Chapter 2

Henry paused for a moment, then nodded firmly at me. "Got it." He turned to the workers behind him and waved his hand. "Let's get started."

The workers immediately spread out. Two headed straight for the bedroom, packing up clothes from the wardrobe. Two went into the kitchen, boxing up pots, pans, and dishes. Another two grabbed their tools and made their way to the massive TV in the living room.

In an instant, the whole house became a well-oiled worksite. The sounds of packing, tape ripping, and things being moved echoed throughout the house.

Benjamin finally snapped out of it. He rushed over and grabbed my arm. "What are you doing? Are you out of your mind?" he hissed, his eyes bloodshot. "You're pregnant, and you want a divorce?

"You're moving everything out. Where are we supposed to stay now? Are you seriously going to let our kid be born with no place to call home?"

His grip was painfully tight, but I didn't fight back. I looked at him.

"Benjamin, this isn't your home. It's my house. I decide who gets to live here, and I can reclaim it whenever I feel like it. As for the baby, he'll have a home, not one with you in it."

His hand trembled. He stared at me in disbelief. "You're divorcing me over some baby stuff? Seriously? She had a baby, and I was helping her out. What's wrong with that?" He seemed to think he had a point, and his voice got louder.

"Some stuff?" I let out a bitter laugh. "Benjamin, you really call that some stuff? I built that crib myself, nail by nail. I swallowed my pride and begged so many people to get that formula shipped from overseas.

"My mom made that little blanket, squinting through her reading glasses, sewing every stitch by hand. To you, it's stuff. But to me, it's everything I poured into our unborn child, my love, my hope.

"And you tossed all that aside like it was nothing, gave it away without a second thought. Now you ask me if it's worth it?"

My voice wasn't loud, but every word hit him like a nail, driving straight into his heart. His face went pale, and his grip on my arm slowly loosened.

"I-I didn't know any of that. I thought it was some ordinary stuff," Benjamin stammered, scrambling for excuses.

"You didn't know? You see my belly every single day. How could you not know I'm about to give birth? You watch me haul things into the nursery every day. How could you not know what I'm doing?

"We've been married for three years, and you still don't know my mom can barely see? Benjamin, it's not that you didn't know. You didn't care. Because in your heart, neither our baby nor I matters as much as Laura."

My words sliced through his fake tenderness like a blade. Benjamin opened his mouth, but couldn't get a single word out.

Then his phone started ringing with some upbeat, festive music. He fumbled to pull it out, and the screen lit up with the name Laura Harris.

He instinctively reached to hang up, but I stared at him. "Go ahead, answer it. Why not? Maybe she's not used to the diapers and wants you to bring over some more from my place," I sneered.

Benjamin's finger hovered over the hang-up button, but in the end, he swiped to answer.

"Hey, Laura," he said, his voice dry and strained.

"Benjamin, the stuff you brought over is perfect." Laura's voice was sharp and piercing, impossible to ignore. "That crib is way fancier than any I've seen before. And that formula, my friend said, each can go for over 300 bucks.

"Margaret is really something, handing over all this amazing stuff like it's nothing. Oh, and that little blanket is adorable. When I get out of the hospital, have her make me another one, will you? Consider it a present for my little boy."

Laura sounded so smug, like she totally deserved it all. I saw sweat beads on Benjamin's forehead. He glanced at me, desperate for help, but I didn't blink.

I stood there, quietly watching as the movers wrapped my fridge up with professional straps and hauled it out.

"Uh, Laura," Benjamin mumbled, his voice barely more than a whisper.

"What is it? Spit it out already," Laura snapped, clearly annoyed. "Is Margaret throwing a fit? Benjamin, you really need to get her under control. Why's she making such a fuss? She hasn't had the baby yet. What's the rush?

"And listen, I gave birth to a son, the Harris family's first grandson. Margaret should count her blessings that my boy gets to use her things. Tell her to stop being so stingy, or she'll have a lot more to cry about in the future."

Laura's words were like daggers flying out of the phone. Benjamin's face went from ashen to purple. He gripped the phone like it was burning hot, couldn't hang up, but couldn't stand to listen either.

I walked over and gently took the phone from his hand. He didn't try to stop me.

I put the phone to my ear. "Hello, Laura."

There was a sudden silence on the other end. After a few seconds, Laura's voice came through, tentative and uncertain. "Is that you, Margaret?"

"It's me. I heard everything you said. Feel free to use those things. No need to return them."

Benjamin's head snapped up, hope flickering in his eyes. Laura instantly brightened up with a laugh. "See? Margaret's always so generous—"

"Consider it," I cut Laura off, making sure every word was clear. "Like I gave it to a beggar."

With that, I hung up. Then, right in front of Benjamin, I pulled out his SIM card, snapped it in half, and tossed it into the puddle of coffee-stained water on the floor.