The Dead Wife Returns – At eight months pregnant, I accidentally discovered that my husband, Ethan Smith, was having an affair with my adoptive sister who had come to take care of me. When I caught them, his tone was flat: “So you saw everything? Actually, I started sleeping with her when you were three months pregnant. Every night for the past few months, I’ve been with her… Who told you to always refuse me during your pregnancy?” I couldn’t help but raise my hand and slap him. “You bastard! She’s my sister!” But Stella knelt before me, tears streaming down her face. “Natalie, don’t blame Ethan. I was the one who initiated it…” My head was buzzing, my body swaying, and Ethan caught me in his arms. I shoved his hands away. “Why?” Stella bit her lip, struggling to speak. “I’ve always liked him…” I slapped her across the face. Ethan pulled her behind him, his eyes cold as ice: “I’m a man. I have needs.
Isn’t this arrangement better? She’s your sister—we’re all family. Would you prefer I cheat with someone else?” I stood frozen, my throat feeling like it was stuffed with cotton. Ethan sighed helplessly and gently wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes. “Natalie, your pregnancy hormones are just making you overthink things. Don’t get so upset—it’s bad for the baby.” The familiar features before me suddenly seemed like a stranger’s. So he did remember I was pregnant after all. Stella scrambled to her feet and headed for the kitchen, her legs still trembling as she walked. “Natalie, what would you like to eat? I’ll make it for you…” Their eager expressions made me wonder if everything I’d just witnessed was a dream. “When did this start?” Ethan frowned. “January 25th. That day you went for your prenatal checkup and asked Stella to deliver some documents to me. I couldn’t control myself…” The bright red hickey on his neck stabbed at my eyes. The baby in my belly kicked again.
My lower back ached so badly I couldn’t straighten up, and tears fell in heavy drops onto the floor. So it was that day. I had taken a taxi to the hospital alone—waiting in line, getting my number, going through the checkup. I’d asked Ethan if he could come with me, but he said he had work. I’d asked Stella if she could help me, but she said after delivering the documents, her school advisor needed her assistance. My legs were swollen from pregnancy. Someone bumped into me at the hospital, and I nearly had a miscarriage. Meanwhile, my two closest people were tangled together on his office desk. I had made excuses for him, thinking he was just too busy. I never imagined he was busy in my sister’s bed. I was the only fool. Ethan suddenly crouched down and rubbed my legs. “If you hadn’t found out, you wouldn’t be upset. Wouldn’t it have been better to just play dumb?” Nausea surged in my stomach.
I kicked him in the chest. “Ethan Smith, you disgust me!” But he used the momentum to help me onto the sofa. “If this makes you feel better, you can kick me a few more times.” As I struggled, my hand touched something on the sofa. I looked down. A pair of torn stockings. The blood in my veins seemed to freeze. Ethan hesitated, wanting to say something but holding back. Stella came out carrying soup. When she saw what was in my hand, her face went white. She rushed forward anxiously to explain. “Natalie, it’s not what you think…” Ethan calmly took the stockings, his tone casual. “No need to make such a fuss. Yesterday you said your stomach hurt, so I went to sleep in the study. Actually, I just tried it with Stella on the sofa. You didn’t even notice. It was quite thrilling.” Tears blurred my vision. I bolted up and rushed to the bathroom, retching violently. Outside the door came Stella’s worried voice. “Natalie, are you okay? Ethan was just talking nonsense. Don’t get worked up—your health is what matters. You still have a baby to think about.” The nausea only deepened.
stared at my swollen belly in despair. Why did it have to be at eight months? Why did it have to be Stella? All my life, I’d given way to her in everything. So she could go to college, I dropped out early to work. When she needed a place to stay in college, I let her move into the home Ethan and I shared. The thousand-dollar tablet in her hands—I bought it without blinking. The dress she wore, even those stockings—last week while shopping, she casually mentioned her legs weren’t smooth enough, and I bought them for her. I opened the door and stared hard at Stella. “Haven’t I been good enough to you?” Stella ingratiatingly handed me a bowl of soup, her voice careful. “Natalie, eat something first. We can talk after you’ve eaten, okay?” I knocked the bowl from her hands. The scalding soup splashed onto the back of her hand, leaving it bright red. “I don’t need your fake kindness!” Stella’s eyes instantly reddened. “Natalie, how can you say that about me!” Ethan’s expression darkened, glaring at me with displeasure. “Take your anger out on me if you must. Stella cares about you.
Is there really a need to make such a big deal out of nothing?” He rubbed his temples while gently wiping Stella’s tears. “See? I told you we absolutely couldn’t let Natalie find out. Your parents were right—Natalie has such a difficult temperament. Now that she knows, this house is going to be turned upside down.” Stella looked at me with tears in her eyes, the picture of grievance. My throat tightened. It had always been like this since childhood. “I’m taking Stella to the hospital. You stay home and reflect on yourself!” The door slammed with an earth-shattering bang. I collapsed weakly into a chair, but soon a strange smell came from the kitchen. In their rush, they hadn’t even turned off the gas… I struggled to move my body toward the door, only to discover that Ethan had broken the lock when he slammed it. I desperately called Ethan’s phone. Ring after ring, he hung up every time. Finally, on the last call, he answered, his voice laced with impatience. “Can you stop being so paranoid? Because of you, Stella cried her voice hoarse, asking me over and over if you really hate her. She genuinely cares about you.” I dragged my heavy pregnant belly, my whole body weak and powerless. “Ethan, I…” “I’m still trying to comfort Stella. If there’s nothing important, I’m hanging up.” The dial tone sounded in my ear. The smell of gas had nearly filled the entire house. I finally despaired. Ethan Smith, I won’t love you anymore.