Destructed by Love

I slit my eyes open just a little, looking at Elowen’s face, only to find it more unfamiliar than ever. No wonder that when my fiancé cheated on me with Maya, the all-powerful Elowen suddenly began relentlessly pursuing me. All that talk about secretly loving me for over a decade and begging me to marry him was nothing more than a ploy to stop me from ruining Maya’s happiness. Another wave of contractions hit me, making my entire body tremble in pain. Before I knew it, my legs were forcibly spread apart and my most private part was completely exposed to the air. A single tear slid down from the corner of my eye. Gathering all my strength, I grasped Elowen’s hand and pleaded in a trembling voice. "I don’t want a natural birth… Please, let me have a C-section. I beg you… I won’t fight with Maya…" Elowen froze for a moment, a flicker of guilt flashing through his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by an affectionate expression. He gently stroked my face and spoke tenderly, "Baby, are you so delirious from the pain that you’re talking nonsense? I chose a natural birth because it carries less risk than a C-section. I almost lost you just now. I can’t take that risk again." His voice was soft and soothing, yet his tone left no room for argument. I opened my mouth in despair, but another wave of intense contractions left me paralyzed in pain. Seeing my suffering, a trace of pity flickered in Elowen’s eyes. "Don’t be afraid, baby. I’ll have the doctor give you a painkiller. You’ll feel better soon." As soon as he finished speaking, Dr. Grove inserted a syringe into my body, injecting all the liquid inside. But instead of easing the pain, it only intensified. It felt as if an invisible hand was forcefully trying to rip the baby from my womb. A searing pain tore through me, as if scissors were cutting me open. The agony was so overwhelming that I blacked out, only to wake up moments later. "Push! Push! The head is out! Keep pushing…!" Finally, just before I completely lost consciousness, the baby was born safely, its sharp cries echoing throughout the hospital room. Through my blurred vision, I saw Elowen immediately turn to look at the child. When he noticed that the baby’s features resembled Maya, a rare smile appeared on his face. He didn’t spare me a single glance throughout the entire process, letting me bleed uncontrollably, my body covered in blood, urine and filth, utterly wretched and disgusting. When I woke up again, it was already the afternoon of the next day. Instinctively, I tried to move my legs, only to realize that my lower body felt completely numb like it wasn’t even part of me. Remembering what Dr. Grove had said in the operating room, I felt a wave of despair crash over me. At that moment, a familiar voice drifted in from outside the door.

"Elowen, why did you insist on having me switch the painkiller for a labor-inducing drug? You knew that this particular drug would damage her internal organs and now Callista can’t even produce milk. Don’t you think this has gone too far?" "I wanted to make sure she couldn’t produce milk. How could I let my and Maya’s child drink her milk? What if the baby developed feelings for her instead? I absolutely won’t allow that to happen." Scalding tears slid down my cheeks as my grip on the bed’s edge tightened so much that my fingers turned white. No wonder the so-called painkiller had only intensified the agony. It had been a labor-inducing drug all along. I glanced down at my chest. It was dry, sagging slightly, with no sign of milk production, completely unlike a mother who had just given birth. "Maya has already chosen a name for our daughter, Yasha. Anyway, I won’t stay long. Maya is waiting to see the baby. I’ll let Callista take a quick look before taking the child to her." Elowen’s voice rang out again as the door swung open. He walked in, holding a newborn in his arms. Seeing that I was already awake, Elowen gazed at me tenderly and gently placed the baby in front of me. "Baby, you've worked so hard. Our family has welcomed another little one. Look at this tiny face, it looks so much like you. I've already decided on a name for our baby. Let's call her Yasha. It suits her perfectly." I stared at Yasha’s face, one that resembled both Elowen and Maya but bore no trace of me. The irony was almost laughable. I had endured nine months of pregnancy, risked my life in childbirth, yet the child I brought into this world belonged to Elowen and another woman. And my real children? The ones who should have been mine? They had all been killed by Elowen’s own hands. Before long, he used the excuse that my body had been weakened by multiple miscarriages and couldn’t produce milk, saying the baby had to be sent to a specialized nursery for care. He promised to bring me to see her once I recovered. I said nothing. I simply nodded numbly. This child wasn’t mine. I had no reason to keep her by my side. Seeing the hopelessness in my expression, Elowen’s eyes flickered with a strange emotion. I knew it was the fleeting guilt of a man whose conscience had momentarily awakened after committing a heartless act. Not long after Elowen left, I received a friend request and I instantly recognized it was Maya because her profile picture was a photo of herself holding a small white dog. I found the dog quite familiar and instinctively opened Elowen’s Instagram account. I discovered his profile picture was the same dog, cropped from the photo of Maya. No wonder such a proud person like Elowen would use a dog as his profile picture for five years. It was to match with Maya’s profile picture.

As soon as I accepted the friend request, Maya posted something. It was a photo of her and Elowen, with her holding the baby that had been living in my belly for nine months. The caption read. “Our family of three is reunited.” I knew she posted it for me to see. When I scrolled down, I realized that these five years of my marriage were actually all related to Maya. On the day I married Elowen, Maya posted a photo of our wedding bed with the caption. “Sleep peacefully. This bed has already been tested by me and him and the quality is excellent.” After my first miscarriage, when I was lying in the operating room being resuscitated, Maya also posted a photo of Elowen’s back as he was busy in the kitchen, with the caption. “Having a brother is really great. I just mentioned period pain and he ran all the way overseas to take care of me.” But that day, he told me he was on a business trip abroad and couldn’t come to take care of me. The three miscarriages that followed all coincided with the days Maya posted on her photos. Every post was about how Elowen pampered her, either accompanying her to build a boring block tower, watching the aurora with her, or taking pictures of priceless gemstone necklaces for her. As for me, he always brushed me off with different work excuses, leaving me to face the cold, lonely operating table alone. Meanwhile, I felt sorry for him, thinking his work pressure was too much and I told him to focus on handling things abroad without worrying about me. Looking back now, I realize I was quite considerate, always clearing the way for them to have time to love each other. I had no interest in scrolling further. After wiping away the tears from the corner of my eyes, I dialed my best friend’s phone in Yvermont State. “You asked me before if I was willing to come over there as a dance consultant. I’ve thought about it and I want to go.” “That’s great! Make sure you prepare well. I’ll come to pick you up in five days.” After hanging up the phone, I contacted a local lawyer and asked them to prepare a divorce agreement for me. For three consecutive days, Elowen didn’t come to see me, but Maya’s posts were constantly updated with their family of three’s daily life. It wasn’t until the fourth evening that Elowen pushed a wheelchair into my hospital room and his first words were an apology. “Sorry, baby. There was an issue at the company these past few days and I’ve been too busy to come see you. But as soon as I finished, I came straight here to see you.” His tone was sincere and earnest, with no hint of insincerity. If it hadn’t been for the countless hickeys I saw beneath his collar, I might have been deceived by him once again.

“Baby, Mom is very happy that you gave birth to our daughter. She said you’ve been working hard lately, so she specially organized a birthday party for you tonight. I’ll take you there right now.” Before I could say anything, he lifted me from the bed and placed me in the wheelchair, then pushed me out of the room. When Elowen and I arrived at the hotel, the birthday party had already started. Maya and my mother-in-law were standing by the crib, holding Yasha, smiling and accepting guests' blessings. The atmosphere was very lively. But as soon as I appeared, the lively atmosphere came to a halt. Guests began to look at me with strange eyes. “Isn’t today supposed to be her birthday party? Why is she wearing a hospital gown? Didn’t the Aldridge Family prepare a dress for her? And what’s that smell on her? Has she not showered for days?” “She’s still coming in a wheelchair? Could it be that giving birth left her paralyzed? I wonder if her daughter will be mocked for having a paralyzed mother. How pitiful.” “The Aldridge Family invited us here to celebrate her birthday and we all dressed up specially. But she shows up like this. Does she think we’re not worthy of her dressing up for us? Don’t give me the excuse of being too tired to take care of herself after giving birth. When I had my child, I wasn’t like this. To me, it just seems like she’s looking down on us.” The guests murmured, openly making malicious assumptions about me. But what they didn’t know was that due to the severe injuries to my lower body, the doctor had forbidden me from getting wet. Even though the stench from my body made me gag and feel nauseous, I had to endure it. In the past, Elowen might have said a few words for me, but now all his attention was focused on Maya and Yasha, not far away. After pushing me into a corner where no one was around, he went over to join them. My mother-in-law, feeling embarrassed by me, was furious. She didn’t care how many people were around and pointed at my nose, shouting. “Callista, you must be doing this on purpose to embarrass the Aldridge Family, right? You already dress like a country bumpkin on a regular day and I’ve told you today is your birthday celebration. Yet you still show up like this? Is this how much you want people to think I’m a wicked mother-in-law who likes to bully her daughter-in-law, even refusing to buy you a decent outfit?” “You poisonous woman, I never should have let Elowen marry you. You’re not even worth a single finger of Maya. Marrying into our family was the worst luck ever. If Maya weren’t my adopted daughter and couldn’t marry Elowen, there’s no way it would have been you.” Looking at the scene now, I indeed couldn’t compare to Maya even in the slightest. Her skin was like porcelain and her beauty indescribable. She wore and carried only the finest luxury items and wherever she went, she was the center of attention.

As for me, whether now or in the past, Elowen always asked me not to be extravagant, as he liked women who were frugal and good at managing a household. I believed him, so in the five years of marriage, I never spent recklessly. I saved every penny I could. But it wasn’t until I saw Maya’s posts on social media, where Elowen bought her luxury goods almost every day, that I realized just how much money he spent on her. One of those items could have covered everything I spent in five years. That was when I understood, it wasn’t that he didn’t like extravagance, it was just that he didn’t think I was worthy of it. Looking at the disdainful looks from the guests, I clenched my fists in humiliation, wanting to speak, but it felt like something was lodged in my throat and I couldn’t utter a single word. Seeing this, my mother-in-law grew even more furious. She yelled, “What are you still here for? Hurry up and get out! Don’t let your stench stink up my granddaughter!” After saying that, without waiting for my response, she had someone push me out of the banquet hall and shut the doors, locking me out. I listened to the lively atmosphere coming from inside the room and felt an overwhelming sense of humiliation. I turned my wheelchair and fled in embarrassment. In the middle of the night, I felt thirsty, so I got into a wheelchair and went outside to find some water. However, when I reached the living room, I saw Maya pressing Elowen onto the sofa and said coquettishly, “Elowen, you're so hot. Let me help cool you down, okay?" "Maya, stop joking around. It wouldn't be good if Callista sees this." "She’s asleep right now and won’t notice. Elowen, don't refuse me anymore. I know you’re suffering from holding back." As soon as she finished speaking, Maya leaned in and kissed Elowen on the lips. Elowen didn’t refuse. Instead, he turned over and pinned Maya underneath him. After a while, I heard the woman's pleasant moan and the man's low roar of pleasure from release from behind the sofa. I felt my stomach churning and almost vomited. I finally suppressed the urge and reluctantly took out my phone to take a picture of this scene. Not long after I returned to bed, the door suddenly opened. I thought it was Elowen and ignored him. The next moment, scalding hot water poured onto my face. The sharp, burning pain startled me, causing me to sit up. When I looked up, I saw Maya standing at the bedside, smiling ambiguously as she watched me. "I know you saw everything just now. Elowen has always loved me. Marrying you was just to sever any thoughts you had about your fiancé. Over the years, whenever he had free time, he would come to me, just to take care of my needs, including your four children. The truth is, they weren't lost by accident. It was because I told him I didn’t want you to have Elowen's child. So, Elowen planned for you to have a miscarriage."

"As for why the fifth child was able to be safely born, it's because I wanted to have a child with Elowen, but I didn’t want my figure to change after giving birth. So, I used your womb to have Yasha. During that time, Elowen kept giving you supplements, but it was actually to ensure the child absorbed all your nutrients." Maya grew more and more smug, laughing as if her joy knew no bounds. "Callista, I have to thank you. If it weren't for you, my daughter wouldn’t have grown so plump and fair. And I wouldn’t have known how wonderful it feels to be loved by two men!" I was so angry that my whole body shook and I raised my hand to strike her. But before my hand could even touch her, she collapsed heavily onto the ground. In the next moment, Elowen rushed over, hurriedly pulling Maya into his arms with a panicked expression. "Maya, are you okay?" Maya shook her head, looking pitiful as she spoke, "I'm fine, Elowen. Don’t blame her. She didn’t mean to push me. Please don’t blame her…" Maya's words only made things worse. The moment she spoke, Elowen immediately shifted all the blame onto me. He stood up and kicked me off the bed. "Callista, what has Maya done wrong for you to treat her like this? I even thought you were tired from childbirth and wanted to take you out to relax, but now, it seems there's no need for that." My body crashed heavily onto the ground, the pain making me gasp. Then, I noticed a strange smell beneath me. Looking down, I realized I had lost control of my bladder. An overwhelming sense of humiliation surged through me. I tried to get up, but it was useless. All I could do was watch helplessly as Elowen carried Maya out of the room. In the end, it was the housekeeper who found me, cleaned me up and put me back in the wheelchair. I could no longer bear living in such humiliation, so I called my best friend and asked her to come pick me up early the next day. The next morning, someone brought over the divorce papers. Just as I was about to sign, Elowen’s call came in. "Callista, Maya was terribly frightened by you last night and has been admitted to the hospital. You need to come apologize to her right now!" I gave a self-deprecating smile, hung up the phone and signed my name on the agreement before leaving the villa. However, just as I stepped out the door, a black sedan blocked my way. The next moment, the car door opened and Vero excitedly jumped out. "Callista, I've missed you so much!" She rushed up to me, wanting to hug me, but froze when she saw me sitting in the wheelchair. She pointed at my legs and asked, "What happened to your legs?" I hadn’t expected her to come directly to my house to pick me up and I was a bit surprised. Hearing her ask about my legs, I felt an inexplicable ache in my heart.

"Let's get in the car first and I'll tell you on the way." Vero frowned, opened her mouth as if to say something, but in the end, she chose to help me into the car. On the way, I told Vero everything that had happened to me over the years. She was so angry that she almost fainted. She yelled at the driver to stop, saying she wanted to go beat up Elowen, but I stopped her. "It's already happened. There’s no point in going after him now and I don't want to see him again." Vero furrowed her brows and asked unwillingly, "Are you just going to let him off the hook? Callista, this isn't like you. You've always been someone who takes revenge on those who hurt you. We haven't seen each other for just a short while and you've become so weak." Seeing the disappointment in her eyes, I lightly smiled and replied, "Who said I'm letting him off the hook? I've prepared a big gift for him." "What big gift?" Vero asked, her face full of curiosity as she leaned in. I pretended to be mysterious and told her, "It's a secret, but I can guarantee that this big gift will make Elowen remember it for the rest of his life." *** On the other side, Elowen grew even more furious when he saw that I hadn't gone to the hospital to apologize to Maya. He took out his phone and sent me a message. [Didn't I ask you to come to the hospital? How long has it been and where are you?] In the past, because Elowen was often busy with work, we rarely had the chance to chat. To avoid missing his messages, my phone would stay on with notifications for them. I would always reply almost immediately when he sent something. But this time, ten whole minutes had passed and Elowen still hadn't received a reply. He became increasingly irritated and decided to call me. "Callista, you..." But before he could finish speaking, the busy tone from the call being disconnected echoed through the phone. We've been together for so many years and while we've had our arguments, no matter how angry we were, I would never hang up on him if he called to apologize. It had become an unspoken understanding between us. But now, I hung up on him without hesitation, which left him a little stunned. It took him a while to process it. Unwilling to accept it, he was about to call me again when he was stopped by Maya, who was lying in the hospital bed. "Elowen, did she hang up on you? I think she might be mad at you. Women always use tactics like this to get a man's attention. If you call her again, she'll just get more upset and push you away. You need to act cold toward her. I can see that she loves you so much and I bet she’ll come looking for you within a day. You shouldn’t call her again."

Elowen felt that her words made sense. After all, no matter how heated our arguments had been before, I had never treated him this way. He probably thought that it was because he kicked me, which made me angry and broke the understanding between us. But I had hurt Maya first and Maya was the woman he loved the most. He wouldn’t allow anyone to hurt her. Since I wanted to make a scene, he would play along to the end and see how long I could hold out. So, he gave up on calling me and turned to peel an apple for Maya. "Since Callista likes to make a fuss, let her. We shouldn't bother with her. What's most important is that you recover your health." *** As we neared the airport, Elowen suddenly sent me a message. [Didn't I ask you to come to the hospital? How long has it been, where are you?] I guessed that it was because I hadn't gone to the hospital and Elowen was getting impatient, which led him to send me this message. But I had no intention of replying to him. I continued to focus on the journey. Ten minutes later, we finally arrived at the airport. Just as we were about to walk into the terminal, Elowen called me again. "Callista, you..." Instinctively, I pressed the answer button, but as soon as I realized what I was doing, I quickly hung up. Hearing the sound, Vero leaned in close. "I heard that scumbag's voice. Did he call you?" Not wanting to discuss Elowen any further, I quickly covered my phone and shook my head. "No, you misheard." Vero scoffed. "If he dares to call you, I'll curse him out. That damn scumbag! He really turned my precious best friend into this state." I remained silent, simply deleting and blocking all of Elowen’s contacts. From now on, we were truly strangers. I hoped we would never cross paths again in this lifetime.