My Fiancée Got Pregnant From “Swimming”

My girlfriend loved her bikinis. She loved them even more during her private synchronized swimming sessions with her coach, Jared.

Seeing them tangled up in the water, I had to ask.

Does he need to touch you like that?

Chloe's response was a sharp slap across my face.

How else is he supposed to correct my form? It's called?coaching.

Days before our wedding, Chloe threw a positive pregnancy test at me.

"We'll get married after the baby comes."

An explanation from her was rare. "I didn't plan this. It was just...the swimming. But Jared and I are innocent. Trust me."

I scoffed. "Chloe. Do I look that stupid to you?"

She only raised an eyebrow.

"Believe it or not. The baby is a fact. I'm keeping it. If you can't handle that, the wedding's off."

Fine.

Have it your way!

She was sure I'd cave.

I always had. For years, I'd bent my own rules for her.

She'd go clubbing, letting male models grind against her. She called that modern dancing and me old-fashioned.

She'd stay out all night with her childhood friend, Jared, the car shaking. She claimed they were checking for damage. I believed her.

I knew she loved to play.

But I had loved that wild, free spirit in her.

I ?just never thought she'd use such a ridiculous excuse for a pregnancy.

She thought I'd let it go again.

She was wrong.

I tried to stay calm, but my voice still trembled slightly.

"Alright, then let's break up."

Chloe looked surprised for a second, then scoffed, clearly not buying it.

"Playing hard to get? Alex, even if you threaten to break up, I'm still having this baby!"

I looked at her confident face, a bitter taste filling my mouth.

"Chloe, do you think I'm stupid? Is it fun to play me with such an absurd excuse?"

Jared emerged from her bedroom, a couple of fresh hickeys on his neck.

I was numb to it.

She always said Jared was just a friend-they'd grown up together, she insisted, so close that sharing a bed meant nothing. I used to fight about it.

Then she'd threaten to leave.

Once, she even made me get on my knees, bark like a dog, and apologize to Jared for "disrespecting their bond."

I compromised.

To this day, the video of me on all fours, barking at Jared's feet, still gets passed around their Snapchat group.

Jared shot me an arrogant smile.

"Chloe, he doesn't believe we're just friends...maybe he needs a demonstration?"

Chloe grinned, understanding perfectly.

Seeing their smiles mirror each other, a cold dread tightened in my chest.

"What are you going to do?"

Chloe didn't answer.

She had her bodyguards grab me, strip me, and throw me directly into the backyard pool.

"Go find some street women!" Chloe shouted. "Today, I'll prove you can get pregnant from swimming. No contact required!"

My heart lurched. I stared at Chloe.

"Have you lost your mind? You know I'm terrified of water."

Two years ago, in Sydney, she'd gone freediving. A shark pack circled her. I dove in after her, dragged her back to the boat.

And the sharks? They turned on me. My arms and legs tore open in the churning red water.

Jared and Chloe watched from the deck, their laughter cutting through my screams.

Later, I learned. Jared had smeared a shark-attractant pheromone gel on my wetsuit.

Afterward, I confronted Jared, but Chloe shielded him.

"Jared was just playing a prank to see if you'd save me. Do you really have to be so dramatic?"

A prank? I almost became a crippled mess from infection because of that prank.

Since then, every time I went into the water, I'd remember almost dying in the sharks' jaws. My body would break out in rashes, and I'd have trouble breathing.

Chloe's face darkened, her eyes filled with intense disgust and impatience.

"Such a big man, just going for a swim, what's with the act? How disgusting! Afraid of swimming? You're such an embarrassment!"

Jared shoved my head underwater. Water poured into my mouth and ears.

I struggled like crazy, but Jared kicked me back into the water.

Extreme fear enveloped me. I couldn't control my trembling limbs and slowly began to sink to the bottom of the pool.

Seeing me stop struggling, Chloe frantically stood up.

But Jared stopped her.

"Chloe, he's just playing mind games, it's so pathetic. The pool isn't deep, he won't drown."

Hearing that, Chloe glared fiercely in the direction I'd sunk.

"Such an act. Throw those homeless women in."

A few women were tossed in.

The once clean water instantly turned murky.

I could have floated up, but these women were pulling me down with all their might.

My hands, reaching out instinctively for survival, were pushed down by someone.

My lungs burned as if they were exploding. Blood streamed from my nose, and my vision blurred.

Jared's voice drifted from above.

"Chloe, he needs to soak for 12 hours. Only then will he believe we're innocent."

I passed out, was pulled out, then kicked back into the pool.

This went on, back and forth, for a full twelve hours.

My skin was covered in wrinkles, my body so swollen I was unrecognizable.

Chloe had left long ago.

I was alone in the mansion.

It was terrifyingly silent.

Like a pathetic dead dog, I lay gasping on the poolside.

After a long while, I dialed my brother, Mark.

"Mark, I regret it."

He sighed.

"I told you back then, you couldn't handle her. Come home, you can't be headstrong this time. I've already picked a suitable match for your arranged marriage."

"I have a meeting tomorrow. I'll send someone to pick you up the day after."

That night, while packing my bags, I noticed the drawer in my room had been tampered with.

I opened it and gasped.

Inside was a portrait of my mother.

But now, it was splattered with red ink.

The word "BITCH" was scrawled in bright red paint across my mother's face.

Blood surged through me, my chest heaved violently, my mind went blank.

Aside from me, only Chloe had a key to that drawer!

Without thinking, I called Chloe.

My fingers were shaking with rage.

It took me several tries to dial correctly.

The call was answered quickly.

Chloe's voice was languid.

"What's wrong? Realized your mistake? Let's see if you dare to cause trouble with me again."

My eyes bloodshot, I demanded.

"Who told you to touch my drawer?"

The voice on the other end sounded confused. "What drawer?"

"What's in your drawer? I gave all the keys to the villa to Jared. If you're missing anything, ask him."

"Who would touch your junk? You're not trying to frame Jared, are you? Let me tell you, even if you lost something, it's your own fault for not looking after it. Don't try to shift the blame onto others!"

Buzz.

My mind felt like it had been violently slammed. My chest trembled.

"What did you say?"

The call abruptly disconnected.

Years ago, I fell for Chloe, defied my family's objections, and ran away to be with her.

My father was furious, threatening to disown me.

My mother and Mark were also deeply disappointed.

To teach me a lesson, my family cut ties with me.

I, too, stubbornly refused to contact them.

Until last year, when Mark suddenly called to say Mom was gone.

He said she'd tried to call me before she died, wanting me to visit, but for some reason, I hadn't answered.

The night my mother called, I was kneeling in the snow as punishment because Chloe had gotten mad after Jared and I had a small argument.

She had confiscated my phone.

That night, my mother called six times.

I missed every single one.

After Mom passed, I had even less courage to go back home.

Mark had someone secretly slip me a photo of Mom, for me to keep as a memory.

I didn't dare carry the photo on me; I felt too ashamed to face her.

I hid it in that drawer, and whenever I thought of her, I'd touch the drawer.

But this sole keepsake... was destroyed by Jared!

Towering rage, like a fiery serpent, gnawed at me.

I found Jared's house.

He seemed to have already heard the news from Chloe, sitting on the sofa, waiting for me.

My hands clenched into fists, and I lunged at him.

"Jared! How dare you!"

He took the hit, a dark smile twisting his lips.

"Why wouldn't I dare? A bastard from a bitch. You think you're fit to stand next to Chloe?"

"You're just figuring it out now?" He let out a low, grating laugh. "I carved 'BITCH' into your mother' headstone months ago. I thought you knew and were just too much of a coward to face me!"

"Tsk. What a pathetic worm. And I haven't even started on the truly sick stuff. What if I paid your mother's grave another visit..."

My eyes were bloodshot. Rage tore through me.

"Shut up!"

I swung at him, a wild, furious arc.

But the punch didn't land on Jared.

A high heel kicked my kneecap.

It was already an old injury from the shark bite, and now, being kicked again, a searing pain spread from my kneecap.

I looked up.

It was Chloe.

Her eyes churned with a terrifying storm, her sharp gaze like daggers cutting into me.

"Alex, who told you to hit Jared?!"

A flicker of triumph crossed Jared's eyes, quickly hidden, as he clutched his chin.

"Ouch, Chloe, we can't let him off easily this time."

"He lost something and blamed me, saying I took it... I explained, but he wouldn't listen and just rushed over and punched me twice."

Chloe leaned in, her heart aching, and blew on Jared's chin twice.

Then she turned to me, her eyes looking like they wanted to devour me.

My throat was dry, my eyes red.

I thought I had moved on, but my heart still felt torn in two, a deep, intense pain throbbing through me.

"Chloe, do you know, he messed with my mom's..."

Jared's cry of pain suddenly grew louder, interrupting me.

Chloe's eyes looked like they were about to spew fire.

"Alex, are you deliberately jealous because of this child, using it as an excuse to hit Jared?!"

"It seems the lesson wasn't enough. You're still being unreasonable!"

My heart felt like it was being squeezed by a hand, making it hard to breathe.

Whatever I said, she wouldn't believe me.

I stopped trying to explain, resignedly closed my eyes, and waited for Chloe's verdict.

She sneered.

"If you lost something, then it's your own fault for not looking after it, not anyone else's."

"You won't be needing those eyes anymore."

She had bodyguards bring two buckets of chili water.

They forced my eyelids open and splashed the chili water onto my face.

Overwhelming pain consumed me.

I knelt on the ground, crying out in agony.

My eyes felt like they were burning, making my temples throb.

I begged desperately, screaming for help.

But the second bucket of chili water was still poured over me.

Before I lost consciousness, I heard one of the bodyguards speak with reluctance.

"Miss, isn't this enough? If this continues, his eyes might not be saved..."

Chloe let out a relieved breath.

"That's enough. Take him to the hospital."

When I woke up again, my eyes had been rinsed with saline solution by the doctor.

The doctor warned.

"Your eyes are in a dangerous state. Don't let them get injured again during this period."

My eyes were bloodshot, and even a slight blink caused pain.

I endured the pain and called Mark.

"Mark, I can't take it anymore... Can you pick me up early?"

He paused.

"What happened?"

"Okay, I'll send my assistant to pick you up right away."

The hospital room door suddenly opened.

Chloe walked in, holding a peeled apple, and eyed my phone suspiciously.

"Who were you talking to?"

I put my phone away.

"No one important."

She didn't press further, just told me to eat the apple.

"Jared peeled it specially for you. Eat it."

"After you finish, do him a favor."

My face went pale.

"No. Please leave. I need to rest."

But Chloe yanked me up.

"Jared rarely asks for your help. Don't be ungrateful."

She had someone tie me up and put me in a car.

Half an hour later, Chloe dragged me into a private room.

"Jared signed a betting agreement with someone. He can't drink, so you'll take the punishment if he loses."

My eyes widened. I felt my insides churning with anger.

"Chloe! I don't owe you anything! I said I wouldn't help!"

"We're already broken up!"

Everyone in the room looked our way.

Chloe glared at me angrily.

"Enough! Don't threaten me with breaking up!"

"Just help Jared this one time, and our wedding won't be postponed. It'll go ahead as planned. Is that enough?!"

Jared shot me a provocative smile, then lost three rounds in a row.

The others looked at me with amusement.

"Jared. Three losses. Penalty's doubled!"

"That's three cubes of 'Deep Dive.' Neat!"

Looking at the three huge buckets of mixed liquor and beer in front of me, cold sweat beaded on my forehead.

"Chloe, I took antibiotics. I can't drink alcohol."

My eyes were still injured, and the doctor had warned me not to touch alcohol or spicy food for a while.

Chloe impatiently grabbed the drink and forced it down my throat.

"If you don't drink it, Jared will have to!"

"Hurry up! He gets an upset stomach if he drinks too much."

I wanted to ask if I would be fine then.

But I already knew the answer.

Three buckets of Deep Dive.' Not a drop spared, all of it forced down my throat.

My gut ignited. It felt like I'd swallowed a live coal, the nausea immediate and violent.

Stomach acid surged, and I dry-heaved by the side.

I heard Jared's mocking voice nearby.

"Look at him, Chloe. Pathetic. Like a wet dog."

Chloe, embarrassed, stomped her foot and ran off.

My chest felt tight, my body ached all over. My eyes rolled back, and I completely passed out.

When I opened my eyes again, the room was empty. They had gone to the next venue.

My phone rang. Mark's assistant had arrived.

An hour later, I was on a plane heading back home.

Before boarding, I called the wedding venue and told them to cancel the reception booked for next Monday.

Chloe partied until the next morning before returning to the mansion.

Normally, by this hour, the lights would be on for her. The bath run. Breakfast laid out to settle the chill from her nights out.

But today, there was nothing.

A flicker of panic rose in Chloe, then vanished into a scoff.

"Still sulking."

She knew how devoted I'd been.

My money was hers. I had no female friends. I answered her calls instantly.

Who'd have thought I used to have rules? No late nights, no coming home drunk. I let her erase every line.

She hadn't been pregnant, of course. It was just a test-to see how far I would bend.

She never thought I would actually break up with her.

Last time, her prank got me bitten by sharks. I never once threatened to leave.

So why would he walk away over something as small as this?

Chloe smiled as she went upstairs, planning to pick out an outfit for tomorrow's outing.

Her phone suddenly rang. It was someone from the wedding venue.

"Ms. Chloe, we can't reach Mr. Alex.?He?called us last night to cancel the wedding banquet, but some of the decor items have already been purchased, and that portion of the fee is non-refundable. We just wanted to confirm with?him?again..."

"We've tried his phone, but it's going unanswered..."