Wait for Me, Ex-wife!

"William's coming back!" when I heard the news, I was in the nursery, folding tiny clothes for the babies, my eight-month pregnant belly in full view. Was it because I was about to give birth? Maybe William actually cared about us after all! Even the babies in my belly seemed to sense my joy, calming down as if they felt my excitement. Since hearing the news, I slept like a baby every night, wrapped in feelings of happiness and anticipation. This was Grace Miller, and William Astor was the father of my children—my husband. He was the fiancé I was promised to as a child, and someone I had always looked up to during my youth. He'd always been decisive, handsome. And every time I looked at his ridiculously handsome face, I'd completely forget what I was about to say—much to his amusement. As he grew older, he became even more mature, focused, and completely absorbed in his work. After college, we hadn't seen each other in years. Thankfully, he remembered our childhood engagement and came back to marry me... Although, since our wedding, I had only seen him once—on our wedding night. He was just as handsome and commanding as before, with that unyielding, powerful personality. Looking back, that night still feels like a dream. His warm breath brushed against my skin, and his hand gripped my chin while the other moved lower, igniting a fire in me. In that dimly lit room, his body heat was unmistakable, and his rapid breath against my neck made my heart race. I couldn't bear to look him in the eyes. I could only guess from his intense, commanding actions that at least he didn't seem to despise me. After slipping the wedding ring onto my finger, he left the next morning for a business trip to their branch in Eurora. I never saw him again. William wasn't indifferent to the kids. He was just a born workaholic! He worked so hard to give our children the best future possible! His grandfather, Henry Astor, had reassured me to rest at home and focus on the pregnancy. So, I thought for sure that William wouldn't be there when the babies were born. I caressed my swollen belly, imagining our family sitting by the fireplace, chatting, laughing—a picture-perfect future. ***** Two days later, sure enough, William, who had been gone for eight months, was back. He was in the living room chatting with Henry, according to the staff. I clutched my belly with excitement and waddled towards them. But as I reached the staircase, I overheard a heated argument. "This marriage has nothing to do with me. I didn't come back for her!" "Grace is about to give birth—how can you say something like that?" "Why not? These kids shouldn't even exist! If it weren't for me drinking that wine she gave me... How did she think she deserved to sleep with me?" What did William mean by this? Standing at the top of the stairs, I felt something sharp stab through my chest. Then, a crushing pain exploded inside me. He said I wasn't worthy of him. And he said our children shouldn't be born... No, no! There had to be some mistake—William wasn't this cold! "Then why did you marry me in the first place, William..." I gripped the handrail, trembling, unable to stop the tears that threatened to spill from my eyes. Both of them turned to face me. William, sitting on the sofa, still looked as imposing as ever, his black coat making him look even more formidable. At that moment, I noticed his expression was cold, his lips twisted in a frown, and his eyes filled with scrutiny. His gaze on my belly was nothing short of disgust. "I never wanted to marry you. Marrying you is a total disgace!" That sentence hit me like a ton of bricks, leaving my mind spinning and my body unsteady. I felt the world go black, and everything around me seemed to disappear. "God! Mrs. Astor is bleeding out!!" "Quick, call an ambulance! Get her to the hospital!" The last thing I saw was William's shocked expression. If that was how much he cared about me... how I wish it were true! My consciousness slipped into darkness. An hour later, at the hospital... "We're sorry... The mother suffered massive blood loss and didn't survive. However, one of the three babies was saved—a boy. Please accept our condolences." The obstetrician emerged from the operating room, holding the tiny baby in his arms. Henry, unable to bear the weight of the news, collapsed on the spot, clutching his chest. "Grace... is dead?" William, still in his office, had been handling work, seemingly avoiding the situation. "Yes. They say her health was already fragile, and after the hemorrhage, they couldn't save her. Only one of the three babies made it, and Sir Henry took him." The assistant, Greene, hesitated. In the end, he sent a photo of the bed, a white sheet covering two small bodies underneath. William's pupils dilated, and he gripped his pen so tightly it looked like it might snap.