“Pregnant and Disposable”

Seven months pregnant, the doctor strictly warned me not to travel long distances. But my mother-in-law sent a message in the family group chat: “This year, everyone must come home for the holidays. No exceptions.” When I said I couldn’t go, she replied coldly: “Then get a divorce. My son has no shortage of women who can give him children.” My husband stood right beside me but said nothing — and that was when I knew it was over.

I’m Nica, a true Beijing girl and the only daughter in my family.

I’m seven months pregnant.

The doctor has reminded me many times that in the third trimester, the baby is not yet stable, and I must not travel long distances.

My husband’s family lives in a small third-tier city in the south. Even by high-speed train, it takes seven to eight hours.

I told my husband, Marco, what the doctor said. He nodded at the time and agreed that we would spend the New Year in Beijing. The safety of me and the baby came first.

I believed him.

But that peace only lasted until his mother called.

The call was for Marco, but he put it on speaker. His mother’s sharp voice, Gloria, echoed clearly in the room.

“Marco, did you see the message in the family group chat?”

“This year, both of you must come home to the province.”

“All your uncles and relatives are coming. We’re holding a big family ancestral ceremony. No one is allowed to miss it.”

Marco glanced at me, looking a bit awkward.

“Mom, Nica is already seven months pregnant. The doctor said she can’t travel far.”

On the other end, Gloria immediately raised her voice:

“What do you mean she can’t travel? It’s just a high-speed train, not a tractor!”

“Women in the old days worked in the fields while pregnant. Why is she so delicate?”

“This is a big matter for the whole clan. It’s about the face of the Tan family!”

“If she doesn’t come, it means she doesn’t respect our family and looks down on her elders.”

My heart turned ice cold.

Since marrying into their family, I had heard this kind of reasoning too many times — the Tan family’s reputation, the Tan family’s rules, the Tan family’s elders.

It felt like Nica was just an outsider who had to live according to their standards.

I took a deep breath and took the phone from Marco’s hand.

“Mom, I’m not being dramatic. This is the doctor’s professional advice.”

“The baby in my belly is also your grandson. Isn’t his safety more important than saving face?”

Gloria laughed coldly.

“Don’t use the baby to pressure me. When I was pregnant with Marco, I was still working in the factory, and he turned out fine!”

“To be honest, you just don’t want to come back. You look down on our poor provincial relatives.”

“I’m telling you clearly — you must come home for the holidays this year.”

“If not, then divorce!”

“My son is a graduate of a good university with a stable job in Beijing. He has no shortage of women who can bear him children!”

That last sentence felt like a poisoned needle straight to my heart.

I instinctively looked at Marco.

I hoped he would speak up for me and reject his mother’s unreasonable demand.

But he didn’t.

He just lowered his head, avoided my gaze, and nervously tapped his fingers on the sofa.

His silence was his agreement.

At that moment, my heart completely turned cold.

I didn’t argue with Gloria anymore. There was no point.

I calmly said one sentence:

“I understand.”

Then I hung up.

The living room fell into a deathly silence.

Marco didn’t dare look at me. He stood up and walked to the window, pretending to look outside.

Looking at his back, he suddenly felt like a complete stranger.

This was the man I had loved for five years and had been married to for two.

A man who, when caught between his mother and his wife, always chose silence and quietly accepted his mother’s unreasonable demands.

I didn’t cry. I didn’t make a scene.

I opened my phone, left the WeChat group “The Loving Tan Family,” and blocked Gloria’s number and WeChat.

After that, I made a video call to my own parents.

The moment Mom saw my face, she became worried.

“Nica, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

I shook my head and calmly told them everything that had just happened.

When I finished, Mom smiled gently on the other end.

“My daughter, if it’s divorce, then divorce. I’ve been annoyed by that spineless man for a long time.”

“Just keep the baby. Our family can raise him. Tell that useless man to get lost.”

Dad chimed in even more firmly:

“Nica, don’t be afraid. The house is in your name, right? That broke guy Marco didn’t contribute a single cent.”

“The car was also your dowry from us.”

“Let him leave with nothing!”

“How dare he bully my daughter? I’ll show him what a real Beijing man’s rules are!”

Hearing my parents’ words, my eyes suddenly felt hot.

All the grievances and coldness in my heart melted away in their warmth.

That’s right. What did I have to fear?

I wasn’t alone.

I had parents who loved me the most and a solid support system behind me.

I placed my hand on my round belly, feeling the little life moving inside.

My baby, Mommy won’t let you grow up in a home without respect.

I ended the call and stood up. Looking at Marco, who was still pretending at the window, I said calmly:

“Marco, we need to talk.”

Marco turned around, looking impatient.

“What is there to talk about?”

“Mom only said that in the heat of the moment. Can’t you just give in to her a little?”

It was the same line again.

Every time there was conflict between me and his mother, he would use this sentence to brush everything aside.

In the past, for the sake of “family harmony,” I always endured.

But today, I didn’t want to endure anymore.

“Marco, I’m seven months pregnant. The doctor said I can’t travel far. That’s a fact.”

“Your mother pressured me and even threatened divorce. That’s also a fact.”

“And you — from beginning to end, you didn’t say a single word to support me. That’s the biggest fact.”

I looked straight into his eyes and asked word by word:

“So what is your choice?”

My gaze made him uneasy. He avoided my eyes.

“What choice do I have? She’s my mother. How can I go against her?”

“Besides, it’s just going home for the holidays. What’s the big deal?”

“I’ll take extra care of you on the way.”

I laughed bitterly.

“Marco, this isn’t about whether we go home for the holidays or not.”

“This is about respect.”

“In your eyes and your mother’s eyes, me and the baby — our health and safety — are not as important as your family’s reputation.”

“In your heart, your mother’s unreasonable demands always come before my feelings.”

My words seemed to hurt his pride, so his voice rose.

“Nica, be reasonable!”

“How have I not respected you?”

“I stayed in Beijing for you. I work hard every day to provide for this family!”

“My mom is old. Her thinking is a bit old-fashioned, but she’s still my mother. I can’t cut ties with her just because of you!”

“Can’t you understand my difficult position?”

Looking at his self-righteous face, I suddenly felt everything was meaningless.

A man who always asks his wife to “understand” his “difficult position” in mother-in-law conflicts is simply selfish.

What difficulty did he have?

He wanted to enjoy the comfortable life my parents provided while refusing to stand up to his own mother.

“I don’t understand,” I replied calmly.

“That’s why I agree with your mother’s suggestion.”

Marco was stunned.

“What suggestion?”

“Divorce.”

When I said those two words, I felt incredibly light.

Marco’s face changed instantly — from red to deathly pale.

He probably thought I was just throwing a tantrum again, like before.

He thought a few sweet words would fix everything.

He stepped forward to grab my hand.

“Nica, don’t say things like that.”

“I’ll talk to Mom again…”

I stepped back, avoiding his touch.

“No need, Marco.”

“This isn’t said in anger. This is a decision I’ve thought about for a long time.”

“I don’t want to stay in a family that doesn’t respect me and doesn’t protect me and our child.”

“I don’t need a husband who stays silent at the most important moments and puts all the pressure on his wife.”

My calmness finally made him realize I was serious.

He started to panic.

“Nica, you can’t do this! We have a child!”

“Do you want our baby to be born without a father?”

He tried to use the baby to hold on to me — his last card.

“Whether the baby has a father or not isn’t important,” I said.

“What’s important is that our child cannot have a spineless, useless father like you.”

I turned and walked into the bedroom.

I took out the suitcase I had prepared earlier and started packing my things.

There wasn’t much to pack anyway. Most things in this house were bought by my parents.

I only took some clothes and maternity items.

Marco followed me in.

When he saw I was really packing, he completely lost it.

He rushed over and grabbed the suitcase.

“Nica, what exactly do you want?”

“Do you really want to destroy this family?”

I looked up at him coldly.

“It was you and your mother who wanted to destroy this family first.”

“I’m just helping you achieve that.”

I pushed his hand away and closed the suitcase.

“This house was bought by my parents. It’s pre-marital property and has nothing to do with you.”

“The car was my dowry. It’s also in my name.”

“We’ll split the savings in the bank.”

“My lawyer will contact you about the divorce terms.”

“Before you move out, I’ll go back to my parents’ house.”

Marco stood frozen in place.

He probably never imagined that the gentle woman he married could be this decisive.

His lips trembled, but no words came out.

I pulled the suitcase past him without any reluctance.

At the door, I stopped and looked back one last time.

“Oh, right.”

“Please tell your mother for me.”

“From now on, me and the baby in my belly have nothing to do with the Tan family anymore.”

I opened the door and stepped out.

The sound of the door closing behind me cut off all his noise.

The air outside was cold, but my heart had never felt lighter.

I took a taxi back to my parents’ house.

Mom wasn’t surprised at all when she saw me dragging the suitcase. It was as if she had expected it.

She took the suitcase and brought me a hot bowl of chicken soup.

“It’s good that you’re home. Don’t think too much. Drink this to warm yourself up.”

Dad immediately picked up his phone.

“Hello, Attorney Zhang? It’s old Xu here.”

“My daughter wants a divorce. Yes, best if the other party leaves with nothing. Please handle it for me.”

Watching my parents busily taking care of everything, I realized that divorce might actually be the best new beginning.

The next morning, Marco called.

His voice sounded exhausted and pleading.

“Nica, I was wrong. Can we not divorce?”

“I’ll talk to Mom again…”

Before I could speak, Mom snatched the phone and put it on speaker.

“Marco, it’s too late for that now.”

“My daughter doesn’t want to live with a spineless man like you anymore.”

“Just wait for the lawyer’s letter.”

Then she hung up immediately.

Not long after, an unknown number called.

I answered. A woman’s voice came through:

“Is this Nica? This is Marco’s older sister, Lily.”