Your baby has stopped growing. At the doctor’s words, everything went dark before my eyes. The white walls of the examination room seemed to tilt. How could this be? Why are you taking any medications or supplements? Yes, I’m taking prenatal vitamins everyday. Did you buy them yourself or did someone give them to you? I answered in a trembling voice.
My mother gave them to me. The doctor’s face froze. I heard the nurse hurrying to prepare something in the distance. This is the story of the day my life fell apart. My name is Megan. I’m an accountant currently on maternity leave. Married to Tyler for 3 years, expecting our first child, I was living through what I believe to be the happiest time of my life.
At least that’s what I thought. Tyler had been kind from the moment we met, always listening carefully to what I had to say. Even after marriage, he hadn’t changed. And when he found out about the pregnancy, he was happier than anyone. He took the initiative in helping prepare the baby’s room. My mother, Diane, had been a successful model in her younger days and still maintained her beauty.
She and my father had divorced 10 years ago, and now she lived alone. I’d never asked about the reason for their divorce. Mother never wanted to talk about it, and I never pressed her. Every family has a past that shouldn’t be touched. Mother seemed genuinely happy about my pregnancy. The week after I told her, she came to visit.
When she embraced me at the doorway, I felt her warmth for the first time in a long while. I found some wonderful vitamins for you. A pregnant woman needs special nutrition, so I’ll bring them to you every month. The white box mother handed me contained expensive looking vitamins. The label read, “Organic, all natural ingredients.” Doctor recommended.
I was so touched that she cared this much. I thanked her profusely. Mother smiled gently. “It’s for you and the baby.” Tyler had also started visiting my mother’s house frequently. I’m going to check on your mom, he’d say, visiting her home once a week. I thought he was being thoughtful toward my mother who lived alone, acting as a good son-in-law.
What a kind husband I have, I thought. I truly felt I was blessed. But around the seventh month of pregnancy, something started to feel wrong. I became unusually tired. Getting up in the morning was difficult, and I’d be out of breath just climbing the stairs. My appetite vanished and I couldn’t even stand the smell of pasta which I used to love.
I wasn’t gaining any weight at all. Even though I was in the late stages of pregnancy, my belly wasn’t growing as much as it should. When I talked to Tyler about it, he gently put his arm around my shoulders. It’s okay. That’s just how pregnancy is. My friend’s wife was the same way. When I called mother, she said the same thing. I was like that too.
You’re worrying too much, Megan. Stress is the worst thing for you. Her voice was calm, reassuring. But something was wrong. This feeling of unease grew stronger every day. One night, while I was lying on the sofa, Tyler’s smartphone lit up. He was in the shower. A message notification appeared on the screen sitting on the table.
The sender’s name was just one letter D. I couldn’t see the message content. But the moment I saw that single letter, something cold settled in my chest. Who is D? Diane. My mother’s name. But why was my mother’s name registered as just one letter on my husband’s phone? The shower stopped.
I quickly closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep. I sensed Tyler coming out and picking up his smartphone. He said nothing and disappeared into the bedroom. That night, I couldn’t sleep. There’s something between my husband and my mother. That premonition gripped my chest and wouldn’t let go. The 8th month of pregnancy arrived.
On the day of my regular checkup, I visited the usual OB/GYN. I lay on the examination table and the ultrasound began. I always looked forward to seeing the baby on the monitor. But today was different. The doctor kept checking the same spot over and over, changing the position of the probe, changing the angle, and returning again. His expression gradually became more severe.
The baby’s development is a bit delayed, the doctor said quietly. Are you eating properly? Yes, I’m eating well. I take my vitamins every day, too. The doctor’s hands stopped. Vitamins? What kind? Prenatal supplements my mother gave me. Organic, very good quality. The doctor nodded, but there was clear concern in his eyes. I see.
Just to be safe, let’s schedule your next checkup in one week instead of two weeks. If you notice anything concerning, contact us immediately. As I left the examination room, my legs were shaking. The baby’s development is delayed. Those words repeated in my head over and over. When I got home, Tyler was watching TV on the sofa.
I sat next to him and said in a trembling voice, “The baby’s development is apparently delayed.” Tyler put down the remote and hugged me gently. It’s okay. Doctors always exaggerate. You’re doing great. You’re eating well and resting, right? Plus, you’re taking those vitamins. Those are expensive ones. $100 a bottle, I heard. They must be working. I froze in my husband’s arms.
Why did Tyler know the price of the vitamins? Did he hear it from mother or did he look it up himself? No. Why would he need to look it up? Did mom tell you about those vitamins? Yeah, when I went to your mother’s house the other day, she said they’re really good quality, so I should make sure you take them. Tyler’s voice sounded natural, but something nagged at me.
What was this feeling of unease? A few days later, I visited my mother’s house. I didn’t call ahead. Mother had seemed a bit off lately, and I wanted to see her face and talk. The front door was unlocked. “Mom, I’m coming in,” I called out as I entered the living room, and mother hurriedly hid something. “Oh, Megan. You should call before you come.
You startled me.” Mother’s voice was slightly high-pitched. I looked at the table and saw a familiar white box. the same box as the vitamins I took every day. But this box was opened with some capsules removed. That’s my vitamins, right? Why did you open it? Mother hesitated for a moment. Oh, I was just preparing the next batch.
I was going to give you next month’s supply, but the box is already open. Do you need to check the contents? Mother forced a smile, but the smile was somehow unnatural. Her eyes weren’t smiling. Well, I want to make sure I’m giving you good quality. It’s for my daughter and grandchild, after all. There was something else on the table. A small brown bottle.
The label was positioned at an angle I couldn’t see. When I tried to get closer, mother quickly reached out and tucked it into a drawer. Well, there’s no need to stand around talking. I’ll make some tea. Have a seat. With that, mother hurried toward the kitchen. I was left alone in the living room, staring at the opened vitamin box.
That night, after returning home, I sat alone, lost in thought. Tyler had said he’d be late from work. I placed the new box of vitamins Mother had given me on the living room table and stared at it. I opened the box and took out a single capsule. Inside the transparent capsule was packed white powder. I’d been taking these everyday.
Vitamins from my mother for the baby, but the color of this capsule seemed slightly different from when I first received them. Before they seemed more transparent. Now they looked slightly cloudy. Was I imagining it? I took out just one capsule and hid it in the back of my bedroom drawer.
I didn’t really understand why I did it. I just wanted to save it just in case. I heard the front door open. Tyler came home. I’m back. A tired voice. Welcome home. I’ll heat up dinner. I stood up and headed to the kitchen. As I was about to put away the vitamin box, Tyler picked it up. Oh, you got a new batch. Make sure you take them. Your mother was worried.
Tyler’s face was kind, but I thought I saw something in the depths of his eyes. I didn’t know what it was. That night in bed, I couldn’t sleep. Listening to Tyler’s breathing beside me, I stared at the ceiling. The vitamins mother gave me the price my husband knew. The singleletter name displayed on his smartphone. The opened box. The doctor’s concerned expression.
The baby’s delayed development. Everything scattered in my head like pieces of a puzzle. But when I tried to connect them, a terrifying picture seemed to emerge, and I closed my eyes. No, it can’t be. Mother wouldn’t hurt me. My husband wouldn’t betray me. This is all just pregnancy hormones making me over sensitive.
But the baby in my belly moved slightly as if trying to tell me something. I stroked my belly in the darkness. It’s okay. Mommy will protect you. Repeating those words in my mind, I finally fell into a shallow sleep. But I had a nightmare. A dream of a white box opening, black powder spilling out from inside.
me swallowing it and the sensation of something stopping inside my belly. When I woke up, my cheeks were wet with tears. Near full term, the day of my last checkup arrived. In the morning, I asked Tyler to come with me, but he said apologetically, “Sorry, I have an important contract today. I can’t leave work.
I’ll definitely go with you next time.” I called mother too, but she said her back hurt and she couldn’t move. Maybe it’s my age. I haven’t been feeling well lately. I’m sorry, Megan. In the end, I went to the hospital alone. While sitting in the waiting room, I stroked my belly. It’s okay. I’ll see you soon. I murmured in my heart.
My name was called and I entered the examination room. The usual doctor was waiting. His expression looked even more serious than last time. Let’s begin the ultrasound. I lay on the examination table and cold gel was spread on my belly. The probe was applied and the baby’s image appeared on the monitor. The doctor stared intently at the screen.
Changing the angle repeatedly, checking the same spot over and over. Deep wrinkles formed between his brows. He signaled for the nurse. Wait a moment. The doctor’s voice dropped low. A nurse came in and the two began talking in hushed voices. I couldn’t hear them, but just from the atmosphere, I could tell something bad was happening.
The doctor pulled up a chair and sat next to me. The nurse was also watching with concern. I’m going to be honest with you. The doctor’s eyes looked straight at me. Your baby has stopped growing. I couldn’t make a sound. I couldn’t understand the meaning of the words. Stopped growing. What did that mean? There’s been almost no growth since the last checkup.
If we leave it like this, it will endanger the mother as well. Why? I said in a trembling voice. I ate properly, took my vitamins, rested. I did everything right. The doctor’s eyes sharpened. Vitamins. I could tell he reacted to that word. Tell me more about the vitamins. Are you taking any medications or supplements? The doctor’s voice was careful.
Yes, prenatal vitamins everyday, morning and evening, twice a day. Did you buy them yourself or did someone give them to you? I hesitated slightly, but there was no reason to hide it. My mother gave them to me. Since I found out I was pregnant, she’s been delivering them every month. She said they were very good quality. The doctor’s face became stern.
Do you have those vitamins with you now? No, they’re at home. But oh, I gasped and grabbed my bag. That one capsule I’d hidden in the drawer. I brought it just in case. I didn’t really know why I’d brought it. I might have one capsule in my bag. I searched through my bag.
In the back of my wallet, in a small pocket, there it was, a transparent capsule. White powder packed inside. The doctor took it and stared at it intently. Then he handed it to the nurse and said, “Take this to the lab immediately.” Urgent. The nurse ran off. I just sat there on the examination table, dazed. While waiting, time seemed to stop. The doctor said nothing, writing something on the chart. I placed my hand on my belly.
The baby was moving, still alive, but growth had stopped. 30 minutes passed and the nurse returned. She was holding a piece of paper. The doctor took it and looked it over. His face went pale. The doctor took a deep breath and turned toward me. His eyes held a mixture of anger and sympathy. Ma’am, this is not a vitamin. I couldn’t understand what he was saying.
This contains drugs that inhibit fetal development. That’s a lie. My voice was horsearo. That can’t be true. It’s not a lie. The doctor showed me the paper. It was filled with chemical formulas and numbers. I couldn’t read them, but the doctor continued to explain. This drug, when taken continuously in small amounts, gradually stops the fetus from growing, and eventually the doctor’s words caught. I didn’t need him to say it.
Eventually, the baby dies. In my head, all the puzzle pieces began clicking together with an audible snap. The vitamins mother gave me. Every month, she delivered a new box. She gently told me to make sure I took them. The price my husband knew. $100 a bottle.
Why did he know such detailed information? The single letter name displayed on the smartphone. D. Diane. the opened box. The brown bottle mother had hurriedly hidden. My husband visiting mother’s house once a week, saying he was checking on her. Everything pointed to one terrible truth. Mother was trying to kill my baby. And my husband was complicit. I shook my head. It can’t be.
But the test results in the doctor’s hands presented the cold, hard facts. Please calm down. The doctor placed his hand on my shoulder. This is a very serious situation. We need to contact the police. This is a crime. Police. Hearing that word, reality came crashing down all at once. With trembling hands, I took my smartphone out of my bag. I stared at the screen. Who should I call? Mother? My husband.
No, they’re the enemy. They’re trying to kill me. To kill my baby, Rachel. My best friend’s name came to mind. She’s a lawyer. And more than that, a friend I can trust. I said to the doctor, “May I call a friend?” “She’s a lawyer.” “Of course.” The doctor nodded. “I’ll contact the police.” You contact someone you trust. I made the call. Rachel answered immediately.
Megan, what’s wrong? I said in a trembling voice, Rachel, help me. My mother and husband are trying to kill me. Without asking anything more, Rachel said, I’m coming right now. Don’t move. Don’t talk to anyone until the police arrive. After hanging up, I hugged my knees on the examination table. The nurse covered me with a blanket. It’s okay. You’re safe now. A kind voice.
But was I really okay? Mother was the person who gave birth to me. The person who raised me, the person who brushed my hair, the person who baked cakes for my birthdays? That mother had been trying to kill my baby. My husband was the person I loved, the person who made vows at our wedding, the person who slept in the same bed with me every night.
That husband had conspired with my mother and betrayed me. Why? There was no answer to that question. But the baby moved slightly in my belly. Still alive, still time. I made up my mind. I won’t trust anyone anymore. I won’t depend on anyone. The only one who can protect me and my baby is myself. The doctor returned. The police are on their way. Please wait here until then. I nodded.
I looked out the window. Blue sky stretched across the horizon. On such a beautiful day, my life had collapsed. Rachel rushed to the hospital in 30 minutes. When she opened the examination room door and came in, her face wasn’t her usual calm lawyer face, but the face of a best friend filled with worry. Megan, she hugged me.
In her arms, I could finally cry. Tears poured out like a damn breaking. Calm down. Tell me everything, Rachel said, gently rubbing my back. I confessed everything about the vitamins mother gave me my husband’s suspicious behavior, the letter D on his smartphone, the opened box, and the terrible truth the doctor had told me.
Rachel listened silently. Flames of anger burned in her eyes, but there was no surprise in her expression, as if she’d known from the beginning that something like this could happen. I’ve been betrayed by my mother, too, Rachel said quietly. So, I understand. Blood doesn’t guarantee love. You’re not alone, Megan. I will absolutely protect you. The police arrived.
Two detectives began questioning me. In a trembling voice, I explained everything once more. The doctor submitted the test results, and the vitamin capsule was also submitted as evidence. Rachel attended as my lawyer, protecting my rights. The detectives listened seriously and took notes. “We’ll secure your mother and husband,” the older detective said.
At the same time, we’ll get a search warrant for your mother’s home. That evening, I lay in a hospital bed. I was staying overnight for observation. Rachel was staying with me. As darkness began to fall outside the window, I got a call from the detective. Rachel answered instead, listening to what they had to say.
Her expression gradually became more severe. After hanging up, Rachel let out a deep sigh. They found it. Lots of evidence. The results of the police search of Dian’s house far exceeded my imagination. From the living room drawer, they found the same drug that had been mixed into the vitamins.
It was in a small brown bottle with a chemical name written on the label. A drug that inhibits pregnancy originally meant to be used only for specific medical purposes. It was a controlled substance. On mother’s computer, there were records of purchasing the drug from dark websites. Payment had been made in cryptocurrency, but the police traced it. And the most shocking thing was the messages between Tyler and Diane.
Hundreds of messages left on the smartphone. There, the relationship between the two was recorded in vivid detail. I love you, Diane. Just a little longer. I love you too, Tyler. Everything will work out. Megan hasn’t noticed anything. When the baby dies, Megan will have a mental breakdown. After that, it’ll be easy. That’s right.
We can make it look like an accident. A wife, distraught with grief, fell down the stairs. That’s all there is to it. Every time I read a message, my chest tightened. This was the true nature of my husband and mother. Furthermore, numerous photos taken together were found at restaurants, at hotels, at the beach, all clearly photos of a couple.
Mother looked young and beautiful, and Tyler was smiling happily. And the diary found in Dian’s bedroom. Her madness was written there. Megan has everything. Youth, beauty, a husband, a baby. That should have been mine. From the day that child was born, William stopped looking at me. He poured all his affection into that child. I was abandoned.
Not as a mother, but as a woman, so I’ll take it back. Everything. Tyler loves me. I’ll take everything from Megan. But the most terrifying evidence was still to come. Rachel visited the hospital room the next day with an even heavier expression. Megan, sit down and listen. What she held was an additional police report. Tyler and Dian’s relationship went deeper.
Diane was pregnant with Tyler’s child. I was speechless. Mother with my husband’s child. And Tyler’s true purpose became clear. He had approached me from the beginning for the inheritance. The $300,000 I’d inherited from my father, William. That was his goal. On Tyler’s computer, which the police had seized, emails with Diane remained.
That inheritance should have been mine. William didn’t give me anything in the divorce. He let Megan inherit everything. His final harassment. But it’s okay. If Tyler marries Megan, that inheritance becomes ours. If Megan dies, he can inherit it as the spouse. Then we’ll be free. Money, love, will have everything.
3 years of married life. It was all a lie. Tyler had never loved me from the start. He just wanted the money. And mother saw me not as her daughter, but as a young rival. She wanted to take everything from me. On the day of the trial, I stood at the witness stand. The gallery was packed with reporters. This case had been widely reported locally, sensationalized as a forbidden love triangle involving mother, daughter, and husband. In the defendant’s seat sat Diane and Tyler.
Neither had their former radiance. Dian’s face was gaunt, and Tyler looked haggarded. The prosecutor asked me, “What were the defendants to you?” I took a deep breath and answered, “These people were my mother and husband, but they weren’t real family. If they were family, they would love and protect each other. But these people didn’t love me.
They tried to kill my baby. They tried to kill me. There was never any love from the beginning. But I paused and placed my hand on my belly. I survived. My baby is also growing healthy now. Through emergency cesarian section, the baby was born safely. Small but alive.
Now in the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit, growing bigger day by day. Suddenly, Diane stood up and shouted. You should never have been born. You ruined my life. William stopped looking at me after you were born. It’s all your fault. The baiffs tried to make her sit down, but Diane kept shouting. I was young.
I was beautiful, but you took everything from me. Trapped me in the prison of motherhood. I couldn’t stand it anymore. So, I tried to take it back. My life, my happiness. I looked quietly at my mother. and I said, “Goodbye, mother. I’ll never see you again.” The judge struck the gavl. The sentence was 15 years in prison each for Diane and Tyler. As I left the courtroom, Tyler looked at me.
There was regret in his eyes. But it was too late. Rachel put her arm around my shoulders. It’s over now. A new life begins. Outside it was sunny. The cold winter air felt pleasant on my cheeks. I took a deep breath. I’m alive. The baby is alive, too. That alone was enough. A year later, I had moved to a new town, a small seaside town.
Here, nobody knows me. They don’t know about that case. I’m just living quietly as a young mother raising her baby. Through the living room window, I could see the calm sea. The sound of waves echoed pleasantly. Mama. I heard a small voice. When I turned around, Lily was standing there with both hands spread wide. Just turned one year old.
She’d recently learned to walk. Oh my, you stood up so well. I picked Lily up. Her small body, warm body temperature, soft hair. This child was my everything. When she was born by emergency cesarian section, Lily was very small, not even 2,000 g. But she was fighting desperately to live. When her little hand gripped my finger, I couldn’t stop crying. Protect this child.
That alone became my reason for living. The doorbell rang. It was Rachel. Today was the weekend and she’d said she’d come visit. When I opened the door, Rachel stood there with a smile. She had a present for Lily in her hands. Lily’s gotten so big. When Rachel picked Lily up, Lily laughed happily. She loved Rachel.
We drank coffee together and talked about recent events. Rachel was still busy working as a lawyer. “I had just started part-time work at a small accounting firm in this town. Without you, we wouldn’t be here now,” I said sincerely. Rachel shook her head. “You were the strong one. I just helped a little.” And she quietly added, “Real family isn’t about blood, it’s about choice, Megan.
” Those words touched my heart. In the evening after Rachel went home, I gave Lily a bath. Gently washing her small body, I reflected on this past year. Diane and Tyler had appealed, but it was rejected. Both are in prison now. I heard Diane has had a mental breakdown and has no visitors.
Tyler is apparently hated by other inmates and isolated. The child born between them was rejected by Tyler’s parents and put up for adoption. an innocent child. But there was nothing I could do. The $300,000 I inherited from my father, William, was confirmed as entirely mine. Furthermore, in a civil lawsuit against Diane and Tyler, I won $200,000 in damages.
A total of $500,000. I used part of it to buy this house. The rest I’m saving for Lily’s future. I got the money back. But what I lost was greater, trust in my mother, love for my husband, the illusion of family. But at the same time, I gained something, true strength, and the small life before me.
After putting Lily to bed, I sat alone in the living room. Moonlight streamed through the window. Mother didn’t love me. My husband didn’t love me either. But I love Lily. This child alone is my real family. Blood ties don’t matter. Real family means people who protect and love each other. Rachel too.
She’s not bloodrelated, but she was real family. From the baby monitor, I could hear Lily’s sleeping breaths. Calm, regular breathing. I smiled. Those dark days are over now. From now on, Lily and I will walk through a new life together, not bound by the past, looking only toward the future. Outside the window, waves lapped quietly at the shore.
The moon illuminated the sea, creating a silver path. I stood up and headed to Lily’s room. I gazed at the small figure sleeping in the bed. Good night, Lily. Mommy will always protect you. I gently kissed her forehead and left the room. In the living room, the echo of Lily’s laughter remained. Happy laughter. I stood by the window and quietly made a vow. I’ll give this child only love.
I want her to grow up without knowing betrayal, lies, or hatred. And I’ll teach her the meaning of real family. The form of family bound not by blood, but by love. A gentle night breeze was blowing. A new tomorrow will come soon.
