When the Years Took Our Love

After Dustin Horne cheated and returned to our marriage, my entire family turned into my surveillance team. When he went out to take out the trash, my dad trailed him and sent me a video. "He's behaving himself. Didn't even look at his phone once." When he went to his law firm for a meeting, my mom disguised herself as a cleaner to sneak in. "There wasn't a single woman within ten feet of him." When he came back from trying a case out of state, my best friend scanned him top to bottom with a detector. "No stray hairs, no lipstick marks... all clean." Everyone swore to me that Dustin's heart was back where it belonged. Even Dustin himself stayed by my bedside every night, taking vows that he would only ever love me and our baby. That was until seven months into my pregnancy, when he went away on a business trip and I went in for a routine checkup alone. Passing by the maternity ward, I caught sight of him cradling a baby, kissing the woman in the hospital bed with tears of joy. My parents and my best friend were standing around the bed, cheering right along with him. I recognized the woman in an instant. It was his former mistress, Hattie Shields. Everyone panicked at the sight of me, instinctively bracing themselves to shield the baby. Yet I simply stepped forward and straightened Dustin's collar. "The baby's cute. Looks just like you. I won't interrupt you guys. I need to get back home and do the laundry." Chapter 1 Dustin Horne froze on the spot, panic flashing across his face. "Lily, listen to me..." he started. "Do these clothes need to be washed?" I interrupted, gesturing toward the pile of shirts and pants on the sofa. His face turned ghastly pale as he scrambled to grab my hand. "Lily, don't be like this. Just let me explain." "Like what? Isn't it a good thing I'm staying out of your way?" I looked at him, a faint smile touching my lips. He shook his head, his voice tentative and cautious. "You're... not angry?" I knew why he was so confused. Six months ago, the day I had caught him cheating with Hattie Shields, I had lost my mind. I had printed over a dozen explicit photos of them and plastered them all over his firm's front entrance. And when he brought up divorce, I stabbed him three times before running up to the rooftop. That day, my parents and my best friend, Ophelia Cameron, dragged a bloodied Dustin in front of me, clutching my ultrasound results. "Lily, you're pregnant," he pleaded. "For the baby's sake, give me one more chance." Back then, everyone thought I was insane. Now, I just calmly pried his fingers off me, one by one. "Because there's no point anymore." As the words left my mouth, the baby in his arms started squirming, launching into a sharp, piercing cry that grated on my nerves. Just yesterday, Ophelia had leaned against my belly, gushing about wanting to be my baby's godmother. Now she rushed over and shoved me hard. "If you're going to act crazy, take it outside! Don't scare the baby! Hattie was so worried about hurting your feelings that she didn't even request a private VIP room. Do you have any idea how much she's suffered?" My parents, whose hair had turned white overnight out of heartache for me back then, also stepped up to shield Hattie. "Hattie is a good girl, and she doesn't have any family around here. We had to be here with her while she had the baby." Heavily pregnant, I was pushed backward by the people closest to me, stumbling until my back slammed into the doorframe. Sweat broke out across my forehead from the pain. It took me a few seconds to catch my breath. "That's your business. I don't care." I held my aching lower back and turned to leave, but Hattie suddenly burst into tears, stumbled out of bed, and collapsed right in front of me. "Lily, please don't blame them. It's all my fault. My dad was forcing me to go back home and marry someone, so everyone suggested I have the baby and pretend I was already married. "You were the one who brought me out of the slum and paid for my tuition back then. I've never forgotten how much I owe you. I would never try to steal your husband." She wept bitterly, but a hidden, triumphant smirk flickered in the back of her eyes. A sudden wave of intense nausea rolled through my stomach. Instinctively, I yanked my hand back, leaned against the wall, and dry-heaved. "How could you push her? She just gave birth!" Ophelia snapped, slapping me hard across the face. My cheek immediately went numb from the sting. I struggled to hold my belly, instinctively trying to defend myself, but my parents shoved me out the door. "Go home! Stop causing a scene here!" The door slammed shut in my face. Inside, the group lowered their voices, comforting Hattie with tender words. Thunder cracked deafeningly outside, and a blast of cold wind swept down the hallway, sending a violent shiver through my body. Dustin rushed out after me, holding an umbrella. "It's raining outside. Let me drive you home." I didn't decline, and he let out a visible sigh of relief. "The doctor said Hattie had health complications," he explained. "If she terminated this, she might never be able to get pregnant again. I just couldn't bring myself to be that cruel. "But I swear, you're the only one I love. As soon as she gets discharged, I'll send her and the baby down to Savannah. She'll never show her face around you again." I turned around, slid the wedding band off my ring finger, and tossed it at his feet. "I don't care. Put it on her. Once my baby is born, we're getting a divorce." Chapter 2 Dustin tried to chase after me, but Ophelia shouted from behind him, "Dustin, come back! Hattie's crying!" "I'm not getting a divorce," he muttered to me quickly. "Just go home first." He left me standing there in a daze. I opened the umbrella, only to find a gaping tear in the fabric—much like the fractured relationship between us. Rain drizzled straight through. It wasn't enough to kill anyone, but it was more than enough to chill me to the core. Once inside a taxi, I opened social media and came across Hattie's profile. She had just posted a new video, captioned: [My baby was born! It's a girl, and my husband named her Rosalie Horne.] My hand tightened around my phone as overwhelming grief surged into my chest. That was the name I had chosen for the child I lost. Years ago, when Dustin's law firm was targeted by disgruntled clients who sent a crew of hired thugs to trash the place, I had stepped in to shield him and was beaten so badly I miscarried on the spot. Now, he had handed that name to someone else on a silver platter. My agonizing trauma and the death of our child had been completely erased from his mind. Tears blurred my eyes as my trembling fingers scrolled down her feed. The day I was hit by a car and broke my leg, they had bombarded my phone with anxious text messages—all while spending the night setting off fireworks with Hattie. When severe morning sickness left me vomiting until I was delirious, they hired a courier service to deliver soup to my door, while taking Hattie on a week-long trip to Iceland to chase the Northern Lights and make wishes under the aurora. The man who claimed he was too busy to attend my birthday party had been having a starry-night picnic with Hattie on a mountain peak. There were over 600 posts in total. I forced myself to scroll through every single one, self-torturing until I was so numb I couldn't shed another tear. I used to have my doubts, yet I had still clung to a shred of hope. Now that the cold, hard truth was laid bare in front of me, I had no choice but to face it. They had played me like a fool all along. Pulling my thoughts back, I gently rested my palm over my belly and took a deep breath. "Don't worry, baby," I murmured. "I will take you away from here very soon." I went back to my parents' house, intending to retrieve all my personal documents. When I pushed open my bedroom door, I was greeted by completely unfamiliar decor. All my belongings had been cleared out. In their place was a cozy, pastel-toned princess room. As I brushed my fingers over a seashell lamp on the desk, a sharp voice barked from behind me. "Don't touch that!" My parents were standing in the entryway holding groceries, looking at me with clear annoyance. "Hattie doesn't like people messing with her things. It will make her upset." "Where are my things?" I demanded calmly. "In the utility room." "This is my room!" Dorothy Jimenez glared at me as she walked toward the kitchen. "Hattie is our goddaughter now. Do you really have to throw a fit over a bedroom?" I was pushed back against the doorframe, my clothes soaked through with rain and clinging uncomfortably to my skin, yet neither of them bothered to ask if I was okay. A wave of bitterness rushed up my throat, making my eyes sting. "What about me? Am I not your daughter anymore?" "How can you even compare yourself to Hattie?" Dorothy replied without looking up. "She's sweet, thoughtful, and brightens up the room like a ray of sunshine whenever she's around us. Just looking at her makes me happy. "Unlike you, constantly walking around with a sour face like the whole world owes you something. If you hadn't gotten in the middle of things, Hattie and Dustin would have been together a long time ago. "They've loved each other from the start, but they had to hide it all these years just to spare your feelings. Can't you just be more understanding?" It was ridiculous that my own mother was asking me to show understanding for my husband and his mistress. I wiped away a tear with a dry laugh. "Then I hope she takes great care of you in your old age." "What are you throwing a tantrum for now?" Ichabod Jimenez snapped impatiently. "Where do you think you're going?" "I got a job offer at a hospital in Belithburg," I said firmly. "I'm leaving, and I'm never coming back." I pulled out my phone to check the confirmation email. Instead, I opened an official rejection notice from the hospital. [Following a report, you have been flagged for resume fraud and multiple documented instances of malpractice and bribery. As a result, your application has been rejected, and you have been permanently barred from employment.] Chapter 3 Panicked, I immediately called the department head at the hospital. "I used to respect you," the voice on the other end said coldly. "I had no idea even your research papers were fabricated. If Mr. Horne hadn't brought the evidence of your misconduct to us, we would have been completely fooled." Dustin Horne... Rage shot through me like wildfire. Ignoring my parents' shouts, I bolted straight back to the hospital. Inside the room, Dustin was softly lulling Hattie to sleep. I flung the door open so hard that the baby in the bassinet burst into tears. "Dustin Horne, how dare you sabotage me with false reports?" I yelled. "Being a doctor and saving lives has always been my dream! You know how hard I worked to get that position!" He instinctively cupped his hands over Hattie's ears and gave me an annoyed glare. "Belithburg Hospital only had one open position this year, and Hattie wanted it to boost her resume. It's a good experience for her." My furious confrontation clearly meant nothing to him. It was like a breeze blowing past. I choked on my rage, clutching his sleeve tightly. "You're going to clear my name with the board right now, or I swear I'll sue you for slander!" "Go ahead and try," he replied, a calm, mocking smile touching his lips. "I guarantee you that not a single lawyer in Vynibay will touch your case. Besides, it's not like we need the money. You don't even need to work. Just stay home and take care of the baby." I stared at him in shock, tears spilling over. "I will hate you for the rest of my life..." Catching the sorrow in my eyes, he softened and reached out to wipe my tears. Before his fingers could touch my face, Hattie swung her legs out of bed and limped over. "Dustin, let me talk to her." She wrapped an arm around mine, digging her fingernails deep into my flesh, and whispered in my ear, "Your parents, your best friend, your husband, and even your career... They're all mine now. "Do you really think it was an accident when that patient filed a complaint against you and got you fired back then? "Dustin orchestrated the whole thing just to keep you away from the hospital so you wouldn't bump into me during my prenatal checkups. Just give up. You'll never beat me." "Shut your mouth!" I raised my hand to slap her, but my wrist was caught in a vice grip. "Don't you dare touch her!" Dustin gritted his teeth, his voice laced with venom. He pulled Hattie behind him and glared at me. "Get out!" I lifted my chin and wiped away my tears. "I'm going to show you that I don't back down from anything." I went straight home, pulled out my laptop, and compiled every piece of evidence of Dustin and Hattie's affair, along with all their intimate photos, into a 128-slide presentation deck. Then I dumped the entire file right into the comment section of her social media page. The post blew up instantly, going viral across the internet. Reporters started flooding my inbox with direct messages, asking if I was open for an exclusive interview. Before I could reply, Dustin barged into the house, consumed by fury. He grabbed me by the collar, almost hauling me off my feet. "Are you trying to ruin Hattie? The hospital is crawling with reporters right now! You're coming with me right this second to clear things up and apologize!" "Why should I apologize?" I fought frantically to break free from his grip, but he held on tighter. His face darkened terrifyingly. "If you don't come, I'll make sure there isn't a single doctor in the room to deliver your baby when you go into labor." I stared at him in disbelief, a stabbing pain tearing through my chest. To protect Hattie, he was using my life and our unborn child's life to threaten me. I bit my lip until I tasted rust. "Fine. I'll go." ... At the hospital, a horde of reporters surrounded us, cameras flashing non-stop. Hattie cowered in Dustin's arms like a frightened hare. I took the microphone with a sneer and spoke clearly into it, word by word. "What makes you think I'd ever show mercy to an ungrateful snake? The rumors are all true. Hattie Shields is a home-wrecker. Years ago, I brought her out of the slum and paid her tuition. In return, she crawled into my husband's bed and birthed his illegitimate child." The crowd erupted into hushed gasps. Hattie's eyes instantly welled up with tears. "Lily, I stayed silent while you constantly harassed my husband. I even let it go when you drugged him, climbed into his bed, and got pregnant with his child! What else do you want from me?" With those words, she pulled a booklet out from her coat. It was a marriage certificate bearing their names. "I am Dustin's lawful wife!" she declared. Chapter 4 I looked up in confusion, only to meet Dustin's guilty, evasive gaze. Ophelia stepped in front of Hattie, glaring at me. "Lily, get real! You're the mistress trying to ruin their family!" Dorothy pulled out a psychiatric evaluation report and turned to address the reporters, putting on an apologetic face. "I am so sorry, everyone. My daughter suffers from a severe mental illness. "She's been obsessively harassing Dustin, even drugging him to force herself onto him, and she's caused so much distress for Hattie. I apologize on her behalf." I looked at my mother in disbelief. "Mom? Are you insane? She's the one who..." Before I could finish, Dustin approached with a team of hospital orderlies in white coats. Taking the evaluation report from Dorothy, they injected a heavy sedative straight into my neck before I could utter a word of defense. As my vision faded into blackness, the last thing I saw was Dustin and Hattie with their fingers intertwined, leaning into each other. Neither of them spared me a single glance. The orderlies confiscated my phone, locked me in a tiny room, and kept me there for an entire month. I fought, struggled, and even nearly broke my leg trying to force my way out, but I couldn't escape. It wasn't until I was eight months pregnant that Dustin finally showed up. He brought my favorite pastries from the local bakery and gently brushed a loose strand of hair behind my ear. "I know it's been hard on you, but we were just afraid you'd run out and hurt Hattie," he said smoothly. "That marriage certificate was just so we could get the baby registered. "Once you give birth, I'll divorce her. As long as you publicly admit that you were the mistress and apologize to Hattie, we'll let you out." Clumsily balancing my heavy belly, I bowed to him. "I'm sorry. I'm the mistress, and I'll never bother you two again. Is that enough?" Dustin's expression turned uncomfortably tense. His mouth twitched as he clenched his fists, but ultimately, he just let out a heavy sigh and brought me home. As fast as I could, I packed my bags, ready to leave. But the moment I stepped out of the bedroom, the whole group barged in once again. Hattie cried bitterly, throwing herself to my feet. "Please, Lily! Give me back my baby! I was just preparing for Rosalie's one-month party, and the second you walked in, she went missing. If you're angry with me, take it out on me. Don't hurt my daughter." Dustin slammed into the room right behind her and grabbed my throat in a vice grip. "Rosalie is only a month old! Have you lost your damn mind, targeting a newborn?" "I didn't," I gasped desperately. "I'm a mother too. How could I ever hurt a child..." "If anything happens to Rosalie, I don't want to live anymore!" Hattie shrieked, making a move to hurl herself against the wall, but my parents quickly lunged forward to hold her back. "Why are we even wasting our breath talking to her? Force it out of her!" Ophelia stormed in, yanked open the nightstand drawer, pulled out a sewing kit, and aimed a long steel needle right at the quick of my fingernail. "I swear, I didn't do it!" I shook my head in terror, looking up at Dustin for help. He simply turned his head away, giving Ophelia the silent nod to proceed. Everyone knew how deeply I treasured my hands. They were built for performing surgeries. And everyone also knew exactly how to torture me into compromising. But how could I confess to something I had never done? "Lily, you brought this on yourself!" Ophelia drove the steel needle deep under my nail, nearly tearing the nail bed open. Agonizing pain surged through my body, contorting my face as my voice gave out entirely, tears streaming uncontrollably down my cheeks. Just as she was about to shove a second needle into another finger, Dustin's phone rang with a call from the police department. "Hello? We have located the child. Please come down to the station right away." A flash of pure ecstasy swept across Dustin's face. He shoved me aside, and the whole group rushed out the door, pushing past one another. I slammed hard onto the floor, and a pool of vivid crimson quickly bled out from beneath me. "My baby..." I dragged my battered body toward the bedroom door, only to find it locked from the outside. Violent, agonizing cramps seized my lower abdomen. I stared blankly as the red stain expanded across the floor, my tears dropping into the blood. Desperate and hopeless, I reached for a paring knife on the nightstand and pressed the sharp blade against my wrist. Just then, the door was slammed open with a deafening crash. A tall figure burst through the doorway against the light, frantically pulling me into his arms. "I'm so sorry, I came too late..." he said with a trembling voice.