Bringing the Nation's Husband Home III

LXIV

James brought Eliana to the cemetery and pointed to the tombstone without any photo. "This is my story."

Eliana was clearly startled but she didn't speak, she knew that he was going to continue.

"This is my child, the child that left this world before I could find out the gender," he said after a long pause. He stared at the tomb with tenderness, but his entire body seemed to be emitting sorrow and pain.

"Is this your and Helen's child?" This was the first time she had mentioned her name.

"Yes," James admitted without hesitation.

Eliana then asked again, "Did it die in the womb?"

"It wasn't a miscarriage," James replied casually, but inside, sorrow engulfed his soul. He reached out and caressed the tomb softly, with tenderness. Turning over to face her, he said, "She aborted the child."

Once again, Eliana was startled by his words.

He had never spoken about this story, it was buried deep in his heart. Now that he spoke about it, it seemed more like he was trying to calm his soul than share it with her.

"Before she aborted the child, we had been together for eight years.

"When we met, she was still in college, it was before she became an actress, before she became famous. Back then, she was still just a simple, pretty young girl.

"Ever since I was young, I knew that I was going to have a corporate wedding. I also knew that I would never be with a girl of humble beginnings so I never dated anyone.

"We didn't date, to put it specifically, during those eight years, we were never lovers.

"I bought her for fifty thousand dollars, it was all a transaction. I thought that we'll separate easily without any kind of complications.

"But who would have expected such a relationship to last for seven years.

"On the seventh year, she wanted to break up.

"How should I put it, during the years that we were together, she had always been obedient and that was probably the first time she had defied me. I was furious, but at that time, I couldn't understand my anger, I thought that it was because of my pride.

"So when she wanted to break up, I told her 'Fine, like I care.'"

"I thought I would have the upper hand at that time, I assumed that she would chase after me if I left, but she didn't. I waited at the door for a very long time, and in the end, I left in anger. By the time I reached my car downstairs, I was furious, which led to a car accident...

"I was in a coma for about seven months. When I finally woke up, the first thing I did was check my phone, but there wasn't anything from her.

"My life or death had nothing to do with her.

"When I was discharged, I bumped into her but it ended badly.

"Only later, because of family problems, did we get back together.

"That was probably the darkest moment of my life, but during that time, she stayed by my side silently.　

"The past few years, I've always been thinking, if it wasn't for her, how would I have endured that harsh period?

"Do you know? Ever since that period, I didn't want a corporate marriage or to become the best in the industry, I just wanted to marry her, to live my life simply. I had even gotten a ring for her to propose, but all she gave me in return was the abortion letter."