A New Life after Miscarriage

I, Scarlett Stewart, had loved Larry Stewart for ten years and finally became his wife after Elsie Watson, the one who he deeply loved, dumped him.

I overestimated Larry's love for me and underestimated the impact Elsie had on him.

When I was pregnant, he was accompanying Elsie to her prenatal check-ups.

When the doctor said I was dying, he was taking care of Elsie to ensure her pregnancy went smoothly.

When I had a miscarriage, he was by Elsie's bedside as she gave birth.

But when I asked for a divorce, he regretted it!

1

I called Larry in the outpatient clinic, with the speakerphone on, and only Elsie's giggling sound came from the cell phone, which was unusually harsh.

Elsie was the special one who Larry loved but failed to be with, while I was just the devoted woman who rushed to marry him when he was down and out.

Larry answered my call with his usual impatience, "You're already at the hospital, and what are you making trouble for? You know Elsie's pregnancy is unstable and she needs care. If you're sick, just see a doctor. Do you think I can cure you? I'm hanging up!"

Before the line went dead, I heard Elsie calling out, "Larry, I feel awful..."

A chill swept over me.

I put away my phone and looked at Robert Gill, who was frowning at the computer. "I want to keep this child." I said.

Robert, my friend since childhood, was now a renowned obstetrician at this hospital.

He looked grave as he held my report. "Stomach cancer. If you terminate the pregnancy now and start aggressive treatment, there's still hope..."

Before Robert could finish, I interrupted him, "No! I won't terminate. I want to have this child."

I was afraid of dying, but I couldn't bear to lose the child, my child with Larry.

When I got home and opened the door, I saw Larry massaging Elsie's legs.

Watching the two of them so cozy together, I realized that he asked me to the old house for rest was for the purpose of making room for her.

"Don't overthink it. She's just staying temporarily." Larry explained dismissively when he saw me return unexpectedly.

The discomfort in my stomach made me retch again.

Seeing me clutch my chest with a pale face, Larry paused for a moment while adjusting Elsie's pillow. Maybe it was my imagination, but his eyes seemed to show a flicker of concern.

"Scarlett isn't that petty. Don't say that about her, or I'll be upset!" Elsie pouted playfully, prompting Larry to quickly adjust the pillow again.

Watching his careful attention, my heart felt like it was being twisted in agony. He hadn't been this gentle with me in a long time.

After Elsie left Larry that year for a flash marriage, her life wasn't as happy as she had hoped. Her tycoon husband kept many mistresses. And after every argument, she'd run to Larry, pouring out her heart, claiming she had stepped aside for my sake.

No matter how I explained, Larry never believed me.

Whenever Elsie called, Larry would rush to her side.

In this marriage, I poured my heart and soul into it, yet my love remained humble.

I glanced at the pillow in Larry's hands, printed with a sweet photo of us, now it was supporting another woman's back.

A dull pain throbbed in my heart.

At that moment, Elsie was clinging to Larry, her eyes provocatively meeting mine, the corners of her mouth curling upward.

"Scarlett, I'm so sorry. I asked Larry to pick you up from the hospital, but he was worried about me and couldn't leave. It's all my fault, don't be mad at him..."

It was laughable, Elsie seemed to be competing with a dying woman for a man.

Her voice was still as coquettish as the image I detested in my mind.

"Why bother with her? She's a normal adult, can't she get home by herself?" Larry's words made Elsie even more smug.

"I have something to discuss with you. Come up when you're done." I said, bypassing the two on the sofa and heading upstairs.

This marriage, with the third person, had lasted too long. As my life was nearing the end, I stubbornly wanted an answer.

An answer about me, Elsie, and him.

2

Then our housekeeper Mrs. Green brought in some soup. "Madam, please have some soup. Mr. Stewart-he'll be here soon."

Mrs. Green was an excellent cook, and I loved the soup she cooked, but my body could no longer bear such luxury.

I watched the fat congeal on the surface of the soup, lost in thought.

The door opened.

"Why we can't talk downstairs? Elsie's not an outsider." Larry said. His tone was irritated, his face full of disdain.

"Larry, did you ever love me?" I asked softly, holding my stomach and suppressing the nausea.

"You're being unreasonable again, Scarlett. When did you become so heartless? Elsie has nowhere to go after her divorce. I'm just helping her for a while!"

"How long is 'a while'? Six months? A year?" I pressed, meeting his gaze.

I didn't tell him the doctor said I had less than six months left.

"You weren't like this before. What happened to you?"

"Can't you be more understanding, like Elsie? Don't blow things out of proportion. You're both pregnant, can't you empathize with each other?"

It was always like this. Whenever Elsie was mentioned, I was the unreasonable one.

Five years ago, when his company was on the brink of bankruptcy, Elsie immediately abandoned him to marry a wealthy upstart. During his period of despair, he even harmed himself, but when I was tirelessly taking care of him day and night, he never accused me of being unreasonable.

When I knelt in front of my house for three days, begging my father to invest and help him through the crisis, he never said I was unreasonable.

Now, as I faced death, he brought Elsie, who once abandoned him, back into our home, and moved her into my bedroom. I didn't even show any resentment, yet he accused me of being unreasonable!

Thinking about all this, I felt a chill run down my spine, trembling all over. The pain in my body made it impossible to stand up straight.

"Larry, did you ever love me?"

I curled up beside the desk, sweat poured down my forehead.

"Enough! Do you always have to use these tricks to get my attention?" He snapped, turning to leave.

A wave of dizziness hit me, and I collapsed to the ground.

"What's wrong with you?"

Seeing my pained expression, he rushed over to hold me. Perhaps it was an illusion, but I thought I saw a hint of concern for me on his face.

"Larry, did you ever love me?" I touched his face and asked last time, hoping for an answer.

"I-"

Suddenly, a frantic cry for help interrupted him.

"Larry, my stomach hurts! Come quickly!" Elsie's shrill voice came from downstairs.

I noticed that when Larry was about to open his mouth to speak, his face instantly tensed up. Without a moment's hesitation, he left me and rushed downstairs, leaving with only his panicked silhouette behind.

Lying on the floor, feeling the waves of pain from my stomach, I felt empty inside my heart.

Even though Larry didn't finish his sentence, I heard the answer.

Between Elsie and me, I was never a choice in his heart.

I never had a chance to be a candidate.

Not before, and not now.

4

We three were high school classmates. If we talked about who noticed Larry first, it was definitely me.

Elsie was the daughter of Mrs. Smith, the housekeeper at my house. My parents thought she was pitiful, and arranged for her to attend the same school as me, covering all her tuition fees.

She was beautiful, confident and brave, and immediately became the center of attention for many boys when she enrolled. Even Larry, who always considered himself above everything, was no exception.

Even I stood next to Elsie, she seemed more like the pampered daughter of a wealthy family.

Larry often said, "Scarlett, can't you be a bit more outgoing and lively like Elsie? Who would like someone so quiet and burdened with thoughts?"

Indeed, an introverted me couldn't express my feelings and didn't win his affection.

Later, Larry kept insisting on joining Elsie and me on our way to and from school. Although we walked together, each of us harbored our own thoughts.

On the day of our high school graduation, Elsie became Larry's girlfriend.

It was an August evening, with a gentle summer breeze.

Under the maple tree, the young couple kissed passionately. That night, they two became lovers but we three lost sleep.

After that, I withdrew from their lives, only hearing about them during holidays through Elsie's updates.

One day, Elsie suddenly asked, "Scarlett, do you like Larry?"

My face turned red to the roots of my hair, but I firmly denied it, "No, you're overthinking it. You two should cherish your relationship; high school love is rare and precious."

"Love? My mom says love is the least valuable thing. I must find a rich husband. I don't want to be a housekeeper like my mom all my life!" Elsie said, admiring her new phone.

I stiffened, "Then you and Larry... "

"Back then, Larry was the richest person I knew, so of course, I was with him. But now I've seen a bigger world, and I should have better options!"

"Look at my phone, isn't it beautiful? It's the latest model, a gift from a friend!"

"Friend?" The Elsie I knew didn't seem like this.

Her words pierced my heart like a thorn. I didn't want Larry to be kept in the dark, and I was more worried he might get hurt.

I couldn't sleep at night for thinking about it, then I discreetly informed Larry.

Unexpectedly, the next day, Larry called me out and, scolded me loudly in front of a tearful Elsie, "Scarlett, how can you be so malicious? I won't allow you to slander Elsie. If it happens again, don't blame me for being rude."

Elsie leaned against Larry, crying as if the world was ending, and gave me a smug, knowing glance.

Looking at the two of them, I wanted to slap myself.

Later, after graduating from college, Larry got engaged to Elsie, ignoring his family's objections.

But when she learned that the business of Larry's family was facing a financial crisis, Elsie left Larry alone at the wedding venue and married a wealthy upstart the next day in a grand ceremony.

The man who I've loved for ten years was abandoned by the woman he loved most.

I couldn't bear to see him fall into despair, so I took care of him day and night.

Perhaps he was utterly disillusioned and heartbroken with Elsie, perhaps he was grateful for my unwavering support, or perhaps he truly fell in love with me.

A year later, he proposed to me.

After the wedding, I didn't dare to hope for Larry's love. After all, my feelings for him were one-sided.

Yet, he was gentle and considerate, attentive to every detail.

He even remembered my period schedule, surprising me with little gifts each time. When my parents passed away, he worked during the day and stayed with me at night, barely resting.

If it weren't for Elsie who occasionally asked him out, I might have believed he had fallen for me.

Three months ago, Elsie showed up at my doorstep after her divorce.

That was the first time Larry turned his back on me to sleep, tossing and turning all night.

I knew then that my happiness was slipping away.

Since then, he grew increasingly distant, not even bothering to make excuses when going out with Elsie.

He came home later and later, carrying the scent of Elsie's favorite perfume.

5

When I woke up from the floor, the house was empty. Perhaps hearing my movements, Mrs. Green came into the study.

"Oh madam, you didn't even drink a bite of the soup. And Mr. Stewart, he doesn't seem to care about you. Look at how thin you've become, sigh..."

I managed a bitter smile. Even Mrs. Green noticed my weight loss, yet my husband who slept beside me every night didn't.

As I leaned against the wall to rest, I barely took a few steps before everything went black, and I fainted.

When I woke up, I was in the hospital.

"What are you making trouble for again?" Larry's voice came through. "Do you know Elsie was alone at the hospital for her check-up because I had to pick you up? What if something happened?"

I regained my senses and saw Larry by the bed. Elsie stood at the foot of the bed, and a wave of bitterness washed over me.

So, Larry had left me to bring Elsie to the hospital. He worried about her being alone for a check-up but never considered that I might die alone at home.

"Larry, you can't talk to Scarlett like that. She cares about you too!" Elsie chimed in, but I couldn't be bothered to respond.

Knowing the truth, I had no more illusions about the man before me.

"Let's get a divorce," I said weakly, looking at the birds outside the window.

"Scarlett, do you have to compete with Elsie over everything? Do you even know that there were no beds available at the hospital? The bed you're on was given up by Elsie! When will you start being sensible?"

I struggled to sit up in bed.

"Doctor, I want to be discharged!"

"Scarlett!" Larry shouted angrily.

I stared blankly at the man whose neck veins bulged with rage.

He never used to yell at me like this. Even when I upset him, he'd touch my forehead and say, "Honey, you're being naughty again. You need to behave."

But now, with Elsie's arrival, all his tenderness was reserved for her, and I felt like a shameless woman clinging to false hopes.

"Yes! The hospital bed was given up by her, and I don't want it anymore. I'll give it back to her!"

"My husband was also given up by her, and now, I don't want him either! I'll give him back to her!"

"Is that enough?" I screamed with all the strength I had left.

The commotion in the ward brought Robert, who was doing his rounds. Seeing me, his frown deepened even more than it had that morning.

"You shouldn't get agitated right now. Your condition-"

"What condition? She's just pregnant. What condition could she possibly have?" Larry interrupted Robert.

And he glared at me. "Scarlett, you've really improved, huh? You used to lie about Elsie being materialistic, and now you're dragging the doctor into your lies to deceive me. Are you really that unloved?"

Yes, I was the unloved.

Years ago, to save his business, I pleaded with my parents for three days and nights, sacrificing ten million to save Larry's business. That ten million severed my last ties with my parents.

After they gave me the money, I devoted myself to being Larry's supportive wife, helping him rebuild his business.

Meanwhile, my parents, unable to withstand the pressure from investors after a sudden financial collapse, jumped to their deaths. By the time I arrived, all I saw were their cold bodies.

During the crisis, Larry's company was at a critical juncture. I didn't want to distract him, so he knew nothing of this. He only knew my parents had passed, and I handled their funeral alone.

Therefore, in this world, apart from the child in my belly, I had no other family.

Robert, angered by Larry's attitude, said sternly, "Her condition is very-"

Elsie's wail interrupted Robert's unfinished sentence.

"Ah-ah-doctor, my stomach hurts! Come quickly, is it because I just moved from the bed and disturbed the baby? Am I going to give birth?"

Larry strode towards Elsie, glaring at me. "If anything happens to Elsie, I won't forgive you!" With that, he carried her to the doctor's office.

Though I was disillusioned with the man before me, when I saw the father of my child abandon him for someone else's child, I still couldn't stop feeling painful.

As soon as Larry left, a warm sensation flowed down my legs.