My Wife Had Her Dying Ex’s Baby, So I Left Her Penniless

My wife decided to have a baby for her first love, who was supposedly dying of kidney failure.

They were constantly on guard, terrified I would suddenly show up and ruin their plans. On the day she gave birth, they even hired a line of expensive bodyguards.

But I didn't show up. I wasn't that stupid. They thought I had finally been tamed. Holding the baby in the hospital, they sighed in relief: "At least he knows his place.

If he had shown up and caused a scene, everyone would have been embarrassed!" Even Chloe, my wife, sneered: "Hmph.

If he keeps behaving, maybe I'll let the baby call him 'Daddy' eventually." But they had no idea. I didn't care about any of this anymore.

I gently touched the badge of the International Extreme Rescue Team on my chest, feeling nothing but pure relief. I was about to leave the country to join the international squad.

This time, I was leaving them for good. When Chloe gave birth, her parents paid for a highend postpartum recovery center. She didn't return home until a month later.

During that month, I completed my intensive predeparture training. All my paperwork and visas were finalized.

I was lying in bed, trying to catch up on some muchneeded sleep, when loud noises erupted at the front door. "This baby really took the best genes from both of you.

That cute little nose looks just like Chloe's, and the eyes are definitely Zach's." "A perfect combination. You worked so hard, Chloe." "It's nothing, Mom.

I'm just so happy I could give Zach a baby." Arthur, Eleanor, Chloe, and her first love, Zach Cole, walked in. They looked like a pictureperfect, happy family, cradling the baby.

They bustled around, putting their luggage away, and then gathered on the sofa, taking turns holding the baby. "Honestly, Chloe and Zach make the most beautiful babies.

They’re such a gorgeous couple!" "Exactly. If she had actually gotten pregnant by Sean, it would have been a disaster.

He’s tan, ugly, and dumb as a rock." Arthur had just finished that sentence when I walked out of the bedroom.

They gasped, staring at me like they had seen a ghost. "Why... why are you home?!" "Do you walk without making sound? You scared the life out of me!" I looked at them.

Their ugly, twisted expressions felt completely foreign. Once upon a time, they were so proud to have me as a soninlaw.

Chloe and I had started out through a slightly traditional but hopeful blind date. Even though it was a setup, we hit it off immediately.

From our hobbies to our life goals, we vibed on everything. The first date felt magical, like we had finally found the one we’d been waiting for.

Back then, Arthur, Eleanor, and Chloe showed immense respect and support for my career as a rescue worker. They used to say my job made them incredibly proud.

Whenever Chloe talked about me to her friends on Instagram, her face would light up.

To Chloe, I was a responsible man, the most charming person in her life, who gave her an unprecedented sense of security. I actually believed her back then.

Now, they sat on the sofa, staring at me as if I were the ultimate third wheel. "Well, since you're here, I assume you already know the situation.

You didn't make a scene at the hospital, so I take it you agree with this arrangement." Arthur cleared his throat and gave everyone a look, playing the commanding family patriarch.

I let out a cold laugh, not bothering to reply. Seeing my attitude, Chloe lost her temper instantly. "What are you laughing at, Sean? Do you have an issue?

How can you be so selfish? Zach has kidney failure! He took care of us so much in the past.

It’s only natural that I carry on his legacy!" Zach coughed right on cue, gently pulling Chloe’s arm. "Chloe, don't get mad because of me.

You haven't fully recovered yet..." Zach's pathetic acting immediately triggered everyone's sympathy. But I couldn't see a single trace of a dying man on his face.

After all, what terminally ill patient has the energy to put on a theatrical performance like this?

Chloe, wrapped in her new maternal glow, leaned weakly against Zach's shoulder and glared at me. "Look how sensible Zach is.

Why can't you learn from him?" Eleanor stepped in to play the peacemaker. "Sean, dear, you're always so busy with work, running around all the time with no fixed schedule.

Chloe is our only daughter, and a house needs a man around." "Zach has been taking care of everything. He and Chloe grew up together. We treat him like our own son.

Now that he's sick, how could we not help him?" "Like their own son." "Grew up together." What a joke.

If he were really like their son, would they let their own daughter bear his child? In the end, I was the only outsider blocking their perfect family circle.

They played good cop, bad cop, and finally, Zach chimed in with a weak, selfpitying sigh. "It's normal for Sean to find this hard to accept.

It's all my fault for getting sick... cough... blame me." At this, everyone lost their patience with me, acting as if I were the bully.

Chloe waved her hand dismissively. "Sean, we've said all the nice things we could. If you still want to be stubborn, there's nothing I can do.

Next week, we’re hosting a grand baby welcoming gala. All our friends and relatives will be there." "If you know what's good for you, you'll tell everyone the baby is yours.

If you insist on throwing a tantrum and ruining things, you'll be the one left humiliated." I did the math. Next week was exactly when I was scheduled to fly out.

By then, I would have officially cut all ties and joined the International Extreme Rescue Team.

But if I could leave them with an unforgettable memory before I left, that sounded like fun. I shrugged, keeping my face completely blank, and replied calmly, "Sure. No problem."

Since I had decided to leave, I wanted a clean break. I started quietly packing my things.

Every item carried memories of Chloe and me, sitting quietly in the drawers, mocking the sweet happiness we once shared. No, maybe that "happiness" was just a delusion of mine.

My eyes swept over our daily essentials, the carefully saved gifts, the movie tickets. They recorded every single date.

What used to warm my heart now felt like sharp blades slicing through my soul. I remembered it clearly.

Three months ago, I had returned home excited after a grueling multiweek international rescue mission, desperate for home and Chloe.

But when I unlocked the door, another man was lying in my bedroom. It was Zach Cole, Chloe's first love. My heart shattered. I could barely breathe.

And Chloe's heavily pregnant belly was a hammer that crushed whatever hope I had left. I knew, without a doubt, that the baby wasn't mine. "Hey, Sean! You're back!

Make yourself at home!" Zach, wearing my pajamas, greeted me like he was the actual master of the house. Blinded by rage, I lost my mind and lunged at him.

But Chloe blocked me like a feral lioness. She grabbed a broom and slammed it hard against my back, shielding Zach with her body. "What the hell do you think you're doing, Sean?!

If you lay a hand on him, I'll make your life a living hell!" "Zach is dying! I have to give him a child!

If you have something to say, say it to me, don't take it out on him!" My heart broke completely. All my love and trust vanished in an instant.

Then, Arthur and Eleanor showed up, turning the farce into a circus. Arthur grabbed me, his face red with anger. "What is wrong with you? Can't you see Chloe is pregnant?

You come home and immediately start acting like a maniac! If you don't care about your dignity, we do!" Eleanor started crying. "What did we do to deserve this?

Why can't you just be sensible?

Your selfishness is making things so difficult for Chloe!" They blamed me blindly, calling me selfish and unreasonable, as if I were the one who had cheated.

I stood there, completely alone, my soul turning to ash. Since they wanted it this way, there was no point in holding on.

Without hesitation, I signed the application for the international rescue squad and began my intensive training. Pulling myself out of the memories, I heard a knock on my door.

It was Chloe. "Since you’ve finally come to your senses, let’s talk. The baby is still newborn and needs both parents. I'm used to this master bedroom, so move your stuff out.

Zach is moving in here." I stared into her eyes, searching for even a glimpse of the woman I used to love.

Thinking I was going to refuse, Arthur shouted from the living room, "The deed to this house is in Chloe's name anyway!

She can let whoever she wants live here!" Listening to their selfrighteous excuses, I felt nothing but a dead silence. I didn't want to argue.

I didn't want anything to do with her anymore. I was exhausted. I quietly picked up my suitcase and walked toward the storage room.

The storage room was dark, damp, and smelled of dust. I looked around at the piles of junk and discarded boxes. I found a corner and set my suitcase down.

Sitting in that cramped, dark space, I suddenly realized this was where I belonged. No memories, no pain. Just me and the quiet darkness. I sat on my suitcase and lit a cigarette.

Through the swirling smoke, I saw ghosts of our happy past. From the dining room, their cheerful laughter drifted in.

They were having a family dinner. "I'm going to buy a gold longevity lock for the baby. What should we engrave on it?" "How about 'Chloe & Zach'?

After all, he is the crystallization of their love!" "Mom, Dad, let's give him Zach's last name, Cole.

He should carry Zach's family name..." I took a deep drag of my cigarette, trying to swallow the pain and sorrow into the depths of my lungs, before blowing it all away.

The nondisclosure agreement of the International Extreme Rescue Team was like an invisible wall, completely severing me from my old life.

Before setting foot on foreign soil, I had one final task—canceling my local registration and closing all my local accounts.

It meant saying goodbye to everything familiar: my name, my identity, and the days I spent with Chloe. The next morning, the first ray of sunlight pierced through the curtains.

I woke up early and got ready. I took one long, final look at the house that was once filled with warmth, then turned and walked out without looking back.

At the government office, I followed the procedures stepbystep to deregister my local residency. The clerk's face was cold and professional.

Watching my local ID card get punched and deactivated, a strange sense of liberation washed over me.

It wasn't just a piece of plastic being ruined; it was the official death of my past life. Afterward, I wandered aimlessly down the street.

I decided to head to a local flea market to sell off some old gear I no longer needed—a final farewell to my past.

The market was bustling and noisy, but I felt like I was in a different dimension, completely detached from the crowd.

Just as I was about to hand a vintage jacket to a vendor, a familiar group caught my eye. Chloe and Zach were picking out a luxury stroller on Amazon, smiling happily.

Behind them were Arthur and Eleanor. They looked like a perfect, blissful family. I might as well have been a ghost. "Now that we have the baby, we need to buy so much.

Strollers, toys, cribs... all the essentials." "Zach is so thoughtful, taking us out for a shopping spree. We should renovate the house soon, Chloe.

I don't really like the current style." I clenched my fists. I bought that house with my hardearned savings before we got married.

Every square foot was paid for with my sweat and blood. When we married, out of love, I had put only Chloe's name on the deed.

And now, it was her and Zach’s cozy love nest, while I was treated like an intruder. They spotted me. Surprise flashed across their faces, but they quickly recovered.

Chloe walked over, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Well, look who it is. The busy man. Disappearing first thing in the morning.

When you're working, you're never home, and even when you're off, you're nowhere to be found." Eleanor sneered, looking at me with disgust. "You're barely home for two days, and you can't even bother to wake up and make breakfast?

Chloe is still recovering, you know." Zach smirked, throwing me a smug, triumphant look that practically said: "See?

Everything that was yours is mine now." He didn't look like a dying man at all. I didn't want to argue.

I felt like if I stayed any longer, they’d ask me to donate my kidney to him next.

Then, Chloe uttered something that left me utterly speechless. "Sean, you made a lot of money from that long rescue mission, right?

I gained some weight after giving birth and my clothes don't fit.

Give me some cash so I can buy a new wardrobe." I couldn't help but snap back. "Why don't you ask the guy you had the baby with?

Is Zach too broke to buy you clothes?" Hearing this, Zach’s eyes welled with tears. He lowered his head, acting like a victim. What an actor.

Arthur and Eleanor immediately jumped to his defense. "What is your problem, Sean?! Zach is sick!

All his money goes to medical bills, and you're still bullying him!" "How can you be so incredibly selfish? We are thoroughly ashamed to have a soninlaw like you!

How embarrassing!" Looking at their greedy, shameless faces, I felt nothing but disgust. I coldly ignored their demands, turned around, and walked away without another word.

I knew I couldn't waste any more energy on these parasites. For the remaining few days, I didn't want to see them at all.

I rented a cheap weekly hotel nearby to get some peace and sleep. I was no longer the fool blinded by love. If Chloe wanted Zach, if she wanted his baby, they could have each other.

Let them live happily ever after.

I stayed at the hotel until the day of the baby welcoming gala. During this time, no one contacted me. They were too busy basking in the joy of the newborn. I enjoyed the silence.

The gala was held at a luxury fivestar hotel in the city. The scale and decoration were so grand they far surpassed our simple, sincere wedding.

It looked less like a baby shower and more like a highsociety engagement party for Chloe and Zach.

Both of them wore customtailored outfits—Chloe in a stunning gown and Zach in a sleek designer suit.

Standing in the middle of the dreamlike ballroom, they looked like a prince and princess from a tale. It was sickening. I took a deep breath and walked into the venue.

The moment I pushed the doors open, the bright chandeliers and noisy chatter hit me. I walked in like an uninvited guest. When Chloe saw me, her face instantly soured.

She marched over and hissed, ignoring the guests around us: "Why are you wearing that? You look so cheap! No suit?

Are you trying to humiliate us?" "All our relatives are here today. If you dare to ruin this, just wait and see how I deal with you." Her tone was filled with pure disgust.

The relatives started noticing my arrival. Their eyes darted between me, Chloe, and the baby, who looked absolutely nothing like me. Whispers began to spread.

They all knew about Zach, Chloe’s first love who grew up with her. The current scene was highly suspicious. The looks of pity, confusion, and contempt felt like needles in my back.

Chloe went up to the stage to make her speech. "Thank you all for coming today to celebrate the arrival of my beautiful baby.

I never expected motherhood to feel this sudden." "But it’s a wonderful feeling. I..." I took a deep breath, keeping my composure.

Onstage, Chloe and Zach were exchanging loving glances, completely ignoring the crowd. Their blatant intimacy pushed me over the edge.

I walked straight up to the stage and grabbed the microphone. The entire ballroom fell dead silent.

Every single eye locked onto me. "Everyone," I began, my voice clear, steady, and echoing through the speakers. "I want to make one thing clear.

This baby is not mine." "And I'm sure most of you have eyes.

Zach claimed he was dying of kidney failure, so they decided to 'leave a legacy' together... whether he's actually dying, I think you can all judge for yourselves." "But I refuse to be the idiot who gets cheated on and pays for it.

From this day forward, I have absolutely nothing to do with Chloe or the Vance family." The crowd erupted into chaotic murmurs and gasps of shock.

Chloe and Zach’s faces turned pale. They clearly hadn’t expected me to expose their dirty laundry so publicly.

Arthur and Eleanor, red with rage, rushed toward the stage as if they wanted to tear me apart. "What the hell are you doing?! How dare you humiliate us like this!

No wonder you stayed quiet these past few days—you were planning this malice!" "Chloe was so unlucky to marry a selfish bastard like you!" Zach glared at me with pure hatred, while Chloe screamed, clawing at me to grab the microphone.

But I had already decided to expose the truth, no matter the consequences. Arthur's veins bulged on his neck.

He raised his cane, shouting for security, "I'm going to beat you to death, you ungrateful brat!" Just then, the heavy doors of the ballroom slammed open.

The rescue team had arrived. "Let's see who dares touch our Captain!"