Chapter 3
After Jack left, it felt like a piece of my heart was missing.
Every day, I just couldn't settle down. My mind was all over the place.
During that time, the little guy's voice echoed in my mind twice. I tried reaching out to him, and to my surprise, he could actually hear me.
I asked him who that transmigrator girl was.
He said he died too early, so he didn't know much.
Everything he knew about what happened after we died was just stuff he caught wind of from other "people" when he was reborn, so he never found out who that transmigrator girl actually was.
Jack would check in on me several times a day, just to make sure I was safe.
He wasn't all lovey-dovey, but just knowing he cared about me was enough to make me happy.
This went on until the day before he was supposed to come back.
But after three in the afternoon, he stopped texting me altogether.
I figured he was just busy, or maybe he was about to come back and decided to slack off a bit, so I didn't worry about it.
I knew he'd be back the next night, so I even went out to buy groceries and cooked dinner, just waiting for him to come home.
But I waited until almost ten, and he still hadn't come home.
I couldn't wait any longer, so I sent him a message.
When he still didn't reply, I called him.
The phone rang for what felt like forever before Jack finally picked up, his voice cold and distant. "What do you want?"
My anxiety got even worse. "When are you coming back? I need to talk to you about something."
Jack paused for a while before finally replying, "I'll be home in an hour."
I breathed a silent sigh of relief.
Talking in person would be way better than over the phone.
"I'll be here waiting for you," I said softly.
"Alright," Jack replied.
*****
Jack walked in the door right on the dot, exactly an hour later.
But he seemed to be in a foul mood, his whole aura cold and distant.
I guessed work must've gone badly for him, and I hesitated, not sure if I should bring up the pregnancy right now.
But Jack spoke up before I could say anything.
"Let's go get divorced next Monday. I just got a 10-thousand-dollar bonus, and all the money we've saved at home is yours," he said, his voice cold and distant.
He pulled out 10 thousand in cash from his bag and dropped it on the table.
I froze on the spot.
Weren't we supposed to stay together?
Why the sudden change of heart?
My nose stung, and tears welled up in my eyes.
"What do you mean?" I asked, my voice trembling.
Jack turned away, deliberately avoiding my gaze.
"I know you've put up with a lot being with me lately, and this is all I can give you right now. If things get better in the future, I'll make it up to you," he said, his voice flat and emotionless.
I broke down completely, tears streaming down my face as my mind went totally blank. I couldn't even process whether this was all just a misunderstanding.
Even my little guy in my belly started crying out in protest.
'Oh, looks like my world really is falling apart.'
'Mom, it's fine, really. Just have me, and when he gets rich, go after him for child support. Ask for a ton! We'll be living the good life, just the two of us, no man to tell you what to do. Way more freedom.'
Honestly, that actually sounded pretty reasonable.
If that was the case, there was no need to make things ugly.
"Just give me half the money," I said.
Jack was resolute. "Take it all. I can earn more. There are five months left on the lease. Stay here, I'll move out."
"Whatever!" I snapped, spinning around and storming off to the bedroom.
I buried my face in the covers, muffling my sobs.
Jack just stood outside the bedroom for a while before finally coming in to grab his stuff.
I curled up tightly under the blanket, making sure he couldn't hear me crying at all.
Jack didn't have much to pack, so he was done in no time.
I listened to his footsteps as he left the bedroom, and then the house, leaving it all behind.
As soon as the front door clicked shut, I couldn't hold it in anymore. I just broke down and cried my eyes out.
I cried for most of the night, until I was so exhausted that I finally drifted off to sleep.
After what felt like ages, I woke up feeling awful and realized I was burning up with a fever.
There were cold and fever meds in the house, but I was too worried about the little guy, so I didn't dare take any.
From experience, if I could just tough out the first three days, things would get way better.
But those three days were absolute hell.
Not only did the fever refuse to go away, but my whole body ached like crazy.
When I was sick, I felt so vulnerable both physically and emotionally.
Especially when I thought about when I got sick before. Jack was never the type for sweet talk, but he'd look after me like I was made of glass. Remembering that just made everything hurt even more.
When I hit rock bottom, I couldn't help myself. I called him.
The phone rang forever before someone finally picked up, and it was a girl with a sweet voice.
"Hi, Jack's drunk right now. Can he call you back after he sobers up?" the girl said.
"No, that's okay," I said quietly.
I collapsed onto the bed, buried my face in the pillow, and cried myself to sleep, heartbroken and alone.
Half-awake, half-asleep, I felt someone gently wiping my face and forehead.
I forced my eyes open, and through the haze, I thought I saw Jack.
I couldn't tell if it was real or just some fever dream. One second, I was clinging to him, begging him not to go. The next thing I knew, I was cursing him out, calling him a bastard.
After what felt like an eternity, that soul-crushing pain finally let up, and I was able to drift off into a real, peaceful sleep at last.