Chapter 1
At four months pregnant, I suddenly had a craving for durian.
Michael Turner jumped at the chance, "Honey, I'll grab some for you after work."
I spent the whole day waiting for him to come home.
When he finally got back, he went straight into the bathroom.
I rummaged through the shopping bag, but couldn't find the durian anywhere.
Feeling disappointed, I spotted a crumpled receipt at the bottom of the bag.
It listed durian, lychees, dried mango, and a box of condoms.
The total came to 160 dollars.
My heart skipped a beat. I couldn't help but wonder if Michael was cheating on me.
As I was about to text my best friend, I saw she'd posted something on her social media.
The photo showed durian, lychees, and dried mango arranged neatly on a table.
I instantly spotted the corner of a condom box in the shot.
Her caption said: [Love me, and love our baby.]
I couldn't believe it. My phone slipped from my hand and hit the floor.
Turns out, my husband and my best friend had a secret family together.
My head was spinning.
I couldn't believe it: the two people I trusted most had stabbed me in the back.
Clutching my belly, I tore through the kitchen, the fridge, the coffee table, and even the bedroom, searching everywhere.
I desperately hoped Michael had bought the durian for me.
Not that he'd bought it to give it to Sophie Lane, my best friend.
But no matter how hard I searched, there was no sign of any of the fruits or snacks from the receipt.
And there was definitely no box of ultra-thin condoms.
Honestly, Michael and I had never used that brand before.
I felt a cold shiver run through my body.
I grabbed my phone again, zooming in on Sophie's photo over and over.
Why did everything Michael bought end up at her place?
Soon, Michael came out of the bathroom, fresh from his shower.
He slipped on his apron and made a beeline for the kitchen, like it was second nature.
"Honey, you must be hungry. I'll whip up dinner for you right away," he said.
Ever since I got pregnant, he wouldn't let me lift a finger around the house.
He cooked all my meals, exactly as the doctor prescribed: healthy and perfectly balanced every time.
I stood in the doorway, clutching the receipt so tightly my knuckles turned white.
"Where's the durian you promised me?" I asked.
He paused, a flicker of guilt flashing in his eyes.
Then, he gave my nose a gentle squeeze.
He said, "I knew I was forgetting something. I completely forgot to get the durian.
"Tomorrow, I'll make sure to get you some. You can have as much as you want."
I glared at him, my voice icy. "Did you really forget, or did you buy it for another woman?"
Michael smiled calmly. "What other woman? You're the only one for me.
"Babe, you've been so emotional since you got pregnant. That's on me for not taking better care of you. After dinner, I'll head out and get you all the durian you want, okay?"
The brighter his eyes shone, the more my heart sank into emptiness.
Knowing he'd never admit it, I stopped fighting and let go of any hope.
Sitting on the couch, I started going over Sophie's ridiculous lies in my head.
Last month, when I found out I was pregnant, I couldn't wait to tell her: I was so excited to share the news.
But then, she claimed she was pregnant too.
As her best friend, I knew without a doubt she didn't even have a boyfriend.