No Longer Growing Old Together

When I went to the hospital for a checkup to see if my fourth IVF attempt had succeeded, I saw Daniel Cooper, who was supposed to be on a business trip.

He was carefully supporting a young, beautiful woman as they walked out of the obstetrics and gynecology department.

Her belly was unmistakably round, and she looked like she was ready to give birth at any moment.

Daniel froze for just a second before stepping in front of her, shielding her from me.

He explained, "Abby, the Cooper family needs an heir to carry on the lineage. Once the baby is born, everything will go back to the way it was."

I heard the certainty in his words. So I smiled, nodded, and quietly tucked my test results away as he stared at me in surprise.

On the day she gave birth, I left the divorce papers on the kitchen table and walked out of his life for good.

When I saw Daniel Cooper at the obstetrics and gynecology department, I thought I was mistaken.

Just the night before, he had kissed me over and over, whispering that he loved me more than anything. I had even packed his suitcase myself, piece by piece, for his so-called business trip.

However, here he was, wearing the clothes I had carefully picked out for him. All while carefully supporting a young, visibly pregnant woman as they walked out of the department.

She held a medical report in her hand and said something to him. He leaned in, listening with a patience and attentiveness.

The warmth between them was palpable—anyone would have assumed they were a happy couple.

It felt like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over me, instantly extinguishing every bit of joy I had left.

I stood frozen, my eyes locking with Daniel’s. He was still smiling faintly, but that smile quickly stiffened, and panic flashed across his face.

The woman beside him turned pale the moment she saw me, clutching Daniel’s sleeve in fear.

Daniel quickly composed himself. He gently patted her hand, guiding her to a nearby waiting area and whispering something to calm her down.

When he finally walked toward me, the panic of being caught had vanished. Instead, he acted as if nothing had happened.

"What brings you to the hospital? Are you feeling all right?"

He reached out to touch my face, but I took a step back to avoid his touch.

“Explain yourself,” I said, my voice steady despite the storm inside me.

In my mind, I was pleading, "Daniel, please tell me that this is just a misunderstanding. If you say it, I’ll believe you.”

I bit my lip while forcing back my tears, but the tremor in my voice gave me away.

Seeing my pain, Daniel ignored my resistance and pulled me into his arms. "Baby, it's not what you think. Let's go home, and I'll explain everything..."

My heart sank. He did not even deny it. My eyes burned as I stared at him, silently demanding the truth.

He hesitated under my gaze, looking away before speaking with difficulty. "The baby... is mine. But I didn't mean for this to happen, Abby..."

His voice was quiet, but the words hit me like thunder. My legs nearly gave out.

Seeing me falter, Daniel reached out to steady me, his eyes filled with concern.

I slapped his hand away. "Don't touch me!"

I could not understand how he could betray me yet still acted as if he cared.

By now, people in the hallway had started staring. The other woman hurried over, shielding Daniel like a mother hen protecting her chick.

"Abigail, don't blame Mr. Cooper. It wasn’t his fault. He didn't do it on purpose."

Daniel shot her a sharp look, telling her to go back, but his hand instinctively hovered near her waist, protectively.

Their mutual sympathy was nauseating, making me feel like the villain. Anger, resentment, and heartbreak surged through me.

Hatred rose within me as I stepped forward and glared at her. "You shameless homewrecker!"

She flinched in fear, nearly stumbling.

Daniel’s face darkened. He shoved me aside and pulled her tightly into his arms.

He used so much force, and I was caught off guard—I was actually pushed to the ground.

The force caught me off guard, and I fell to the ground. Instinctively, I shielded my stomach. A sharp pain shot through my palm, but it was nothing compared to the ache in my heart.

Daniel had never hurt me before. He looked just as shocked as I was, staring at his hands in disbelief. Regret washed over his face.

"Abby, are you okay?" He panicked and reached out to help me up.

Behind him, the woman suddenly gasped. "Ah… Danny, my stomach hurts!"

Daniel's hand jerked back instantly. Without another thought, he scooped her up in his arms and rushed toward the examination room.

Before leaving, he glanced back at me. His handsome face was filled with guilt.

"Abby, wait for me. I'll explain everything later."

Then he was gone.

I clutched my stomach, tears welling up as my nose tingled. Deep down, I knew there would be no “later” for us.