Slumped on the carpet, trying to snatch a moment of peace, I suddenly heard a sweet, innocent voice: [I’ve done so much for Mommy to stay pretty! Having to be held by such a messy woman every day – who even considers *my* feelings?!] I jolted upright, looking at my son lying next to me, sucking on his hand. Just as I wondered if exhaustion was making me hallucinate, the voice came again: [What are you staring at?! So annoying! If it weren’t for you taking care of me fairly well, I would’ve found a way to get Daddy to kick you out ages ago!] I pinched myself hard. The sharp pain proved the voice wasn’t my imagination. While I was still trying to process what those two sentences meant, the doorbell rang. The next second, my best friend, Chloe, opened the door and walked right in. Seeing her carrying multiple bags of baby supplies, I instinctively said, “I told you we have everything at home, why are you wasting money again?!” Chloe set her bags down and walked straight to the bathroom, clearly familiar with the layout. “What’s wrong with me spending a little money on my godson? Don’t be mad, there’s a dessert I picked up for you in one of the bags!” That distraction pushed the strange incident to the back of my mind for a moment. I rummaged through a bag and found a Black Forest cake. Just as I settled onto the couch, I heard that voice again: [Mommy, come hold me! I want to smell Mommy’s nice scent so badly!] My hand, poised to open the dessert, froze. I watched Chloe emerge from the bathroom, stride quickly to my son, and scoop him into her arms. “Oh, my little angel! You’re such a good boy today! Come give godmommy some snuggles!” After Chloe rubbed her cheek against his, Leo giggled nonstop. At the same time, I heard an impressed sigh: [Mommy’s skin is so smooth! Ugh, if only I wasn’t worried about Mommy working too hard, I’d want to be with her every single day!] I had no idea why I was suddenly hearing these thoughts. But those repeated calls of “Mommy,” clearly not directed at me, stirred a lot of questions. With that premise, I looked at Chloe and Leo together, and that’s when I started to notice things were off. It seemed every time Chloe was around, my usually hard-to-soothe son would smile much more often. Was it a coincidence? Or was my baby, who was still in diapers, doing this on purpose? “Chloe, anyone would think Leo was *your* son. Every time you come over, he acts like an angel. If he were always this easy, I wouldn’t be this wrecked.” I said it as a joke. Because I was watching Chloe closely, I didn’t miss the fleeting look of smugness in her eyes. “Maya, you can’t say that! Taking care of a baby is definitely tough, but hasn’t Leo brought you a lot of joy and a sense of accomplishment too?” A soft, childish voice immediately chimed in: **[You’re just the nanny my Mommy and Daddy carefully picked out! Know your place! It’s your privilege to take care of me!]** Chloe was focused on playing with Leo and didn’t notice my face fall as I sank into thought. During my pregnancy, I was swamped with work, which affected my unborn baby. Leo was not only premature but also a high-needs baby. When he was uncomfortable, someone had to hold him constantly. The moment you put him down, he’d fuss and whine non-stop. Wet or soiled diapers had to be changed immediately. Even a slight delay would send him into a full-blown tantrum. When it was bad, he’d cry until he held his breath. Because of Leo’s special needs, I went through three nannies during my postpartum recovery. Everyone said it was my fault for not being careful during pregnancy, causing my baby so much suffering. I was overwhelmed with guilt, and a few months after Leo was born, I finally made a decision. I changed my life plans. I quit my job and became a stay-at-home mom. Now, Leo was eight months old. Even with a nanny’s help, I was physically and mentally exhausted. After less than half a year of childcare, I felt like I’d aged ten years. I had no energy for dieting, no desire to dress up. Seeing me so disheveled, Julian rarely spoke to me, except when it concerned Leo. I was frustrated and hurt. But I simply had no strength to argue with him. Five months of selfless care. My marriage was in a deadlock. My health was deteriorating. And now, I was being told Leo might not even be *my* son? Where was my baby then? What about all the suffering and exhaustion I’d endured these past few months?
I fingered the wrapper of the cupcake in my hand. My heart was a mix of complex emotions. Twenty minutes ago, Chloe was the person I was most grateful for after giving birth. If she hadn’t come to see me every now and then, Helped me with the baby, and listened to my complaints about life’s hardships, I probably would have had a breakdown already. But the child I had painstakingly cared for was calling *her* Mommy? It was absurd. Thinking about it, I suddenly laughed out loud. “What happy thoughts are you having? Share them with me!” Chloe, with a smile playing on her lips, looked up. Our eyes met. Because of the doubts swirling in my mind, I scrutinizingly looked at Chloe and was stunned. I’d always known Chloe was attractive. But I only just realized. At some point, she had acquired an undeniable allure, a radiant glow I couldn’t quite place. I remembered Chloe saying she had been away for training during my pregnancy. I remembered that when Leo was a few months old, Chloe, who seemed a little fuller than I remembered, finally reappeared. Despite my unwillingness to admit it, the answer was already obvious. For a moment, I felt unsteady. “What are you spacing out about? You haven’t gone crazy from taking care of the baby, have you?” Chloe casually placed Leo onto the carpet. My gaze followed, and I instinctively held my breath. But Leo just started playing happily by himself. Completely different from his usual behavior, where he’d scream for at least ten minutes after being put down. I took a deep breath, and a wave of helplessness washed over me. The difference in treatment was so obvious. Why hadn’t I noticed it before? “Maya, what’s wrong? I’ve been talking to you for ages, why aren’t you responding?” There were still many unanswered questions, and I couldn’t alert her yet. I came up with a casual excuse to brush it off. Then I asked Chloe if she had time tomorrow. “If you need help with anything, you don’t need to be formal with me!” Seeing Chloe feign anger, I offered an apologetic smile. “My heart hasn’t been feeling right these past few days, and I want to get it checked out at the hospital. If you have time, could you watch Leo for me? I don’t trust the nanny to be alone with him.” Though I was almost certain, I still needed concrete results before deciding my next move. Until then, I couldn’t fully let go of Leo. So, if I left the house, I needed someone to watch him. My parents were traveling out of town these days. My in-laws had always held a grudge against me because of Leo’s health issues. To avoid arguments, unless Julian was home, we hadn’t even seen each other for months. And if Chloe really was Leo’s biological mother, Then she was undoubtedly the best person to care for him. Fortunately, Chloe agreed without hesitation. I’d seen online what you needed for a DNA testing. While chatting with Chloe, I pondered how I could get a sample from her. Suddenly, I remembered the diamond hairpin Chloe had complimented several times before. Chloe looked at me, confused, as I suddenly got up and walked to my walk-in closet. When I returned with a mirror, she asked, puzzled, “What are you doing?” I didn’t answer, just clipped the hairpin into her hair. Then I held up the mirror for her to see. “Don’t you like these hairpins? My hair has been falling out so much, I might never get to wear them again. It’d be a waste not to give them to you!” In the mirror, Chloe unconsciously touched her hair. A smile on her face, she retorted, “Your hair will grow back. Giving me such expensive hairpins, you’d be losing out!” I pretended the hairpin wasn’t placed right and used a little force to take it out. Chloe hissed, and I quickly apologized. “Oh, look at me! Holding the baby all the time has made my grip stronger! I accidentally pulled out a few of your hairs. Don’t be mad!” I plucked off the few strands of hair caught in the hairpin and casually tossed them into the nearby trash can. Chloe rubbed the top of her head and laughed, “Mad about what! This is the price of beauty!”
Not long after Chloe left, looking pleased with herself wearing the five-figure hairpin, Leo, tired from playing, fell asleep. When the nanny wasn’t looking, I retrieved the hairs I’d thrown into the trash can earlier. Perhaps I’d pulled them quite hard, as nearly every strand had a follicle attached. I put them into a small bag and labeled it. I also pulled a few strands of my own hair and put them into another bag. Leo’s hair was too fine; I couldn’t tell if it had follicles. I would have to wait until he woke up, trim his nails, and put them with his hair. Julian, home from work, listened as I told him I was going to the hospital for a check-up. Unusually, he showed some concern. “If you’re really too tired, hire another nanny, or have both our moms take turns helping out. Don’t try to handle everything alone.” I took a sip of water, trying to hide the bitterness that rose in my chest after hearing his words. If I hadn’t developed a strong will from my previous job, These past few months would have utterly destroyed my spirit. If not for that strange experience today, Suddenly hearing Julian’s comfort might have made me so emotional I’d burst into tears. But now, thinking of Leo calling him “Daddy” and Chloe “Mommy,” My heart was heavy. To avoid disturbing Julian’s sleep and affecting his work the next day, We had been sleeping in separate rooms since Leo was born. Because I said my heart wasn’t feeling well, Julian, for the first time, offered to take care of Leo for the night. The next morning, a refreshed Julian placed Leo in my arms. “This kid is really considerate. I told him he couldn’t throw tantrums at night, or Daddy wouldn’t have the energy for work the next day, and he really slept through the entire night!” I forced a smile, looking down to meet Leo’s wide-eyed gaze. Then, that voice appeared again: **[Of course, I’d be considerate to my Daddy! As for you, the nanny, I want to torment you! It’s all because of you that Mommy can’t live with us!]** Before the nanny could clean the room, I thoroughly searched every inch of where Julian had slept. Chloe arrived early. After I briefly explained a few things, I left the house alone. Breathing the fresh air outside, For a moment, I felt a little disoriented. How long had it been since I truly looked at the sky? How long had it been since I genuinely felt the sun on my skin? Just one baby. And I felt like I couldn’t even control my own life anymore. I knew a friend who worked at a DNA testing agency. To get the results as quickly as possible, I paid a little extra. Perhaps accustomed to my situation, My friend didn’t ask any questions. He personally oversaw the process with the samples. Learning that the results wouldn’t be ready until tomorrow at the earliest, I turned and went to the hospital. My heart really wasn’t feeling right. Over these past few months, the longest I’d slept was less than three hours. Anxiety, stress, huge clumps of hair falling out. Every day I woke up to the sound of my baby crying. My dreams were filled with his discontented wails. I couldn’t even imagine what I’d be like now if I didn’t have a nanny helping with the housework. And lending a hand when I couldn’t manage. “Your myocardial ischemia is quite serious. You need to adjust your routine immediately. If you let it continue, you’re at high risk of sudden death!” Back home, Chloe was holding Leo and watching TV. After I repeated what the doctor said, Chloe was silent for a long time. “Maya, let’s find someone else to help out. I’ll also come to visit you often. You can’t keep pushing yourself like this.”
When Julian returned, he held my diagnostic report and read it for a long time. Before bed, I heard him make a call to his mother, Mrs. Miller. The next morning, Mr. and Mrs. Miller, carrying their luggage, rang the doorbell. It wasn’t Julian’s time to leave for work yet, so he gave his parents many instructions. After Julian left, Mrs. Miller, for once, didn’t give me the cold shoulder. “Maya, go get some more sleep. Your dad and I have discussed it; we’ll help watch Leo this month. If you think we do a good job, we can continue. If you’re not satisfied, we can switch with your parents to help you. We’ll learn and improve together; we won’t let you bear this burden alone like before!” This entire morning, Leo was on his best behavior for his grandparents, just like he was with Chloe. While I caught up on sleep, he only cried once. Completely different from when I was taking care of him myself. While using the restroom, I overheard my in-laws talking in the study. “Our grandson isn’t as difficult as Maya makes him out to be. Don’t you think she just doesn’t know how to take care of a baby, which is why she’s so exhausted?” Mr. Miller told Mrs. Miller to say less, and since they were here, they should just help properly. But Mrs. Miller clearly wasn’t done talking. “Is her check-up report real? Our son isn’t being tricked by her, is he? Maya is ambitious, which is good, but if she’s playing tricks to get back to work, I won’t forgive her!” I quietly returned to my room. I picked up my phone, wanting to ask my friend when the DNA test results would be ready. As I was typing, my friend sent me a link: **[Maya, the baby isn’t yours, but he’s biologically related to the owners of the other two samples.]** My heart, which had been in my throat for over twenty hours, plummeted to my stomach. My hands trembling, I clicked the link. I read the conclusions of all three reports countless times. The names on the samples were my handwriting. And my friend had always been meticulous in his work since childhood. With him overseeing the entire process, there was no way the samples could have been mixed up. So, my husband of many years was actually involved with my best friend, whom I’d known since childhood. And I, like a fool, had given up my promising career. I sacrificed my health and well-being to raise *their* child! Where was *my* baby then? In the months I exhausted myself caring for Leo, was my child well-fed and warm? My child. Was she even alive? When grief reaches its peak, even tears are silent. I pounded my chest repeatedly, tears streaming down my face. After nearly half an hour of crying, I called a few friends. At the same time, I also called the police. When I came out of the room, Mrs. Miller, who had been about to say something upon seeing my swollen eyes, closed her mouth again. She shot a look at Mr. Miller. Then she sat next to me, holding Leo. “Maya, look how well-behaved Leo has been all morning. Come hold him.” The moment my eyes met Leo’s, his thoughts automatically echoed in my ears: **[If you dare touch me, I’ll scream my head off! I love seeing you helpless!]** I pretended to hear nothing, staring blankly into space. My friends arrived quickly. Seeing so many people suddenly show up, My in-laws were confused, but they still bustled about, pouring water for everyone. But when Julian, who should have been at the office, walked in, Mrs. Miller looked displeased. “Maya, it’s not a big deal. Why did you have to call Julian back at a time like this?” As she complained, someone else rang the doorbell. Upon seeing the police, everyone’s expressions varied, except for my friends. “Not only did you call all these people, but you also called the police. What are you trying to do?” Looking at Julian, his face filled with anger, I finally spoke, slowly and deliberately. “Where is my child? The child *I* gave birth to, where did you take her?!”
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