The Child Between Us

I was getting my 18th fertility injection, but my husband snatched the syringe away from me. "That thing's tormented you for three years. I heard we'll get a child of our own if we adopt a kid. Maybe we can go with that." He brought home an adorable baby girl that afternoon and called her Cece. He would make a lot of faces to make her laugh and loved her like she was his own. My husband rarely smiled after we got married. It wasn't every day he made a request, and I, cradled by my fantasy of having our own baby, went along with his plan. Three years had gone by since we took Cece in, but I had gotten no child of my own. I was also slightly concerned that she couldn't utter a single word even though she was already four years old. I made a lot of trips and put in a lot of effort to help her. One day, I came home only to find out there were voices in the room. "I miss you, Mom. Please come back soon." Ecstasy caught me in its grip and stopped me in my tracks. I wanted to call out to Cece, but I saw her in a video call through the ajar door. My husband was right by Cece, and his eyes were glued to the screen. They were filled with the kind of devotion I had never seen before. My footsteps went quiet before I realized it. My silence was rewarded when a voice came from the phone, saying, "Mommy's coming back next week, Cece." Chapter 1 Betrayal My heart sank. If I were to be specific, it felt like it'd been plunged into an icy abyss. That was the voice of Zoe Wilson, my husband's true love. Tim Brook's true love. We grew up in the same group house, but she had all his love and affection for more than 10 years. Six years ago, she left him at the altar and fled overseas. And so, Tim married me in a fit of temper. Everyone jeered at me, calling me a thief, calling me someone who finally got her wish. Unease had gripped me since then, and it only grew stronger. I desperately wanted a baby, naively thinking that I would at least have a connection with Tim even if Zoe returned. Fate decided to slam that door in my face. Tim was diagnosed with low sperm mobility, and I'd gotten many injections over the years just to get a successful IVF. My body was already covered in bruises from my attempts, yet my efforts were all for naught. I didn't think Zoe would come back, but here she was. As if it couldn't get any worse, Cece was her child. That made me wonder who the father was. Realization hit my mind like thunder. I refused to think further. Unfortunately, I lost my balance in my despair, causing the fruits to tumble out of my hand and hit the ground with loud thuds. The voices inside went quiet, father and daughter jerking their heads back. Tim's smile was still hanging on his lips, but his eyes narrowed when he realized who was standing outside, and he quickly got up. Then, he nervously held my hand and put the back of his other hand against my head. He was worried I'd lost my balance because my cold got worse. I lied to him about the hospital trip. It wasn't a cold. I was searching for help for Cece. I've gone across the whole country over the last few years, but nothing worked. A concerned Tim told me to stop fussing over the matter, but I couldn't watch while Cece suffered from aphasia. So, I looked for doctors behind his back. I turned away stiffly. Tim didn't suspect me of overhearing their conversation. He pulled his hands back and picked up the fruits. "Just tell the housekeeper if you need any groceries. Don't exhaust yourself. Spend more time with Cece." Then, he waved at Cece. "It's all your favorites." The girl waddled over like a penguin, but she circled me and approached Tim. She'd never been close to me. I'd always felt guilty taking her to all those doctors. I thought she was scared of me because she associated me with the doctors, but… well. I stared at them, picking the fruits up as my heart twisted into knots. My chest went numb, but slivers of pain still peeked through. A moment later, I took a deep breath and decided to poke the hornet's nest a little. "Did Cece call me Mom?" Cece jerked her head back, her eyes wide as the blackberries she was holding. Tim froze for a moment before he patted Cece's head and told her to go back to her room. After she was gone, he said solemnly, "You were mistaken. Cece's already diagnosed with a voice disorder. Don't bring that up when she's around ever again." He made his way to the nursery, leaving me alone in the living room. My eyes stung, their edges red. I knew what I heard. That was no hallucination. I bit my lip until the skin tore, until the pain numbed me. When I spoke, my voice shook. "But I…" "Enough, Yvonne. Don't make this harder on me." Tim stopped for a moment just to give me that icy answer. Then, he went into the nursery and slammed the door shut. The rest of my sentence died in my throat. Tim's respect for me was conditional. He would shut me down whenever I went against him. He would turn his back against me, and his eyes always only had Zoe. Only Zoe. Everyone said I managed to snag a great bargain. I once fantasized about this relationship actually blossoming into romance. However, reality was a cruel mistress, and our marriage had been lukewarm for six whole years. He probably wouldn't ever fall in love with me. He knew I hated lies and deception. When I was five, my mother duped me into opening the door for her. She went into a man's car and never came home. When my father threatened to beat me up, Tim was the one who barged right into the line of fire and defended me. The scar on his forehead was still vaguely visible even after all this time. Since that day onward, I'd had a visceral hatred for lies. This fraudulent marriage had abused and hurt me until not an inch of me was left unmarred. In the end, all I gained was a masterfully crafted lie. I wiped my tears away and dialed that man's number with trembling fingers. The call went through almost immediately. Henry Silhouette's flippant but surprised voice came through. Henry had been the boy who wouldn't stop following me around like a particularly vicious goose since we were kids, and he was always at odds with Tim. "Have you finally gotten over your useless husband and are willing to consider me, Eve?" Chapter 2 Hatred Burns I smiled bitterly as I said, "I need you to look into a certain someone. Find out who Cece Brook's real parents are." It was during my phone call to Henry that I found out when Zoe was coming home. It was right smack on my sixth anniversary. Henry said Tim had booked a hotel and was planning to hold a grand welcome for Zoe. My ears began to ring, and something invisible squeezed my heart into a shriveled raisin. Breathing itself became something taxing on my body. Tim would cook up something simple every anniversary. I thought he didn't like grand parties. And now he wouldn't even bother making a simple meal for me just because Zoe was coming home. Henry was cursing Tim out, angry on my behalf. He kept telling me to get a divorce. Frustration was beginning to spread and tie me up like a hostage. I answered half-heartedly, "Yes, yes, right away." Tim had come out before I knew it, and he was standing behind me, saying nothing. When our eyes met, he said calmly, "Calling someone?" I hung up in a hurry. I couldn't help but wonder how much he had heard. He took my silence as a cue to get closer. He walked up to me and put his hands on my shoulders gently, then he pulled me into his tight embrace. "I'm sorry I was so harsh on you earlier. I know you're worried about Cece, but you don't have to. I've called an overseas expert, and they'll be coming over for her treatment. She'll get better soon, I promise." The Brook family had great power in the world of medicine. I've gone to many hospitals and asked for the help of experts no fewer than a thousand times, and all of them said Cece couldn't be cured. Tim had a good reason backing his confidence. After all, Cece had never been a mute. Just then, my back went cold as an epiphany struck me like lightning. Zoe majored in neurological rehabilitation. An electric current coursed through my whole body, but I held the discomfort in and struggled away from his arms. Then, I met Tim's cool, calm eyes. When my voice came out, it was shaking. "Do I know that expert?" My nails were digging into my palms. The pain was throbbing, but my eyes never left his face. Tim looked at the ground for a moment, then he met my eyes and put on a smile. His answer came out like he was talking about an old acquaintance. "Zoe Wilson." We had a tacit agreement spanning six years to never bring that name up, and now he had just broken that agreement. That name crashed onto my head like a meteor hitting the ground. The world around me went blurry for a moment. I stepped forth and grabbed Tim's arm, clawing half a dozen creases on the fabric. My voice nearly cracked as I demanded, "Are you sure Cece can't talk? Is Zoe the only person who can help her?" A hint of hesitation flickered in his eyes. It was nearly imperceptible, but I saw it. Tim quickly gave the back of my hand a soothing caress. "I understand where you're coming from, but can you set your prejudice aside for Cece?" This man lied to me for three whole years just so Cece and her mother could be reunited, and now he called me prejudiced. I flung his hand away and stared at him, my smile hideous. I thought he had given up on Zoe when she left him at the altar six years ago. Now, I knew better. This scumbag had duped me into raising another woman's child for three years and told me she couldn't talk, just so he could polish Zoe's resume. I stepped away from him, staring at the man I thought I knew. A deep sense of irony slithered around my heart as I recalled how I'd poured six years' worth of love into him, suffered for three years for him, had gone through 18 IVF attempts for him, all for it to end up as one colossal joke at my expense. Well, then. Whatever lingering affection that was still smoldering in my heart was snuffed out and frozen with something fiercer, something that burned. Hatred. "Let's get a divorce." Chapter 3 A Drama I swiveled and walked off before he could do anything. When I came back home with the printed divorce papers, he was in the living room, playing with building blocks with Cece. It was a heartwarming scene, and they looked like an actual father and daughter. It took me waking up from my fantasy to finally notice that I was the stranger, the outsider. He didn't even raise his head. Instead, he ordered matter-of-factly, "Where'd you go? Come on, make some snacks for Cece. Strawberry tart, her favorite." We had nannies and childcare experts for those jobs, but he insisted that I did everything myself. He claimed that earnest feelings were always rewarded. I used to lap that story up like a good pup. Now, I merely raised my hand and interrupted him. Then, I shoved the divorce papers into his arms and went to my room to pack my things. He froze for a moment. Tim's face fell, and he stormed after me. "If this is your idea of a joke, it isn't funny. Zoe's coming back to treat Cece, and you're her mother. You should be happy for her, not threatening divorce. What are you, twelve?" He was trying to be pushy, but he didn't grab my hand that hard. It was just that the IVF treatments I'd undergone had messed my body up. Every little bump could leave a bruise that would scream its pain across my whole body. Still, I didn't flinch. Instead, I arched my eyebrow and asked him, "Who's Cece's mother?" He froze, his eyes filled with surprise. "You're up to more nonsense again." I wasn't going to waste my time on this. "If you won't sign, then I'll just have to tell everyone who Cece's real mother is when Zoe comes home." He grabbed my wrist with a lot more force now. His eyes were on me, and they were crimson. "Stop this nonsense!" I could feel cold sweat beading my forehead due to the pain, but my eyes remained firmly on him as well. There were a lot of emotions in his gaze that I didn't care enough to decipher. In the end, he grabbed a pen and signed the papers, though he refused to pull it off right away. "Divorce is not a game. Think it through." He was talking to me and not to me at the same time. Something flashed through my mind. Something impossible. I thought that maybe he didn't want the divorce, but then I was reminded of Zoe. I was reminded of their tangled past, and I was forced to remember the lies they'd spun around me. So, I shook my head and said nothing more. Tim noticed my response, and he slowly gave the papers back to me. I took them calmly. My right hand was numb and in agony from his grip. I barely had the strength to even pick up a pen, but he heaved a sigh of relief for some reason and went back to play with Cece. I packed my stuff up and was about to leave when the door swung open. It was the nanny, and she had a bowl of soup. "Mr. Brook said you needed the soup to calm down." Tim never loved me, and everyone in this household was a weathercock. She shoved the bowl over to me unceremoniously, and the steam nearly scalded my face. I arched back and told her to leave. She refused to listen. Instead, the nanny pinned me down and shoved that soup down my throat. It trickled down my throat and burned everything along the way. Agony flared, and I slapped the nanny. As we tussled, the bowl flew across the air and crashed into the girl who'd just come in. She cried her heart out. I darted ahead to check on her, but someone yanked me and flung me back. "Move!" Tim stared at Cece's reddening calf, and the edges of his eyes went red. He swiveled and glowered at me, his chest heaving. "You're evil! You can't even tolerate one little girl under your roof?" He didn't notice the burns on the corners of my lips and my chest. I wanted to explain, but he refused to listen. Tim locked me up and gave me not a single scrap of food nor a drop of water for three days. The burns festered, and high fever burned me up until everything was groggy and I was almost delirious. The nanny was outside, gloating smugly, "Stop acting like you're the lady of this house. You'd scram if you know what's good for you. There will be no place for you here once Ms. Wilson returns. And now you're seen as Cece's tormentor. "Mr. Brook will kick you out sooner or later. Then, Ms. Wilson will move in!" That woman had bought out the nanny. The soup and that whole drama were something she had set up, all so she could frame me so I'd earn Tim's absolute ire and get me kicked out of this house. I banged on the door and called for Tim with the last of my strength, but only silence answered me. He never even showed up. Just when I thought the fever would finish me off, Henry's voice echoed from the other side of the door. I woke up again four days later. Henry had a stubble around his chin, and his eyes were bloodshot. "Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant?" Chapter 4 She's Pregnant Henry's eyes flitted over to my belly as he said warmly, "And you're two months along." I froze, my eyes filled with disbelief as I stared at Henry. I'd begged and prayed for years to have a child of my own. I'd even gone overseas for better treatment just to up my chances. Everyone knew how desperate I was to have a family. Henry was part of that group, and he would never joke about my pregnancy. After the IVF treatments nearly destroyed my body, the doctor told me pregnancy would be difficult for me. As time passed, Tim began to care less and less about my desire to start a family. I'd hoped for a baby for six whole years. Yet, it came at the most inopportune moment. Tears spilled from my eyes, and my voice came out raspy. I mocked myself, "Is that supposed to be good news?" "At least you have one more family to call your own now." Henry held my hand tightly. His eyes spoke of encouragement. He was a child born out of wedlock and grew up with that label. After his mother's death, he was taken to the group house. Tim scoffed at him because of his background and forbade anyone from playing with him. However, I thought Henry was a good person. We both lost our mothers, and I would always share my snacks with him behind everyone's back. Eventually, he became my lackey. Family meant more to us than anyone else. My hands rested on my belly, and I could feel the tiny flicker of life moving inside. This wasn't just Tim's baby; it was mine too. I was filled with excitement. So, I looked up and said happily, "You're right. It's great news! I need to tell Dad. Come on, give me a phone!" Henry didn't look happy at all. In fact, his eyes were now filled with sorrow. "Come on, give me a phone." Henry didn't move. He only stared at me for the longest moment. Then, he squeezed my hand as a frown appeared on his lips. "Mr. Smith passed away yesterday." The news hit me like thunder. It split my soul in half, and my body went stiff as a corpse. It was a comfortable temperature where I was, yet now the air itself felt biting. I felt as though my whole body was freezing from the inside out, making me shiver violently. It was so cold that even my teeth began to chatter uncontrollably. So, I desperately pulled my blanket closer, tighter. Alas, not a single sliver of warmth stayed under my self-imposed swaddle. My father was the only family I had. He was the only one I had for my whole life. Something ugly welled within me. I shoved Henry away like a maniac and accused him of making up stories. I was so deep in denial and rage that I grabbed my pillow and hurled it in his face, screaming at him to leave. My breath came in short pants. I tried to inhale deeply, but I began to hyperventilate and fall back to the bed. Henry called for a doctor, and they managed to resuscitate me until I could breathe on my own again, slowly. Henry was in front of my bed, his face dark and stormy. Still, a smile curled his lips when he noticed I'd regained consciousness. He wiped the tears off my face and comforted me. "Just respiratory alkalosis, it's alright." "My father was healthy. Why did he…" A conflicted look filled Henry's face. He told me to get some rest and let him handle the rest. I yanked the IV needle out and struggled to get out of bed. "If you're not answering, then I'll get the answers myself!" Zoe moved into the Brook Residence after she returned to the country, and everyone made a huge fuss about it. Everyone and their mother talked about how Tim's true love had finally come home, while the bargain-snagging wife that was me had to scurry away like a rat. My dad went and demanded an explanation, but he somehow fell down the stairs and had a brain hemorrhage. The doctors failed to save him. Tears slid down my cheeks as I sobbed silently, splashing against the ground. My hatred surged in my heart like a vengeance. My eyes were glued to the tear stains on the ground. Something metallic was surging up my throat, but I choked it back down. When I spoke, my voice was deathly calm. "Where is it? The thing that'll take Tim Brook down?" I remembered Henry holding me in his arms after I lost consciousness that day. As he rushed me to the hospital, he babbled how he'd gotten some very interesting evidence in a way a child would ask for praise. As I snapped back to the present, I saw Henry pulling out a stack of documents from a drawer. My eyes scanned through them quickly. A malicious smile curled my lips, while the gaze in my eyes turned colder with every passing moment. The TV was showing Zoe's welcoming event. They were in the hall, and Tim was holding her hand. Cece was standing next to them, and they looked like a perfect family. To me, they were a perfect eyesore. The emcee loudly announced Zoe's success in curing the girl's aphasia. Tim wanted to hold a ceremony right away and have Cece call Zoe her godmother. I ripped the IV needle off my hand once again and pushed my already weakened body off the hospital bed. Then, I hissed with the remaining strength I had left, "We're going there. Right now. There's no reason for the legal mother to be absent at such an audacious kind of event." Chapter 5 Drama Queens Henry and I were denied entry when we arrived at the venue. Soon, familiar figures showed up before us. Zoe had her arm looped around Tim's, and her other hand was holding Cece. They looked like the perfect family. The sight of me wiped Tim's smile off his face as he frowned in displeasure. He noticed Henry holding me up and fell into his habit of starting a lecture. "You should be at home, reflecting on your mistakes, not hanging around with his lot." Then, he scanned Henry coldly. "I heard you picked my lock, injured my housekeeper, and absconded with my wife. I should've called the cops, but I didn't. Now, you're going to mess up Zoe's welcoming party? I will make you pay!" Zoe held her head high, and every inch of her body shouted arrogance. Of course, she was haughty. Tim was already doing all the work for her without her even saying a single word. Henry couldn't stand that man anymore. Before I could say anything, he waved the documents and shrugged. "Guess we're not welcome here, Eve. Pity we brought a present—" "Silence!" Tim interrupted Henry coldly, ignoring the documents. He warned Henry to show me more respect. Then, he pulled me over to his side. "Don't hang out with men like him, Yvonne. Go home. I've gotten you…" "You're the one who should be showing more respect, Mr. Ex-husband," I interrupted. Tim froze. "What did you just call me?" That was weird. He seemed to have lost recollection only after a few days. He'd signed the papers himself. That made him my ex-husband. Henry got the cue and piled on him. "Yeah, you ignored your actual wife and made a big scene about inviting your ex into your house. The whole city knows about it. There's nothing more disrespectful than that! All I did was call her a nickname! "Geez, this is how I know you'd have no standards if you didn't have double standards!" Tim was still reeling from the shock of our divorce. So, the information overload froze him like he was an old computer. I ignored him, shoved him away, and strode into the hall. However, Tim grabbed my wrist tightly, his face a whorl of shifting emotions. "What are you doing?" "We're childhood friends. I can join her party, right? Or are you excluding me from my daughter's godparenting?" Tim choked on his response. My expression was impassive, and my voice was cold. The commotion caught the guests' attention, and they huddled around us. Zoe tugged on Tim's hem, telling him to kick us out. Zoe's lackeys started mocking us before Tim could say anything. "Ah, the protector of love, Yvonne Smith. So, are you here to supervise your husband or steal him away again?" "Honestly, women shouldn't go after taken men. If his heart isn't yours, having only his body is useless." "You've had him for six years. You should be content. Leave now, and save whatever dignity you have left." The mockery was unending. Some of them even read my love letters out loud. I'd kept those in a diary and locked them up in the house. They shouldn't have gotten their hands on it, yet here they were. I frowned and stared at Tim. He too seemed surprised, as if he hadn't seen this coming. I tried to smack the phones away in a fit of anger. Alas, Tim quickly put an arm around me and dragged me away. He clasped both hands on my shoulders and hissed, "Calm down. Just let them laugh. It'll pass. Don't make it awkward for everyone. It's Zoe's night. Can you not steal her thunder?" I stared at him, utterly dumbstruck at his audacity. Then, I slapped Tim hard enough to leave a burning red mark. Everyone fell into silence as if they'd just gotten their pause button hit. "I see everyone's eager for drama. Then, feast your eyes on something better!" Henry played the video and projected it onto the big screen in the hall. Once the first scene started playing, all the color disappeared from Tim's face. Meanwhile, the guests gasped in visible surprise.