A Pregnant Wife’s Explosive Payback

"Mommy, apples! I want the red ones!"

I gripped the paring knife, the blade sinking into the skin of a Gala apple. My twenty-week bump pressed against the edge of the kitchen counter, a constant, heavy reminder of the life growing inside me. "Just a minute, Mia. I’m almost done."

The doorbell rang.

I ignored it, focusing on the thin slices. Mia tugged at my apron. "Someone’s at the door, Mommy."

"I heard it, sweetie."

The bell chimed a second time, then a third, insistent and sharp. I wiped my juice-stained hands on my apron and walked toward the foyer. Through the sidelight, I saw a woman I didn’t recognize. She held a thick manila envelope against her chest like a shield.

I cracked the door open just an inch. "Can I help you?"

The woman didn't smile. She looked me up and down, her gaze lingering on the swell of my stomach. "You must be Ella."

"I am. Do I know you?"

"My name is Sienna Marsh," she said, her voice steady. "Your husband knows I’m here."

The air in the hallway felt suddenly thin. I shifted my weight, instinctively using my body to block the gap in the door so Mia couldn't see out. "Caleb? What is this about?"

"Can I come in? It’s not a conversation for the porch."

I hesitated, my hand tightening on the doorknob. "My daughter is right here."

"I’ll be quick," Sienna said.

I stepped back, signaling her into the living room. I didn't offer her a seat, and I certainly didn't sit down myself. I stood by the armchair, my arms crossed over my chest. Sienna walked to the coffee table and set the manila envelope down with a soft *thud*.

"What is that?" I asked.

"Proof," she replied. She didn't look like a villain. She looked tired. "I’m not here to blow up your life or steal your husband, Ella. I’m here because Caleb promised me he had already talked to you. He said you were both on the same page about the divorce."

A laugh bubbled up in my throat, dry and bitter. "Divorce? We’re having another baby in four months. We just picked out the wallpaper for the nursery yesterday."

Sienna sighed, reaching into the envelope. "He told me the house was already on the market."

"You're lying."

"Look at the papers, Ella."

I stared at the envelope. My heart hammered against my ribs, a frantic, rhythmic pulse. I counted to three in my head before I reached out. My fingers trembled as I pulled out a stack of printed screenshots.

At the top of the first page was Caleb’s full name. Beside it was his profile picture—the one of him holding up that massive bass he caught last summer.

*I can't wait to see you tonight,* the message read. *She’s finally asleep. I’m counting down the minutes.*

The timestamp was from 11:00 PM last night. I remembered that time. I had fallen asleep in his arms while we