"What are you guys doing?" I yelled, intending to break free. "You can't just force me to get rid of the baby!"

Mom was no longer her usual self. She roared, "You're so selfish! How can you be self-centered? Everything we did, we did it for you!"

Michael nodded. "That's right. As you said, you're 35. It's too risky for you to carry at your age. Listen to me and abort the baby!"

They didn't bother keeping up their pretense. Instead, they dragged me out of the room and toward the doctor's office.

Little did they know, I came prepared.

"Holly," I screamed at the top of my lungs, "save me! Help!"

Urgent footsteps echoed behind me, and I saw my best friend, Holly Martinez, approaching with a dozen of her bodyguards.

Mom's, Dad's, and Michael's expressions dropped instantly. Even Martha, still weak and bedridden, scrambled up in panic.

Exchanging glances, Michael suddenly raised his fist and struck my belly hard.

The pain nearly made me pass out, but fortunately, Holly's bodyguards intervened and pulled me to safety in time.

"Holly, the baby! The baby!" With my eyes closed, I desperately grabbed Holly's hand, begging her to save my child.

When I woke up again, she was right beside me. It appeared that we were at her place.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I instinctively blurted, "The baby—"

"The baby's fine! Relax," Holly assured me.

I nodded, feeling some relief settle over me. But before I could fully relax, a familiar shout came from outside the window, "You're a heartless woman, Virginia! Let my son off right now!"

I looked at Holly, confused.

She explained, "That prick almost beat you into a miscarriage. I called the cops, and he's facing at least a week in detention."

I asked, "Did he tell why he wanted the baby gone?"

She helplessly shook her head. "Not at all. He'd rather be in detention than confess to anything. It's like he has some deep, bitter grudge against the child."

No sooner had Holly finished than the shouting returned louder. "Gina, if you don't abort this baby, we're disowning you!"

It was Mom and Dad. I couldn't believe they were threatening me with disownment!

Once again, they had made a flaw in their grand scheme.

They'd already killed me once in my previous life. Even if I was grateful they'd raised me, we were more than even now.

The more they tried to stop me from giving birth, the more I vowed to make it happen.

Holly comforted me and said, "Don't worry, Gina. They can't get through my home security system no matter how they try.

"Focus on your pregnancy. I'll have the medical staff drop by to check on you every term."

I eagerly nodded, my heart filled with gratitude. I didn't know what I would do without her.

Meanwhile, the curses outside the window didn't stop. After his detention, Michael joined the protest too.

…

By the day my baby was full-term, I saw that the four of them had lost a ton of weight. When they saw me step out onto the balcony, they dropped to their knees at the same time.

"Gina, please, we're begging you! Get rid of the baby! You still have time!"

Fear and panic filled their eyes as they looked at my big, pregnant belly.

But why? They were even willing to get on their knees just to make me get rid of the baby. Couldn't they just tell me the reason?

However, Michael, Martha, and my parents only stayed silent.

Then, Michael suddenly stood up, furious, and threw a brick at me. "If you dare to give birth to that bastard, I swear I'll ruin your life! I'll haunt you and Holly forever and destroy everyone you care about!"

I was so shocked and angry that my water broke on the spot. As I was about to collapse, Holly caught me in time. She then yelled for a doctor and rushed me into the delivery room.

About an hour later, the baby's cries echoed throughout the house.

Instantly, two gunshots went off in the front yard, sending the birds flying.

"Gina! Your parents… They shot themselves."

"What? Why… Why did they do that?" I shrieked. I could feel my sanity slipping away by the second.

Why had they killed themselves over the baby?

Right then, Holly brought the baby over to me with a strange look.

The moment I saw the child, I finally understood why they had gone to such crazy lengths to stop me from giving birth.