Chapter 1
By the third year of my marriage to Ethan Sinclair, I was diagnosed with a medical condition–one that rendered me permanently
infertile.
The news devastated me.
འད ་ཇ་བཌ་འ ོ་
Ethan suggested we adopt a child from a local orphanage. After visiting several times, we both took a liking to a sweet, well–behaved little girl. I genuinely liked her.
But on the day we were meant to finalize the adoption, as I was about to sign the papers, I noticed a birthmark on the girl’s hand- barely the size of a pea.
Instantly, I said I didn’t want her.
Ethan insisted on going through with the adoption anyway. I looked him in the eye and told him I wanted a divorce.
Everyone stared at me in shock.
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Ethan asked, incredulously, “You want a divorce… just because of a birthmark on her hand?”
I answered firmly, “Yes. Because it’s ugly.”
“But it’s no bigger than a pea!”
His mother, Nina Sinclair, lost her temper.
”
“You’re the one who can’t have kids! The entire family’s
supporting you through this, even coming with you to the orphanage.
Now you’re backing out over a tiny birthmark? Seriously? Just take her to a good doctor and have it removed. What’s the big deal?”
Ethan tried to calm me. “Exactly. We’ll find the best
to
“She’s a lovely girl, Daisy. You liked her too, didn’t you? Are removed later. It’s not a major issue/”
I let out a cold laugh.
going to let something so minor ruin this?”
“Sure. After we divorce, you can adopt her–or as many kids as you want
***
It won’t concern me!”
Ethan looked completely stunned.
“Daisy! What’s wrong with you? You’d divorce me over a child? What did she ever do to you? This isn’t worth tearing our marriage apart.”
I stared back at him, my voice devoid of emotion.
“Choose. Her or me.”
He looked at me as if I were a stranger–his eyes full of disbelief.
“She’s just a child. She was abandoned. Don’t you feel the slightest bit of compassion? That birthmark isn’t even her fault. Why are you so hung up on it?”
I cut him off. “Fine. Divorce it is.”
His face turned pale
I stayed silent. The room turned cold with tension.
The orphanage staff exchanged uneasy glances, unsure what to do -until the director finally broke the silence.
“Ms. Reynolds, Lily is one of the kindest, most well–behaved children here. She’s kind and always looks out for the other children.”
“She’s turned down every adoption offer before, but something about today was different. I think she really felt a connection with you,
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Mas
Ethan’s father, Rosen Sinclair, tried to ease the tension.
“Daisy, I think she’s a great kid. And with how advanced medicine is these days, if the birthmark really bothers you, it can be removed
-it’s not a big deal.”
I stayed silent, unwavering in my decision to divorce,
Ethan stepped closer and gently took my hand.
“Can we please talk about this at home?” he said, voice tinged with hurt and desperation.
I pulled my hand away without a shred of hesitation.
“No need. I’ll have my lawyer draft the divorce papers as soon as we’re back. Be ready to sign them.”
Seeing how resolute I was, Nina looked stunned.
“Are you serious right now?” she snapped. “You’ve been married to Ethan for three years. Not once did we pressure you about not getting pregnant. Now that we finally have a diagnosis, we ask you to adopt–and you’re acting like it’s a burden?”
She jabbed a finger at me and snapped, “I never thought you’d be so selfish. You don’t want a child in this family at all, do you?”
Then Nina launched into a list of grievances.
“You used to ask for late–night snacks, and no matter the hour, my son would get up and make them for you without complaints.”
“You only eat cake from that fancy downtown bakery, and Ethan would stand in line for an hour every day just to get it for you.”
“And now what? We treated you well–really well. All I ever wanted was a grandchild, and you can’t even give us that. What good are you to this family?”
She clutched her chest, her voice growing shrill, accusing me of being ungrateful and heartless.
I grabbed my purse and turned to leave.
Just then, the little girl stepped toward me and called out softly, “Mommy?”
I recoiled and shoved her away. Julia, Ethan’s younger sister, rushed over to catch her.
“Daisy, she’s just a kid. If you don’t like the birthmark, fine–but did you have to push her like that?”
“She just wants a family. What’s so wrong with calling you Mommy?”
I shot her a cold glance.
“Then why don’t you let her call you Mommy?”
Julia immediately panicked and waved her hands.
“Come on, Daisy, don’t say stuff like that. This child is meant to be adopted by you and Ethan.”
“Exactly. By me and Ethan. So why are you interfering?”
Julia clammed up, biting her lip.
“Enough!”
Ethan’s voice shook
“Daisy, can we please just talk about this later–just you and me? Everyone’s already here. Just sign the papers. Do it for me.”
“You can yell at me all you want after.”
I refused without hesitation.
“No need. Just sign the divorce papers when you get home.”
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I turned and walked away.
Then came the sound–thud.
Ethan had sunk into the chair, burying his face in his hands.
Chapter 1
