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619words2026-01-26 09:13

One of my colleague was pregnant,and her husband came to the office for “inspection”.
He pointed at the crystal ornament on my desk and arrogantly said:
“Don’t you know plastic stones emit radiation that can harm a fetus?You’re sitting closest to my wife—what are you up to?”

Without my permission,her husband smashed the ornament to pieces.
Afterward,my colleague tearfully apologized,complaining about how hard life was for her at home and offering to pay for it.Deceived by her pitiful act,I dropped the matter and didn’t ask for compensation.
Out of kindness for a pregnant woman,I even brought her snacks and ran errands for her.But she couldn’t resist temptation,cheated with another man during her pregnancy,and miscarried.
Fearing her husband’s wrath,she blamed me,claiming I gave her harmful food that caused the miscarriage.Enraged,her husband stormed in with a cleaver and hacked me to death.
When I opened my eyes again,I was back to the day her husband came for “inspection”.
“Oh,Jane,you’re so lucky!Married to a great guy,and now expecting a baby—you’re set for a happy life!”Sarah Miller’s voice was shrill and exaggerated.

I snapped my eyes open,finding myself back in the familiar office.
Four of my colleagues were gathered around Jane Thompson,who sat opposite me,congratulating her.She hadd just returned from the hospital with her pregnancy test results and mentioned her husband would stop by later.
The phantom pain of being hacked to death by Jane’s husband,Tom Harris,still lingered in my chest.Memories flooded back.
A lifetim ago,I was in my second week at this company when Jane got pregnant.Her husband,Tom,smashed my crystal lucky charm desk,warning me—since I sat closest to his wife—not to bring “dirty things”or do anything harmful to their baby.

After Tom left,Jane rushed over,clutching her pregnancy report,grabbed my hand to apologize.She said her husband was overbearing,her mother-in-law obsessed with having a grandson,and she’d endured years of mistreatment since marrying into the family.Now,finally pregnant,her family was on edge,and she begged me to be understanding.She promised to repay me for my brystalwhen she got her next paycheck.
I was furious,but her tears and talk of finally getting pregnant after years reminded me of my own five-year marriage without children.Out of empathy,I let it go and didn’t ask for money.
From then on,Jane and I grew closer.She complained about her husband and mother-in-law watching her every move,saying she craved snacks and asking me to buy them from the store.When she needed to run errands or go upstairs for work,she’d claim her feet were swollen from pregnancy and ask me to help.Sometimes,she’d leave work early or skip shifts,using pregnancy checkups as excuses,and have me cover for her with the boss.
I helped a lot,and she seemed grateful,letting me touch her belly and saying that she would ask me to be the godmother of her child.
I desperately wanted a child,so her words won me over.I thought I was doing good deeds.
Until her husband dragged me from the office to the lobby with a cleaver,cursing me for killing his precious son.He hacked me to death,blow by blow,in front of everyone.
Only then did I learn who Jane truly was.
Jane knew Tom’s temper and her mother-in-law’s expectations before marrying him.She,an outsider,married so that she could stay River City.Over the years,she suffered a lot at home,but after frequenting bars and clubs,she started seeing other men.
During her pregnancy,Tom refused to touch her to protect the baby,so she went to clubs to satisfy her needs.Since Tom monitored her after work,she skipped work for her flings,which led to her miscarriage.
Fearing Tom would kill her,she pinned the blame on me,claiming I gave her junk food that caused the miscarriage.
Tom,blinded by rage,let it all out on me.
“Honey,I’m here to check on you!”Tom’s husky voice boomed behind me.