Chapter 3

3

I don't want Jake or our "family." After dinner, I went online to buy a ticket out of the country for the week after, and I made an appointment for an abortion.

Seven days will be long enough for me to say goodbye to my marriage.

When Jake was in the bathroom, I dug out our marriage certificate.

As I looked at the red cover with the emblem of the Bureau of Civil Affairs, I couldn't help but start crying.

As I reached out to put it away, Jake's voice called out from behind me.

"Sarah, what are you doing with our marriage certificate?"

I calmly put it down. "It was a little dusty, so I wanted to wipe it."

Jake sees that I'm starting to cry, and there is a look of panic in his eyes.

He comes over to take the marriage certificate and put it in the closet. He pulls me into a hug. "Leave things like that for the housekeeper."

I don't say anything.

Jake tries to get closer to me, but his phone rings.

"Honey, I need to handle something at the company. Go ahead and sleep first."

He walks into his office with his phone.

After I wash up, I am drying my hair when I walk past his office.

I can hear Jake's gentle voice through the door.

"Cindy, I'm giving you a huge present when you get to town tomorrow."

Cindy responds softly. "Really? Thank you! But what about Sarah?"

I can feel the change in Jake's voice. He says coldly, "You're my wife. Sarah is just a tool for you to have children."

I am freezing from head to toe.

And Cindy giggles and responds, "Don't say that about her."

Jake's voice is so soft you can barely hear it.

"Cindy, you're so kind."

I can't bring myself to listen anymore, and I force myself to go back to the bedroom.

When Jake comes back, he sees that I am already asleep.

He doesn't wake me up, and he gently holds me as he sleeps.

But I can't fall asleep that night.

The next morning, Jake holds me tight, and says reluctantly, "Honey, I'm going to be busy at the office today. I won't be able to come back tonight."

"I will make it up to you."

I smile and say, "It's alright."

He's putting on a really good show so that I don't find out about Cindy.

But I am not planning to keep up with this charade.

Furthermore, Jake wants me dead when I give birth.