Chapter 4

"Ethan, did Hope do her three-hour glucose test today? How were the results?"

When my mother-in-law Eleanor's voice came through the speaker, I felt like I was in a nightmare.

It wasn't Ethan who answered. Hope had grabbed his phone and turned on the speakerphone.

"Eleanor, it's me. Ethan is busy right now. The test is done, and everything is perfectly normal. Don't worry."

The tone on the other end of the line was incredibly warm.

"That's wonderful, dear. I mailed the organic prenatal supplements you wanted. They should arrive the day after tomorrow. Don't hesitate to ask if you need more."

"Thank you, Eleanor."

Ethan’s face turned green. He kept gesturing wildly for Hope to hang up, but she ignored him.

"Eleanor, there's something else. Ethan's... other one is here today."

Silence fell over the line.

Then, Eleanor let out a cold "Oh."

"Is Ethan there? Put him on."

Ethan snatched the phone, turned off the speaker, and walked to the corner. But the suite wasn't that big. I could hear every word.

"Mom, don't panic."

"Did you listen to a word I said? Didn't you say she wouldn't come?"

"It was an accident."

"Handle it quickly. Hope is far along now. She can't take any stress, remember that!"

"Mom, Chloe is pregnant too."

"We still don't even know if hers is a boy or a girl. Hope is confirmed to have a boy. The Sterling family hasn't had a male heir in three generations, Ethan. You need to know who is more important."

*Who is more important.*

His legal wife, seven months pregnant, had traveled halfway across the country, only to be dismissed as a "variable" that needed to be "handled."

Ethan hung up and turned around.

"Chloe, my mom..."

"How long has your mother known her?" I asked.

Ethan opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

Hope answered for him. "Two months. Ethan introduced us over FaceTime. Eleanor said I have a sweet personality. She even sent me a thousand-dollar welcome gift."

She paused, then added, "A thousand dollars."

When Ethan and I got married, Eleanor's gift to me was a cheap set of dinnerware. She had even complained that our small backyard wedding was a waste of money.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

Ethan went to open it. A middle-aged woman in her late forties walked in, a designer purse draped over her arm.

She scanned the room, her eyes locking onto me.

"Are you the wife?"

Hope ran over and hugged her arm. "Mom, what are you doing here? I didn't call you."

"You posted that she was here! How could I not come? What if she gets violent and hurts you or the baby?" Brenda glared at me.

"Listen, young lady," Brenda said, stepping forward. "My daughter is carrying Ethan’s baby. Ethan’s mother has accepted it, and Ethan has accepted it. Making a scene won't benefit anyone."

Before I could speak, she pulled a red folder from her bag and shoved it into my hands.

"See for yourself."

I opened it. It was a pre-registration form for a birth certificate from the local hospital. Under *Father*: Ethan Sterling, with his social security number. Under *Mother*: Hope (Naomi).

"Ethan filed this himself last month. My daughter didn't force him," Brenda said triumphantly.

I remembered. Last month, Ethan told me his company was doing a team-building retreat.

I was at the clinic doing my own glucose test that day, and he had texted me: *You're doing great, babe.*

It turned out his "retreat" was a trip to sign a birth certificate pre-registration for another woman's child.

Brenda patted my hand condescendingly.

"If you're smart, we can sit down and negotiate. If you want to make trouble, let me tell you, my family isn't one to be messed with."

0