Around three in the morning, Erik finally stumbled in, reeking of alcohol. He lingered in the kitchen before quietly opening the bedroom door. When he saw I was awake, a brief flash of panic crossed his face, but he moved closer, gently pulling the quilt over me.
“No sobering soup for me tonight?” he asked softly.
I hummed in response, my gaze shifting away. Beneath the heavy scent of alcohol, a faint trace of perfume lingered, and it made my stomach turn.
He sighed, as if he wanted to say more but thought better of it. Instead, he left with a single line: “You’re pregnant. Get some rest.”
The next day, I arrived at the office early. No matter how tangled my personal life felt, work couldn’t afford delays. For too long, I’d been running late, caught up in managing Erik’s needs. My early arrival raised the supervisor’s eyebrows.
After the morning meeting, she called me into her office.
“Alyce, there's an opportunity to work at one of our overseas branches. Are you interested?” she began, her tone careful. “I’ve always valued your skills, but I was concerned about…”
Before she could finish, I nodded. “I’d be grateful for the opportunity. Thank you.”