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He Chose Her, I Chose Me
He Chose Her, I Chose Me
Author: Mandy Knight

Chapter 1

Author: Mandy Knight
Two months ago, Tyler Parham's childhood friend—practically his brother—died in a car accident, leaving behind a pregnant wife.

She traveled hours by bus from her village just to find my house.

Tyler told me, "This is my best friend's wife. Now that he's gone, it's only right that I take care of her."

And just like that, with a single word from Regina Baldwin, my master bedroom became her bedroom. My makeup became her makeup. Even my underwear became hers.

That evening, just as I was getting home from work, Tyler stopped me outside.

"Lisa, Gina's getting discharged from the hospital after giving birth. Why don't you quit your job and stay home to take care of her during her recovery?"

I let out a cold laugh. "And why would I do that?"

He softened his voice and tried to convince me. "Gina's got it rough on her own. You're a woman too, so you know how hard postpartum recovery is. Can't you be a little more understanding?"

I met his gaze, unimpressed.

He pressed on. "And don't worry about your job. I'm getting promoted soon. I'll get you a position as my assistant. You'll get five grand a month. That's better than what you're making now, isn't it?"

Ah. A jab at my salary.

Annoyed, I shot back, "She's your responsibility. If she needs help, you take care of her."

Tyler's expression darkened. "Lisa, you've changed. You used to be so kind and considerate. What happened? Gina's been handling everything at home while we're out working.

"She cooks for you, reheats your food, and even does your laundry. And now, all I'm asking is for you to help her for a month, and you're refusing?"

I smirked. "Tyler, the food's from a delivery app. The laundry's from the dry cleaners. And the money? My money.

"Regina's been living in my house, eating my food, using my things—for free. And now you want me to quit my job and wait on her? Give me a break."

Tyler's face fell even further.

Lowering his voice, he tried pleading. "Fine, forget quitting. But can you at least take some time off? Just a long leave. Help Gina recover, and whatever salary you lose, I'll make it up to you."

I was so pissed I actually laughed.

His salary was supposed to be our shared income.

So basically, he was saying I should use my money to compensate myself, all while playing caretaker to someone else's postpartum recovery?

What kind of twisted logic was that?

I opened my mouth, ready to fire back, but just then, his phone rang.

Tyler pressed it to his ear, murmured a few quick "okays", then hung up and immediately shoved me into the car.

"That's settled. We're picking up Gina now. You can send in your resignation later."

His overbearing attitude drained whatever urge I had to keep arguing.

Honestly, I'd already written my resignation letter. But not to take care of Regina.

I was leaving him.

The car rolled to a smooth stop in front of the hospital. A woman stood at the entrance. She was cradling a newborn in her arms.

Tyler rushed over and took the baby from her. "Didn't I tell you not to come outside? You're still recovering. Being out in the cold air isn't good. Why don't you ever listen?"

Dressed in postpartum clothes and a maternity cap, Regina beamed up at him. Her face was glowing with happiness.

Anyone who didn't know better would think they were a perfect little family.

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  • He Chose Her, I Chose Me   Chapter 2

    The car wasn't big to begin with, and Regina's hospital bags were already stuffed into the trunk.To prepare for the baby's arrival, Tyler had gone to every maternity store in town. He had filled the backseat with newborn supplies.He carefully helped Regina into the front passenger seat before finally noticing me standing there."Lisa, Gina's holding the baby. Can you squeeze into the back?"He had completely forgotten that I usually got car sick.I hated the smell of public buses so much that I spent over a year saving up to buy my first car.I let Tyler drive it so he could pick me up and drop me off on his way to work. That way, I could sit in the front, roll down the window, and get some fresh air.But now, the passenger seat in my car was occupied by another woman."Sorry, Lisa, I hope you don't mind," Regina said. She flashed an apologetic smile as she cradled the newborn.Then, with misty eyes, she turned to Tyler. "I told you not to pick me up. Look at the backseat, i

  • He Chose Her, I Chose Me   Chapter 3

    I turned to look at Tyler and noticed he looked a little embarrassed too.He averted his gaze, but his Adam's apple bobbed slightly.Meanwhile, Regina, who was still sitting on the bed, shot me a smug look.She did that on purpose."Tyler!" I gritted my teeth, barely holding back my anger. An inexplicable sense of humiliation crept up my spine.Before he could respond, Regina let out a dramatic little gasp."Oh no, Tyler! Grab me some tissues, I'm leaking! The bed's all wet!"The tissues were right there on the nightstand, yet Tyler scrambled over like it was an emergency.It was as if they had completely forgotten the concept of boundaries. Without hesitation, he pressed tissues against her chest.The way he did it—so naturally, so practiced—made my stomach turn.My hands clenched into fists at my sides.Still facing away from me, Tyler spoke as he continued tending to her. "Lisa, don't overthink this. Gina just had a baby. This is all normal. You shouldn't be so narrow-min

  • He Chose Her, I Chose Me   Chapter 4

    The next morning, Regina did get a clogged duct.At the crack of dawn, Tyler yanked me out of bed." I heard fish soup can help with clogged ducts. Go to the market and buy a fish! The lactation specialist just arrived downstairs. I'm going to get her."Groggy, I blinked awake and reached for my phone. A notification popped up: Partner Payment.That lactation specialist was expensive. Just like that, 1,888 dollars was gone from my account.I stretched lazily in bed, taking my time getting dressed.On my way past the master bedroom, I caught a glimpse of Regina clutching her chest while wincing in pain.I smirked.I didn't go to the market for fish.Ever since Regina moved in, Tyler had been obsessed with her. He spent less and less time focusing on work.All his expenses had come straight out of my account for the past two months. That included Regina's new clothes, salon trips, prenatal checkups, and even delivery costs.And every time he transferred money to her, I took a

  • He Chose Her, I Chose Me   Chapter 5

    Hearing me talk about money, Tyler's patience snapped."Lisa, I've told you so many times! My best friend and I went through hell together. Now that Regina has a kid to raise, what's so wrong with helping her out a little?"I let out a short laugh. "You want to help her. Not me."Maybe it was the way I said it—too calm, too emotionless—but for a second, Tyler actually fell silent.Then, with a huff, he turned to his desk and waved me off. "I don't have the money right now. Let me close this deal first, and then I'll pay you back. Happy?""No. I want it now. Otherwise, I have no problem letting your entire office find out just how 'innocent' you and Regina are."For the past month, Tyler had been seen going in and out of places with a pregnant woman. The rumors had already spread through the company.And now, with me storming in like this, the office was buzzing."Mr. Parham got caught cheating, huh? His wife came to the office to call him out!""You guys don't know the best pa

  • He Chose Her, I Chose Me   Chapter 6

    I had an appointment with the real estate agent in the afternoon.When I brought them inside, Regina was still asleep in the master bedroom.I didn't bother waking her. Instead, I told the agent to check out the place freely, but just to avoid the master bedroom.The apartment was in a prime location, right in the heart of the city, with everything conveniently nearby. It was practically brand new, barely lived in, and renovated with high-quality materials.The agent gave me a solid offer. It wasn't a huge loss, so I agreed on the spot.I couldn't stand being here another second, but someone clearly wanted to stay.Regina eventually emerged from the bedroom and saw me sitting in the living room, discussing paperwork with a group of men.She frowned. "Lisa, what's going on?"I ignored her and continued talking to the agent. "Once the contract is signed, I'll be out within three days. You can come by then to check the place and pick up the keys. I'm leaving everything in your han

  • He Chose Her, I Chose Me   Chapter 7

    Right on cue, Regina wiped her tears and whimpered. "Tyler, this is all my fault. I caused a misunderstanding between you and Lisa… If she has resentment, she should take it out on me. Why would she hurt my baby?"Tyler was completely consumed by rage.He thrust out his hand. "Give me the divorce papers! From now on, we are nothing to each other!"I let out a laugh. Three years of marriage. Finally, this was how it ended.I booked a ticket back to my parents' place. But before I left, I handed all my evidence over to Nigel.The footage showed everything: how Regina had swapped the warm water in the thermos for boiling water and how she had pushed me while making sure the water spilled onto her child.I left everything in Nigel's hands to clear my name.Regina had wanted to kick me out with nothing, but she never imagined I had hidden cameras in the house.As for what happened to them after? I didn't care anymore.When I got home, I gave my parents a brief rundown of what had

  • He Chose Her, I Chose Me   Chapter 8

    I looked Tyler up and down.I hadn't expected to see him in a food delivery uniform.He looked rough. There was unkempt stubble covering his face. It seemed like he hadn't shaved in weeks. His posture slumped with exhaustion.Turns out, after I left, someone had leaked the video of him and Regina into the company group chat.His reputation plummeted overnight. To make things worse, he had already pissed off a major client. So instead of the big promotion he'd been expecting, his boss squeezed every last drop of value out of him before finally kicking him to the curb.With his name blacklisted in the industry, no company would hire him. After struggling for years, he had no choice but to take up a food delivery job.Sitting by the roadside, he let out a bitter laugh. "I always thought you were the one who held a grudge… that you were the one who sent the video to my company."I had never been that petty. I was about to tell him that, but then, a familiar face flickered throug

Latest chapter

  • He Chose Her, I Chose Me   Chapter 8

    I looked Tyler up and down.I hadn't expected to see him in a food delivery uniform.He looked rough. There was unkempt stubble covering his face. It seemed like he hadn't shaved in weeks. His posture slumped with exhaustion.Turns out, after I left, someone had leaked the video of him and Regina into the company group chat.His reputation plummeted overnight. To make things worse, he had already pissed off a major client. So instead of the big promotion he'd been expecting, his boss squeezed every last drop of value out of him before finally kicking him to the curb.With his name blacklisted in the industry, no company would hire him. After struggling for years, he had no choice but to take up a food delivery job.Sitting by the roadside, he let out a bitter laugh. "I always thought you were the one who held a grudge… that you were the one who sent the video to my company."I had never been that petty. I was about to tell him that, but then, a familiar face flickered throug

  • He Chose Her, I Chose Me   Chapter 7

    Right on cue, Regina wiped her tears and whimpered. "Tyler, this is all my fault. I caused a misunderstanding between you and Lisa… If she has resentment, she should take it out on me. Why would she hurt my baby?"Tyler was completely consumed by rage.He thrust out his hand. "Give me the divorce papers! From now on, we are nothing to each other!"I let out a laugh. Three years of marriage. Finally, this was how it ended.I booked a ticket back to my parents' place. But before I left, I handed all my evidence over to Nigel.The footage showed everything: how Regina had swapped the warm water in the thermos for boiling water and how she had pushed me while making sure the water spilled onto her child.I left everything in Nigel's hands to clear my name.Regina had wanted to kick me out with nothing, but she never imagined I had hidden cameras in the house.As for what happened to them after? I didn't care anymore.When I got home, I gave my parents a brief rundown of what had

  • He Chose Her, I Chose Me   Chapter 6

    I had an appointment with the real estate agent in the afternoon.When I brought them inside, Regina was still asleep in the master bedroom.I didn't bother waking her. Instead, I told the agent to check out the place freely, but just to avoid the master bedroom.The apartment was in a prime location, right in the heart of the city, with everything conveniently nearby. It was practically brand new, barely lived in, and renovated with high-quality materials.The agent gave me a solid offer. It wasn't a huge loss, so I agreed on the spot.I couldn't stand being here another second, but someone clearly wanted to stay.Regina eventually emerged from the bedroom and saw me sitting in the living room, discussing paperwork with a group of men.She frowned. "Lisa, what's going on?"I ignored her and continued talking to the agent. "Once the contract is signed, I'll be out within three days. You can come by then to check the place and pick up the keys. I'm leaving everything in your han

  • He Chose Her, I Chose Me   Chapter 5

    Hearing me talk about money, Tyler's patience snapped."Lisa, I've told you so many times! My best friend and I went through hell together. Now that Regina has a kid to raise, what's so wrong with helping her out a little?"I let out a short laugh. "You want to help her. Not me."Maybe it was the way I said it—too calm, too emotionless—but for a second, Tyler actually fell silent.Then, with a huff, he turned to his desk and waved me off. "I don't have the money right now. Let me close this deal first, and then I'll pay you back. Happy?""No. I want it now. Otherwise, I have no problem letting your entire office find out just how 'innocent' you and Regina are."For the past month, Tyler had been seen going in and out of places with a pregnant woman. The rumors had already spread through the company.And now, with me storming in like this, the office was buzzing."Mr. Parham got caught cheating, huh? His wife came to the office to call him out!""You guys don't know the best pa

  • He Chose Her, I Chose Me   Chapter 4

    The next morning, Regina did get a clogged duct.At the crack of dawn, Tyler yanked me out of bed." I heard fish soup can help with clogged ducts. Go to the market and buy a fish! The lactation specialist just arrived downstairs. I'm going to get her."Groggy, I blinked awake and reached for my phone. A notification popped up: Partner Payment.That lactation specialist was expensive. Just like that, 1,888 dollars was gone from my account.I stretched lazily in bed, taking my time getting dressed.On my way past the master bedroom, I caught a glimpse of Regina clutching her chest while wincing in pain.I smirked.I didn't go to the market for fish.Ever since Regina moved in, Tyler had been obsessed with her. He spent less and less time focusing on work.All his expenses had come straight out of my account for the past two months. That included Regina's new clothes, salon trips, prenatal checkups, and even delivery costs.And every time he transferred money to her, I took a

  • He Chose Her, I Chose Me   Chapter 3

    I turned to look at Tyler and noticed he looked a little embarrassed too.He averted his gaze, but his Adam's apple bobbed slightly.Meanwhile, Regina, who was still sitting on the bed, shot me a smug look.She did that on purpose."Tyler!" I gritted my teeth, barely holding back my anger. An inexplicable sense of humiliation crept up my spine.Before he could respond, Regina let out a dramatic little gasp."Oh no, Tyler! Grab me some tissues, I'm leaking! The bed's all wet!"The tissues were right there on the nightstand, yet Tyler scrambled over like it was an emergency.It was as if they had completely forgotten the concept of boundaries. Without hesitation, he pressed tissues against her chest.The way he did it—so naturally, so practiced—made my stomach turn.My hands clenched into fists at my sides.Still facing away from me, Tyler spoke as he continued tending to her. "Lisa, don't overthink this. Gina just had a baby. This is all normal. You shouldn't be so narrow-min

  • He Chose Her, I Chose Me   Chapter 2

    The car wasn't big to begin with, and Regina's hospital bags were already stuffed into the trunk.To prepare for the baby's arrival, Tyler had gone to every maternity store in town. He had filled the backseat with newborn supplies.He carefully helped Regina into the front passenger seat before finally noticing me standing there."Lisa, Gina's holding the baby. Can you squeeze into the back?"He had completely forgotten that I usually got car sick.I hated the smell of public buses so much that I spent over a year saving up to buy my first car.I let Tyler drive it so he could pick me up and drop me off on his way to work. That way, I could sit in the front, roll down the window, and get some fresh air.But now, the passenger seat in my car was occupied by another woman."Sorry, Lisa, I hope you don't mind," Regina said. She flashed an apologetic smile as she cradled the newborn.Then, with misty eyes, she turned to Tyler. "I told you not to pick me up. Look at the backseat, i

  • He Chose Her, I Chose Me   Chapter 1

    Two months ago, Tyler Parham's childhood friend—practically his brother—died in a car accident, leaving behind a pregnant wife.She traveled hours by bus from her village just to find my house.Tyler told me, "This is my best friend's wife. Now that he's gone, it's only right that I take care of her."And just like that, with a single word from Regina Baldwin, my master bedroom became her bedroom. My makeup became her makeup. Even my underwear became hers.That evening, just as I was getting home from work, Tyler stopped me outside."Lisa, Gina's getting discharged from the hospital after giving birth. Why don't you quit your job and stay home to take care of her during her recovery?"I let out a cold laugh. "And why would I do that?"He softened his voice and tried to convince me. "Gina's got it rough on her own. You're a woman too, so you know how hard postpartum recovery is. Can't you be a little more understanding?"I met his gaze, unimpressed.He pressed on. "And don't wo

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