Half an hour later, my parents, my mother-in-law Margaret, and my sister-in-law Sophie Abbott had all rushed over.
"What's wrong, Celine? You called us all here so suddenly—did something happen?"
The four of them sat by the sofa, watching me with worried expressions.
I looked at them for a long moment, then told them everything—Edward's affair, and how he'd tricked me into agreeing to abort my baby.
The moment I finished, Margaret shot to her feet, trembling with rage.
"That animal!"
"How could he do this to you and the baby?"
"Celine, don't you cry over him. I'm going to find him right now and—"
My mother caught Margaret's arm, holding her back.
She turned to me, cautious. "Celine, could there be some kind of misunderstanding?"
My father nodded slowly. "Everyone can see how much Edward loves you and the baby. How could he possibly have an affair?"
Sophie shook her head in disbelief.
"Exactly, Celine. You're the only woman my brother has ever loved—his whole life."
"He treasures you and the baby more than his own life. Why would he trick you into an abortion for some mistress?"
I knew they wouldn't believe me.
So I pulled out my phone and showed them the photo I'd secretly taken while following Edward—the photo of that girl.
"What if this is who he's been seeing?"
The instant they saw her face, all four of them—who'd been so certain Edward could never betray me—went pale.
"How... how is this possible?"
"Why would it be her?"
Margaret's face drained of color. Her lips moved soundlessly, her eyes filled with horror.
Sophie's confident expression crumbled, her voice hollow.
"So it's her. No wonder he wanted you to terminate the pregnancy..."
My parents seemed to deflate, their voices shaking.
"It's over. Everything's over."
In that moment, every single one of them—my parents, Margaret, Sophie—looked at me with the same expression.
Despair. And pity.
Like they were looking at someone already marked for death.
Just then, the front door opened.
Edward walked in, carrying a bag of my favorite sugar-roasted chestnuts.
He froze when he saw everyone gathered there.
"What's going on? Why is everyone here?"
Then, as if it clicked, he answered his own question.
"Is this about the baby?"
He set down the chestnuts and turned to face our parents.
"Mom, Dad—I know none of you want to lose this child. Believe me, I want it even less than you do."