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.

"Big sister, I've been having some heart issues these past few days. Hunter said I should stay here for a while so he can take care of me."

"I forgot to bring my clothes, so I wore yours. You don't mind, right?"

My eyes landed on the red marks across Savannah's chest.

Before I could speak, Hunter stepped out of the room in a wrinkled set of pajamas.

"Your sister is the most understanding person. How could she possibly mind?"

"Besides, with how much weight your sister's gained, she can't even fit into her old clothes. This nightgown looks much better on you."

Hunter walked over and pulled me into his arms.

"You went out so late and didn't say anything. You're still pregnant; what if something happened to you? What would I do?"

Looking at the affection in his eyes, I felt nothing but coldness inside.

On the surface, he acted concerned and loving. But behind my back, he and my family were plotting how to use me.

He shamelessly fooled around with my younger sister right in my own home while my parents turned a blind eye and even encouraged it.

To them, I was nothing more than a fool they could use and discard.

I didn't say a word to either of them and went straight upstairs.

That night, Hunter, who normally never touched milk, suddenly brought me a glass.

"You're in your third trimester now. You really need to be getting enough protein and calcium."

"Be good. Drink the milk."

I stared at the glass in his hand, my gaze turning cold. "I don't want it."

Hunter looked slightly embarrassed by my refusal but still tried to coax me, voice soft.

"I'm doing this for you and the baby. Be good, okay?"

Without giving me a choice, he forced the glass to my lips and poured the milk down my throat.

As the sweet, fishy taste slid down, heavy drowsiness quickly set in.

Through the haze, I thought I saw two figures entangled beside me.

The next morning, I woke up sore all over, barely able to move.

After Hunter left for work, I unlocked my phone.

Last night, before anything could happen, I had installed a hidden camera in my room, just in case they tried anything.

The moment I watched the footage, my mind went blank.

Hunter had mixed my milk with a full dose of sleeping pills. And once I was unconscious, he and Savannah shamelessly slept together in my bed.

Savannah leaned lazily against Hunter's chest, then casually raised her foot and kicked my belly.

"Brother Hunter, tomorrow is my birthday. What gift are you going to give me?"

Hunter looked at her, eyes dazed, breath heavy. "Whatever you want, I'll give it to you."

Savannah smiled smugly, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I heard pregnant women can lend their fortune during pregnancy. I'm just curious if it's true."

"Why don't we try and find out?"

Hunter flipped her over and pressed her down beneath him.

Their words made my heart clench and a wave of dread washed over me.

Tears streamed down my face as I stared at the footage on my phone, the pain in my chest sharp and unbearable.

Without hesitation, I turned off the screen and swallowed the medication the doctor had prescribed.

Just as I was about to pack my things, my phone buzzed with a notification.

It was a news alert.

#PregnancyFortuneLending

Just those three words made me freeze, echoing what Savannah had said the night before.

With trembling hands, I tapped the link.

What I saw nearly made me drop the phone.

Photo after photo of me, heavily pregnant, flooded the screen, densely packed, each one tagged with a clear price.

The comments section was even more unbearable.

"This woman's got it going on! Still looks damn good!"

"Smoking hot. I wonder what the experience is like. I heard from a businessman that he was nearly bankrupt. I tried it once and the next day, everything turned around."

"She already looks spicy as hell. Even if the fortune thing's fake, I'd still wanna try."

Those filthy words left my mind blank.

I felt like a naked animal, mocked and humiliated through a screen.

Just then, my phone rang. In a panic, I pressed to answer.

"Hey, you're that pregnant woman from the internet, right? Name your price!"

A sleazy voice slithered through the speaker and terror seized me. I threw the phone across the room.

"Baby, what's wrong?"

Hunter walked in, saw the panic on my face and rushed to hold me. He picked up the phone.

As soon as he heard the voice on the other end, his expression changed, but only slightly. Then, he calmly ended the call.

"It's just a prank call. Don't overthink it."

My gaze turned cold, piercing. "You really think that was just a prank?"

He looked slightly annoyed for a moment.

"You're overthinking because of pregnancy hormones. Today is Savannah's birthday. I booked a private room for her at the Royal Blue Clubhouse. Come with me."

At the mention of Savannah's name, I trembled slightly and my expression turned cold.

"I'm not feeling well today. I don't want to go."

Hunter's face darkened instantly.

"Savannah's birthday only comes once a year. And your parents will be there too. As her sister, if you don't show up, you're being disrespectful."

"I've been patient enough with you during this pregnancy. But on this matter, I won't compromise. You have to come today."

With that, he grabbed my hand and dragged me out, forcing me into the car.

The moment we stepped into the private room, I felt the stares.

They looked at me with teasing eyes, barely hiding their meanness.

"Sis looks like we're wearing the same dress! We really are connected at heart, always liking the same things."

Savannah shot Hunter a look that dared him to respond.

Only then did I realize Savannah and I were wearing the exact same dress.

"This dress clearly looks better on Savannah. Your sister's all bloated now with that huge belly. She's completely lost her charm."

Hunter didn't bother hiding his disdain as he praised Savannah while belittling me.

"Brother Hunter, don't say that. Even though Sis is pregnant, she's still got tons of fans online. Who knows how many are obsessed with her!"

She sneered and held out a glass of wine. "It's my birthday. Have a drink with me." I stared at the glass, my face cold. "I'm still pregnant. I can't drink."

The moment I spoke, Hunter stood up, his expression turning dark.

"It's Savannah's birthday. Won't you toast her? She offered you a drink in front of everyone and you just refused?"

His tone grew harsher. "I already asked the doctor. You're eight months along and the baby's fully developed. A little wine won't hurt."