Calmly, I picked up my glass of milk and said, "Exactly what it sounds like. You're wearing matching rings with him, then using a free gift to apologize. Karen, what am I to you?"
She hadn't expected me to expose her on the spot and she was momentarily embarrassed. However, Leon quickly stepped in. "Jordan, don't get upset. Karen gave me this ring because I helped her out earlier. If you’re unhappy, I’ll give it to you instead."
"I already told her I don't like this kind of thing. I'd rather get a basketball!" Although he said this, he made no move to actually give me the ring. Instead, Karen spoke up, defending him. "Don't mind him. Jordan is always like this—small-minded and jealous at the drop of a hat..."
"You can give him whatever you want, but I hope this doesn’t interfere with us settling our finances." I cut her off coldly.
Karen froze and asked, "What do you mean?"
I pushed a folder across the table toward her. "Karen, let’s get a divorce."
Her face changed dramatically. She stared at me intently. "What game are you playing this time?"
I didn't respond. Leon licked his lips and interjected, "Jordan, maybe this is a misunderstanding?" He wrapped his arm around Karen and continued, "If our Karen did something wrong..."
Before Leon could finish, Karen suddenly pulled her arm away. She turned to him and said, "You go home first. I need to talk to him."
Leon was stunned. This was the first time Karen had shown him such coldness, but her expression remained emotionless. In the end, Leon stormed out angrily.
After Leon left, Karen’s tone softened immediately. "You really want to divorce me? Are you serious? What about the child?"
She touched her slightly protruding belly. "The child isn’t even born yet and you want to make it a single-parent child?"
I didn’t say anything. Even though I no longer had any love for her, the thought of the child with its congenital deformities, possibly even genetic disorders, still pained me.
This baby could have grown up healthy, but the doctor’s examination had revealed, advanced maternal age, poor long-term dietary habits and excessive exposure to secondhand smoke had caused the baby’s developmental abnormalities.
At that moment, I deeply regretted ever loving Karen so much.