Chapter 4

My brain felt like it was detonating. A high-pitched ringing filled my ears.

The contradictions were tearing me apart.

The fetus was biologically mine.

Did Charles really cheat?

Was the thing inside me actually telling the truth?

The voice kept chattering, relentless and smug.

[Mommy, just trust me! Daddy really is having an affair!]

[If you don't believe me, hire a private investigator to follow him!]

Just then, Charles's phone on the nightstand illuminated with an incoming notification.

[Babe, what time are you coming over this afternoon? I miss you.]

The contact name blared in bold letters: Chloe Vance. His college sweetheart. His so-called "unforgettable first love."

All the blood drained from my limbs. It was real. Charles was having an affair.

Footsteps approached, and Charles walked back into the room holding a steaming mug. He handed it to me with an affectionate smile.

"I know you like your water at exactly ninety-eight degrees, so I had to let it cool a bit."

I stared at the mug numbly, my world spinning out of control.

He reached out, gently stroking my hair. "What was it you wanted to tell me, honey?"

Clinging to the last shred of my sanity, I looked up into his warm brown eyes. "Charles... can you stay home with me this afternoon?"

He paused, a flicker of hesitation crossing his face.

After a noticeable beat, he cleared his throat awkwardly. "There's an emergency board meeting at the firm this afternoon. How about I come home early tonight and make it up to you?"

In that silence, the answer was deafening. Given a choice between me and Chloe, he picked Chloe.

I masked my expression, offering a hollow nod. "Okay. We'll talk tonight, then."

Without waiting for his reply, I grabbed my purse and walked out the front door.

My head was a chaotic storm, but two facts stood out crystal clear.

I couldn't keep Charles. And I definitely couldn't keep this baby.

Whatever sinister motive this creature had for feeding me the truth, my horrific death in the delivery room in my past life was an undeniable fact.

I pulled out my phone and messaged Dr. Evans: "Schedule a surgical termination immediately."

If I terminated the pregnancy under total anesthesia before it realized what was happening, it wouldn't have the chance to kill me.

Per my written instructions, the clinic staff kept everything completely silent. The entity in my womb had no clue as I signed the voluntary termination consent forms.

Right as the nurse gestured for me to step into the prep room, two familiar figures caught my eye at the far end of the corridor.

I stepped behind a pillar and peered out.

It was Charles and Chloe!

What were they doing in the obstetrics wing?

My eyes dropped to Chloe's midsection—and my breath hitched.

Her belly was noticeably rounded beneath her designer wrap dress. She was here for a prenatal checkup!

Wasn't Chloe medically infertile?

How on earth was she pregnant?

As Charles tenderly held her arm, guiding her into the private VIP consultation room, the puzzle pieces violently clicked into place in my head!

Everything—every single twisted detail—finally made sense!

"So that was the game!"

I ripped off the sterile surgical gown, tossed it into the bin, and looked at the stunned nurse.

"Cancel the procedure. I'm keeping this baby."

"Not only am I keeping it, but you are going to help me ensure it stays alive and healthy until the day I deliver!"