Grieving My Child While He Welcomes Theirs

On the anniversary of our child's death, my mother suddenly suffers chest pain, and my husband, Gavin Grover, accompanies her to the hospital first. Meanwhile, I go to the cemetery alone and leave my daughter, Miley Grover, various toys and snacks. It isn't until evening that I hail a cab home. A radio program is playing in the car when the host takes a call from a new listener. The moment the man speaks, I recognize the voice. "Two years ago, my wife had complications during childbirth. We lost the baby, and the doctors said it would be very difficult for her to get pregnant again. My in-laws are getting old and want us to continue the family line, so they asked me to have a child with another woman and pass it off as my wife's. She is giving birth today. I don't know whether I should tell my wife the truth." My entire body goes rigid. He goes on to say that he has been trying to have a child with another woman for the past six months. He says, "At first, I felt guilty. But now that the baby is about to be born, I can't just abandon Jenny." My mind goes blank. Jenny is my younger sister, who has been away from home for the past six months. With trembling hands, I call Gavin, but he hangs up. The next second, he sends me a voice message. "Your mom's fine. She's already gone home. I'm working overtime at the office. Go home. I made some food in the kitchen." He sounds as gentle as ever. But unmistakably, a baby is crying in the background. At this moment, I realize something. While I'm mourning the child we lost, he is with someone else, waiting for their child to be born. Chapter 1 Cassandra's POV The wind made my eyes sting. I looked down at my phone to check the location on my husband Gavin Grover's dashcam. He was at Belcrest Hospital. He wasn't at the office at all. I told the cab driver to turn the car around. When I arrived outside the delivery room, the lights inside were bright. The moment I saw those familiar faces, a chill ran through my body. My parents and Gavin were there. Even my best friend, Tara Smith, was also there. The baby slept peacefully, while they beamed with joy. When my gaze finally landed on the woman in the bed, my entire world came crashing down. It was none other than my younger sister, Jenny Thorne, who had been away from home for six months. I immediately remembered that winter in Halton when we were children. She had fallen through the ice, and I had risked my life to pull her out. Back then, she had sobbed as she gripped my sleeve with both hands. "Cassandra, I owe you my life. From now on, I'll do whatever you say." But now, my beloved younger sister was lying in the delivery room, having just given birth to my husband's child. My parents and Tara knew the truth, but they had deliberately kept me in the dark. Jenny's face was pale as she hesitantly said, "It was my drunk driving that caused Miley's death in the first place. And now, I've given birth to Gavin's child…" Tara quickly held her hand and said gently, "Don't blame yourself. None of us wanted anything to happen to Cassandra. She was just too weak to begin with." Mom opened a container of chicken soup, scooped up a spoonful, blew on it to cool it, and brought it to Jenny's lips. She said sweetly, "Drink this. Your sister loves you the most. She won't be angry with you. Besides, haven't you already given her a child to make it up to her?" Gavin lowered his head and kissed her. Beneath the lights, their lips glistened with a delicate sheen. "Don't torture yourself, okay? You're the one who's done the most for both our families. This baby is the gift you fought so hard to give Cassandra." She had done the most? A gift? What a nice way to put it. What about my precious daughter, Miley Grover? What about her? I froze where I stood, stunned by what I was seeing, my stomach churning violently. I wanted to leave, but before I could, my body betrayed me, and I couldn't suppress a retch. At the sound of my retching, Jenny's face turned deathly pale, and her body began trembling uncontrollably. "Cassandra…" Before I could react, Tara rushed over first and pulled me into the hallway. "Calm down. Jenny almost died giving birth to this baby. She's called you her sister for twenty years, so please don't cause a scene." Gavin followed close behind and took my hand, his voice as gentle as ever. "Are you cold? What brings you here all of a sudden? Don't overthink this. No one wants to hurt you. Jenny only felt guilty and wanted to have a child for you to make it up to you." "Make it up to me? Is that why she decided to sleep with you?" I retorted. He sighed, sounding almost resigned, as if he had known I would react this way. "This is exactly why we didn't dare tell you. You've always been reasonable. At least don't make things difficult for everyone today." As soon as he finished speaking, a scream came from inside the room. "My stomach hurts!" Gavin's expression shifted, and he quickly said, "Talk to you later." Then, he turned and left. Tara didn't even hesitate and immediately rushed off to call a doctor. I stood in the corner, took out my phone, and opened my chat with my company's vice president. Last week, he had told me they needed someone to oversee the new North Avorian market and asked if I was willing to go. At the time, I told him that my family was all here, so I needed to think about it. But now, I confirmed my application for the job. Then, I replied to my vice president. "I'll take it." Chapter 2 Cassandra's POV Back home, I found the accident liability report I hadn't touched in two years. My labor had started suddenly while I was shopping with Tara. She took me to the hospital, but on the way, another car crashed into us. My baby, Miley Grover, died before she could be born. When they finally brought her out, her little face had already turned purple from lack of oxygen. When I woke up, I was frantically trying to find Miley, unable to sleep night after night. My heartbroken parents cried as Gavin knelt before me and apologized. Tara was a lawyer and swore she would help me hold the driver responsible. But because they were afraid of upsetting me, they sealed away all the documents and only told me that the driver had already gotten what they deserved. With trembling hands, I opened the file. It clearly stated that the driver had been found fully responsible for the accident. Yet, the victim's family had chosen to forgive the driver, and a settlement had already been reached. The family member's signature was Gavin's, the driver's was Jenny's, and the lawyer handling the case was Tara. The lock at the entrance clicked. Gavin was back. He glanced toward the kitchen, walked over, and served a bowl of soup. He turned on the microwave and set it for five minutes. Then, he came over and took my hand. He said, "Please don't be angry anymore. I promise this won't affect your place or our life together." I shook him off and pointed to the liability report. "Don't you have anything to tell me?" I asked. He sighed. "Cassandra, we kept it from you for your own good. Jenny cried every day, saying she wanted to kill herself and give her life in exchange for Miley's. What was I supposed to do? I know you feel wronged. I'm sorry, okay?" I glared at him and said, "You knew that Jenny was the one who killed Miley, yet you hid the truth, slept with her, and even had a child with her." Gavin's expression hardened, and his voice dropped. "She's your sister. Cassandra, you loved her so much. How can you not show her any understanding now? That car accident was just an accident. You can't have children, and both our families need an heir. Jenny stepped up and took responsibility for you. Miley is already gone. Do you want to drag everyone down with you?" As soon as he finished speaking, Dad, Mom, and Tara walked through the door. When Tara saw the liability report in my hand, her eyes welled up with tears. She explained, "Back then, Jenny was too afraid to see you. She climbed onto the windowsill several times, wanting to jump. What more do you want? Cassandra, how can you be so heartless now?" Mom wiped away her tears. She said, "You've always been competitive. You had to be the best at everything. When has Jenny ever competed with you? After Miley died, you cried every day. "What did an unmarried woman like Jenny have to gain by giving birth to a baby without any proper status or recognition? Cassandra, you can't be heartless. Jenny never tried to take anything from you. If anything, she brought new life into this family." Dad looked at me with disappointment. "Do you really have to drive everyone into a corner?" I looked at their expressions. They seemed so certain that they were in the right. Suddenly, I felt exhausted. Even this house felt different. I felt so suffocated that I could barely breathe. So, I had worked myself to the bone to buy this house and give my parents a better life, only for them to call me overly competitive. Jenny killed my child and stole Gavin from me. But somehow, they said she had done it for my own good. And when I tried to hold her accountable, I became the unreasonable and heartless one. I said nothing, so they assumed I had come to my senses. Mom and Dad sighed in relief and turned to go back to their room. Gavin pulled me into his arms and buried his chin in the crook of my neck. "That's my Cassandra. I knew you'd be reasonable. We'll bring Jenny and the baby home tomorrow. Once you hold Molly, you'll definitely love her." After he washed up, I poured the stew into the trash can. I glanced at the property deed beneath the accident liability report and contacted a real estate agent. "Hello. I'm going abroad for work, so I'd like to sell the house. I want it sold as soon as possible, preferably within three days." Chapter 3 Cassandra's POV The next morning, I was woken up by noises coming from the entryway. Jenny was draped in a soft wool shawl, while my parents each carried a box of baby supplies. Gavin held the swaddled baby in his arms, as though he were carrying some priceless treasure. Miley's bedroom door had somehow been opened, and the name tag stuck to the crib had fallen off. "What are you doing?" I asked, hearing the tremor in my own voice. Mom set the boxes down on the floor without even looking up. "The room is just sitting empty anyway. We might as well let Molly use it." I walked over quickly and took a deep breath. "This belongs to Miley. She can't use it." Gavin frowned. "It's just a room. Are you really going to fight over it with a child?" Jenny took the baby from him and walked over, holding her out for me to see. "Cassandra, you haven't seen her yet, have you? Look, doesn't she look a little like you? Molly is here to be your daughter. With her by your side, you won't be so sad anymore." I glanced down at the baby, Molly Grover. She had a tiny, adorable nose and delicate lips. She really did look like me. Miley had looked just like this in her ultrasound photos. But she was gone. They held Jenny and Gavin's child in their arms, saying she was going to be my daughter. I said, "My only daughter is Miley." I looked at Jenny, whose face was turning pale. I said, "Besides, if she's my daughter, what does that make you?" Jenny's lips trembled, and she suddenly burst into tears. "I'm sorry, Cassandra. I know I've wronged you. I shouldn't be here. I'll leave right now." She shoved the baby into Gavin's arms, turned, and ran. "What are you doing? Jenny just gave birth. If something happens to her, will you be happy then?" Mom scolded me, then hurried after her. Gavin frowned. "Hurry up and go find her! That's your sister!" he yelled, pushing me toward the door. "Don't come back if you can't find her." I had no choice but to leave. The late-autumn wind swept over me, chilling me to the bone. With heavy steps, I searched outside until 2:00 am. It wasn't until a drunk man lunged at me that I finally turned back, my eyes red with tears. Jenny was still weak, and I was worried something might happen to her. But when I returned home, I found her and Gavin lying together in the master bedroom. The baby was sleeping in the cradle I had bought for Miley. He was half-asleep, nuzzling against her neck. He whispered, "Don't be angry. I've already punished her." When he noticed me, his eyes snapped open. He immediately pressed a finger to his lips, signaling me to be quiet. "Molly just fell asleep. Don't disturb her." He got up and pulled me into the living room, his tone very casual. "Since you won't let Jenny stay in Miley's room, the only room with sunlight is the master bedroom. I've moved your things into the storage room. Just sleep there for a few days." My blood boiled. I asked, "Why should I? Tell them to get out." Gavin frowned. Sounding tired, he questioned, "Cassandra, can you stop being so petty? Who do you think Jenny nearly died giving birth to Molly for? Can't you be a little more understanding?" "Understanding?" I glared at him. "You want me to be understanding when she killed Miley while she was drunk driving? When she slept with you and had your child for me?" He squeezed his eyes shut. As if he was holding back his rage, he uttered, "You're just jealous because you can't have children of your own, so you can't stand seeing someone else have one! It's just a room. Do you really have to make such a big deal out of it?" I yelled, "This is the house I bought myself after graduation. I scraped together every penny of the down payment. It's my house." Mom and Dad came out of the room, their expressions were dark with anger. "So what if you bought the house? We've raised you for over 20 years, and now that you've made something of yourself, you don't even care about your own parents. "You cry every day and make the whole family miserable. What's wrong with us letting Jenny move in? She's staying in the master bedroom tonight. If you don't like it, get out." They then turned and walked away, leaving me alone in the empty living room. I dragged my feet to the door of the storage room. My suitcase lay wide open, with my clothes and documents scattered around it like trash. Our wedding photo lay on the floor, its glass shattered and the frame covered in dust. My phone vibrated. Gavin had sent me a message. "I'll explain everything once you've calmed down." I leaned against the door and suddenly laughed until my body shook. What did he want to explain? How every one of them had deceived me? How each one of them had shielded Jenny? Or how Jenny had given birth to his child and taken my place? Chapter 4 Cassandra's POV The next day, while packing my things, I heard a baby whimpering. After hesitating for a moment, I pushed open the master bedroom door. The window was wide open, and cold air was rushing in. Molly was suffocating. Her body had turned blue, her little head was thrown back desperately, and she couldn't even cry out. I instinctively reached out to touch her, but my wrist was slapped away, sending a sharp pain through me. "What are you doing?" Gavin glared at me with bloodshot eyes, as if I were a murderer. "Even if you hate Molly, you can't do something this cruel to her! If anything happens to her, I won't forgive you!" Jenny leaned against the doorframe, tears streaming down her face. "Cassandra, I know you blame me, but Molly is innocent. If you hate me, come after me." Gavin bent down to examine her. "She has acute epiglottic edema. If we had been ten minutes later, her airway would've been blocked, and she would have stopped breathing!" He shoved past me and rushed into Miley's room like a madman. "The epinephrine spray we prepared for Miley two years ago is in here! Find it!" Mom and Dad rushed in after him. They immediately overturned Miley's small desk. I tried to stop them, but Jenny grabbed my arm. Then, I heard her soft, indifferent voice. "Cassandra, you can't keep living in the past. Miley's been gone for two years. You need to learn to accept it. What's gone is gone." I watched helplessly as they tore apart the swaddling cloth I had sewn by hand. Then, they ripped Miley's death certificate. Finally, Gavin yanked open the cabinet door and pulled out the metal box I had hidden inside, holding it high in the air. "Don't touch that!" I screamed hoarsely. However, he didn't even look back at me. He simply smashed it onto the floor. A tiny ceramic pendant inside shattered. Miley's baby hair drifted out, only to be crushed beneath Gavin's foot. Then he yelled, "Found it!" Two years ago, he had held me as I cried. His eyes were red as he swore that he would spend the rest of his life protecting Miley with me. But now, he had crushed her beneath his feet to save his illegitimate daughter. Tara burst through the door, shouting, "I brought the car around! Quick! Get her to the hospital!" In the chaos, everyone rushed outside, carrying the baby, who had finally recovered enough to breathe. None of them spared me a glance. I walked through the shattered glass and torn scraps of paper scattered across the floor and into Miley's room. I stared at the pile of ruined keepsakes and finally fell to my knees. I sobbed my heart out. But suddenly, I felt a crushing pain twisting through my lower abdomen. And something warm trickled down my legs. With trembling hands, I called Gavin. I said, "My stomach hurts. Could you take me to the hospital?" There was a commotion in the background, and he sounded very impatient as he said, "Molly just fell asleep. Can you stop trying to fight for attention? Cassandra, we don't have time to indulge you." Then, I called Mom. She answered and immediately yelled, "Enough already! Can't you call emergency services yourself? We don't have time for you!" I could faintly hear Tara's voice in the background. "The more you talk to her, the more she'll keep going. Look at her blowing spit bubbles! She's so cute!" Then, the line went dead. I sank down against the cold wall as my vision gradually faded to black. Before I lost consciousness, I saw my assistant, Phoebe Zeller, running toward me in a panic. Later, I woke up in the hospital. The nurse sighed. "The pregnancy was unstable, and we couldn't save the baby. We called your family members one by one. But they said I should tell you to stop pretending, and they refused to come." I nodded. I thought I would cry, but I was surprisingly calm. It felt like my heart had already been crushed to pieces. I felt empty. I asked Phoebe, "Why did you come here?" Her eyes welled up with tears. She answered, "They've gone too far. How could they leave you there all alone? I came to bring you some documents. The VP said you'll need these for the overseas assignment. Cassandra, why don't you rest for a few days before you leave? Are you sure your body can handle it?" Even an outsider cared enough about me. But none of the people closest to me did. "No," I said. "There's no need." … Third-Person POV Three days later, Molly was out of the observation period. Gavin, Jenny, and Tara happily headed home with Cassandra's parents, Daniel Thorne and Sarah Correa. When they arrived at the door, they found their luggage dumped outside, and a group of strangers inside the house. "Who are you? Where is Cassandra?" they asked. The real estate agent glanced back at them and replied, "Don't you know? Ms. Thorne hired me to sell the house. She said she was going abroad for work and gave me full authority to handle everything." Gavin's face instantly turned pale.