Poppys husband gave her a regal birthday present, and in the middle of the celebration her phone rang with an unknown number. The voice on the other end identified herself as his pregnant lover.
Poppy had been over the moon ever since shed met James, the man she wanted to build a life with. Every date felt like a scene from a fairytalehe showered her with bouquets and little gifts, and the other girls at the office whispered enviously. Only Barbara, ever the cynic, kept repeating:
hes with you because youve got the money, and he needs it.
Poppy brushed it off and clung to her happiness.
Six months after theyd started dating, Poppy decided to introduce James to her parents. At first her dad, Robert, frowned; he had always pictured her marrying the son of his business partner. Her mum, Susan, and Robert eventually softened, and the meeting went smoothly.
A year later they were husband and wife, the wedding packed with more than a hundred guests. As a wedding gift, Poppys parents handed them a flat in the heart of London. From the twentiethfloor balcony they could see the city spread out beneath them, as if the world lay at their feet.
Robert quickly found James a senior position in his firm, and within a few years James was made deputy director, handling the most crucial deals. Robert grew to respect him, often saying, Now I can rest easyour company has a worthy successor. The couple spent their early married life alone, jetsetting to three or four foreign countries each year for holidays. But as the years passed, Robert and Susan began hinting that it was time for grandchildren, and the thought of an heir crept into their conversations.
Months went by with the pregnancy test reading a single faint line. Alarmed, they both went for thorough examinations. The doctors discovered that Poppy had a fertility issue. She endured costly treatments at private clinics, countless specialist appointments, and repeated IVF cyclesall to no avail. By the time she turned thirty, the dream of a child remained just thata dream.
For Poppys birthday they planned a family celebration. Jamess mother Margaret and sister Claire arrived, and Poppys parents came with two other relatives. Midbanquet the ringtone cut through the chatter. The music was loud, so Poppy stepped outside. The caller ID was unknown; she assumed it was a friend, but a strangers voice filled the speaker.
The woman introduced herself, then said:
Poppy, I know you well, so please listen calmly. James and I have been together for a long time; we love each other, and a baby is on the way. He told me you cant have children, so Im asking you to let him go because hell only be truly happy with me.
Poppys knees nearly gave way. She forced a smile, returned to the hall, and pretended everything was fine.
When the guests had left, she confided in her parents. James turned ashen, unable to explain. Robert erupted, grabbed James and threw him out onto the street. Outside the block, a drunken James waited by the car.
He tried to persuade her, insisting he didnt know how it had happened, that the woman had simply bewitched him. He later claimed he had been looking for a surrogate and had abandoned her. Poppy, desperate for answers, believed him and let him back into the flat.
The next morning she called Robert, telling him they had made up and that all was well, though a knot of unease still twisted inside her. Now, alone in the quiet of their kitchen, Poppy wonders whether she should truly let James walk away with that woman and the child they are about to have. She loves him, yet the thought of losing him tears at her heart. What should she do?
