Love Drenched in Blood

Our third wedding anniversary also happened to be the thirty-sixth week of my pregnancy.

I didn't wait long enough for Santino Douglas to come home and cut the cake.

Instead, I got a phone call from the local police station.

"Your husband was caught stealing a woman's undergarments."

By the time I arrived, Santino's white shirt was covered in dusty footprints.

And a barely-dressed female intern was standing in front of him, guarding him like a human shield.

She kept yelling at the officer who was taking notes, "This is a misunderstanding! I bought those for Mr. Douglas! How can you arrest him for that?!"

I looked at the black lace garment in Santino's hand—the one he didn't even have time to throw away.

My stomach twisted so hard I felt sick.

I walked toward him, but he suddenly stepped in front of the intern, Baylee Ford, trying to explain.

I slapped him before he even opened his mouth.

"Santino, you're disgusting."

Santino fell silent.

He turned to look at me, his eyes full of shock and wounded pride, as if I had wronged him.

Then, right in front of all the officers, he shook that wrinkled piece of black lace like he was the victim.

"Charlie, this is the anniversary gift Baylee and I searched the whole city for. Can you stop making a scene?"

My hand trembled as I pointed at that pathetic scrap of fabric.

"For me? Santino, I'm thirty-six weeks pregnant. And this is what you think I should wear?"

He stepped closer, trying to take my hand. I yanked it away.

He didn't get mad. With the tone he had used to gaslight me a thousand times, he said, "Charlie, don't be so sensitive. Baylee said this is the trendiest style online right now. I just wanted to check if it's suitable for a pregnant woman. But they treated me like a pervert! Accused me of stealing! I'm the CEO of Douglas Group—why would I steal something worth a few hundred bucks? What a joke! I go through all this trouble to surprise you, and not only do you not appreciate it, you hit me in public?"

He sounded so sincere, as if he were the one who had been wronged.

I looked at Baylee.

She was wearing his suit jacket over her shoulders.

The moment Santino finished talking, she wiped her tears like she was the victim too.

"Yeah, Charlie, Mr. Douglas said you've been feeling insecure because pregnancy made you tired and less confident. He just wanted you to feel attractive again. I was only helping check the material. If you want to blame someone, blame me. I didn't think it through and caused this misunderstanding."

I stared at her.

Then at the lingerie—clearly an S-size, something a heavily pregnant woman could never fit into.

Even the officer next to us couldn't take it anymore. He cleared his throat and said, "Ahem… well, since the your wife is here and it's all a