My baby's voice slithered through my mind like a curse, dragging me back to the nightmare of my past life.

Back then, Julie had just severed ties with me. I spent my days drowning in tears, unable to eat or sleep.

Sean, worried for both me and the baby, kept urging me to take care of myself. But it was during that very time, the baby inside me chose to speak again. And this time, he let Sean hear him.

One moment, Sean's eyes were full of tenderness. Next, he was yanking me by the arm, dragging me to the hospital.

I thought he was afraid something had gone wrong with the baby, so I cooperated obediently with every test and examination. It wasn't until the day we received the paternity results that I realized… he suspected the child in my womb wasn't his.

Impossible. I had never once betrayed him.

Yet the report claimed my second child and Sean shared no biological connection.

That was the day Sean chose to believe the baby's voice instead of me.

And now, in this life, it was happening again. Sean's expression grew tight and still as he listened to the voice I could also hear.

"I'm so pitiful! I haven't even met my real dad yet! He's young and handsome—the most handsome guy at the bar. Way better than this gullible fool! Mom, didn't you say once I'm born, you'll divorce Sean and take me to meet my real dad?"

My blood ran cold.

I had no idea who this so-called "handsome guy from the bar" even was. I'd never set foot in a bar my entire life.

But Sean's face darkened by the second, his eyes clouded with suspicion.

"You're so desperate to abort this baby…" he said. "Could it be because—"

"This baby is yours," I cut him off before he could finish. "If you don't believe me, we'll do a paternity test right now!"

He blinked, startled by how firm I sounded. The tension in his brows eased a little.

"Honey, it's not that I don't believe you. I just—"

Before he could finish, Ashley jumped in with a bright smile, trying to smooth things over.

"Oh, come on, you two. It's just a paternity test. I can handle it for you. We'll get the results in four hours, tops!"

I let out a cold laugh and looked her straight in the eye.

"Thanks, Ashley. But I'd prefer to do it at another hospital."

"No!" A flicker of panic crossed her face. "I mean… why bother? I'm a doctor and your best friend! Why go to all that trouble? Don't tell me you don't trust me?"

Trust her?

I didn't dare.

After all, in my previous life, she was the one who "helped" me with the paternity test and the one who branded me a cheating wife, ruined my marriage, and left me with nothing.

And when I was driven out of my home in disgrace, Ashley used my baby's manipulative little "truths" to take my place and marry Sean herself.

She'd gained everything from my downfall. How could I possibly believe she and this baby weren't connected?

So I feigned righteous sincerity and turned to Sean.

"A paternity test is a serious matter. Ashley may be my best friend, but shouldn't we make sure the results are absolutely accurate? Can you really feel at ease letting her handle it?"

He hesitated, clearly wavering.

Just then, the baby's gleeful little voice echoed once more, "Mommy, you're so clever! That fool would never guess you've already bribed the doctors. No matter which hospital you go to, the report will say I'm his biological son!"

Was my baby trying to drive me to my death again?

I forced down the rage clawing at my chest and finally threw the impossible choice back at Sean.

"You decide where to do the paternity test," I said coldly. "There are thousands of hospitals in this country. Pick any one you like."

He rubbed his temples, looking exhausted.

"Forget it," he sighed. "Let Ashley handle it. We'll watch her the whole time. Nothing can go wrong."

I hesitated. Four pairs of eyes on her—surely even she couldn't pull any tricks under that kind of scrutiny.

Ashley's expression faltered for a moment, but she quickly composed herself and went through the motions, drawing our blood samples with practiced ease.

Four hours later, the paternity results arrived.

When I saw the report, relief swept through me like a tide. Whatever that twisted child inside me was trying to do, biology didn't lie. The test confirmed it—he was indeed our son.

Ashley put on a sympathetic smile.

"See? You two were worrying for nothing. I've watched your love story from the very beginning. How could a paternity test between you ever be wrong?"

But the moment her words left her lips, the baby's mocking voice rang out, "Mom really is something else. She even made Ashley give up her medical ethics just to fake a paternity test for her."

Sean's face turned red with fury. He grabbed Ashley's arm, his voice shaking.

"Ashley! Swear on your career. Tell me this report is genuine!"

Ashley bit her lip, tears welling up. She remained silent. Her pitiful expression made it look as though I had begged her to forge the report.

I opened my mouth to defend myself, but the baby's voice cut in again, "Mommy! Tell the fool to let go of Ashley's arm! If he sees the burn mark on her arm and realizes she's the one who saved him back then, your secret will be exposed! He'll know you pretended to be his savior just to marry him!"

My blood ran cold.

Pretended? That was never true.

Back then, Sean had been in a car accident and rushed to the hospital, unconscious and bleeding out. The blood type he needed wasn't in stock, and the situation was critical.

I broke hospital protocol and donated 800cc of my own blood to save him. Afterward, weak and dizzy, I accidentally knocked over a kettle of boiling water, scalding my arm and leaving a scar that would never fade.

My colleagues had teased me, saying, "With a scar that big, how will you ever get married?"

And then, half-conscious from blood loss, he had murmured, "I'll marry you."

I'd laughed it off as delirium, nothing more. But later, when he'd recovered, he recognized me by that scar, and that was how our story began.

We fell in love, married, and had a child. We'd spent sixteen wonderful years together.

I thought that bond was unshakable. That he would never doubt me because of a single whisper from an unborn child.

But before I could stop him, he seized Ashley's wrist and yanked up her sleeve.

There it was—a scar, identical to mine, in the exact same place.

His grip on her hand tightened, his voice raw.

"Where did you get this scar?"

Ashley flinched, her gaze darting toward me, a faint tremor in her voice.

"It's been over ten years. What's the point of bringing it up now?"

"I want the truth!" he shouted.

With a trembling sigh, she forced out two pitiful tears.

"Back then, I donated 800cc of blood to save a car accident victim. I accidentally burned my arm afterward. He said… he'd marry me. But I waited all these years, and he never came for me."

"Don't listen to her!" I cried, clutching his arm desperately. "She's lying. She's framing me!"

But he shook me off as though my touch burned him.

"Natalie, I never thought you'd stoop so low… impersonating my savior and stealing your best friend's life."

Sean shoved me to the ground, and a hot river of blood spilled beneath me.

Julie's face went white with worry; she hauled me upright. But a jag of pain ripped through my belly.

"Ah—! It hurts!"

At my cry, both Sean and Ashley turned toward us. They fumbled, panic-struck, and bundled me into the operating room.

I stared at Ashley, hatred burning in my eyes. "If I die, you'll be the murderer. Even as a ghost, I'll continue haunting you."

Sean, defending her as if she were the injured party, spat, "You stole everything from Ashley and show no remorse. I don't care whose baby this is anymore. When you come out of surgery, we're getting a divorce."

His words hollowed me out; I closed my eyes and felt the color drain from my world.

The operation lasted an hour. For that entire hour, the baby's voice filled my head.

This time, he spoke to me alone.

"Tee-hee-hee, this is all the love your husband has for you!

"You wicked woman! This is what you get for trying to abort me. You'll never get rid of me!

"When you leave the hospital, I'll make your parents walk away from you too. I'll make sure you become a woman no one wants."

What a venomous child. He was my son by blood, yet he schemed to ruin me, as if I had committed some unforgivable crime.

Before I slipped into unconsciousness, I had to ask him why he was being so cruel. He did not answer.

When the anesthesia finally faded, a doctor handed me a glass of water and said, "The baby is very strong. He's out of immediate danger, but you'll need to stay under observation for a while."

Staring at that clear cup of water, a sudden clarity washed over me.

At last, I understood what the child's voice had been about.

The days that followed were surprisingly calm. The baby would taunt me now and then, as if daring me to abort him; he wanted me to act on my anger.

But I refused to play his game. I let him grow, healthy and vigorous, in my womb.

When Sean slid a divorce agreement across the table, I didn't beg or plead. I signed my name.

A few days after the divorce, Sean proposed to Ashley.

On the day they set the wedding date, Ashley called me.

"Natalie, I told Sean everything. Your baby isn't his. Out of pity for you, I faked the report.

"For Sean's reputation, I advise you to terminate the pregnancy. If you don't, we'll expose your infidelity in marriage and turn you into a laughingstock."

She threatened me in a syrupy voice. I smiled and pretended to accept. Behind her back, I ate every tonic, every nourishing supplement I could find, fattening the child in my belly until he was plump and strong.

When the due date neared and Ashley was mid-wedding preparations, my video call came in.

"Hi, congratulations on your marriage. Wishing you all the happiness in the world!"

She saw my swollen belly on the screen and her face drained of color. In less than fifteen minutes, she abandoned the groom holding the wedding ring and stormed into my hospital room. She sank to her knees in front of me.

"Natalie! Why haven't you aborted your baby? We're running out of time. Please—please, you must abort him! If you agree to have him terminated, I'll give Sean back to you!"