Chapter 3
Ryan and Emily reunited as a family of three in front of the whole country.
My parents held their child, wishing them peace and safety.
They all hid it from me for seven years.
In the end, I was the villain.
Ryan was clearly annoyed by my silence, his tone turning colder. "You wanted answers, didn't you?
"Alright, I'll give you one right now."
He took out his phone and started typing a post on Twitter right in front of me.
A few minutes later, Ryan's account updated again.
The post included a photo of their marriage certificate.
In the photo, Ryan and Emily were leaning close to each other.
Emily was smiling tenderly.
Ryan's expression was indifferent, but there was a trace of indulgence in his eyes that was unfamiliar to me.
The caption was long.
[Thank you for your concern. Emily and I got married four years ago.
[Sophie is a friend of my wife. For some personal reasons, she's become overly reliant on me over the years.
[Because her mental state has been unstable, we've always tried to be understanding.
[I never expected her to use AI to create fake old photos, manipulate public opinion, and hurt my wife and child.
[I will reserve the right to pursue legal action.]
I read every word, one by one.
My throat tightened, and I could barely breathe.
The comments section instantly shifted.
[Turns out they've been married for four years.]
[So Sophie is the homewrecker who's been chasing after someone else's husband?]
[Wow, that's messed up. She used AI to fake old photos and frame the real wife.]
[Poor hero pilot, saved a plane full of people, and now he is getting dragged by some crazy woman.]
I stared at the date on their marriage certificate: November 17th, four years ago.
For a moment, I was frozen in place, unable to move.
That was the day I lost my second child.
I was eight weeks pregnant, curled up on a bench in the hospital corridor, cold sweat breaking out as the pain washed over me.
The nurse walked up holding a form and asked, "Is anyone here with you? Where's your family?"
I dialed Ryan's number, but his phone was switched off.
My parents didn't pick up either.
Later, Ryan finally replied to me: [Got called in for a last-minute flight. Boarded. I'll reach out when I land.]
But by then, the baby was already gone.
I signed the papers all alone and was wheeled into the operating room with no one by my side.
Tears slid down my temples and into my hair as the tiny life inside me faded away without a sound.
So that was the day I lost my baby on the operating table, and even my own parents chose to be with Emily instead of me.
They accompanied Emily and Ryan to get their marriage certificate.
I looked at Ryan, my voice barely above a whisper. "November 17th. Weren't you supposed to be flying that day?"
Ryan's expression shifted slightly.
But then he frowned again, "Does it matter now? Emily was already expecting back then. She needed to be recognized as my wife."
I stared at him, stunned. "What about me? And what about my baby?"
Ryan avoided my gaze.
His voice dropped a notch. "Sophie, stop holding the past over my head.
"Every time, I told you straight up. It was always about protecting your reputation.
"Having a baby out of wedlock would've been bad for you."
I let out a bitter laugh.
As I laughed, tears finally spilled down my cheeks.
"So when Emily got pregnant out of wedlock, you had to make it official with a marriage certificate?" I said.
Ryan stayed silent.
His silence was answer enough.
My phone buzzed again.
It was a message from my mom, sent from an unknown number. [Sophie, how could you be so heartless?
[Emily tried to take her own life. We barely managed to save her.
[Are you going to keep pushing her until she breaks?]
My dad sent a message, too. [The truth is right in front of you. If you keep clinging to this, you'll only make yourself look more pathetic. We don't have a daughter as shameless as you.]
Staring at those words, something inside me disappeared, leaving me completely hollow.
*****
After Ryan posted the marriage certificate, the internet went wild, and everyone was tearing me apart.
My boss called me into his office and slid a resignation agreement across the desk. "Sophie, the company doesn't want to get dragged into this mess.
"You should resign for now."
I stared down at the paper.
Seven years of a relationship down the drain, my parents turned their backs on me, and now my job was gone.
As I walked out of the building, people were waiting at the entrance, phones raised, shooting me dirty looks as they snapped photos.
I pulled my hat down low, practically fleeing as I jumped onto the car heading out to the country.