Chapter 2

The doctor didn’t press further, just handed me pills and an appointment slip. “Take these and return in three days for the procedure.” Exhausted, I returned home—only to find the smart lock rejecting my code. As I fumbled for my phone, the door swung open. Lisa stood there in a silk nightgown, one strap sliding off her shoulder, hickeys stark against her collarbone, clearly braless beneath the thin fabric.

“Oh, Lila! My apartment’s lights broke, and Ethan didn’t want me alone, so he said I could stay here,” she purred, batting her lashes. “He changed the password to my birthday so I wouldn’t forget. You don’t mind, do you?”

My gaze dropped to the couch—wet stains on the cushions, Ethan’s shirt inside out, his jeans crumpled and unzipped at the waist. He stood up, pulling me into a hug like the perfect, concerned husband. “You should’ve told me you were going out! What if something happened to you or the baby?”

His scent—mixed with her perfume, the same brand I’d worn for years—made my stomach churn. His supposedly loving gaze—all soft eyes and gentle smiles—chilled me to the bone. I knew the truth now: every touch, every word, was just a performance. Fake concern by day, cheating with his “first love” in our home by night. He’d changed the lock to her birthday, as if I were the outsider.

I didn’t speak. I just pulled away and walked upstairs, their stunned silence heavy at my back. Let them wonder. Let them panic. Let them drown in the mess they’d made.

Ethan, who never drank milk himself, suddenly handed me a glass that night. “You’re in your third trimester now—need all the protein and calcium you can get. Come on, drink up, babe.” My eyes narrowed at the milk he pressed into my hand. “I don’t want it.” His smile flickered, but he stayed gentle—too gentle. “It’s for your own good, and the baby’s. Be good.” Before I could protest, he tilted the glass, forcing the warm, metallic-tasting liquid down my throat.

The world started to blur almost instantly. As I sank into the couch, I swore I saw two shadows tangling at the edge of my vision—his laugh, her giggle, a symphony of betrayal. I woke the next morning with every bone in my body screaming.

When Ethan left for work, I grabbed my phone and pulled up the hidden camera footage I’d started recording before he’d even entered the room. I’d stashed the phone in the fern by the window, its lens peeking through the fronds. The video hit me like a punch to the gut. After I’d passed out, Ethan and Lisa had stumbled through the door, locked in a kiss, tongues and teeth, before collapsing onto the couch right beside me. “Ilhan, it kills me seeing you with her every day,” Lisa whined, straddling his lap. Ethan spent the night on my chest, the glob of saliva warm against my skin. Then he kicked my hip until I rolled onto the floor. “She’s a cow compared to you. I only married her for the baby. You think I’d touch that flab otherwise?”

Chapter 3

“What are you taking?” Ethan’s voice cut through the silence. I turned to find him in the doorway, brow furrowed with fake concern. “Just prenatal vitamins,” I lied, my voice steady. He relaxed, heading for the stairs. “Forgot some files upstairs. Be right back.”

As soon as his back was turned, I swiped his phone from the counter. Lisa’s birthday—0315—unlocked it instantly, revealing a wallpaper of them kissing, her legs wrapped around his waist. I clicked into his messages. Top of the list: Lisa’s chat, emojis and heart eyes flooding the screen. Below that: a group chat with Zack and the guys. The first message I saw made my blood run cold, my phone slipping in my hand.

Ethan: Dude, the cow’s gonna pop any day. Once the baby’s out, I’ll dump her and move Lisa in. Thanks for helping me dose her pills all these years—couldn’t have pulled off the IVF scam without you. Zack: Anytime, man. Just remember my “favor” when she’s gone… that pregnant body was hot, even if she was asleep.

I stared at the screen, ears ringing. Zack’s sleazy comments left my mind blank, as if I were a naked animal on display, being mocked and humiliated through the screen. So it hadn’t just been the pills—they’d been drugging me this whole time. Every “loving” gesture, every “concern” for my health—just a script to keep me compliant, a means to an end.

Three days until the procedure. Three days until the pills would bleed that parasite from my womb. Three days until I burned this life to the ground. Three days until their perfect plan crumbled into ashes at their feet. Let them take their photos. Let them think they’d won. By the time they realized I wasn’t the docile vessel they’d trained me to be, it would be too late to stop me.

Footsteps creaked on the stairs. I deleted the camera app from my phone, wiped the browser history, and slid his device back into place. When Ethan reappeared, I was staring at the wall, blank-faced, already planning my next move.

“Babe, why are your eyes so red?” Ethan asked as he came downstairs, files in hand. I’d already sunk into the couch, my posture rigid. He draped a blanket over me, his touch too gentle, too performative. “It’s still chilly out. You need to stay warm for the baby.”

“Lisa’s birthday is tonight,” he said, smoothing the blanket over my stomach. “I’m throwing her a party here. Wear something nice—our friends are excited to see you.”

At the name “Lisa,” my shoulders tensed, my voice turning icy. “I want to rest. I don’t want guests.” His smile vanished. “Lisa’s birthday only comes once a year. Am I asking for much? I’ve coddled you enough since you got pregnant—don’t make this a fight.” He was defending her before I’d even argued. How had I ever mistaken his patience for love?

By evening, the house was packed with his cronies—Zack, his smirk razor-sharp, and others I barely recognized, their stares raking over me like I was prey. The moment I descended the stairs, their eyes latched on: playful mockery, scornful derision, and a barely hidden streak of malice.

“Lila, we’re wearing the same dress! Great minds think alike,” Lisa cooed, linking arms with me. I froze. Her crimson silk dress matched mine exactly, hugging her slim frame while mine stretched over my swollen belly. “Lisa’s version suits her better,” Ethan said, not even glancing at me. “Lila’s… well, pregnancy doesn’t do her favors.” Zack laughed, grabbing my hand and his palm rubbing slow circles over the back of it, a lecherous gleam in his eyes. “Come on, Ethan—pregnant women have their own appeal. Right, sister-in-law?” His grin was a leer, his touch lingering. I tried to yank free, but his grip tightened, his eyebrow quirking suggestively. “I like ‘em soft and warm. Nice curves.” I looked to Ethan for help, but he just neglected me.