Married to Lies, Pregnant With My Sister’s Child

I had been unable to conceive for three years after getting married.

Under the constant persuasion of my husband and parents, I went through two years of IVF treatments and finally became pregnant.

But in the eighth month of my pregnancy, I accidentally overheard a conversation between my husband and my parents.

"You gave Ivy birth control pills for three years on purpose, just to make her believe she was infertile, then used the opportunity to force her into doing IVF, all so you could implant Savannah Callahan's embryo into her body. Aren't you afraid Ivy will find out?"

Hunter Harrington, however, sounded completely unbothered.

"Savannah has a heart condition and isn't fit for childbirth. Besides, pregnancy and labor come with level-ten pain; I can't bear to let her go through that."

Looking at that cold, heartless man and the so-called family who claimed to love me, I didn't hesitate. I called the hospital. "Hello, I'd like to schedule an abortion."

——

"What if Ivy finds out the truth and breaks down? No one wants to raise someone else's child, especially after carrying it for ten months," my father said, sitting on the couch with a cigarette between his fingers, a trace of worry flickering in his eyes.

But my mother dismissed him with a light pat on the shoulder.

"That's Savannah's child. Letting her carry it was already doing her a favor. If her womb hadn't been useful, someone like her would never have taken Savannah's place and married Hunter."

Her words pierced straight into my heart like a needle.

Because Savannah, on paper, was my younger sister.

"So what if she finds out the truth? Since she got pregnant, Ivy's gained so much weight that her belly looks like a split watermelon. She's disgusting. Just looking at her makes me sick. Who else would want her but me?"

Hunter's eyes were disgusted, completely different from the gentle, attentive man he always pretended to be in front of me.

"Brother Hunter is the best. He knows I love kids but doesn't want to give birth myself, so he came up with this brilliant idea to have my sister do it for me," Savannah leaned sweetly against Hunter's shoulder.

"Once Ivy gives birth, he'll divorce her and marry me. Then we'll live happily together as a family of five."

My parents nodded in approval.

As I stood there, watching the five of them laugh and chat in the living room, it felt like knives were slashing through my chest.

Every word, every laugh, another cut into my flesh.

Because of IVF, I had spent two years enduring hormone medications, constant injections and a body bloated beyond recognition.

After I got pregnant, Hunter and my parents were always concerned I wasn't getting enough nutrition, forcing me to take endless supplements every day.

The fetus grew too large and by the fifth month, my belly was already covered in thick, unsightly stretch marks.

I used to think they cared about what I was going through.

Now I understood they only cared about the child in my womb, the one created from Savannah and Hunter's genes.

My fists clenched tightly, cold sweat sliding down my back. I fled from that suffocating house.

Once I calmed down, I didn't hesitate to pull out my phone and call the hospital.

"Hello, I'd like to schedule an abortion."

Since Hunter and the others were so eager for this child, I would prepare a grand gift for them.

The doctor gave me a prescription and handed me an appointment slip.

"Take the pills for three days, then come back to the hospital for the procedure."

Exhausted, I returned home with the slip in hand.

As soon as I entered the door, I saw Savannah walking out of my bedroom, wearing my nightgown.