When I told my husband I was pregnant, he froze. When he saw the ultrasound, his panic set in. The next day, he was gone—no calls, no messages. But I wasn’t going to let him just vanish without answers… and some payback.
That morning, the silence was unlike any other. Normally, Max would already be moving around the apartment: showering, brewing coffee, or grumbling about the news. But that day, there was nothing. I reached for his side of the bed—cold. I sat up and scanned the room. His suit, which was always tossed over the chair, was gone.
I bolted out of bed and checked the living room. Empty. The kitchen was spotless. Then, on the dining table, I found a lone piece of paper:
“I’m sorry. I’m not ready.”
I read those five words repeatedly, but my mind couldn’t make sense of them.
“What?” I whispered.
A sinking feeling took over me. I hurried to the closet—empty. No clothes, no shoes, nothing. The bathroom? Even his cologne and towel were gone. I rushed to the entryway drawer. Nothing.
He was gone. For real.
Why? How?
I replayed the night before in my mind.
When I handed Max the ultrasound picture, he took it carefully. At first, he smiled, but then his expression shifted.
“You’re… you’re pregnant?”
“Yes! Isn’t it amazing?” I was practically glowing with excitement.
“But… we weren’t planning this…”
“I know, but some things are meant to be, right?”
His eyes dropped back to the ultrasound. His jaw clenched.
“Wait… what is this?”
“It’s twins, Max.”
He hugged me, but it felt off. A wife expects certain reactions when she shares life-changing news. That wasn’t it.
He didn’t ask how I felt, didn’t kiss me or reassure me. He just stood up.
“I need some air.”
And then, he left.
I had imagined that moment so differently. I thought he’d be overwhelmed in a good way, maybe show up with a bouquet or chocolates. But instead, he didn’t come back at all.
I stood there, hollow, clutching my phone.
I called. No answer. I called again. And again.
“The number you are trying to reach is unavailable.”
I opened my messages. The last one I sent him was full of joy:
“I’m so happy! I can’t wait until we feel their first kicks together! ❤️”
He hadn’t even read it.
His last message? “Running late. Don’t wait up.”
I hadn’t thought much of it at the time. Work, meetings, the usual. But now… something didn’t add up. The late nights, the disappearing acts, the phone off at night. I bit my lip.
Was he really just scared of becoming a father? Or was there something else?
I wiped away my tears. If Max thought he could disappear without a word, he was terribly mistaken.
At first, I believed Max was just in shock, needing time to process. But days passed, and he never came back.
By day four, I’d had enough. If Max wasn’t coming back, I needed to know why.
I started cleaning. Partly to clear the suffocating air in the apartment, and partly because I was determined to find something.
I went through his closet, sorting his things, folding, packing, all driven by one goal: finding answers.
When I reached the laundry basket, I pulled out a pile of clothes from the night I told him I was pregnant—his shirt, trousers, and the jacket he had worn. It was buried at the bottom.
I brought it to my nose. A faint, floral scent lingered. Not mine.
It couldn’t be…
I flipped the jacket inside out, my hands shaking as I checked the pockets. Loose change, crumpled receipts, and then… a folded napkin from a restaurant.
And then, something that made my breath stop.
A receipt.
My eyes flew over the details. Nothing special about the purchase, but the location… there it was, an address written neatly by a woman’s hand.
What if it meant nothing? But deep down, I already knew. This wasn’t random. It was a lead, and I had a feeling I would find someone who had answers.
That evening, I stood outside a cozy house on the edge of town. I’d been watching for thirty minutes, long enough to see a woman—a blonde, younger than me—arrive. She parked her Jeep, took out groceries, and disappeared inside.
Later, warm light from the windows. I could see her moving about, making dinner.
For herself? Or for Max?
I had to act fast. I knocked on the door.
It opened almost immediately. The woman blinked at me, confused.
“Hi,” I said coldly.
“Hi… Do I know you?”
“You really don’t?”
“No… Should I?”
A beat passed before she realized. She didn’t know who I was.
“I’m Max’s wife.”
Her face drained of color.
“Wife? Max is… he’s coming soon, but… come in,” she stammered, her voice trembling.
I stepped inside, scanning the house. Simple, clean, nothing fancy. A few open grocery bags on the counter. A half-prepared dinner on the stove—garlic and rosemary.
She shut the curtains before pouring me a glass of water. Then she drank one herself, nervously.
“I’m Katie,” she finally said. “I’ve been dating Max for six months. I… I swear, I didn’t know he was married.”
I almost laughed bitterly but stopped myself. Instead, I removed my wedding ring and placed it on the table.
“We’ve been married for two years. And we’re having twins.”
“Oh my God…”
She truly didn’t know.
Katie took a deep breath, rubbing her temples.
“How could he…”
At that moment, we weren’t two women facing betrayal. We were united against a common enemy.
Katie leaned forward, locking eyes with me.
“What are we going to do with him?”
An idea began to form—slow, but deliciously cruel. I took a sip from my glass.
“I think it’s time Max tasted his own medicine.”
“I hope you like your revenge with dinner.”
“Oh, I do. But let’s make it… special.”
Katie leaned closer. “Tell me more.”
And that’s how it all started.
The living room buzzed with laughter and cheerful chatter. The scent of vanilla cake filled the air, pastel balloons swayed from the ceiling, and a golden banner read, “Congratulations, Daddy-to-Be!”
It looked like a celebration, but it was all part of the trap.
I stood in the shadows, watching Katie accept well-wishes and hugs, never breaking character. When Max arrived, he looked around in confusion.
“A party?” he muttered.
Katie bounced toward him, throwing her arms around his neck.
“I wanted to make this day unforgettable for you.”
“Unforgettable? For me?” Max glanced around, searching for someone.
“Wait… are you saying you’re pregnant?”
“Oh, yes!” Katie beamed. “And tonight, Daddy, this isn’t even the biggest surprise!”
She pinched his side playfully, and before he could react, two of her friends, Megan and Sophie, appeared with a brightly wrapped gift.
“We got you a gift!” Megan squealed.
Max opened it, revealing a giant pack of newborn diapers.
“Oh… wow…” he mumbled, struggling to keep it together.
“You’re going to need these!” Sophie winked.
“And don’t forget the wipes! Babies love spitting up on freshly ironed shirts,” Megan teased.
“The sleepless nights… oh, you’ll love those! Ten wake-ups a night, minimum!” Sophie added.
Max’s face paled, but then the cake arrived. Everyone went silent as Katie handed him the knife.
“You should do the honors, love. Take a peek inside,” she said, patting her belly.
Max hesitated but finally cut the cake.
Inside, two colors swirled together—pink and blue.
“Two?…” Max whispered.
Katie clapped her hands, smiling wide.
“Surprise! We’re having twins!”
“Twins?!”
“Yes! And remember, your grandmother had twins too—it must run in the family!”
The room erupted in cheers, whistles, and laughter.
Max’s mouth opened, but no sound came out. His hands twitched, trying to regain control.
“But you always wanted kids, right?” Megan teased.
“A big, loving family?” Sophie added.
“Oh, and double the love, double the fun!” they chorused.
Max’s eyes darted to the door. He was calculating his escape.
Then came the final blow. Katie’s parents stepped forward.
“Son!” her father boomed, slapping a hand on Max’s shoulder. “Congratulations! We are so happy!”
Her mother wiped away happy tears. “Our grandbabies! What a blessing!”
Max stepped back, shaking. “I… I need air… I have to go…”
“Leaving so soon?” I stepped forward.
“You’re not running away again, are you, Max?”
Katie gasped, mocking his actions. “Oh no! Not after all those speeches about being a family man.”
Max’s face turned pale. “This… this was a setup!”
“Was it? Or did we just reveal the truth?”
Katie grabbed a handful of cake frosting and, with a sweet smile, smeared it into his face.
The room burst into laughter as Megan and Sophie joined in.
Max staggered back, trying to wipe frosting from his eyes.
“You… you tricked me!”
“No, sweetheart,” Katie purred. “You tricked yourself.”
Max rushed for the door, but Katie’s father blocked his way.
“Leaving so soon, son?”
Max was trapped, and I’d never felt more satisfied.
I adjusted my purse, ready to leave, but paused long enough to savor the sight of him—covered in cake, fully exposed.
“Oh, and Max?” I called over my shoulder. “Enjoy the attention. You deserve it.”
And with that, I walked out, leaving my ex to drown in the chaos he created.