I stared at the abortion clinic paperwork and sonogram dated a month ago, pulled from Sienna’s dresser drawer.

Only then did I realize I had almost been a father.

But now, just because Ryan Davis wanted a child, Sienna had ruthlessly aborted ours a month ago, only to turn around and get pregnant with Ryan's baby.

I looked at the pile of prenatal vitamins and baby gear stacked in the corner of the living room, a chill settling deep in my heart.

Actually, I first saw a sonogram photo a week ago. It fell out of Sienna’s purse.

Seeing it, I felt dizzy with joy. Sienna and I had been married for four years, and my biggest wish was to have a child, a symbol of our love.

I waited all day, hoping Sienna would tell me she was pregnant. But even late into the night, she said nothing.

I convinced myself she was waiting for the second trimester, planning to surprise me on our anniversary.

But reality slapped me hard across the face.

Not only did she have no intention of telling me, but she’d secretly terminated the pregnancy. Now, a month later, she was framing it as simply "lending her womb" to Ryan.

Sienna never liked me touching her much, nor did she care for children. She claimed they were naturally mischievous, noisy, and hard to raise.

But recently, I noticed her frequently researching pregnancy preparations. She even stayed up late making two checklists: one for a hospital go-bag for expectant mothers, the other for newborn essentials.

My heart had soared then, but now I saw it clearly. All these preparations were for the child she was carrying – Ryan's child.

Sienna came home unusually early tonight. I checked the time; it was only 9 PM. She usually wasn't back until late.

She called my name once. I lay in the bedroom and didn’t answer. She didn't push it.

Soon, the sound of the shower started. After she finished, she slipped quietly into the bedroom without turning on the lights and lay down gently beside me.

I felt a warmth around my waist – the first time she had ever initiated an embrace.

She pressed against my chest, her voice soft, pleading, "Honey, there’s really nothing going on between him and me. I'm just doing him a favor so he can have a child. Ryan has always wanted a kid. I promise, once the baby is born, I'll cut ties with him completely."

I didn't say anything. I just gently removed her arm from around me and shifted away silently.

Sensing my coldness, she immediately bristled, her voice rising. "I've already humbled myself asking you like this, what more do you want?"

"Don't forget, you were the one who said you didn't care about my past, that you just wanted to be with me."

"Can you stop being so petty? I could have hidden this from you, but out of respect, I told you the truth. And this is how you react? You're really letting me down."

I let out a cold snort.

"How were you planning to hide it? Wait until you started showing and then tell me the baby was mine?"

"Sienna, do I look like a total idiot to you?"

"Ethan Cole, Ryan is my best friend in the whole world! I was just helping him out. Do you have to be so relentless about this?!"

She vented her frustrations in a rush, finally throwing out, "You need to think long and hard about how I've been treating you lately. I know you want a child too. After this baby is born, I'll have one with you."

"Forget it. I'll sleep in the guest room tonight."

With that, the door slammed shut. I couldn't help but laugh bitterly – laughing at the tragedy of my marriage, laughing at how blind I'd been.

In her eyes, apologizing to me was a huge favor, one I was obligated to accept. Otherwise, I was the one being unreasonable.

She could treat me this way because, ultimately, I had indulged her far too much.

So, this was all my own damn fault.

2.

I woke up early the next morning to find Sienna already gone. I knew exactly what was happening; she’d been coming and going at odd hours lately.

Her assistant, Lisa, called my phone several times, asking where she was.

Lisa told me Sienna hadn't been to her studio recently.

Putting two and two together, she could only be with Ryan.

I ignored it and went to the hospital to pick up my physical exam results. The doctor said my ulcer needed serious attention, or I might end up needing surgery.

Leaving the clinic with the report, I bumped right into Sienna and Ryan. She was leaning against him, looking utterly dependent, while Ryan held several report forms.

Seeing me, Sienna’s face hardened. "Are you following me?"

I didn't bother responding to her, looking straight at Ryan instead. His eyes flickered away nervously as he tried to change the subject.

He feigned annoyance, pinching Sienna’s cheek lightly. "How can you say that? Ethan isn't that kind of person. He knows there's nothing between us."

Ryan's words sounded like he was trying to smooth things over, but he was actually putting the ball in my court.

I forced a smile. "Yeah, why would I follow you two? Just a happy couple here for a prenatal checkup."

Sienna flared up at that, shoving me hard. "What the hell is that supposed to mean! I only see Ryan as a brother."

I hadn't eaten breakfast, and my stomach was cramping painfully. I didn't notice the chair behind me and stumbled, falling to the ground.

Ryan immediately pretended to help me up, muttering reproaches at Sienna, but his eyes held a clear look of provocation.

Disgusted, I pushed him away, trying to stand on my own. Incredibly, he used the momentum to bump into Sienna behind him.

Sienna instantly clutched her stomach protectively, yelling at me, "Ethan Cole! If anything happens to this baby, I will never forgive you!"

I stood frozen, watching my wife scream at me over a child she was carrying for another man. A wave of desolation washed over me.

Never before had I felt so grateful that Sienna had chosen to abort our child.

How could someone who didn't even love her own husband possibly love their child?

Back home, I habitually picked up my phone to scroll through my feed.

Right away, I saw Ryan’s latest post: a profile shot of Sienna, tenderly stroking her belly.

The caption read: "Mine."

In the comments, Sienna’s friends chimed in.

Ashley Young teased, "That side profile doesn't look like your wife!"

Chloe Jones joked, "Oh, back together with the dream guy, huh?"

Lily Frost was more direct: "Ooh~ Now I get it. So the baby mama was here all along. Congrats, congrats!"

Then, Sienna herself commented to clarify: "Don't joke around like that. I'm just helping out. If you guys keep this up, my husband might get the wrong idea."

Her friends immediately understood, replying with "Got it," "Understood."

But Ashley was an exception. She shot back: "Afraid of what? Why keep a petty guy like that anyway? Better off divorced. You and Ryan have been through so much for years, everyone sees how you feel. Just follow your heart!"

Ashley always had it out for me, thinking I wasn't good enough for Sienna compared to Ryan.

Not as handsome, not as educated, not as charming.

Honestly, I'd put up with it for years for Sienna's sake.

But now, with our marriage at its end, I didn't need to protect anyone's feelings anymore.

So, I replied directly under Ashley’s comment: "Yeah, we're getting divorced soon. Thanks for worrying about Sienna all these years."

After posting that, I went to my own profile and selected two photos:

One was the divorce agreement. The other was the record of Sienna’s abortion procedure.

I added a simple caption: "Finally free."

3.

My post immediately garnered likes and comments.

Sienna’s friends were silent. They tactfully chose to ignore it, but I knew they were probably congratulating Sienna on escaping her miserable marriage.

Then my phone started ringing off the hook. My parents, Sienna’s parents – everyone was calling to ask what was going on.

Sienna herself frantically dialed my number, but I didn't pick up. I just sent a quick text to my parents: "Coming home tonight. We'll talk then."

I quickly packed my bags. As I was heading out, Sienna drove up, just returning.

Furious, she got out of the car and stormed towards me, demanding loudly:

"Ethan Cole, how could you divorce me over such a small thing and plaster it all over the internet!"

"Do you have any idea how my parents called me, asking what happened, why I aborted the baby! Have you ever respected me at all?!"

Her barrage of accusations nauseated me, but arguing was pointless now.

Ignoring her anger, I picked up my suitcase and walked down the steps towards the gate.

She suddenly lunged forward, blocking my path. "Does it have to be this way?" she pleaded frantically. "I told you I'd cut ties with him after the baby's born! I've already bent over backward for you, what more do you want?"

Her selfish words echoed in my ears, pushing me past my limit. I swung my hand back and slapped her hard across the face.

"Sienna, you ask if I've respected you? Have you ever respected me? You aborted our child to carry one for Ryan."

"I am your legal husband, the father of that child, yet I had no right to know. Did you respect me then?"

"Don't let me stand in the way of your true love. Ashley's right, you should follow your heart."

"A petty man like me isn't right for you. Go find someone who can tolerate everything about you."

"I've already emailed you the electronic version of the divorce papers. Remember to sign."

With that, I stepped around her, pushed open the gate, and walked away.

She yelled desperately after me, "You'll regret leaving!"

How could I regret it? This whole ordeal had finally woken me up. Leaving her would only make my life better.

Back at my parents' house, they anxiously asked about the divorce the moment they saw me.

My mom's eyes were red; she had clearly been crying.

I told them everything – about Sienna aborting our child and then carrying one for Ryan.

My mom pulled me into a hug, her voice thick with sympathy.

"I told you from the start she wasn't reliable."

My dad, after a moment of silence, said firmly, "Divorcing her is the right thing to do."

Truthfully, my parents had always had reservations about Sienna, feeling she wasn't genuine with me.

But I hadn't listened back then. I'd chased her for five or six years, and finally getting together felt like a victory. I thought time would prove everything.

Turns out, I was wrong.

The marriage finally ended. It took me nearly ten years to understand that forced happiness isn't sweet.

After waiting a long time, Sienna still wouldn't sign the divorce papers.

Only when I threatened legal action did she finally respond, saying she would meet me and make Ashley and the others apologize.

Her text message radiated exhaustion:

"I'll come pick you up with Ryan tomorrow. I'll make Ashley and the others apologize to you. Can you please stop making things difficult for me? It's so hard. Both you and Ryan put me in such an awkward position."

"I apologize to you. You know I'm someone who keeps my promises. I promised Ryan I'd help him, I can't just abort the baby now."

"He also told me that once the baby is born, he won't bother us anymore. It's just that during this time, he kept saying he wanted to accompany me to the prenatal checkups. After all, I am doing him a big favor."

"Actually, his wife was supposed to go with me, but she's not around lately. So, Ethan, please try to understand."

4.

She always claimed she didn't know who to choose between Ryan and me, but her actions repeatedly showed that Ryan was always her priority.

On our wedding day, she ditched me to comfort Ryan, who was arguing with his wife.

On our anniversary, she ignored me because Ryan was afraid of thunderstorms.

On my birthday, she went to celebrate Ryan's.

During holidays, she bought two sets of gifts – one for me, one for Ryan. It seemed fair on the surface, but it was utterly ridiculous.

I expressed my dissatisfaction many times. She always promised to change but inevitably repeated her mistakes, even accusing me of being too sensitive.

Looking back, the happiest moment between us was the day I proposed.

On Skyline View Point, high above the city, under a sky full of stars, I planned a proposal just for us. That moment, the way she looked at me was filled with love, her vows warm and sincere.

But now, everything had changed.

When Sienna didn't get a reply from me, she called directly. "Ryan has already booked the restaurant. Everyone's coming to apologize to you. Don't be angry anymore."

I responded calmly, "Will Ryan be there too?"

"Yes, he'll be there."

"Okay, come pick me up tomorrow."

If the apology was only for me, what was the point?

Sienna's car pulled up downstairs. When the window rolled down, Ryan was in the driver's seat.

He gave me a slightly apologetic smile. "Ethan, sorry about this. Sienna's pregnant, so she can't drive. I drove instead."

I smiled back. "No problem, I understand."

Previously, this would have bothered me, but now, whatever Sienna and Ryan did, I wouldn't easily get upset anymore.

Truth be told, even if Sienna had been driving, the passenger seat wouldn't have been mine.

At the restaurant, Sienna's friends were already seated, waiting for the three of us.

Ashley came over, greeted me, and insisted I sit next to her. "Ethan, sit here. I need to properly apologize to you later."

Her tone sounded more like a warning than an apology.

Once everyone was settled, Ashley poured me a glass of wine first, saying it was her penalty.

She downed it in one gulp, then began her "apology." "Ethan, I'm a straightforward person, don't take it personally. I used to think you weren't good enough for my best friend."

"But since Sienna is still willing to be with you, then today, for her sake, I'll apologize."

She poured another glass, held it towards me, and said, "This one is a sincere apology. I misspoke that day. I'm sorry."

As soon as she finished, Sienna's other friends quickly followed suit with their apologies.

Sienna, seeing the atmosphere easing, quickly encouraged everyone to start eating, trying to lighten the mood.

But suddenly, Ryan raised his glass of fruit wine, stood up, and addressed me: "Ethan, I also need to say sorry. Sienna cares too much about me, and it's caused you a lot of grief."

Sienna immediately pulled Ryan back down into his seat. "It's not your fault, you don't need to apologize."

Then she turned to me, looking earnest. "I'm sorry. I failed to handle this relationship properly."

I chuckled. "It's okay. Actually, there's someone else who'd like to hear your apologies too."

Just as I finished speaking, the door swung open, and a woman in high heels walked in.

Ryan instantly panicked.