The Ex-Wife's Revenge

Isabella sat at her desk, tapping her fingers lightly against the cool surface of her office table as she tried to focus on her tasks. Her head arched slightly, and the wave of nausea that had greeted her that morning hadn't fully subsided. She glanced at the clock—almost noon. The minutes seemed to drag, pulling at her nerves. At first, she had dismissed it as stress—work had been hectic, and her body had been paying the price. But today, it was different. The dizziness, the mild nausea, the odd sensitivity to smells that had never bothered her before—they all seemed to be intensifying. She shifted in her seat, trying to shake off the unease.It can’t be that, she thought to herself, refusing to even give a name to the possibility lingering at the back of her mind. It had been nearly three years since she and Alexander had started trying for a baby. Three long years of disappointment, of watching the lines on the pregnancy tests remain stubbornly single, of doctor appointments and advice that led nowhere. The emotional toll had been crushing—each month had come with a fresh wave of hope, only to be followed by a crushing sense of defeat when the tests came back negative. At some point, she had stopped allowing herself to believe it could ever happen.“You okay?”Isabella jolted, startled by the voice. It was Mia, her colleague, standing by her desk with a concerned look. Isabella forced a smile, hoping it looked more convincing than it felt.“Yeah, I’m fine,” she lied. “Just a bit tired.”Mia wasn’t buying it. “You don’t look fine. You’ve been off for days now. What’s going on?”Isabella hesitated. She didn’t want to talk about it, but Mia was the kind of person who wouldn’t let things go easily. They’d been friends long enough that she knew Mia would see right through her if she tried to deflect.“I’ve just been feeling a little... off. You know, light-headed, nauseous. But it’s probably nothing.”Mia’s eyebrows rose, recognition crossing her face. “Are you sure it’s nothing?”“Mia, no,” Isabella cut in before she could say more, shaking her head. “It’s been nearly three years, okay? I’m not getting my hopes up over a bit of nausea.”Mia tilted her head, her voice gentle but persuasive. “I get it, Isa. But what if it is something? What’s the harm in checking?”Isabella sighed, her fingers gripping the edge of her desk. “Because I can’t do it again. I can’t stare at another negative test and feel that disappointment all over again. I just... I can’t.”Mia knelt beside her chair, her expression softening. “I know you’ve been through a lot. But you deserve to know. You can’t just ignore what your body’s telling you.” She paused, then added, “Do it during lunch. Go to the store, grab a test, and see for yourself. If it’s negative, no one has to know. But if it’s positive... well, at least you’ll know, right?”The logic was undeniable, but it didn’t make it any easier. Still, as Mia’s words sank in, Isabella realized that a small part of her wanted to know. She had been trying to block out that glimmer of hope for so long, but what if Mia was right? What if...?She inhaled deeply, pressing her lips together. “Fine. I’ll do it during lunch.”Mia squeezed her arm, her smile encouraging. “That’s the spirit.”**************By the time lunch break rolled around, Isabella’s nerves had skyrocketed. She sat in her car outside the pharmacy, her heart racing as she stared at the entrance. It felt absurd, this fear over something so simple as buying a pregnancy test. She had done it countless times before, but today... Today it felt different.What if it was negative again? What if all this was just her body playing cruel tricks on her? The thought made her stomach churn. Yet, a quiet, almost imperceptible voice inside her whispered, What if it isn’t?She pushed open the car door before she could talk herself out of it and walked into the store. The fluorescent lights were bright, too bright, and the smell of antiseptic seemed to cling to the air. As she made her way to the aisle with the pregnancy tests, she could feel her heartbeat in her throat, a steady, uncomfortable rhythm.There they were. Dozens of little boxes lined up on the shelf, each promising answers she wasn’t sure she wanted. She grabbed one quickly, not wanting to linger any longer than necessary, and made her way to the checkout.The cashier didn’t say anything, didn’t even give her a second glance as she rang up the test. But to Isabella, it felt as if everyone in the store knew what she was doing, knew the tension brewing inside her. She paid quickly and stuffed the test into her bag, hurrying toward the restroom at the back of the store.Once inside, she locked herself in a stall and took a deep breath. The cool tiles and stark fluorescent lighting did nothing to ease her nerves. Her hands trembled slightly as she opened the box, her breath hitching as she unfolded the instructions, even though she didn’t need to. She had done this so many times before.Sitting on the closed toilet seat, she stared at the stick in her hand, her heart pounding in her ears. This was it. She had done everything she could do, and now all that was left was to wait. Those next few minutes felt like an eternity, every second dragging on as her mind raced with possibilities.Don’t hope. Don’t hope, she repeated to herself like a mantra, squeezing her eyes shut. But deep down, that tiny, fragile spark of hope flickered, refusing to be snuffed out.When she finally opened her eyes and glanced down at the test, her breath caught in her throat.Two lines. Very dark even though she was just a day late with her period.Her vision blurred as tears welled up, and she brought a hand to her mouth, her body trembling. Was this real? After all this time... was this real?The test nearly slipped from her hands as a sob escaped her lips. She pressed her forehead against the cool metal of the stall door, her heart filled with disbelief, joy, and overwhelming emotion. She didn’t know how long she sat there, tears streaming down her cheeks, her whole body shaking. It’s real, she whispered to herself. “I'm going to be a mother,” she muttered to herself.

Isabella’s fingers trembled as she reached for her phone, an overwhelming wave of emotions that had flooded her in the restroom. Her chest tightened with excitement as she dialed her husband's number, eager to share the news with him. She knew he would be as excited as she was.The phone rang once, then twice, then a few more times, but there was no answer.She frowned slightly, glancing at the screen. It wasn’t like him to ignore her calls, but she quickly reassured herself. He’s probably in a meeting, she thought, taking a deep breath to steady herself. This was too precious to rush over the phone anyway. She wanted to see the look on his face, to watch his eyes light up when she told him they were finally going to have a baby. After years of trying, praying, and enduring endless heartache, they had finally made it.With a quick glance at her watch, Isabella made up her mind. She would go home early, cook his favorite meal, and surprise him over dinner. It had to be perfect. The smil