Dear Ex-Wife, Back My Son

It was raining heavily.

Anika Carey was standing in front of a hospital.

Holding the result of her pregnancy test, Anika felt at a loss.

It read negative.

"It's been three years since you got married. Still negative?"

"How come? Get pregnant or you will be driven out of the Conan family. What will the Carey family do then?"

Mireya Carey, Anika's mother, whose maiden name was Rossetti, scolded Anika. She stood in her high heels, disappointed at Anika.

Anika didn't know what to say. She felt wronged, yet in the end, all she could do was apologize.

"I'm truly sorry."

"If you are truly sorry, get pregnant with Joshua's child. Do you hear me?"

Anika felt a lump in her throat, not knowing how to respond.

She had been married to Joshua Conan for three years, yet they never got intimate.

How could she possibly get pregnant?

Seeing Anika's frustrated look, Mireya felt that her daughter was nothing like her. She was way too weak.

Mireya finally offered Anika a solution.

"If you fail to get pregnant, find someone who can. Perhaps Joshua will thank you for that."

Anika saw her mother off in a daze. She couldn't believe what she had just heard from her mother.

Did Mireya just tell her to find her husband another woman? Was that something a mother would say to her daughter?

Anika felt hurt.

***

Anika went home in a car.

What Mireya had just said was still lingering in her mind. She could hear a roar in her ears.

Anika could sense that her condition was worsening.

That was when she received a new message.

It was Joshua. And it was the very same text as always. "Won't be home tonight."

In the past three years, Joshua never spent a night at home.

He and Anika never got physical.

Anika still remembered what Joshua said on their wedding night.

"Since you are bold enough to seduce me into marrying you, you should be prepared to die alone."

Dying alone...

Three years ago, the Conan family and the Carey family sought business cooperation through a marriage.

The two families had already decided on the division of interests.

Yet on the wedding day, the Carey family broke their promise and transferred all their property, including the 100 million dollars Joshua provided to Anika.

Having recalled how her family behaved in disgrace, Anika felt ashamed. Her eyes dimmed as she replied, "I see".

She had crumpled the test result into a ball before she noticed it.

When Anika got home, she dropped it into the trash bin.

She tended to feel tired this time every month.

She didn't prepare dinner. Instead, she took a nap on the sofa.

She could always hear a roaring sound.

That also explained why Joshua didn't like her. Anika suffered from hearing loss, and people with impaired hearing were unfairly treated in a wealthy family like the Conan family.

How could Joshua let Anika bear his child?

The clock on the wall struck five.

It was five in the morning.

Joshua would be back in an hour.

Anika just realized that she had slept on the sofa for a whole night.

Anika hurried to get up to make breakfast for Joshua. Otherwise, she would be late.

And Joshua would never tolerate that. Punctuality meant a lot to Joshua. For one time, Anika went to her father's funeral and thus failed to serve Joshua's breakfast on time.

Joshua then punished her by not texting or saying a single word to her for the next month.

When the clock struck six, Joshua showed up at the door.

He was in a nice suit that highlighted his slender figure and masculinity.

Joshua was a handsome man, with clear-cut features. Yet when he was with Anika, there was nothing but coldness in his eyes.

Joshua didn't even glance at Anika. He pulled the chair and sat down. "You don't have to make me breakfast anymore."

Anika was dumbfounded.

She didn't know whether it was driven by her nature or anything else, her response showed anything but dignity.

"Did I do anything wrong?"

Joshua raised his head and looked Anika in the eyes. His face was calm as always.

"I need a wife, not a nanny."

It had been three years since the two got married. Anika was always wearing the same greyish top and replying to his texts with the very same words.

Honestly speaking, if it wasn't for the commercial benefits this marriage should have brought, Joshua would never marry such a woman, not to mention that the Carey family cheated the Conan family.

[$]

Joshua believed that Anika didn't deserve him.

"I need a wife, not a nanny."

With that lingering in her head, Anika felt that the roaring sound was even louder.

Her throat turned tight before she gave Joshua's least favorite reply.

"I see."

Suddenly, Joshua felt cranky. Even his favorite food on the table became tasteless.

Joshua stood up and pulled the chair.

He was about to leave when all of a sudden, Anika grabbed him by the arm with the courage coming out of nowhere.

"Joshua, are you in love with anyone?"

Joshua paused, and his eyes darkened. "What do you mean?"

Anika admired Joshua.

Joshua was not only her husband for the past three years. He was also the man she had been in love with for the past twelve years.

But...

Despite the lump she could feel in her throat, Anika started to speak, with her mother's words in mind.

"Joshua, if you are indeed in love with someone, you may be with her..."

Joshua interrupted her before Anika could finish.

"That's insane."

***

Letting go was a life-long lesson.

After Joshua left, Anika sat on the balcony, staring at the cold rain absent-mindedly.

She hated to admit it, but after admiring Joshua for twelve years, she still didn't understand what was on his mind.