Keep the Kid, I'm Out

The day Jasper Carter's terminally ill ex, Natalie Klutz, gave birth, his parents—Josephine and Raymond—hired ten bodyguards to keep me, his actual wife, out of the hospital.

But I never showed.

Josephine clutched Natalie's hand. "She's not getting near you or the baby."

Jasper wiped Natalie's forehead. "Relax. Dad's got men at every door. If Emily shows, we'll toss her."

Hours passed. Still no me. Jasper finally let himself breathe.

He didn't get what my deal was. He was just granting Natalie's dying wish—to be a mom.

The second the nurse handed over the crying baby, he smiled like everything was finally worth it.

If I came tomorrow and said sorry, he'd forgive me. Hell, he'd even let me raise the kid.

What he didn't know? I had just submitted my paperwork.

I'd leave the country, join Doctors Without Borders, and ghost him for good.

The day Jasper Carter brought Natalie Klutz home from the hospital, I was just clocking out from my last case.

Right as I hit the front steps, I caught laughter inside.

"This baby's adorable. Look at those eyebrows—just like our Jasper's. Natalie, you really made us proud!" Josephine was glowing, cradling the baby.

Jasper strolled out of the kitchen with a steaming bowl.

"You've been through a lot," he said. "I made this cream soup to help you bounce back. You still need rest."

He sat on the edge of the bed, feeding Natalie like some picture-perfect husband. They looked like one big happy family.

Raymond shook a rattle, grinning like he'd just won the lottery.

"This little guy's got his mom's charm. Thank God he's nothing like that buzzkill Emily. Can you imagine a doctor as his mom? Total nightmare."

My hand clenched around the doorknob.

I remembered the first time I met Raymond—how he'd clapped me on the shoulder and bragged about having a doctor in the family.

Now I was just some joke who didn't deserve one.

Right after we got married, Jasper's family hit rock bottom. I gave them everything—hundreds of thousands. My entire savings, gone.

All I did was leave for a year of advanced training. When I came back, it was like this house had erased me.

I looked down and forced a bitter smile.

We'd been married three years. We had a baby once too.

But after the accident, I lost it—and with it, my chance at ever having kids again.

When the doctor told me, I cried like I couldn't breathe. Jasper held me and swore I was the only one he'd ever have kids with.

Said he'd give it all up for me.

And now? He'd broken that promise—for his ex's so-called dying wish.

I still remembered the day I left for my program—Jasper cried like a kid, clinging to me like he couldn't let go.

For a year, we talked every day. Even our coworkers teased us for acting like newlyweds.

Then a month ago, I finally got time off and booked a flight home.