After five years of marriage, the man I snatched from my stepsister’s hands was taken back by her. Everyone around me said I deserved it. They were childhood sweethearts, a perfect match, while I was just the other woman who came along later. The man I had schemed so hard to steal said my blood was too dirty to bear his children. Yet after I miscarried, he brought my pregnant stepsister to my door: “Didn’t you want a child? I’ll give you one.” I chose to take the money and leave. But he begged desperately: “You can have as many children as you want, even if they’re not mine.” After five years of marriage, I finally got pregnant with Gabriel and my first child. But it happened right after he reunited with his first love. I stared at the report in my hand, feeling dazed. Would Gabe welcome this child? “What are you looking at?” The bed dipped, and a familiar voice sounded near my ear. A warm arm wrapped around my waist. My heart tightened, and I quickly stuffed the report under my pillow. “Nothing, nothing.” Gabriel didn’t notice my unease and pulled me into his arms. “Did you miss me?” His thin lips pressed urgently against mine, passionate enough to make one want to drown in it. The next second, feeling the weight on my stomach, I suddenly woke up and struggled to move away. “No, Gabe, I’m not feeling well today.” Hearing this, Gabriel’s handsome face suddenly darkened, and he sprang away from me as if afraid of touching something dirty. “I thought your period wasn’t due for another two weeks. It’s half a month early this time, isn’t it?” If it were anyone else, hearing that their husband remembered their special time of the month would only feel sweet. But I knew Gabriel was afraid I might get pregnant with his child. “Gabe, actually I…” I tentatively began. Probably sensing something was off, Gabriel’s expression immediately turned serious. “You’ve been taking the morning-after pill every time, right?” His eyes were sharp, his gaze intense, his tone brooking no argument. “You know I don’t want children.” “Mm.” I hid my bitter smile and nodded in response, “Don’t worry, I always remember.” Seeing this, he finally seemed to relax. “Sophia, don’t forget how you became my wife.” “We agreed, just be content being Mrs. Young, and don’t even think about having children.” Gabriel tidied his clothes and left the room. The sound of the front door closing followed shortly after. I looked at the empty space beside me, my heart sinking deeper and deeper. Mrs. Young? I felt more like a bedmate for hire. Laughably, in these five years, we had never slept in the same bed. Every time Gabriel finished satisfying his desires, he’d leave with a reminder not to forget the pill. He gave me the status, position, and money of Mrs. Young. But when it came to children, he remained stubbornly opposed, not allowing for any deviation. Yet a month ago, I had secretly stopped taking the pills. And now I had this child. I used to think his opposition was simply because he disliked children. Until my phone lit up at that moment. The photo in the message shattered my illusions. It was an identical hospital report. Clinical diagnosis: 8 weeks pregnant Patient: Rachel Sullivan [Sophia, it’s time to return what you stole to its rightful owner.]
I had stolen Gabriel from Rachel. The golden boy of the Young family, the eldest daughter of the prestigious Sullivan family. They were the perfect match in everyone’s eyes. And I was just a lowly orphan adopted by the Sullivans. Back then, when Gabriel married me, Rachel went abroad to nurse her broken heart. People in our social circle gossiped endlessly about it. They said I had shamelessly schemed my way into Gabriel’s bed. That Gabriel had been forced to marry me against his will. And that was indeed the truth. Perhaps because of our inglorious beginning, I always felt insecure when facing Rachel. It seemed she could effortlessly take away everything I had. Ding— A new message notification. It was from Rachel again. In the photo, the man who had been kissing me half an hour ago was now lying with his eyes closed next to her. Rachel snuggled in his arms, mockingly smiling at me through the camera. [Gabe says he’s really looking forward to our baby’s birth.] So, Rachel’s child was acceptable? I suppressed the nausea in my chest and scrolled up through the messages. [Little sister, how does it feel to sleep alone in an empty bed?] [Gabe was so wild, he left hickeys all over my neck.] … [Gabe said he missed me so much.] The screen was full of taunting words and photos. They had been coming non-stop every day since Rachel returned. I had always known who Gabriel was spending his nights with recently. Counting the time, Rachel had been back for two months and was eight weeks pregnant. They really were like newlyweds after a long separation! I put down my phone. Once again, I tossed and turned, unable to sleep in the dead of night. When Gabriel pushed open the door in the morning, I was sitting on the couch in the living room. He looked up and met my gaze, his eyes flickering for a moment. “Why are you up so early?” “I had an urgent document to deal with last night, so I went back to the office.” I walked up to him, and a familiar scent wafted into my nose. “Gabe, will you stay with me tonight?” I hugged his waist tightly, burying my face in his chest. As if doing so could dispel the scent on him that didn’t belong to me. Gabriel froze for a moment, then raised his arms to hug me back. “Okay.” I savored the warmth of Gabriel’s embrace, greedily wanting more. He also didn’t push me away for a long time. Until a phone ring broke the silence. Rachel’s familiar voice came clearly from the other end of the phone, piercing and harsh. “Gabe, where are you? My stomach hurts so bad.” Hesitation flashed across Gabriel’s face, but he still hurriedly left. Before leaving, he looked back at my pale face. “If you’re not feeling well, call someone to take you to the hospital later.” “I’ll come back to stay with you tonight.” I nodded, not saying anything. Gabriel probably forgot. In my world, apart from him, there was no one else I could rely on. That night, I didn’t wait for Gabriel to return as promised. I only received new photos and messages on my phone. He had accompanied Rachel to the hospital for a prenatal check-up. [Gabe was so worried about me and the baby, the doctor said he’ll definitely be a good father.] In my memory, I was always waiting for him. Waiting for him to notice me. Waiting for him to come home. Waiting for him to fall in love with me. But it’s okay, I’m good at waiting. However, my child can’t be like me.
For the next three days, I didn’t see Gabriel. When it was time for the monthly Young family dinner, I had to go to the Young mansion alone. “Well, if it isn’t our high and mighty Mrs. Young?” As soon as I entered the main hall, Felix couldn’t help but mock me. “You’re alone today? Where’s my dear big brother?” The Young family usually treated me with disdain. When Gabriel was around, they would restrain themselves somewhat out of respect for him, not giving me too much trouble. Seeing me alone this time, they naturally couldn’t resist taunting me. Felix was Gabriel’s half-brother, and they had been rivals for a long time. In his eyes, I, the wife from a humble background, was Gabriel’s biggest flaw. Usually, when he lost out to Gabriel, he would come to pick on me. “Your brother is busy dealing with company matters. He’ll be here soon.” My calm response seemed to ignite a fire in Felix. He exploded instantly. “What do you mean?” “Don’t think you’re the CEO’s wife just because my brother became CEO. You’re nothing but a gold-digger who slept her way to the top. You can’t even compare to a single finger of Rachel’s!” Felix’s sudden outburst against his sister-in-law was far from a pleasant scene. With the Young family elders absent, the younger generation present merely watched disinterestedly. Waiting to see me make a fool of myself. But my expression remained unusually calm. I just found Felix’s anger rather amusing. An illegitimate son of a mistress, self-righteously calling me a gold-digger – it certainly fit the Young family’s style. I almost forgot, this one was also a loyal supporter of my stepsister. He hated Gabriel so much, yet still attacked me for him and Rachel. I wonder if he knows that his dear Rachel is about to give him a little nephew or niece. “That’s a question you should ask your brother, it has nothing to do with me.” My face was surprisingly calm, my attitude colder than usual. Felix was momentarily taken aback. In the past, when he said such things, I would usually look upset and then turn to Gabriel for help. “Without my brother around, you’re not even pretending anymore!” “I should let him see your true colors!” It was at this moment that Gabriel appeared. But he didn’t come alone. The handsome man and beautiful woman walked side by side, as if announcing something.
Seeing the newcomers, Felix forgot about taunting me and eagerly greeted her with a delighted expression. “Rachel, why didn’t you tell me you were back in the country?” Rachel, arm in arm with Gabriel, giggled in response, “I wanted to surprise you!” Gabriel stood beside them, his expression unreadable. The two feuding brothers, suddenly so cordial because of Rachel. Making my situation all the more awkward. The others looked at Gabriel and Rachel, then at me standing alone on the other side. Trying to find a trace of distress on my face. But they were disappointed. I ignored all of this, turning to find a seat at the dining table. The seating arrangement for Young family dinners was always fixed. Mr. and Mrs. Young sat in the middle, Felix and his mother to Mr. Young’s right, while Gabriel and I sat to Mrs. Young’s left. The rest were mostly the younger generation. The Young family didn’t have many relatives, but thanks to Mr. Young’s prolific nature, Gabriel had quite a few younger brothers and sisters. Apart from Felix and his mother who lived in the Young mansion, the others only came back for family dinners. With Rachel’s arrival, there was one seat short. Gabriel, accompanying her, didn’t rush to sit down. “Gabe, can I sit next to you?” As soon as Rachel spoke, all eyes at the table fell on me. Now there was only one empty seat left beside me, Rachel’s intention was clear. Felix was the first to chime in, “Sister-in-law, why don’t you give your seat to Rachel?” Hearing his tone that left no room for negotiation, I didn’t move. I was waiting, waiting for that person to make a decision. “Uncle Wang, add another chair next to me.” Gabriel finally spoke. The servant tactfully added a chair between me and Gabriel. The space was originally empty, so it didn’t affect much. If the rift between Gabriel and me was a crack, Rachel could easily slip into it. Rachel sat down, pressed close to Gabriel. The looks from others at the table towards me became even more contemptuous. I could probably guess what they were thinking. No doubt they thought I was willing to endure such humiliation just to keep my status as Mrs. Young. But what I cared about was never the seating arrangement at the dinner table. The year I first arrived at the Sullivan house, I was ten years old. At a similar dinner table, I was isolated to one side. Rachel threw a tantrum, yelling that I didn’t deserve to eat at the table. At that time, it was Gabriel who spoke up for me. “Your name is Sophia, right?” “I’m Gabriel.” Fifteen-year-old Gabriel was like a ray of sunshine, illuminating my gloomy world. He asked someone to add a chair for me, let me sit beside him, and slowly taught me table manners. And now, he had become the one who embarrassed me the most. “Gabe, can you move that plate of shrimp away? The smell is making me feel sick.” Rachel’s delicate voice pulled me back from my memories. She covered her nose and mouth, half-leaning on Gabriel. As she spoke, her glance towards me was full of provocation. Everyone present was shrewd enough to see through Rachel’s intention. They casually swept their gazes over Rachel’s belly. Gabriel’s brows furrowed slightly, “Uncle Wang, please remove the shrimp.” “Oh no, brother, Sophia loves shrimp the most. She’ll be upset if you do this.” Apparently, someone decided to pour salt on the wound. Felix put on a show of standing up for me. I continued eating, not looking up, “It’s fine, the smell is indeed a bit nauseating today.” I had smelled this scent on Gabriel many times before. I didn’t know what expression Gabriel had, but his words seemed to hide some guilt. As if he suddenly remembered the existence of his lawful wife. “Your sister-in-law hasn’t been feeling well lately, she can’t eat shrimp.” “Sister-in-law, you’re feeling nauseous and unwell, could it be that you’re pregnant?”
As soon as Felix finished speaking, the gazes on me suddenly became heavier. I slowly put down my chopsticks and looked straight into Felix’s eyes. “If you want to be an uncle, I’m afraid I can’t help you right now. Why don’t you ask your dear Rachel? She might have a solution.” Mrs. Young chimed in at the right moment, “You’ve been married for so long, it’s about time you had a child.” I wondered, if she knew that both Rachel and I were carrying children at this moment, what would her reaction be? Probably the same as Gabriel’s, thinking that the child of Miss Sullivan was more precious than the child of an orphan like me. “Everyone, I’m done eating. I’ll leave first.” I suppressed the nausea in my chest and stood up to leave the table. If I stayed for one more second, I was afraid I would really throw up. “Sophia, what are you upset about now?” Gabriel reached past Rachel and grabbed my arm, “Sit down, we’ll go home together later.” The familiar sensation on my arm involuntarily made me flash back to the photos on my phone. It was these same hands that had caressed Rachel’s body… The nausea intensified. I pulled away from Gabriel’s hand, “No need, you and your sister haven’t seen each other for a long time. I won’t interrupt your reunion.” “Sophia, you…” Gabriel wanted to follow, but was held back by Rachel beside him. “Gabe, I feel unwell.” Those five short words were enough to stop Gabriel from following me. I listened to the lively chatter resuming behind me as I walked out of the Young house, step by step, out of the cage I had schemed to put myself in. That night I had a dream. I dreamed of myself, Gabriel, and Rachel when we were young. I was like an ugly duckling hiding in a dark corner, peeking at the happiness of the prince and princess. But one day, I appeared in the prince’s eyes. That day, I accidentally witnessed Rachel confessing to Gabriel. Gabriel rejected her. He gently patted Rachel’s head, “Rachel, I only see you as a sister.” “I don’t want to be your sister!” “You’re lying! You weren’t like this before. It’s all because of Sophia! Ever since she came, you’ve changed!” Rachel screamed hysterically. I was surprised to hear my own name. The ripples in my heart gradually amplified. Would I be different to Gabriel? Perhaps it was greed at work, but I decided to confess. In the summer of my sixteenth year, I used up all the courage I had accumulated over the years to grasp at a possibility. “Gabriel, I like you.” I still remember clearly Gabriel’s expression after hearing this. He smiled at me, his eyes bright, “Sophia, you’re still young. Let’s talk about this when you grow up, okay?” When I was eighteen, Rachel said Gabriel had agreed to be with her. So, I waited until I was twenty-one. It was also that year when I learned Rachel was going to drug Gabriel to force him into marriage. I despicably schemed against them. I took Rachel’s place and slept with Gabriel. After that night, Gabriel’s look towards me changed completely. He said, “Sophia, how could you be so cheap?” But I had already grown up… Then came these five years after our marriage. I got my wish to stand by Gabriel’s side, even if I wasn’t the only one. At the same time, I completely lost the light I had longed for. Sometimes when he was in the mood, he would call me “Sophia” just like when I was sixteen. But more often, his eyes only held contempt when he looked at me. “Your blood is too dirty.” “I don’t want to have a child as shameless as you.” … I waited from the summer of my sixteenth year until I was twenty-six. And I finally got an answer. But it’s really so dirty! The next morning when I woke up from my dream, I opened my eyes to see Gabriel beside me. I didn’t wake him up, but got out of bed and left on my own. “Dr. Lewis, I’ve made my decision. Let’s schedule the abortion for today.”
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