My husband replaced the child I bore after a difficult labor with my sister’s. He simply uttered, dismissively, “If her posthumous child were a boy, it would be easier for her in her in-laws’ family.” When my sister posted a photo of my husband and my child on social media, I merely typed a single question mark in the comments. My husband immediately called, his voice laced with blame, “It’s just a child swap, do you have to make everyone miserable?!” My mother thrust my sister’s baby against my chest, demanding, “How could you be so heartless? Not even feeding the child!” When I fully awoke, I asked for a divorce, and that’s when they panicked… 1 When Leander walked in, the baby was crying. I sat comfortably on the sofa, watching TV, paying no mind to the fuss, not rushing to greet him as I used to. He clicked off the television. “The baby is crying so loudly, why aren’t you doing anything?” I lazily lifted my gaze to him, a faint, unreadable smile playing on my lips, saying nothing. Just then, the nanny, hearing the baby’s cries, hurried over to soothe him. The house fell silent, leaving only the sound of our breathing. Perhaps unnerved by my stare, Leander faltered first. He stepped forward, putting an arm around my shoulder, and gently swayed me. “Still mad?” I subtly pulled away from his touch. Leander sighed, helplessly dangling the bag he held in front of me. “Here, your sister asked me to bring this to you. She still cares about you, her little sister.” “And what you did on social media last time, she didn’t even blame you. You should really apologize to her first.” My attention fell on the bag in Leander’s hand. It was clearly a bowl of leftover meat congee, with sticky green onions clinging to the outside of the plastic container. The stale, cold smell of it wafted up. His words left me momentarily bewildered, then a sharp, mocking realization dawned. “She’s holding my child in her arms, and my husband is sitting beside her.” “And just for adding a question mark, I have to apologize to her?” At my blunt retort, Leander’s face flushed with sudden anger. “Amelia, she’s your sister, and I’ve explained the reason to you countless times!” “If you had an ounce of compassion, you wouldn’t make such a big deal out of this and upset everyone!” I stared at him, unblinking, my voice hoarse. “That’s my child, the one I gave birth to.” Leander snapped, “That’s my bloodline! I can give it to whoever I want to raise!” How utterly absurd. I couldn't help but laugh, though the tears streamed down my face even harder. That day, I had been alone in the hospital, enduring over ten hours of excruciating pain, to bring my child into the world. No one was by my side. When complications arose during labor, I even signed my own critical condition notice. My husband and my mother had been with my sister the entire time, never once appearing at my bedside. When I awoke after childbirth, the baby lying next to me wasn't mine. He had swapped my child, offering only a flippant explanation: “If her posthumous child were a boy, it would be easier for her in her in-laws’ family.” The most ridiculous part was that I, the birth mother, saw my child for the first time in my sister’s social media post. And I wasn’t even allowed to ask a single question? The thought of my child made my eyes burn with unshed tears. Seeing my distress, Leander’s tone softened. He whispered consolingly, “Audrey just lost her husband. Her mother-in-law has been desperate for her to leave an heir for their family. Your sister is already pitiful enough. If you compete with her for the child, how much harder would her life be?” “Besides, you and Audrey are twins. What difference does it make whose child it is? And I’m not prejudiced against girls…” Just then, my phone screen flashed with a message. It was from Audrey. She had set that family photo, the one with my husband and child, as her profile picture. “Baby says he’s hungry, wants chicken soup.” She’d accompanied it with a playful emoji, then a photo of the baby. Less than two seconds later, she immediately recalled it. “Oops, sorry Amy, I looked at the wrong profile picture and sent it to you by mistake. You didn’t see it, did you?” 2 Leander and I, from dating to marriage, had always used matching couple profile pictures. So, the person she originally meant to send it to was none other than my husband? Seeing her profile picture of a family of three, it felt even more ironic. "Ding-dong!" Leander's phone screen also lit up. He eagerly opened it, his eyes alight with a smile as he read the message. I subtly curved my lips, watching him walk straight into the kitchen, packing up all the chicken soup the nanny had prepared for me. The nanny stood by, wanting to speak, but seeing my lack of reaction, she didn't interfere. Just before leaving, Leander seemed to suddenly remember me. He leaned down and placed a kiss on my forehead. "Amelia, darling... I have something urgent at the office. I need to go deal with it now." He left without a backward glance. I grabbed a tissue and vigorously wiped my forehead. He didn't have a habit of eating supper. It was truly pathetic that he could have just said he was going to Audrey, but instead chose to tell a flimsy, transparent lie to appease me. Twenty minutes later, Leander returned. He carried the chill of the night, snow still clinging to his overcoat. He poured out the now-cold chicken soup and offered it to me. "I don't eat supper. You drink this chicken soup. Don't prepare it for me in the future." I looked at the layer of congealed fat floating on the soup and, right in front of Leander, I spat. Leander, who had been distracted, finally noticed the soup had congealed from the cold. He then abruptly poured the chicken soup into the trash can. "It's cold, don't eat it!" With that, he turned and walked into the bedroom. I watched his retreating back, forcing down the bitter ache in my heart, a mocking smile playing inexplicably on my lips. Of course, I knew why he was so out of sorts. Just before he returned, Audrey had updated her social media: "It's not that I don't want to see you, but with so many shackles on me, how could I dare?" The accompanying picture was of a snowy night, a man holding a bag, leaning against a car. That man was my husband, who had rushed out enthusiastically only to return dejected. In the past, if something like this happened, I would have gone crazy, weeping, throwing tantrums, threatening to hang myself to get Leander's attention. But now, I was calmer than I ever thought possible. That night, I slept unusually soundly—until, in the dead of night, Leander's liquor-laced arms slithered around my neck. His hand naturally slid under my clothes, and he mumbled, "Amy, we haven't slept together in so long, you must miss me, right?" I slapped him. "I just finished my confinement period!" He paused, as if the alcohol was clearing from his head a little. "Can't we? You had a natural birth; aren't you supposed to recover quickly? Audrey had a C-section; she has a nasty scar. Why are you so delicate?" I was so angry I wanted to laugh. I had a difficult birth, a long incision below, and I was still bleeding, still trembling from the pain. And he called me delicate? I pushed him away, turned on the light, and stared at him. "I don't like the way you smell. Let's sleep in separate rooms." Proud as he was, he naturally slammed the door and left. That was Audrey's signature perfume; how could I not recognize it? Yet, I had been foolishly self-deceiving myself all this time, believing he loved me, believing his extraordinary care for Audrey was just him extending his love to my family. How intimate must they be for his body to carry her scent? During our recent struggle, a sharp pain shot through my lower body. I forced myself to move, enduring the agony, to the living room to find pain medication. Leander appeared behind me, I don't know when. "Why are you bleeding so much?!" He immediately scooped me into his arms. "I'm taking you to the hospital." I was startled, but too weak to struggle from the pain. I felt like I would faint at any moment. Leander drove incredibly fast. When we were still two kilometers from the hospital, Leander's phone rang with an urgent chime. He answered, his face twisting dramatically. He slammed on the brakes, speaking into the phone. "Don't cry! I'll be right there!" The car screeched to a halt. He got out, opened the passenger door, and said, "Audrey's in trouble. You go to the hospital by yourself first. I'll pick you up later." I was left abandoned on the road, alone in the dead of night. It was half past two in the morning, and snow was still falling. Just as I felt myself slipping into unconsciousness from the pain, someone took me to the hospital. By the time everything was handled and I returned home, dawn had already broken. "Why didn't you answer your phone? Who is he? Why did he bring you back?" 3 Leander glared at Aaron beside me, his eyes practically spitting fire. I turned to Aaron and thanked him. "Thank you for bringing me back. I'll treat you to dinner sometime." Aaron smiled in response, then shot Leander a deep look before leaving. I had no desire to deal with Leander, but he relentlessly followed me. "Do you know how worried I was when you wouldn't answer your phone and I couldn't find you?! Your recklessness has its limits…" Before he could finish, I turned and looked at him. "My phone was in your car." He had been too anxious to rush to Audrey, completely disregarding whether I had my phone or any money on me. "I left messages with the hospital security and front desk." If he had truly bothered to look for me, he wouldn't have failed to find me. Leander choked, speechless. I couldn't be bothered to see his reaction, so I walked straight to my bed and lay down. A moment later, Leander entered the bedroom with my phone. His tone was softer. "What do you want for breakfast? I'll cook for you." After a sleepless night, I was too exhausted to think straight, so I mumbled, "Congee, I guess." When I woke up, Leander walked eagerly towards me and took my hand. "Awake? Come, sit down. I'll get you some congee." But a long time passed, and he still hadn't moved. I turned my head to see him distracted by his phone, walking towards me with the bowl of congee inattentively. While replying to a message, he bumped into the table, and the steaming congee spilled onto my hand. I let out a muffled groan, rolling up my sleeve to reveal the already blistering skin. Yet he was still frantically wiping his phone screen, terrified of missing a message. I glanced at the familiar profile picture on his screen, then got up to run cold water over my hand. Hearing the running water, Leander finally put his phone away. Seeing my hand, he panicked, grabbing my wrist. "It's that bad? I'm so sorry, I wasn't paying attention." I pulled my hand back. "It's fine," I said flatly. Leander looked surprised. "Really fine?" I shook my head. "Mm-hmm." In the past, I had always been delicate, often clinging to him, playing up even the smallest injury for his sympathy, wanting him to comfort me. But now, I no longer cared about him. His comfort meant nothing to me. Leander, however, was clearly nervous. "It doesn't look good. I'll go buy some medicine for you. Wait at home; I'll be back soon." But I simply pulled open the drawer, took out the medicine, and applied it myself. The baby was crying again, and the nanny was soothing him. I sat quietly on the sofa. Two hours passed. I completely erased the last flicker of hope I had, born of indignation. I had already expected this outcome, so why had I dared to hope he would care? Just then, the lock on the front door turned. It was my mother, whom I hadn't seen in a long time. I forced a smile. "Mom, you're here…" Before I could finish, she raised her hand and slapped me. 4 "The baby's crying so desperately, how could you bear not to feed him? What kind of mother are you?!" I was about to speak when I saw Audrey and Leander behind my mother, and Audrey's mother-in-law, Mrs. Thompson, holding the baby. Without thinking, I walked over, my gaze hungry for the child. "Baby, let me hold the baby." Mrs. Thompson quickly stepped back. "Oh no, you can't! My grandson shouldn't be held by just anyone!" "I hear you're still bleeding from childbirth. That's bad luck, it'll bring bad fortune to my grandson." With that, she carried the baby around the house, looking around. "My, this villa is impressive, and a swimming pool too! Much better than our home was. My daughter-in-law is truly luckier than my son." Audrey stepped forward, grabbing my hand, a smile on her face. "Amy, I said I wanted to hold a full moon party for the baby, and Leander and Mom both said to have it here. It's spacious, it won't bother you, will it?" "But, it'll be perfect to celebrate with your baby at the same time." I trembled with rage, about to speak, but Leander pulled me away. He gripped my scalded hand tightly, oblivious to the pain he caused, forcing a tight, insincere smile. "I just realized Audrey and Mom were coming over after I left the house, so I went to pick them up." He then whispered in my ear, "Auntie Thompson is here, don't say anything out of line." At the same time, Mom walked up to me, her face displeased. "Amelia, if you mess things up for Audrey, don't you dare call me your mother ever again!" My eyes filled with tears. "Mom, that's my child. Can't I even look at her?" Mom, I'm your child too. Why do you only love Audrey and not me? "Go back to your room and see your baby. She's crying too loudly." Mom ignored my words, only showing impatience. Mrs. Thompson muttered behind her, "Girls just don't have good fortune. Her crying is so grating, like she's calling spirits. Boys are so much better." On the day of the full moon party, many relatives from our hometown arrived. I barely recognized any of them and couldn't be bothered to greet them. All I wanted was to catch a few more glimpses of my child. But Mrs. Thompson kept the baby tightly guarded, unwilling to let me even approach. Mom shoved the baby that wasn't mine into my arms. The child suckled forcefully, but I felt not a shred of maternal affection. Instead, a chill spread through me, pushing me to the brink of collapse. No matter how much I begged, she refused to let Audrey return my child. Leander and Audrey welcomed guests downstairs, acting like a loving couple. When Leander's colleagues came in, they repeatedly called Audrey "sister-in-law." Leander awkwardly cleared his throat, but didn't object. I stood behind them, watching coldly. He sensed my gaze and froze. But Audrey, swaying her hips, walked up to me, covering her mouth and laughing at Leander. "He actually mistook me for Amelia! Leander, do you often mistake me for my sister?" Soon, only a few close friends remained at the party, urging each other to play Truth or Dare. I was pulled to sit down with them. The bottle landed on Audrey. Everyone egged her on, and she, with an implied smirk, said, "I choose Truth." "What makes you feel happiest right now?" Audrey glanced at Leander and smiled. "Having the person who loves me and the person I love both by my side." Then it was my turn. Audrey chose for me. "Our Amy has never had any secrets since she was little, so it has to be Dare!" Everyone cheered. Audrey then sighed. "Seeing Amy and Leander reminds me of how they just got married, but now…" Then she let out a little giggle. "Never mind. How about Amy's dare is to reenact what happened when she was my bridesmaid at my wedding?" I clenched my fists, seeing the cruel amusement in her eyes. When Audrey got married, I was her bridesmaid and they threw me into the swimming pool. When I was pulled out, my makeup was completely smeared, my hair plastered to my face. I looked awful. Even now, I didn't want to recall it, yet they constantly brought it up as a funny story. Leander, lost in Audrey's face, chimed in, "Today's a happy day, a little reenactment won't hurt." His friends, already tipsy, paid no mind to my struggles and lifted me, chanting, "Into the water! Into the water!" "Splash!" I was thrown into the pool. The biting cold enveloped me. I choked on a mouthful of water, struggling frantically like a dog being toyed with. Everyone on the shore laughed. Leander stood beside Audrey, watching her laugh. I struggled to swim to the edge. Audrey, covering her mouth, giggled. "Amy didn't get out of the water that fast back then. No, that won't do, we have to do it again." With that, the group threw me back into the water. Again, peals of laughter. I refused to give up, still swimming hard to the edge. Audrey walked to me, pretending to pull me out, but then stumbled and fell into the pool herself. Leander immediately jumped into the water, pulled Audrey out, and looked at me with an expression that could have killed. Then he brutally pushed my head underwater. "How could you be so vicious? It was just a joke, and you actually pulled her into the water!" He was like a madman, pushing my head underwater again and again… I choked on water, slowly suffocating. I had no strength left to struggle, and my grip on him loosened. I slowly sank, blood now pooling beneath me, I don’t know when it started. Only when the pool turned a distinct red did someone finally gasp, "My God, she's bleeding! Stop it!"
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