The Spare Wife

Abigail had no talent for cooking. The culinary skills taught by her grandmother had been neglected since she returned to Capitalis a year and a half ago.

“Do you need help with cooking? If not, | can send someone over to assist you.” Sean hesitated to offer his help directly because she had previously asked him to handle work matters. It was obvious that she wanted him to see it through.

Abigail fell silent. She thought about Luna and looked at the environment she lived in. There were many grievances that she wanted to share with Sean, but she couldn’t say anything.

“It's okay. Just write down the process and send it to me. I’m still clever. Although I’ve forgotten everything, having the process will make it much simpler,” she said. She could learn from short videos, but she just wanted to trouble Sean.

Him personally writing the process for her would at least comfort her for now.

“Okay. I'll write it for you. It might be a bit long, though.” Sean’s voice carried a hint of indulgence. Abigail responded with a sound of agreement.

After he finished writing the process, she washed the pot and started making soup again.

The two of them stayed on the phone, with Sean keeping track of time. Two hours passed without a trace, and the chicken soup was ready.

“| have to eat and work at the same time now. I'll call you back after I’m done,” Abigail said. She had finished preparing the chicken soup and was now addressing Sean over the phone.

“Alright, call me again next time you cook. I'll teach you.” Sean also enjoyed this process. At least she now knew to ask him for help when she didn’t know something.

After responding, she hung up the phone. She brought the food to the hospital, where Luna was still in a deep sleep. Upon entering the ward, Abigail frowned in displeasure when she saw Simond. “Didn't | tell you to leave?!”

Simond shrugged. “I have to wait for my people to arrive before | can leave. | don’t have identification except for a cellphone. Can | just leave with that?”

“Then, you're not allowed to enter this ward either! Simond, | helped you because | wanted you to stay away from me and my best friend. Don’t be ungrateful!” Abigail forcefully slammed the thermal lunchbox onto the table.

The loud noise startled Luna from her dream. Her eyes widened as she looked at Abigail and Simond. Sensing the tense atmosphere, she buried her head under the covers.

Simond smiled at Abigail and asked, “Why are you so angry? It’s not like | hurt your best friend.”

She suppressed her anger and answered, “There’s still something about you that | don’t know. Given her condition, if you provoke someone again and she gets hurt, | don’t care about the status of your family in Capitalis. I'll make you pay without mercy!”

He still had his grin as he nodded. “My people have arrived. No matter how many folks come, nothing will happen. Ms. Alana, having one more friend won't be a bad thing.”

“| don’t need extra friends!” Abigail said coldly. “Get out of here right now.”

“Alright.” Simond walked lightly toward the door. After taking two steps, he suddenly turned and asked, “Whose child did she carry? Why didn’t she find her man?”

“Why are you asking about this?!” Abigail felt a bad premonition rising in her heart.

“The co-founder of L.Moon, Luna Smith, has a child out of wedlock. Don’t you think it'd be explosive news?” he asked with a smile.

Before Abigail could respond, Luna lifted the blanket and looked at Simond with tears streaming down her face. “Please don’t say anything! I’m begging you... The child has no father, please...”

With a gentle smile, Simond commented, “Alright. | won’t say anything. Just have your meal.”

Abigail clenched the hands that were by her side.

At first, Simond threatened her and stuck to her after she helped him. And now he was using Luna’s child as another threat?

Watching Simond leave, Abigail sat by the bedside. She unscrewed the lid of the thermos cup and smiled at Luna. “It’s time to eat. | personally made the soup for you; it’s delicious.”

Luna looked at Abigail and reached out to grab her wrist. “I don’t know when it might happen... My mental state is not good. Please don’t tell anyone about the child, Abigail. Treat this child as your own, and don’t tell anyone that the child is mine.”

“Why?” Abigail asked. She didn’t even want another child, and Sean wouldn't want it either. If she told him the truth, it would be different. If she didn’t, how could she explain the child’s presence to Sean?

Luna started crying. “I don’t know why... | thought everything was over and getting better. Why is it like this?” “Luna, what happened to you? Can you tell me?” Abigail held Luna’s hand, her tone anxious.

Luna’s eyes darted around quickly. Soon, she began to yank at her hair before she cried. “I don’t know what happened. In the three months before you came back, | suddenly had frequent dreams of someone giving me injections. It’s like I’ve lost a piece of memory. Since then, my memories have become chaotic. Many times, | can’t distinguish when things happened...”

“| don’t know why | got pregnant. One day, | woke up and found that my belly had grown bigger. | was filled with fear and dread. How could this happen?” Luna muttered as she tugged at her hair.