Meet My Brothers by Red Thirteen

“Congratulations, you’re one month pregnant. Everything looks fine.”

Mia Bowen held the results of her pregnancy test as she returned to her marital home, feeling like she was dreaming. Was she actually pregnant?

She mustered the courage to text her husband, Timothy Barrett. “Will you be coming home for dinner tonight?”

It felt like forever as she waited for a reply. He’d never liked it when people disturbed him at work, and she was worried that her message would go unanswered as it had in the past.

In the next second, her phone lit up. Timothy replied curtly, “Yeah. I have something to tell you.”

After getting an answer, Mia hurried to get the groceries for that night’s dinner. She put the results of the pregnancy test on the table, then flipped it over, feeling that she was being too obvious.

In the evening, a black limousine drove into the courtyard. Timothy got out with his suit jacket casually flung over one arm. He had a tall figure and striking features.

“Timothy, you’re back.” Mia jogged over to him, reaching out to take his suit jacket. But Timothy handed her some papers instead. A trace of surprise flashed in her eyes.

“Take a look at this. You can bring up any requests you might have,” he said.

written on it. The

his tie loose, traces of fatigue showing on his face. He looked down at Mia, taking in the baby fat

her. Her presence had also improved his grandmother’s

a month back, he wouldn’t even have noticed that they’d been married

this façade up would only be a waste of Mia’s time and youth.

placed a hand over her belly and asked shakily, “If—and this is only hypothetical—I were

I tell you to take the morning-after pill

one and only accident that had

like her hand had been burned. She quickly moved it away, but Timothy grabbed her by the wrist with a complicated gaze.

asked you a question. If I were pregnant, would you want to

“No.”

was no point in having a baby when its parents were caught in a loveless marriage. It was what had happened with his parents.

heart seemed to empty out as he let go

walked away. Then, she tilted her head back to force the tears back.

cold. She

was a tiny life growing in there. She swallowed her bitterness as she thought, “Your

orphan. Her adoptive parents had kicked her aside after giving birth to a pair of twins, banishing her to her adoptive aunt’s house. Fortunately, her aunt, Patricia Bowen, treated her well.

love her, but she’d still tried her best to be a good wife to him. Now, reality had