Husband's Secret IVF With First Love; He Regretted After My Reveal

The day before our wedding anniversary, I happened to see a reminder text come in on my husband's phone.

Mr. Henson, tomorrow is the day of your IVF procedure with your wife, Luna Pruitt. Please arrive within your scheduled appointment time.

I froze.

Luna was Darrell Henson's childhood sweetheart.

And Darrell and I had never booked any IVF.

Just then the bathroom door opened, and out of reflex I set the phone back exactly where it had been.

Darrell picked it up, glanced at the screen, and turned to me with an apologetic face.

"Honey, something urgent came up at the company. I have to travel for it, so I probably won't be able to spend tomorrow with you."

"Don't worry. Once I'm through with it, I'll make it up to you."

Then he left me standing there and buried himself in the bedroom, texting away with someone.

At the same time, Luna posted something to her feed: a photo of an IVF appointment confirmation, and a pair of hands clasped together.

On one of those hands was the anniversary watch I'd given Darrell.

The caption read: "Even if I can't conceive naturally, as long as he loves me enough, he'll find a way."

I saved the photo, then messaged my lawyer.

"Draft me a divorce agreement."

1.

When I went back into the bedroom, Darrell was sitting at the computer desk, texting Luna.

I came in. He didn't look at me.

"Go to sleep first. I still have work messages to deal with."

I lifted my head.

The mirror off to the side reflected his chat log with Luna.

"Darrell, tomorrow's the day for the IVF. I'm so excited. I'm going to have my own child."

A faint smile touched Darrell's face.

"Luna, I know you don't believe in marriage, but I promised you I'd help you have a child."

"You just could never conceive naturally, so if the IVF takes, at least it'll fulfill your wish."

"But your wife's going to be pretty angry about this, isn't she? She was always against the two of us getting too close before."

Darrell gave a cold laugh.

"Never mind her. Three years of marriage and she's been living off me the whole time. Everything she has today is thanks to me. She should count herself lucky I haven't divorced her."

"If she finds out, then I'll just tell her straight. And if she dares to object, she shouldn't blame me for what comes next."

Reading it, a chill spread through me.

Three years married, and it was true I'd never gone out to work.

But what Darrell didn't know

was that every time he left the house, I was at home studying one investment deal after another.

And before we ever married, I already owned a publicly listed company at the state level.

More than that, once my parents were gone, the Fortune 500 empire in their name would come to me as well.

Back when Darrell couldn't raise a cent for his startup, it was I who arranged for people to invest in him.

The reason I never told him any of this

was because of a request my grandfather made before he passed.

He said that if I did marry Darrell, I shouldn't reveal who I really was for five years.

Because five years is long enough to see a person clearly.

In his eyes, Darrell wasn't someone I could lay everything bare for.

At first I refused, but my grandfather had so little time left that I had no choice but to agree.

So at the wedding, my parents attended only as ordinary working people.

To this very day, Darrell still thinks I'm just an ordinary woman.

But it wasn't as though I did nothing.

Out of my love for him, every time Darrell came home I'd have his favorite dessert ready.

I kept the house in order.

I even had warm water waiting for his feet, right on time, so he could feel what a home was like.

And now, only a little past three years of marriage, my grandfather's words had come true.

And going by that caption on Luna's feed,

this IVF wasn't some spur-of-the-moment thing.

They'd been carrying on together for a long time, and Darrell had wanted a child with her for just as long.

She simply kept failing to conceive, which was why they'd turned to IVF.

Which meant Darrell had betrayed me long ago.

The two of them had slept together more times than I could count.

The next morning, when I woke, Darrell was already gone.

There was a message on my phone he'd left before leaving.

"Sweetheart, no idea when the project will wrap up. I'll make it up to you when I get back."

"Made breakfast. Eat it when you're up."

I walked out of the bedroom and saw fried eggs and oatmeal on the table.

They didn't look good, and the taste was nothing special.

Still, as far as I could remember, it was the first time Darrell had ever cooked.

The way I saw it, it was probably just some excuse he'd tossed together to smooth things over.

I dumped the food in the trash.

Then I called an employee I hadn't contacted in a long time.

When the line connected, his voice came through, surprised and delighted.

"Ms. Fox, you finally reached out."

"Back then you said you wanted to be with Mr. Henson, that we shouldn't contact you unless it was life or death."

"So now does this mean you're planning to come back?"

I nodded.

"Don't spread word of my return."

"Also, pull Darrell's company financials for me. Beyond the normal operating turnover, compile every irregular record."

When Darrell started his company, I had my people put in over forty percent of the investment. In a sense, Darrell was working for me.

But a year ago, ever since he brought Luna back.

He'd been quietly siphoning company funds to buy her gifts and cover her spending.

At first, I reminded him that this violated the shareholders' agreement.

But Darrell only got impatient.

He said Luna had been through a lot trying to build her own business out there.

They were childhood sweethearts.

They'd grown up together.

Now that he was successful, he ought to look after her more.

They were glued to each other every day, and I only assumed it was a deep friendship.

I didn't care about that money.

After all, every cent had been invested by me, in secret. As long as I didn't pursue it, no one would say a word.

I even thought that if Darrell ever ran short on funds, I could put in a little more, no problem.

But now I could see how naive I'd been.

Since he'd chosen betrayal,

I wasn't going to tolerate it any longer.

Around noon, Darrell sent me a message.

"Sweetheart, the project's moving fast, should be done today. If things go quickly I can be back tomorrow. I'll bring you a gift."

Before I could reply, I saw Luna's post.

In the photo: a slender petri dish, and a pair of hands making a heart.

The caption: "The IVF went smoothly. Waiting for our little life to grow!"

Below it were plenty of comments.

"Luna, weren't you anti-marriage? How come you suddenly want a baby?"

"I get it now. This wouldn't happen to be Darrell's, would it?"

"Do you even have to ask? Darrell treats Luna so well, he bought her a sports car worth tens of millions. What's a baby compared to that?"

"But isn't Darrell married? His wife"

"She's just a trophy wife. Did you forget last time we got together, Darrell said her looks had fooled him back then?"

"Looking at it now, she's really just a useless gold-digger. Give Darrell another shot and there's no way he'd marry her."

"He never wanted a kid with her because he was scared the kid would turn out as useless as she is."

Someone tagged Darrell and asked what he'd do if I found out.

When Luna first came back, she'd added me as a friend.

It seemed she hadn't told Darrell.

Or rather, she'd forgotten I was still on her friends list.

A moment later, Darrell replied:

"So what if she finds out."

"She's just a useless freeloader living off me. How could she ever compare to Luna?"

Everything under that was more mockery aimed at me.

My chest twisted, and it hit me all at once.

I had brought up having a child before.

But Darrell always used the excuse that the company was in a critical growth stage and he couldn't be distracted.

He even used being tired as an excuse to never touch me, not even for a normal married life.

Yet now he was willing to do IVF with Luna.

So it turned out,

it was never about not wanting to hold the company back.

He just didn't want to have a child with me.

Just then, Darrell sent me a photo.

A table of rich, nourishing food, and a selfie of him.

"Sweetheart, Luna said she was worried you'd worry, so she told me to send you a team-outing photo."

"You need to eat well too. I'll be back soon."

Beside him, Luna was flashing a victory sign, her face full of a taunting smile.

I gave a cold laugh and replied:

"Come back whenever you like."

"It doesn't matter to me if you don't come back at all."

The message had barely gone through.

The next second, Darrell called and started shouting at me.

"Althea, what's with the snide little tone!"

"We just closed a big deal today. Everyone's in a good mood, and here you are trying to ruin it again, is that it!"

Then, off to the side, Luna said in an injured little voice,

"Darrell, don't scold Althea. She probably just feels bad because today's your wedding anniversary, and you're not with her, you're with me instead."

"The project's done now anyway, so why don't you head back first. I'll handle the afternoon accounts myself."

But Darrell said coldly,

"No. How are you supposed to get through all those accounts on your own? If she wants to make a scene, then let her make a scene."

"I'm starting to see it. The second I'm with you, Luna, she goes looking for trouble!"

"Now she throws a fit over a simple meal. I've clearly spoiled her rotten!"

Then he turned and lit into me again.

"Althea, do you think you actually matter to me?"

"Don't forget, everything you eat, drink, and live in comes from me. On your own, you're worthless!"

Just then, someone muttered, low.

"Mr. Henson, why don't you just spell it out for her. She doesn't deserve you at all."

I heard Darrell tell the person to shut up.

I didn't question him further.

I just found their clumsy little act laughable.

Before, when the two of them got too close, I used to remind Darrell.

At first, he'd still explain himself to me.

Later it turned into thick, open impatience.

And over time.

Unreasonable.

Petty.

Gold digger.

In his mouth, those became my names.

He'd tear into me until I was in pieces, then come back and coax me.

Spinning the whole thing so it looked like I was the one being unreasonable.

And I, so deep in love with him, kept lying to myself.

But now the evidence was solid, and he still wanted to run the same old trick.

Did he take me for a fool!

Right now, I gave a faint, cold laugh.

"Darrell, and how exactly do you plan to stop being nice?"

"Divorce? Fine. I'll be waiting."

At those words, the phone went quiet for a beat.

"Althea, I'm at work. Are you done or not?!"

I hung up before he could finish.

That night Darrell called several times, and I rejected every one.

Early the next morning, I'd just gotten up when the bedroom door was flung open.

Darrell walked in, glaring at me with a face full of fury.

"Althea, have you made enough of a scene!"

"You dare threaten me with divorce? You really think I won't go through with it?!"

I frowned.

Just as I was about to speak, Luna came in from the doorway.

She looked at me with a smile all over her face.

"Althea, you know I work at the same company as Darrell."

"We're not in the same department, but yesterday I only went along to help him pitch a project. Bringing up divorce over something this small, isn't that a bit of an overreaction?"

She walked over and patted my shoulder.

"Althea, as a woman, some things are better handled with a little grace. After all, if you're going to live off a man, it goes down easier if you keep it soft."

My face darkened, and I slapped her hand away.

I let out a scoff.

"You want me to show grace?"

"Sure. Then go get married yourself, let your husband go roll around in bed with someone else and have a kid, and you show a little grace too."

At my words, their expressions changed.

They exchanged a look, and then Luna forced a dry laugh.

"Althea, didn't I just say it? I only went out with Darrell that one time. That was a bit much of you to say."

Darrell glared at me too, furious.

"Althea, are you sick in the head? How can you talk to Luna like that!"

"She came here today just to clear things up with you in person!"

"Apologize to her, now!"

I laughed coldly.

"Apologize? Like she deserves one?"

Hearing that, Luna instantly looked wounded.

"Darrell, forget it. It seems the only way to calm Althea down is for me to leave you completely."

"I should just go."

She turned to leave.

Darrell hurried after her.

On his way out he cursed at me,

"Althea, don't throw away the face I'm giving you! I'll give you one last chance to reflect. When I get back, I want to see you apologize to Luna!"

With that, he rushed out the door.

The room went quiet.

I collected myself, then drove to Wharton headquarters.

I walked into the president's office, and one of my people came in with a stack of documents to report.

"Ms. Fox, I've finished the investigation. Darrell and Luna's IVF transfer is scheduled for three days from now."

"The only reason they could go through with the procedure is that Darrell paid to forge a marriage certificate."

I nodded.

"Go on."

He pulled out another file.

"Ms. Fox, this is a report on the company funds Darrell has diverted over the past year and more."

"Most of it went to buying luxury goods for Luna. The total comes to nearly fifty million."

"Under the contract, he's in serious breach of the shareholder agreement."

I looked coldly at the strings of numbers on the page.

Darrell's company brought in less than a hundred million a year.

He'd spent more than half a year's earnings on Luna.

"Give it to legal. Tell them to have all the evidence in order within three days."

"Yes."

Not long after he left, Darrell sent me a message.

"Althea, where the hell are you?!"

"Get back here and apologize to Luna, now!"

I didn't answer. I laid the phone face-down on the desk.

After that.

Every so often, Darrell sent another message.

Either asking where I was, or cursing me out.

"Althea, if you've got the nerve to sulk and stay away, then don't come back at all!"

For the next two days, he sent nothing.

Not until early on the third day did another message come in.

His tone was much softer.

"Althea, Luna asked me not to stay angry with you."

"But don't let it happen again. If you dare speak to her like that once more, I'll divorce you."

"I'm traveling for work today. I might be back tonight, or it might take a while longer."

"Message me when you're home. Don't just go silent like a corpse."

I still didn't reply.

Just then one of my people came in and showed me a stretch of surveillance footage.

On the screen, Darrell and Luna were walking into the hospital.

Along with their conversation.

"Darrell, today's the transfer. I never thought I'd get to be a mother."

Darrell's voice was gentle.

"Luna, I said I'd give you a child, and I meant it."

"But what if I start showing in a few months? Althea, she"

"It's fine. I'll tell her there's a project abroad I have to oversee. I'll be away a year, we'll have the baby, then come back."

I stood up, cold.

"Take me to the hospital."

On the way, Luna suddenly sent me a message.

"You must have seen the posts I put up. I didn't think you could stomach this much."

"Can't you tell he doesn't want you? Why don't you just file for divorce already?"

"Oh, I get it. You can't bear to give up his money, is that it?"

"Don't bother dreaming. You won't get a cent!"

"I'll tell you the truth. I'm about to go in for the embryo transfer."

"He won't have a child with you, but he'll have one with me. You've got nothing but a marriage certificate, and what good is that?"

"To us, you're nothing but a joke."

I didn't reply.

I closed the phone and arrived at the hospital.

Luna was just coming out of the embryo transfer room.

Seeing me, Darrell frowned.

"Althea, what are you doing here?"

I looked at him coldly.

"You did IVF with Luna, and now you're transferring the embryo so she can carry your child."

"And you're asking what I'm doing here?"

Before Darrell could speak, Luna put on her frail act again and came forward, pleading with me.

"Althea, please don't fight with Darrell. It's all my fault. I was diagnosed with infertility, and he couldn't bear to leave me alone in the world, so he did this."

"If you have to blame someone, blame me."

But then, in a voice only I could hear, she sneered.

"What, here to make another scene? You useless thing."

The instant she finished, I slapped her across the face.

"I'll settle my account with you. Get out of the way first!"

Darrell flew into a rage.

"Althea, what are you doing!"

The next second, my hand landed across his face too.

His eyes went wide, staring at me in disbelief.

"Althea, you dared to hit me?!"

I looked at him coldly.

"You and your whore, you both deserve it!"

Then something seemed to dawn on him, and he sneered.

"I know what this is. You're jealous of Luna, aren't you?!"

"That's right! So what if I did IVF with her? Not only that, she's going to have my child!"

"I just won't have a child with you. I'll have Luna carry mine instead."

"You're jealous, aren't you? Then be jealous all you want!"

"Now that you've found out, you're going to put up with it from here on, or we divorce."

"You wouldn't dare. Could you really let go?"

I watched his smug face and let out a faint laugh.

"Good that you can admit it yourself."

He frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"Mr. Henson, here is your clean-break divorce agreement and your removal notice."

Behind me, my lawyer stopped the recording, stepped forward, and held out two documents.

"And just so you're aware, Ms. Fox is the president of Wharton Group. Which makes her the largest shareholder of your company."