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n Bens
ree-month health report from the smart ring app. Dr. Chen specifically requested a detail
-the "Aura" smart ring-claiming it was to "support my IVF journey." He
finger hovered over the "Download Report" button. Right at that moment, an unexpected window popped up on the screen
a bolt of lightning. She was a junior pro
ways impeccably dressed. But why was her name on my app? Thi
na's name. A brand-new page loaded. It was he
ity levels. Her data logs stretched back for months, continu
. It wasn't a standard cycle log, but a status update, clear and piercing-"Pregnancy Log:
profile page. My data was there, but sparse and fragmented. A
en reduced to these incomplete fragments. I noticed a nearly invisible l
er, a temporar
shared dream of a family. But in reality, he was just treating me as a tempor
ivery. His system had clearly defined our roles. I was
solutely
siness trips," the absent-minded look in his
ll along, how they we
ck joke. I grabbed my phone, found the appo
surged within me; I wa
felt tainted; I stood up, walked into the bedroom, pulled a small duffel bag from th
as back, earlier than usual. My heart raced, like a drum pounding wildly agai
nded light, tinged with
eyes swept the room and finally landed on me and the half-open bag.
lat, devoid of emoti
about this checkup?" He didn't wait for my answer, walking straight into the kitchen and tossing his keys ont
od, and hastily took a few bites; I watched him. Thi
ng a bottle of water. "I need a show
alked. He looked refreshed and completely oblivious. "So," he said, running a hand through his
without a single ripple of emotion, "are you
we just did one last week. You know how swamped I am right now; the Series C funding is urgent." His voice was gen
for our baby, Calvin. This is our last cycle, and if it fails, we
l try to make time. I'll see if I can rearrange my schedule, it's
mary User' on the Aura app, and why her profile says 'Pregnancy Log: Week 2
c crossed his usually confide
ou snooping through my things again? That is company
strange calmness settled over me. This
of being paranoid or overreacting whenever I questioned his overly intimate texts with Kateri
ison. She needs
" That was his explanation when I found Katerina's
ologized for my "insecurities
on the ring you gave me specifically for the IVF. And I found Kateri
of wavering on my face. "Allison, that... tha
ns a wife who has poured everything into realizing our dream of a family i
lking nonsense. You are my wife. This is just...
e of nausea hit me. "Does your 'technical error' a
She... she wasn't feeling well, she got dizzy suddenly. I just broug
risk, continuous monitoring required' and 'prenatal care expen
rly unstable and making things up!" He pointed at me, his face flushing red. "I have
k." "We'll talk when you calm down. Maybe you need to go
ath. "There won't be a 'later,' Calvin. A
"Allison, move! You are be
oving, but inside, I h
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