Chapter 1 The Pregnancy Photo
To enhance the emotional intensity without losing the original meaning, you can use more vivid language, intensify the adjectives, and add emotional reactions. Here's a revised version:
On our wedding anniversary, a girl delivered a pregnancy report that felt like a punch to the gut.
She arrogantly declared herself the love of my husband's life, while I, the one he neglected, was the unwanted interloper.
They had created a child, a bond I could never hope to surpass!
Not long after, my husband callously demanded a divorce, and with a heavy heart, I reluctantly agreed.
But in a cruel twist, he later fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face, confessing he couldn't survive without me.
As for me —
I had already given my heart to my vampire brother, who worshipped the ground I walked on and cherished me like no other.
*****
Today marked the third anniversary of my marriage to Easton. I gave the house staff the day off and prepared a lavish dinner, eagerly awaiting Easton’s return to share it with me.
Easton never seemed to tire when it came to passion; every moment we spent together was exhilarating. I was especially looking forward to tonight, as it had been too long since we were last intimate.
But as I watched the delicious spread in front of me grow cold, the clock in the hall struck six, and Easton was nowhere to be found. He usually came home by five, but today he was an hour late.
Worried, I picked up my phone and called him.
The line connected, but instead of Easton’s voice, an unfamiliar woman’s voice answered.
“Who are you? What do you need?” she asked.
I retorted, “Who are you, and why do you have my husband’s phone? Where’s Easton?”
The woman giggled, dripping with smugness. “Oh, so it’s you, Mrs. Bennett. Sorry, but Easton is currently in my bed.”
My mind went blank. No, it couldn’t be—Easton was having an affair?
Logic told me to trust my husband, but the gloating in the woman’s voice made it impossible to ignore.
“By the way, Easton’s planning to divorce you soon,” she added, laughing again. “He only loves me, you old hag.”
A chill washed over me. If I’d had any doubts before, I didn’t know—my husband had cheated.
Then I heard it, that familiar voice, Easton’s voice.
“Babe, who are you talking to?”
“Just a telemarketer,” she replied.
“Babe, I'm not done yet. Let’s go again!”
“Sure, anything for you!”
Her coquettish voice mixed with moans and Easton’s heavy breathing continued.
“Harder, harder, you’re amazing! I love you so much!”
“Babe, you’re so passionate today. Is it because of the baby?”
“Mm-hmm! Easton, I love you, and our baby loves you too!”
I realized the woman hadn’t hung up on purpose. She wanted me to hear everything. She was flaunting her relationship with Easton, rubbing it in that she had his love.
And she was pregnant.
I sat there, stunned, listening for who knew how long, until my phone finally died and shut off.
I stared at the now-cold dishes on the table and felt foolish for going through so much trouble for a man like him.
With a loud crash, I swept the entire spread of food to the floor, yelling to release my rage.
I thought about the g*n I had locked in the safe upstairs. I should take it, find them, and end this once and for all!
But I didn’t know where they were, and besides, that would be illegal.
I needed a better way to deal with them.
Easton didn’t come home that night. I was certain he spent it with her.
The next morning, I turned my phone back on after charging it.
A friend request notification popped up. I clicked on the profile picture: a photo of a man and a woman holding hands, walking away.
I would recognize that man’s back anywhere—it was Easton.
I accepted the request, and immediately, a photo came through. It was a pregnancy photo.
In the picture, the woman held a phone in one hand and cradled her belly with the other. Dressed only in lingerie, she stood in front of a mirror, showcasing her pregnant stomach. Written across her rounded belly in marker were the words “Easton forever loves Leah.”
It was Easton’s handwriting.
So, the woman’s name was Leah.
Just then, I heard the front door open.
Easton was home.