The Wife He Discarded

Elaine's POV The house was awake, but nobody seemed interested in helping. The staff moved quietly, careful not to attract Olivia's attention. "How long does it take to make a simple plate of eggs?" Olivia's voice sliced through the morning before her heels even hit the tile. She stepped into the kitchen, her robe trailing behind her, her eyes immediately scanning the counter with disdain. "Dimitri has a ten billion dollar deal on the line this morning, Elaine," she snapped, crossing her arms over her chest. "Everything should have been set, served, and waiting on the table ten minutes ago. You're supposed to be his wife, not a sluggish servant." "I'm sorry," I said, keeping my head down as I turned off the burner. "I stayed up until three in the morning reviewing the final financial proposals for his meeting." Olivia let out a scoff, waving her hand like she was swatting a fly. "Stop using my son's work as an excuse to neglect your basic duties. You aren't his executive, Elaine. You're the woman sitting at home, and right now, you're failing at the one job you actually have." Before I could answer, the kitchen door swung open. Cheryl and Cassie strutted in, still in their pajamas, already giggling about something on their phones. I grabbed the silver coffee pot, turning quickly toward the island, but my hip caught the edge of Cheryl's shoulder as she stepped into my path. The pot wobbled and the hot dark liquid sloshed over the rim, splashing straight across the front of her dress. The coffee spread across the fabric in a dark stain. For a moment, I could only stare before the insults began. "Watch it!" Cheryl shrieked, jumping back and staring at the stain in horror. She glared up at me, her face twisting in disgust. "God, Elaine, look at you! You're getting so fat you can't even navigate a basic kitchen without bumping into people!" She turned toward her twin, waving her hands wildly. "Cassie, come look at this! She's practically taking up the entire walkway!" Cassie strutted over, looking me up and down with an exaggerated pucker of her lips. "Jesus. Have you been eating the food meant for the entire household, Elaine? Maybe try losing a few pounds so you stop ruining everyone else's morning." I squeezed my eyes shut for a second as tears stung the back of my eyes, but I forced them back. Every morning felt like a test I had never agreed to take, and somehow I was always expected to apologize. This was my life now. Three years of giving up my family, my fortune, and my name for Dimitri, only to be reduced to a punching bag in his mother's house. When Dimitri finally sat down at the head of the dining table, I immediately stepped up to serve him his plate and pour his black coffee. "Did you get a chance to read through the final proposal I edited?" I asked softly, standing right beside his chair. Dimitri didn't look up from his tablet, but he took a slow sip of the coffee. "I did. The adjustments you suggested on the valuation metrics were sharp. It should give us the leverage we need for the partnership." A faint spark of pride flickered in my chest. "Good. Just don't forget about section four during negotiations. The non-compete clause has a loophole in the third paragraph. If you don't push back on it today, they'll exploit it next quarter." "Elaine, please," Olivia interrupted, setting her fine china cup down. "Stop bothering my son with corporate matters while he's trying to eat. He has real executives to handle those things. Let him breathe." I froze, looking over at Dimitri, waiting for him to say something. Waiting for him to tell her that I was the one who built those financial models from scratch. That I was the reason his empire survived its first two years. Dimitri didn't say a word. He just picked up his fork, took another bite of his breakfast, and kept scrolling through his tablet. I had learned that silence was safer than defending myself. Any explanation could become another accusation, so I kept my eyes lowered. Just like he always for the past three years. And like a fool, I just stood there beside his chair, swallowed my pride, and pretended it didn't hurt. Before he could walk out the front door, I caught up to him near the foyer, stepping into his path. "Dimitri," I said softly, reaching out to touch his arm. "Don't forget... tomorrow is our third wedding anniversary." Dimitri paused, his eyes flicking to the watch on his wrist before looking back at me. "I know. I haven't forgotten, Elaine. It's just... things have been insane at the office lately. Once this meeting is over today, I'll clear my schedule. I'll make time for you tomorrow." I offered a small, hopeful smile and leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss against his cheek. He stood still, his body stiff, noticeably hesitant to kiss me back before he stepped away toward the waiting car. I watched his car pull out of the driveway, then turned and headed upstairs to my room. Outside, the morning looked bright and ordinary, as though nothing inside the house had happened. I watched the thin curtains move gently before turning away slowly. I had a hospital appointment I hadn't told a soul about. For the past few weeks, a bone-deep exhaustion had settled into my body. My appetite had flipped, and I was constantly nauseous. At first, I blamed it on the endless nights spent staying up late working on Dimitri's corporate files and the stress of living under his mother's thumb. But when my period didn't show up, a stupid thought took root. At the clinic, the scent of antiseptic made my stomach churn as I underwent a series of blood tests and an ultrasound. I sat on the edge of the examination table, my fingers clutching the paper sheet, waiting for the results. When the doctor finally walked back in, she looked over the clipboard with a faint smile. "Well, Mrs. Monrae, the results are clear," she said, looking up. "You're pregnant. And you're actually further along than you thought—nearly twelve weeks." A wave of shock hit me so hard my breath hitched in my throat as my mind went blank. I just sat there, staring at her, suspended in a strange numbness where I didn't even know what to feel. A baby? Inside me?