Chapter 1 Marital Affairs, A Broken Vow

I stirred awake, my eyes fluttered open. Where was I? I raised myself to a sitting position and saw I was naked. And there was someone beside me. I turned to see that this person had the blankets pulled over their head. It was none other than my husband. I winced a little as my head throbbed. I shook him awake. "Hey, babe. Wake up." He merely stirred but did not wake. "Christian, get up. We slept through the party." I shook him. The door opened just then. "What is going on here?" I faced the door and paled. There was my husband standing on the doorway. Who was this other guy? "What are you doing, Hailey?" There was anger and hurt. I opened my mouth and closed them back, feeling like a fish out of water. I blinked my eyes to be sure I was seeing clearly. I pulled down the blankets and gasped. Fear squeezed tighter, apprehension crept up my spine. I could feel blood drain from my face. "You cheated on me?!" Christian's boyish handsome face went taut in derision and betrayal. "N-no, I..." Tears pooled. "It's not what you think. I swear, I did not." I shook my head vigorously, gesturing between this strange guy and me. Feeling as lost and confused as I was, I hit the guy hard to wake him up. He finally opened his eyes with a yawn leaving his mouth. "Last night was the best night of my life." He attempted to kiss my cheek. I climbed down the bed, ensuring the bedsheet was wrapped tight around me. "Don't come close to me!" "Who is this man?!" Christian's eyes had darkened with fury. I wanted to speak but no words came out. I could only sob and tremble before him. "Speak!" He hollered. I jolted in both shock and fear. "I swear, I..." I sniffled. "I don't know him. I swear." "And you!" Christian turned to the guy. "I'm calling the police on you right now." As soon as Christian brought his phone out of his pocket to make the call, this strange guy gathered his clothes and ran out of the bedroom. Christian tried to hold him back but he pushed my husband and fled the room. He gave me the deadliest glare, I could not utter a word. All I could think of was how this had happened. My birthday was yesterday and Christian had thrown me a surprise party last night. I remembered drinking and having fun. But I could not remember how this strange guy and I had ended up in my matrimonial bed. "After everything I have done for you, Hailey. You decide to cheat on me. Why? Because you're the rich heiress while I'm the guy from the gutters?! Huh?! Is it because your family owns the wealth?!" One could see his pain. Guilt hugged me tight, I took slow steps to meet him but he was not letting me close. "Stop right there, Hailey." He eyed me, his expression was tortured. "I loved you Hailey. I might not have the money but I did love you...still do..I just...fuck!" He ran a frustrated hand through his hair and left the room. I sank to the floor in shame and pain. What had I done to myself and to my marriage? ************************************************* "Pregnant?!" My hand trembled as I held the white and blue stick that had two lines. It was not the fact that I was pregnant, it was the 'how' I got pregnant and 'who' got me pregnant. Ever since that incident, Christian had been angry. He had only forgiven me three days ago and that was the last time he had sex with me. Three days old sex could not result to pregnancy so fast. That incident had been a little over a month. Oh goodness! What would I do? "Hey babe, what are you..." My husband walked into our bedroom and saw the stick in my hand. "What is that?" Maybe I should have hidden it but there was no need. He had seen it. Moreover, how long would I have been able to keep it hidden? "It's a ..uh...a pregnancy test strip." I stuttered, trying not to let him see how scared and nervous I was. He had forgiven me, right? This would be easy to overlook too. "Why are you using that, babe? We only just had sex three days ago." He chuckled as though he was finding it funny. He probably was. Possibly thinking this was some kind of joke. Or silly prank. If only it was. "Uh... y-yes, I k-know. It's just..you see..." How do I begin? Oh Christ! He observed my face and every trace of amusement was gone. "You're not joking. You're pregnant? How come?" "I think it's that drunken night with..." "That strange guy. Hm." He completed for me. "B-but you've f-forgiven me, right? We c-can raise this child as our own, right?" He said nothing. Only stood and stared pointedly at me. I gulped, wondering what he was thinking in this moment. "Cheating is not enough, Hailey. You had to get pregnant?" "P-please, don't say it like that. I still don't remember how it happened. I-I'm s-sorry." I bit my lower lip hard and blinked my eyes equally hard to keep from crying. "What will sorry do? The first child that's going to be coming into this home should be ours not the result of your cheating!" He jabbed an accusing finger at me. "I-I'm s-sorry." It was all I could say. I had no excuses nor reasons to give. "Are you really sorry?" He questioned, the anger that had been there few seconds ago dissipated. "Yes." Hope bloomed. He was going to forgive me. We would raise the baby as ours. "Abort it." He deadpanned. "What?" I could not believe my ears. "If you really are sorry, Hailey, you'll rid your womb of that child. I want you to carry mine and mine alone." His tone had taken on a softer edge, he drew closer to me, tracing my jaw lightly. I loved my husband. I truly did. I had met him in college and loved him ever since. I married him shortly before dad died. He was the only family I had and my world revolved around him. I would do anything he wanted me to. Just as he had requested to step in and handle the company my dad had left for me as his only child. His multi-million legacy. This husband before me was handling it. That was how much I loved him and I had never refused him anything. But this. This was different. Tears ran down my eyes because this was the first time I would refuse him. "I can't do it, Christian."