chapter 2

Tears glistening in my eyes, I asked, "Jasper, I'm giving you one last chance. Where'd Wren take off to?"

Suddenly, his endless chatter hit a mute button. There was dead silence behind me.

I'd long since given up hope of getting an answer.

I swiped away the tears, then started clearing up the baby gear strewn around the house.

A couple of big cardboard boxes were tucked away in the corner.

After stuffing them full, I lugged them over to the front door. "Might as well ditch these next time you head out," I mumbled.

With the baby gone, those things were nothing but clutter.

Jasper's parents got back from their vacation. He must've filled them in, because they never breathed a word about Elara.

If it weren't for the nosy neighbors downstairs asking about the baby now and then, it'd be like Elara had never graced this world.

After that day, I clammed up about Elara. All the baby stuff was history. Seeing I wasn't causing a fuss, Jasper's mother did a complete 180. She whipped up all sorts of meals to fatten me up.

Night after night, after we'd had sex, Jasper would rest his hand on my belly and say a little prayer, hoping for a chubby baby boy.

But I knew it was a long shot.

I was extremely obedient, which put Jasper completely at ease. As time went by, he gradually let down his guard against me. So, he began to secretly reach out to Wren on his phone.

Under the guise of discussing Elara, the two of them started flirting outrageously. I watched all this unfold right in front of my eyes, my heart growing colder with each passing moment.

Late at night, after Jasper fell sound asleep, I'd sneak a peek at his phone.

There were pictures of Elara, an absolute bundle of cuteness, sucking on a pacifier in someone's arms. She was the spitting image of me.

Too bad I couldn't track down where Wren was hiding.

I let out a sigh and studied Jasper's sleeping face in the dim glow of the phone screen.

He was a real looker, with that soft, pretty-boy vibe.

Wren was three years his senior, and they'd been thick as thieves since they were kids.

But she'd always kept him guessing. To me, Jasper was just her safety net.

When Wren tied the knot, Jasper got plastered. I was the one who hauled his drunk self home.

We were classmates back then, and I'd had a crush on him for ages.

I stuck by Jasper when his heart was broken. He was crazy about Wren, and I was just as nuts about him.

I was on cloud nine when we got together, even though I knew I was second best in his heart.

But I didn't care. I married him because I was smitten.

He wasn't a bad husband; he just did what was expected.

I was cool with that, right up until Elara came along.

After Elara was born, I realized men weren't all that. My baby was the one thing I'd fight tooth and nail for.

Before the holiday, Jasper's work gave him an early break. He was stoked and started talking about where we should go.

I suggested, "Let's head to Estana. I've heard the scenery along the way is just breathtaking."

He furrowed his brows slightly and said, "I only have seven days off. I'm afraid there won't be enough time for a self-driving tour."

I inched closer to him, wrapping my arms around his neck. "Alright then, forget it. I know you've been swamped at work. We can just take a short trip to nearby cities," I smiled.

Jasper pondered for a moment and then replied, "What's so great about nearby cities? You haven't had a chance to travel for ages. We can go to those nearby places any time. Let's just take a self-driving trip to Estana." And with that, he gave the green light.

Jasper wrangled some extra vacation days from work. He packed our bags, and we hit the road for Estana.

I could tell he still felt bad about me. He'd been treating me like a queen lately.

Jasper never said no to me, but he still dodged the topic of Elara.

I didn't press him.

Sometimes, I'd just zone out, staring out the window, especially when he was watching.