My Husband Gave Me a Royal Birthday Gift: His Pregnant Mistress Called Me During the Party

My husband has just given me a royalstyle birthday present: right in the middle of the party his pregnant partner calls me.

Emily feels over the moon because she has found a man she wants to keep building a life with. Every date with him feels magical and upbeat. He showers her with bouquets and little gifts. All of her friends envy her happiness, except Barbara, who keeps repeating:

Hes with you only because you have money he needs.

Emily ignores her friends words and simply revels in her joy.

Six months after meeting James, Emily decides to introduce him to her parents. At first her father isnt thrilled he had hoped shed marry the son of his business associate but eventually both parents respect her choice and everything goes smoothly.

Within a year they become husband and wife. Their wedding hosts over a hundred guests. As a wedding gift, Emilys parents give the couple a flat in the city centre. When they stand on the twentieth floor looking out over London, it feels as if the whole world lies at their feet.

Emilys dad quickly finds James a senior role in his firm. Later James becomes his fathers deputy, handling important matters.

Gradually her father grows to like James because he manages every task flawlessly. Now I can rest easy about the companys future, he once says, since I have a capable deputy. At first the newlyweds live just for each other, jetsetting abroad for holidays. They visit three or four countries a year. Then Emilys parents start talking about grandchildren, and the couple begins to think about an heir.

Months pass while their fertility tests keep showing a single line. Worried, they decide to undergo full examinations. Both are tested, and the results reveal a problem on Emilys side.

She begins treatment, spending time in expensive clinics and consulting specialists, but nothing works. She undergoes several rounds of IVF without success. Now shes thirty, and a child remains just a dream.

They decide to celebrate Emilys birthday as a family gathering. Jamess mother and sister travel from Manchester, while Emilys parents and two other relatives arrive from nearby towns.

Midway through the banquet, Emilys phone rings. The room is noisy, so she steps outside. An unknown number flashes on the screen. She assumes its a friend, but a strangers voice answers.

The woman introduces herself and says, Emily, I know you well, so please listen calmly. James and I have been together for a long time and we love each other. Were expecting a baby soon, and hes incredibly happy. He told me you cant have children, so Im asking you to let him go, because he can only be truly happy with me.

Emily nearly collapses. She pulls herself together, returns to the guests, and forces a smile, masking the sudden loss of her cheerfulness.

When shes alone with her parents, she recounts the call. James turns ashen, unable to explain. Her father erupts, grabs James, and throws him out onto the street. When Emily reaches their block, a drunk James is waiting at the entrance.

He tries to convince her that he doesnt understand how it happened, that the woman simply bewitched him. He then admits he was looking for a surrogate to have a baby for them, and that he left the woman.

Emily believes James and lets him back into the flat. The next morning she calls her dad and tells him theyve patched things up and everything is fine, though a knot of unease still sits in her stomach.

Now she sits, wondering whether she should let James walk away with that woman, especially since a child is on the way. She loves him and knows the heartbreak that could follow, but she still cant decide what to do.