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Chapter 1
My husband, Eric, was on a business trip abroad when he got caught in
a terrorist attack.
Everyone started calling me.
The embassy reached out, asking me to come in for discussions.
Even Eric’s family and colleagues bombarded me with calls, inquiring
about the situation–some even offered to help bring him back, free of
charge.
I had just come out of the delivery room, yet I calmly hung up on call
after call.
After all, when Eric saw the news of his ex–girlfriend, Aria, a war
correspondent, caught in the crossfire of a terror attack, he left me–his
pregnant wife–to fly over and make sure she was safe.
Back then, I was leaking amniotic fluid, clutching my swollen belly, and
I asked him:
“Are you really going to abandon your wife and unborn daughter to go
into a war zone? Eric, if you go, I will not be responsible for the
consequences.”
Eric had taken all our bank books and passports and shouted at me,
“You and the baby aren’t going to die anytime soon–she, on the other
hand, could be dead the next second!”
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“You’re just giving birth. Haven’t you always been strong?” With that, he
slammed the door and left.
So, if he’s the one throwing his life away, why should I save him?
Eric loved watching international news. I never understood why–until
two days ago when a news report aired.
A female war correspondent had been captured by terrorists during an
interview.
The footage lasted only a second, but I recognized her immediately-
Aria, the most famous anchor on the international channel.
At that moment, I was nine months pregnant, about to go into labor.
Sitting in a rocking chair in the living room, I rested my hand on my
belly and felt a pang of sympathy for the journalist.
The next second, Eric knocked over the fruit bowl in a panic.
He stood up so quickly that his knee slammed into the corner of the
coffee table.
The impact looked so painful that even I winced, but Eric didn’t seem to
feel a thing.
He staggered into the kitchen for a glass of water but accidentally hit
the hot water button, scalding himself so badly he dropped the glass,
shattering it.
Ignoring his reddened, burned skin, he rushed into the bedroom and
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slammed the door shut behind him.
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An hour later, Eric finally emerged.
“I… I have to go on a business trip.”
I slowly stood up, hand still resting on my belly.
“Eric, my due date is in the next couple of days. I could go into labor at
any time. It’s not a good time for a trip. What if the contractions start
suddenly?”
“You know my mother died in childbirth with my younger brother. I’m
genuinely terrified of giving birth.”
“Didn’t you say the thing you were most looking forward to was being
the first person our daughter saw when she opened her eyes?”
Eric’s face paled, but after a moment, he said, “This trip is really
important to me—I have to go. But don’t worry, I’ll definitely be back
before you give birth.”
I gave him a broken smile.
Even though the pain in my belly was already sharp and spasmodic,
and fluid was trickling down my legs like a faucet had been turned on.
“I’ll agree. But Eric, I want you to know–whatever consequences come
from this trip, you’ll face them alone. I won’t bear any of it for you.”
Maybe my expression was too solemn, because Eric’s body trembled
slightly.
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Then, as if swearing an oath, he said, “Don’t worry, I’ll come back
safely.”
With that, he rushed into the room, hastily packed a few items of
clothing, and shoved on his shoes, ready to leave.
Just as he was about to walk out the door, I couldn’t stop myself. I
softened and called out to him.
“Eric, wait a second.”
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He turned back, visibly irritated.
“Didn’t you already say I could go? Why are you calling me back now?”
Clutching my hand tightly into a fist, the pain in my belly intensifying, I
remained calm.
“You forgot your passport.”
I dragged my body, still leaking amniotic fluid, back into the bedroom.
I brought him his passport, and then handed him a bank card.
That card held every paycheck Eric had transferred to me over the
seven years of our marriage.
His hand trembled slightly as he took the passport and the card, and
even his eyes began to redden.
