My CEO Husband Cheated While I Carried His Child

Chapter 9

When Aurora was taking her first wobbly steps, Ethan Caldwell was released from prison. He had beaten Lila so brutally that her womb was irreparably damaged, stripping her of any chance to bear children. Lila’s family had pressed charges, and Ethan had paid for his crime behind bars.

During his imprisonment, Ethan had sent messages through intermediaries, begging to see me.

I refused.

There was no point. We had walked a path together once, but our roads had diverged long ago. Any further entanglement would only reopen old wounds.

Yet, I hadn’t anticipated that the first thing he’d do upon his release was seek us out.

I watched him from behind the garden hedges. He was gaunt now, his face etched with lines that hadn’t been there before—prison had aged him. His eyes, brimming with tears, were fixed on Aurora.

My daughter, sensing the tension, clutched the hem of my dress.

"Mommy, who’s that?" she whispered, peering up at me with wide, uncertain eyes.

I had never intended to lie to her. I opened my mouth to tell her the truth—that this man was her father—but Ethan spoke first, his voice unsteady, his smile forced.

"Hey there, little Aurora," he said, rubbing his palms together nervously. "I’m an old friend of your mom’s from college. You can call me Uncle Ethan."

In that moment, I realized the once-arrogant Ethan was gone. Fear had reshaped him. He was terrified that this innocent girl might discover she had a father who had spent years in prison.

Slowly, he crouched down, his movements cautious, as if afraid to startle her. "Aurora," he murmured, "can Uncle give you a hug?"

Aurora hesitated, glancing up at me for permission. I gave her a small nod.

She took a tentative step forward, and in an instant, Ethan swept her into his arms. He buried his face against her tiny shoulder, his body shaking with silent sobs. Startled, Aurora squirmed, her lower lip trembling as tears welled in her eyes.

I swiftly pulled her back and motioned for my mother to take her inside. Once they were gone, Ethan wiped his face roughly, his expression raw with shame.

"I know it doesn’t change anything," he said, his voice cracking, "but I need to say it. I’m sorry, Sophia. I destroyed what could have been a good life for us."

He dragged his hands over his face, his eyes red-rimmed and swollen. "I deserved every second of what I got. Just… never tell Aurora about me. A man like me doesn’t deserve to be called her father."

With that, he turned and walked away.

Though he was only in his thirties, his hunched shoulders made him look decades older. I stood there, watching until his figure vanished, feeling neither sorrow nor relief. Choices had consequences, and Ethan was no exception.

"Mommy!" Aurora’s voice, bright and clear, snapped me back to the present.

I turned and ran to my little girl—the center of my universe now.