I Have Your Illegitimate Daughter, Husband

Chapter 2

"Ryan's incredible. His catch has ranked first on the boat every year. His base salary is already good, and he makes a fortune in commissions."

"He earns well and treats his wife like a queen. You couldn't ask for a better man."

That was when I understood. The money Ryan sent me each month was only his base salary.

All those substantial commissions and deep-sea bonuses had gone to his other family.

Ruby smiled warmly. "We're all very lucky."

Someone else sighed. "Time flies. It feels like we attended your wedding just yesterday, but that was 5 years ago. Now you already have a baby."

So they had even held a lavish wedding.

When Ryan and I got married, we had hosted only a few tables of guests in his hometown fishing village.

Not one of his crewmates had been invited.

I sat among them and listened as one secret after another spilled out about my husband.

A female crew member linked arms with Ruby and asked, "How do you do it? How did you get Ryan to listen to you so well?"

Curiosity stirred despite everything, and I glanced at Ruby without revealing it.

Her smile belonged to a woman who had always felt safe and cherished. Life had not worn down a single edge of her.

"Ryan is simply a good man. Meeting him was my blessing.

"When two people build a life together, the best way to keep him from straying is to control the money.

"Ryan gives me his entire paycheck and keeps only enough for cigarettes.

"He spends every year-end bonus on pearls for me. A man's heart is wherever his money goes."

My heart was already shattered, and her words drove another blade into it.

He had spent all his bonuses on pearls for her.

Then what had he been giving me all these years?

Emotion surged into my throat like a wave, but I forced it back down.

Everyone was chatting so enthusiastically that no one noticed me standing there in silence.

Ruby's phone rang.

She smiled. "It's Ryan."

Then she casually placed the baby in my arms. "Would you mind holding her for a moment?"

I froze.

The warm, soft bundle settled into the crook of my arm. She gazed up at me with dark, round eyes, neither crying nor fussing.

My emotions churned, but when I looked at that peaceful little face, I forced them all down.

Ruby answered the phone right beside me. Ryan's voice came through clearly. "Honey, you have just recovered from the birth. Don't wear yourself out.

"I've picked up Mom and Dad. The pier's crowded, so we'll be there a little while. Don't worry."

Ruby replied softly, "I'm fine. Take your time and drive safely."

As soon as the call ended, everyone voiced their envy.

"You two are so sweet. Ryan calls whenever he can get a signal at sea."

"After all these years, you're even more in love than before."

"It's like he's afraid you'll disappear if he goes an hour without calling."

"Ruby, you found the right man. Every other man in the world might let you down, but Ryan never will."

I had always believed Ryan cared about me. He made one satellite call every day, even if it never lasted longer than 1 minute.

I had never suspected a thing.

Work, the house, and our son filled every hour with my life. His job at sea was demanding, so our calls always ended after a few hurried sentences.

Now I knew that he had saved all the small, intimate details of daily life for another woman.

Still holding the baby, I found a seat by the window.

When I lowered my gaze, I saw a red cord around her wrist. A tiny shell charm hung from it, with a little fish engraved on the back.

I recognized it instantly.

Six years ago, right after I found out I was pregnant, my mother made a pilgrimage to St. Marina's Abbey by the sea and had a pair of shell charms blessed by a priest. One was engraved with a tiny anchor, the other with a fish.

Later, there were complications during delivery. Only our son survived.

The fish charm, the one meant for our daughter, I've kept locked in the safe all these years.

Every time I thought of the child we lost, I'd hold that shell and cry, sitting alone in my room for hours.

My hands trembled as I turned it over.

On the back, engraved in tiny letters, was a name: Marlin Carter.

That was the name I had chosen.

I had spent months flipping through baby-name books, searching for the perfect name for the daughter we'd never get to hold.

Marlin, a fish that moves through the open sea swift and free, because I dreamed she'd live as free and joyful as a fish in the water.

"My daughter's name is Marlin," Ruby said as she came over and sat beside me. "Ryan chose it.

"He had that charm custom-made too. You have no idea how much he adores this little girl."