Used for a Cure, Gone for Good

Twenty years after my DINK husband had a vasectomy, I suddenly became pregnant.

I thought I was blessed with a baby, but I found out that my husband had another family outside.

His illegitimate son had leukemia and urgently needed a bone marrow match, so my husband set his sights on me.

I was so angry that I fainted. After waking up in the hospital, I broke down and said I wanted to abort the baby.

Marlon Townsend, my husband, disagreed with tying me to the hospital bed.

My motherinlaw and the doctor advised me, "Saving a life is more meaningful than building a sevenstory house. Marlon’s son is your son too—how can you be so heartless?

“Who told you to remain childless for so many years? And even when you finally conceived, you insisted the child carry your surname. Marlon had no other choice."

I stopped struggling, looked at Marlon's wet eyes and relaxed as I sneered, "Why don’t you and Melanie have another child to save your sick son? I’ll cover all the treatments."

Marlon's eyes flashed with disappointment and heartache. I thought he felt guilty, but he said, “I’ve tried. But Melanie had several miscarriages in her attempt to give me a son. She cannot get pregnant anymore.

“What’s more, halfsiblings have a one in four chance of being a successful match. Margret, as long as you are willing to save my son, I will agree to whatever you want.”

I turned my face away, my heart completely chilled as I answered, “I want a divorce. I'll be discharged from the hospital in a week and we’ll meet at the court!”

——

My motherinlaw was so angry that her blood pressure soared and she wanted to hit me.

Marlon pulled me away, frowning slightly and said firmly, “No way. I'm not divorcing you. Do not even think about it.”

I looked at him and sneered. Years of tacit understanding between husband and wife made him understand that I was serious.

He pinched his brows and sighed, his tone softened, "Margret, we've spent half our lives together. Wouldn't it be humiliating if news of our divorce spread now?

"I know you feel wronged, but Melanie didn’t have the same education or upbringing as you. It wasn’t easy for her to give me a son. She’s young too, so if anyone is to blame, it’s me.

"The child is innocent. Forcing me like this… don’t you think that’s cruel?"

My breathing stagnated, I touched my belly and my thoughts drifted back to several years ago.

When he was young, Marlon also lamented the unfairness of fate.

He was a poor student sponsored by my father.

Not long after graduating from college, I had no way to pursue further studies or further education.

On the day when he knelt on the street in the heavy rain to beg for the right to bid, I held an umbrella and took him home.

A downandout genius, an ambitious character and an unyielding will.

Everything about him was fatally attractive to me, the daughter of the richest man.

Soon, he became the soninlaw of the richest man and embarked on a life of luck.

At that time, I never thought about being a DINK. I just wanted to have a baby because I was with him every day.

Soon, I became pregnant.

After hearing the good news, Marlon was so excited that he almost cried.

“But my parents said that the first child should have my last name and we can decide on the second and third children. Marlon, how many children do you think we should have?”

There was a subtle worry on his face as he answered, “Margret, are you really ready to be a mother? I mean. I don't want you to suffer the pregnancy, I also heard if it will hurt."

I was deeply moved and hugged him, telling him that I was not afraid.

But pregnancy was indeed hard. I had severe morning sickness and could not eat anything.

One day two weeks later, I had constant abdominal pain. Marlon was so anxious that he rushed me to the hospital, but the baby still died.

He stayed by my bed all night and the next day he hit himself with red eyes as he stated, “Margret, it's my fault. I made you suffer. Let's not have any more children. Can we be DINKs?”

“But you are the only son in your family. Marlon, I want to have a child with you. I am not afraid of this little hardship.”

I repeatedly emphasized that I was willing.

But Marlon said that I had given him too much and having me in his life was enough.

To show his loyalty, he went to the hospital to get a vasectomy that day.

As if this was not enough, he took the initiative to take safety measures every time since then.

What I did not expect was that even Marlon’s parents agreed with our decision.

After I was discharged from the hospital, they never mentioned anything about continuing the family line.

They even sent a dog for Marlon and I to raise as a child.

I naively thought that this was all Marlon's effort behind the scenes.

I did not understand until I heard my motherinlaw swearing just then.

It turned out Marlon was not against having a child—he just did not want one with me. Since being helped by his fatherinlaw was a thorn in his heart.

It would be an even greater shame for him to have our first child follow his wife's family lead.

He had already arranged everything for his life. I would help him rise to the top and become successful. Another woman would bear children for him and cook for him.

At that time, when my parents had passed away and I had no relatives left, he could deliberately make me give birth to a child at an advanced age and prolong the life of my illegitimate child.

Burning with humiliation and despair, I asked coldly, “Yes, the child is innocent. In order to save your illegitimate child, my child and I may die. Marlon, don’t you think you’re too cruel?”

Marlon, who was always calm, had a flash of panic in his eyes.

“That’s not what I meant, Margret. I will definitely hire the best doctor for you. Didn't you also want a child before? Why don't you think about the good results? You will all live well and we will live together as a family in the future.”

I looked at him and felt that he was so strange, so I asked again, “Do you really think we can go on living together after this? Maybe it works for you, having a wife and a concubine—but what about me?”

Marlon walked to the door and said earnestly, “Margret, Melanie never wanted to compete with you for anything. I have you in my heart and you will always be my wife, but can you be more generous? This child must stay.”

He left the ward and hired two nurses to look after me closely to prevent any possibility of me having a miscarriage.

I became more determined to get a divorce and called my lawyer, “Mr. Cain, if the other party disagrees, is there any way to get a divorce?”

Doyle Cain quickly gave me a positive response.

There was a way, but I had to wait for a week.

The next day, Marlon did not come to the hospital to see me.

Doyle had a wide network of contacts. He sent me videos through email and found evidence of Marlon's infidelity.

He went to accompany Melanie and probably told her the news of my pregnancy.

Melanie cried with joy and kissed Marlon in the coffee shop.

I turned off the video, since I could not bear to watch it anymore. Then, I forced myself to check social media to distract myself.

But the result was my motherinlaw, who used to be honest and kind, that time changed her expression 180 degrees.

She released all the hidden videos of her grandson playing with other children.

It hit me then—those holidays when I believed Marlon was working late, he was actually with Melanie and their son.

In the latest video, my motherinlaw appeared herself, cursing me online, branding me the most vicious daughterinlaw in history.

She even photoshopped my picture into a posthumous portrait.

People called me unfilial, heartless. They said I was a cruel mother for refusing to save my son, for refusing to have another child.

My motherinlaw was in tears and netizens who were uninformed cursed me and my parents in the comment section.

When I thought of my parents who loved me, I became furious.

I confronted my motherinlaw in the comments section. [He is not my son! What does his life or death have to do with me?]

My motherinlaw quickly responded, [You are so cruel! Is there any mother like you?]

Almost instantly, private messages exploded and countless insults and rebukes flooded into the sight.

They scolded me for being unworthy of being a mother and said I would rather die.

I was so scared that I threw my phone away, hid on the hospital bed crying.

But my motherinlaw refused to let me go. She sent a voice message to continue condemning me, “How could you be so vicious! What did I say that was wrong?

“Your husband is your only family now, so of course, his children are your children too. It’s only natural for you to save my grandson.

“How dare you curse him? If you hadn’t pushed Marlon to get sterilized, he could have had more children.

“If it weren’t for you, my grandson wouldn’t have gotten sick. Why must I suffer like this?”

I could not listen to what she said anymore.

It might be due to the unstable hormones during pregnancy that I could not control my tears.

The whole world was telling me that if I refused to give birth and saved Marlon's illegitimate child, it would be committing a heinous crime.

But who had ever considered me who gave birth at an advanced age?

A bowl of chicken soup appeared in my blurred vision and I looked up to find that it was Marlon who had returned exhausted.

His rough thumb wiped away the tears from the corners of my eyes.

His voice was a little tired, “You are still the same as before, crying when you are pregnant.”

My memory was a little hazy and I suddenly remembered that pregnancy.

At that time, I was vomiting so much that I could not eat anything, so Marlon learned how to make chicken soup for me to replenish my nutrition.

But the more I supplemented myself, the weaker I became.

I clearly could not eat it, but I could not bear to waste his kindness.

I clearly remembered that when I drank chicken soup for the last time before my miscarriage, Marlon seemed to be hesitant to speak.

I asked him what was wrong, but he hugged me and sobbed, “It's my fault. I made you suffer. I don't want the child anymore. It's just you and me in this life.”

I laughed at him and said he was a fool who loved me.

But I was obviously the stupid one.

How could his pathetic selfesteem allow me to give birth to a child smoothly?

I did not realize that the look of pity in his eyes was more of guilt and a guilty conscience.

It was the repeated repentance for killing his own child with his own hands.

I looked coldly at the man I had loved for twenty years and felt that I had never really understood him.

I could not help sneering in my heart, ‘Marlon, why didn't you discuss this with me?

‘My parents just wanted the first child to take my surname and I would give birth to a second and third child for you.

‘After helping your family change their fate and rise to higher social status, am I not even worthy of having the right to give my child my surname?’

I raised my hand and overturned the chicken soup in his hand. I was shaking with hatred.

‘Marlon, I'll be waiting for you to go crazy in a week,’ I cursed him in my heart.

Marlon frowned as he asked, “What are you doing?”

A thin woman rushed in from the ward door, frantically picking up the thermos on the ground.

“Marlon, don't be angry. Maybe the chicken soup I cooked is not to Margret's liking.”

I was completely stunned.

It turned out that it was not Marlon who came to see me, but he brought his lover to show his affection.

Melanie was very beautiful.

Perhaps because she was taking care of her sick son, she looked a little haggard, but this made her seem even more pitiful.

I touched my face unconsciously.

Youth was fleeting.

I could not make that seductive look anymore.

But Marlon did not notice my disappointment at all.

His attention was all on Melanie. Seeing Melanie was scalded by the thermos, he rushed over impatiently, took the beauty's hand and examined it carefully.

Melanie broke free embarrassedly and glanced in my direction, which made Marlon feel distressed.

Her voice was soft as she said, “Marlon, I'm fine. Margret's health is more important now.”

As she spoke, she waved towards the door.

A bald little boy walked in.

“Isaias, come quickly and say hello to your aunt.”

The little boy looked very grim and Melanie led him to my bed.

Suddenly he put his hand on my belly.

“Isaias, come and feel it. Your aunt is pregnant with a little brother. He can save your life. Wait a few more months and we won't feel the pain anymore.”

Her words were like poisoned needles piercing my heart. She was trying to kill my child!

Even if I wanted this child, how could I possibly harvest bone marrow from a newborn baby?

My mind went blank and I looked at Marlon.

However, he looked at Melanie and his son with a smile, not thinking that there was anything wrong with what she just said.

Maybe in his heart, he also thought so.

“Marlon. you want to exchange one life for another, right? What are you going to do if the matching is unsuccessful? What if I don't give birth to you?”

Marlon's face turned cold after hearing my questions.

“There is no if, none of what you said will happen.”

“I have a heart condition. Even if I can risk my life to give birth, I’d rather let this child die than watch my own flesh and blood be sacrificed for someone else.”

I pointed at Isaias and completely collapsed.

“Shut up!”

Marlon smashed the water cup in anger, his eyes blazing with anger.

Then he immediately changed his expression, hugged Melanie with heartache and comforted her softly.

Melanie covered Isaias's ears and cried silently on Marlon's shoulder.

Seeing Isaias looking at me in confusion, I felt a little regretful.

Just as I was about to explain, Melanie burst into tears, “Marlon, it's all my fault. I cannot get pregnant to save our Isaias.

“Margret is justified in scolding and beating me. I should not have fallen in love with you, but Isaias is just a child. He is innocent. If possible, I wish I was the one who got sick.

“I did not cook the chicken soup for any other reason. Margret has never been pregnant. I just hope she can get some nutrition.

“I understand why you brought me here today. You want me to face reality. You did not have the heart to tell me that she did not want to save Isaias, right?

“Marlon, it's okay. This is Isaias and my life."

The gentle offensive took effect immediately. Marlon looked flustered in a way I had never seen him look before.

He hugged Melanie's shoulders tightly and kept promising, “Melanie, listen to me. I won't let you have any wild thoughts. I promise you that Isaias will be fine.

“I love you, I love Isaias, have you forgotten? Our family is going to travel to Europe. I will definitely save our son. If the matching is unsuccessful this time, I will find a way to have another child.

“I, Marlon, am rich and powerful. Even the Devil of Hell would not dare to take my son's life!”

His words were a reassurance to Melanie, but a fatal call to me.

He seemed to have forgotten long ago that his money, his power and everything he had were given by me.

He took away everything I had and that time he wanted to squeeze out every last bit of my value.

my voice turned cold as I said, “Stop torturing each other, Marlon, let's part ways in peace.”

Marlon seemed not to hear me.

After he placed Melanie and Isaias in the hospital's VIP ward, he came back to see me.

“Don't say this kind of thing in front of Melanie in the future. She will blame herself.”

I responded to his silence.

Watching me like this, he continued, “Margret, I know you are angry. But talking too much about divorce between husband and wife will only hurt each other's feelings. You know, I will never divorce you.

“Everyone knows that I, Marlon, can be where I am today thanks to the support of my fatherinlaw and I am equally grateful. Which man in my position does not have a few female confidantes? I promise that you are the only one who will be my wife.”

“Is this a gift to me?” I sneered.

The innocent boy whom I once loved so deeply, had turned into an arrogant man without knowing when.

Yes, I was just a tool for him to maintain his persona.