Chapter 2

With those words, I retreated to the bedroom to gather my belongings, disregarding their responses.

Having made the decision to depart permanently, I was determined to erase all traces of my presence.

Laughter from the living area seeped through the closed door. I momentarily halted while folding my attire.

"Kieran, I'd like our child to bear your last name. This way, even if he calls another man 'Dad' someday, he'll always know you're his real father."

Without seeing it, I could picture the affectionate look on Ottilie's face as she spoke those words.

My already battered heart ached anew from her actions.

Suddenly, I recalled last month when I had hurried home, carrying gifts I had specially purchased for Ottilie while abroad.

However, at our doorstep, I encountered Ottilie and Kieran returning from a stroll, their hands intertwined.

Unlike the terrified expression on Ottilie's face, Kieran looked at me puzzled, inquiring if I had the wrong apartment.

I remained silent, my eyes fixed on Ottilie's protruding stomach.

After eleven months away, my wife was expecting.

There was no possibility of convincing myself that this child was mine.

Then Ottilie hastily stepped in front of Kieran to introduce me.

"This is my husband, Jude Wilson."

I had anticipated that upon hearing this, Kieran would show some discretion. Instead, he welcomed me into my own home as if he were the master of the house.

As we passed each other, he whispered so only I could hear:

"I hear you're quite a bit older than me? I suppose I should call you 'brother' then, considering your wife is carrying my baby."

Rage surged through me, and I lost all self-control. I swung my fist, landing a solid blow on his face.

I had completely snapped, eleven months of longing for Ottilie during our separation transformed into unbridled fury.

Had I been holding a knife at that moment, I might have ended both their lives.

It wasn't until the neighbors heard the disturbance and alerted the authorities that we were all taken to the station. But since it was a domestic issue, the police couldn't intervene much and simply sent us home.

Upon our return, my in-laws, who had rushed over after hearing the news, began scolding me without even asking what had transpired.

They berated me for causing such a commotion as soon as I returned, making us the talk of the neighborhood.

They even criticized me for wasting years of education, resorting to violence, and threatened that if anything serious had occurred, they wouldn't let me off easily.

It turned out they had been aware of Ottilie and Kieran's relationship all along, and were even strongly in favor of it.

In just a year, Kieran had become their ideal son-in-law.

Only I had been kept ignorant of the situation.

A bitter taste filled my mouth, and I felt utterly wretched.

Ottilie shakily approached me, attempting to take my hand and reason with me.

"I never intended to betray you. Kieran is gravely ill; the doctors say he has at most six months to live. I couldn't bear to see him pass without leaving an heir."

"I had considered discussing it with you earlier, but you were so far away, and I didn't want to worry you and disrupt your studies. That's why I planned to wait until your return to tell you."

"If you're willing, could we raise this child together?"

Such a significant life decision as having children, yet she spoke of it so nonchalantly.

I placed the final piece of clothing into my suitcase just as my mother-in-law pushed open the door and entered.

Noticing the suitcase at my feet, she wore an expression that seemed to say 'at least you know your place'. "You've been away for so long, so I let Kieran sleep in your room. Now the study has been converted into a nursery too. You'll have to make do with the living room couch tonight, or perhaps you should just stay at a hotel?"

I was truly exhausted and lacked the energy to search for a hotel.

I nodded, prepared to settle for the sofa.

But late into the night, the infant's wails persisted from the bedroom.

I turned over, about to insert earplugs, when I heard Ottilie's complaining voice.

"Can't you do something about the baby? He just won't stop crying."

"Aren't you my baby? I just need to take care of you. A little crying is good for the baby's lungs."

Ottilie giggled and said, "You're awful."

Followed by the sound of the bed creaking.

I pulled the blanket over my head, trying desperately to block out those unbearable sounds.

But when I closed my eyes, I seemed to see Ottilie as she was when she first professed her love to me.

Back then, she was innocent and beautiful, her eyes filled with nothing but adoration for me.

But that Ottilie no longer belonged to me.

I slept fitfully through the night and departed at dawn with my suitcase.

I went to the administration office to cancel my household registration and process the necessary paperwork for going abroad.

Because I had government-approved documents, all the procedures were completed swiftly, and the staff didn't ask many questions.

Just as I was leaving, the staff member suddenly called out to me and handed me a handful of fruit-flavored candies.

"I hope all your wishes come true"

I smiled gratefully at her and then found a nearby hotel.