Chapter 6

Ollie passed by a dessert shop and suddenly remembered something.

Violet's favorite treat here was the mango crepes.

One time, he came home late from work and found her curled up on the couch, fast asleep, with a half-eaten mango crepe sitting on the coffee table in front of her.

He teased her, saying she was just like a little kid.

She just rubbed her sleepy eyes and flashed him a goofy grin.

Without really knowing why, Ollie pulled over, walked into the dessert shop, and bought a mango crepe.

Back in his car, he opened the box, scooped out a bite with the little spoon, and took a taste.

The sugary cream flooded his mouth, and his face twisted in a frown.

It was way too sweet for him.

He never liked sweets.

He tossed the barely touched dessert into the trash, fired up his car, and sped off.

He didn't notice that, after he left, a familiar figure emerged from the street corner nearby.

I watched his taillights fade away, my hand on my belly, a wry, mocking smile spreading across my face.

I knew that he was never truly sincere with me, not even once.

He bought that dessert, not because he missed me, but because he was so used to having me in it.

When that habit was broken, what he felt wasn't love. It was just discomfort.

I was done throwing away my life for his petty discomfort.

The first week after finally breaking free from Ollie, I felt a sense of relief like never before.

I changed my phone number and severed all ties with everyone from my past, except for my best friend, Kara Santos.

Kara was my college roommate and the only one who truly knew how miserable I was in that marriage.

When I told her I was divorced and pregnant, she went silent for a full minute before unleashing a string of expletives that could shake the heavens.

She said, "Damn, Violet, you're a total badass. This is hands down the most satisfying news I've heard all year.

"Does that scumbag Ollie know? If he even thinks about fighting you for the baby, I'll grab a blade and slice him up myself!"

Hearing Kara's epic swearing, I cracked up, unable to hold back my laughter.

I said, "He has no clue. I walked away with nothing, and he probably thinks I'm miserable, just waiting to beg him to take me back."

She said, "Good. Hey, Violet, listen, starting now, you and the baby are under my protection.

"Need cash? I'll send it right over. Craving anything? I'll get it for you. As for that jerk, let him and his precious lover go to hell together!"

A wave of warmth filled my heart.

In my previous life, Ollie smothered me with protection and locked me up just as tightly.

I barely had any friends of my own. My entire life just circled around him.

When I was at my lowest, there wasn't a single person I could reach out to.

But in this life, having a friend by my side felt so good.

I politely turned down Kara's offer of financial help. I still had some savings from my college days, part-time gigs, and scholarship money I'd squirreled away. It was enough to keep the baby and me afloat for a while.

I started making plans for my future.

I majored in jewelry design back in college and even snagged a couple of decent awards, nothing major.

But after I got married, Ollie hated it when I put myself out there, so I dropped my career and ended up staying home as a full-time housewife.

Now, it was time to get my dreams back.

I bought a new computer, loaded it up with all the professional design software, and dove back into creating jewelry designs.

At first, I felt a bit rusty, but soon enough, that old sense of being completely absorbed in my work washed over me again.

Every day, I mapped out a detailed schedule. I sketched in the morning, took walks in the park in the afternoon, and spent evenings researching all sorts of pregnancy-friendly recipes.

Life was peaceful and fulfilling.

The only thing that wasn't perfect was how my early pregnancy symptoms hit me even harder than in my previous life.

I was puking up almost everything I ate, and just the smell of cooking oil made me want to throw up.

In just a couple of weeks, instead of gaining weight, I actually dropped several pounds.

One afternoon, right after I finished a bowl of Kara's homemade chicken soup, my stomach went wild again.

I rushed to the bathroom and hugged the toilet, throwing up so hard I thought the world was spinning.

It wasn't until my stomach was completely empty, with nothing left but bile, that the nausea finally eased up a bit.

I slumped against the wall, feeling totally wiped out, my face as pale as a sheet.

I felt that my baby was such a little rascal.

I wondered if they were upset with me for not giving them a proper home.

I let out a bitter smile, gently rubbing my still-flat belly as I softly said, "Be good, baby. I will do my best. I'll give you all the love in the world."

Right then, the doorbell rang.