From Baby Bump to Broken Back - Chapter 3: Chapter 3

Darrel straightened my shoulders, his face streaked with tears, the rims of his eyes red and swollen.
"How could I not be heartbroken? I love you—and I love our child."
His gaze burned into me. "More than anyone, I wanted our baby to come into this world. If something like this happens, don't you think I'm the one suffering the most, Giselle?"
I couldn't believe how convincing he was. No wonder I'd been blind to his deceit all these years.
When he first found out I was pregnant, he had been over the moon—like he'd stumbled upon the greatest treasure. He was so ecstatic he couldn't sleep that night.
Throughout my pregnancy, he doted on me relentlessly. Even climbing stairs, he'd hover, insisting on helping. But who would've guessed that behind that devotion, he was already making plans for his mistress and their love child?
That night, Darrel was asleep when his phone buzzed with a message:
[Darrel, thank you for the gifts. Edmund loves them.]
Curiosity got the better of me. I unlocked his phone with my fingerprint—and my breath caught. Tears welled up, spilling down my cheeks like heavy raindrops.
All the baby clothes I'd carefully picked out? A month ago, Darrel had secretly exchanged them for a toddler's size. The villa I'd intended for our child? Already occupied by Karina and her son.
The background of their chat was a photo of the three of them—Darrel, Karina, and Edmund—laughing on the garden swing. A perfect little family. The sight sent a sharp, numbing pain through my chest.
And then there was the date—Darrel had even consulted a fortune-teller to pick an auspicious day for Edmund's arrival. Lucky me, I thought bitterly. At least I still have three months left.
I squeezed my eyes shut, the taste of betrayal sour on my tongue. Three months would be enough. Enough to disappear without a trace.
"This dress was custom-made by the designer I hired. No one will notice a thing."
My lower body was slightly deformed now, and even with a cane, the signs of paralysis were hard to miss. When Darrel saw my red-rimmed eyes, he rushed to my side.
"What's wrong?"
I forced a weak smile. "Nothing. I was just thinking about when we first met—how attentive you were then, too."
Back then, I'd fallen while hiking, slicing my arm open. Darrel had gone out of his way to find me a long-sleeved summer dress so I could still attend my coming-of-age ceremony. That thoughtfulness had won me over—enough to leave everything behind and marry him in Luxembourg.
He smiled tenderly, kneeling to wipe my hand. "I'll take even better care of you from now on, Giselle. Don't overthink it, okay? I would never abandon you."
If I hadn't heard the truth with my own ears, I might have believed him. But the man before me wasn't just a liar—he was a monster who had destroyed me.
So I played along, exaggerating my paralysis to lull him into complacency.
I knew him too well. Even if Karina and her son moved in, he'd never willingly let me go. Quietly, I reached out to my closest friends, securing a hospital that could treat my condition.
Hold on, Giselle, I told myself. Just a little longer. And whatever you do—don't let Darrel find out.