He was incredibly attentive to our daughter.
Max and my in-laws treated Chloe like the apple of their eye.
I had no doubt that Chloe is the darling of our entire family.
But all of this came with conditions.
"Three years old, Chloe is three this year," Max said dejectedly.
I pressed on, "What's the ideal age for bone marrow donation?"
"Eighteen to forty-five is best, but it doesn't say a three-year-old can't. Nowadays, donating bone marrow isn't about extracting marrow, just drawing blood. As long as we ensure she gets enough nutrients, there's no problem after the donation," he explained eagerly.
I slapped him across the face and asked, "If Zoey's mother hadn't come today, how were you planning to tell me?"
Max ignored the pain on his face and explained, "Zoey's birth was an accident. The one I've always loved is you. Otherwise, why would I have married you right after you finished grad school?"
There was no denying that he did love me, but in the end, love relied on conscience.
By then, we had already been together for ten years, and he said that not marrying me wouldn't look good.
A devoted husband gains respect, and he did use that title to become quite successful in his circle.
Today, I was really tired. That slap took all the strength I had left.
"Whether it's true or not, you know in your heart. Don't deceive yourself after deceiving others. I no longer care how much genuine affection was involved in our marriage."
Max held me and said in my ear, "I'm sorry, truly sorry."
But men were like that. They could slap themselves, kneel and apologize, and beg for your forgiveness.
After I fell asleep, he took Chloe to the hospital for the bone marrow compatibility test.
The next day, when my daughter came home, she kept complaining that her arm hurt.
My mind was already in turmoil, and seeing the nanny's guilty expression, I immediately rolled up my daughter's sleeve to find a bruised area around a needle mark.
I had a suspicion of what had happened.
"Baby, what happened to your arm?"
My daughter blinked her big eyes and thought for a moment before saying, "Daddy, Daddy knows."
I turned on the recorder and gently coaxed her, "Did Daddy take you to the hospital?"
Chloe nodded without hesitation and said, "Yes, Daddy took me. The nurse drew my blood."
"What else did Daddy say to you?" I continued to ask.