Everyone could hear my seven-year-old stepson’s thoughts—except me. At Thanksgiving dinner, I carefully removed the shellfish he was allergic to from his plate. He hung his head, shoulders slumped. [Grandma, I’m scared! Stepmom said I don’t deserve expensive food, but it smells so good!] My mother-in-law slammed the table, stood up, and slapped me. “You bitch! Is this how you treat my grandson?” Later, while pregnant and sick, I used an app to arrange a ride for Leo to school. He went down an hour early, crouching tearfully by the entrance. [I’ll be late… Is she sending that uncle who hates Dad again?] After that, I wasn’t just the “evil stepmother”—rumors spread that I was unfaithful. When my husband Daniel confronted me, I had no defense, hoping our baby would calm him. But Leo sighed from the corner. [How do I tell Dad the baby is the other uncle’s?] That broke Daniel. He dragged me to the rooftop and threw us both off. When I opened my eyes, I was back at Thanksgiving, my cheek still stinging. But this time—I could hear Leo too. 1. At the dinner table, my mother-in-law heaped a generous serving of roasted potatoes onto Leo’s plate, her voice thick with pity. “Leo, darling, you’ve gotten so thin again. Haven’t you been eating properly?” My sister-in-law, sitting beside her, chimed in with a saccharine smile, her eyes dripping with contempt. “Oh, Mom, can’t you see? It’s obvious someone with a wicked heart has been deliberately starving him.” The kitchen had been a sweltering furnace, but my heart felt like it was encased in a block of ice. The next second, Leo's thoughts flooded my mind, dripping with a carefully crafted, fake timidity. [I want to tell Grandma that I never get enough to eat. At night, when I’m hungry, I have to sneak sips of cold water to fill my stomach… But if Stepmom finds out, she’ll hit me again.] Leo timidly lowered his head, but I didn’t miss the flash of venom in his eyes. [Stepmom said the crab is too expensive, that I’m just a useless waste of money who doesn’t deserve it.] [But it smells so, so good… Maybe when she’s done eating, I can secretly lick the plate. She won’t find out, right?] In my past life, this was how he’d branded me the "evil stepmother." My mother-in-law had assaulted me in front of all our relatives, and when Daniel tried to defend me, she’d screamed him into silence. I had tried to explain over and over that Leo was allergic to shellfish, but no one listened. My mother-in-law even worked herself up into such a state she had to be hospitalized. Even Daniel had frowned, chiding me for arguing with his mother. And just like that, the labels “child abuser” and “disrespectful daughter-in-law” were permanently stuck to me. The tragic irony was that I genuinely believed I was the problem. I thought my communication skills were flawed, and I started obsessively rehearsing every word before I spoke, which eventually led to a spiral of severe depression and anxiety. Only now, reborn, did I understand. It was all Leo. He had been using his strange ability to manipulate everyone, to orchestrate my expulsion from this family. Just as his thought finished, my mother-in-law’s face flushed a deep crimson. “So that’s it! My son works himself to the bone to provide for this family, and you stay home abusing his child? Clara, he’s seven years old! Is your heart made of stone?” I immediately put on a wounded expression, shaking my head frantically. “Mom, how can you say that? Leo is allergic to shellfish! I was just looking out for his health!” A flicker of excitement crossed Leo’s face, and his inner voice became even more pathetic. [Why is Stepmom lying about my allergy? The doctor said I’m just underdeveloped because of long-term malnutrition!] My mother-in-law pounded the table, making the silverware jump. “He could eat anything when his real mother was around! The moment you show up, he’s suddenly allergic to this and that!” “Do you take us for fools? You think we can’t see through your disgusting little schemes?” My sister-in-law piled on. “Clara, ever since you married my brother, I’ve watched Leo get thinner and thinner. But you… you’ve put on a few pounds recently, haven’t you?” “And even if he is allergic, what’s the harm in a few bites? He’s a growing boy, he needs the nutrition!” I lowered my eyes, pretending to be convinced, and gave a small nod. “You’re right. Mom, you and Sarah know best. I wasn’t thinking clearly. You have more experience.” My mother-in-law snorted, then gestured for my sister-in-law to serve Leo. Sarah was quick, and in moments, a mountain of shrimp and crab meat was piled on Leo’s plate. He devoured it like a wolf, occasionally glancing up to shoot me a look of pure triumph. I pretended not to notice, my eyes fixed on the angry red welts beginning to bloom across his neck. “Eat up! They’ve starved my poor grandson to skin and bones!” my mother-in-law cooed. Sarah nodded, but as her gaze swept over Leo, she suddenly shrieked. “Leo, you’re having a reaction!” My mother-in-law’s first instinct was fury. “Oh, so now you’re worried about the cost too, are you?” She whipped her head around, her angry retort dying on her lips as she saw Leo clutching his throat, his face contorted in agony before he tipped backward out of his chair. 2. In the hospital room, the doctor’s voice was a low, angry reprimand. “How could you be so irresponsible? You knew the child had a severe shellfish allergy and you let him eat that much? Another minute, and he would have been dead.” My mother-in-law puffed out her chest, trying to argue, but her bluster had deflated. “People get sick. It’s normal. Who’s to say it was the allergy that made him pass out?” “I think… I think you doctors did something to him!” “Mom! That’s enough!” Daniel’s voice was a low growl, his fists clenched so tight his knuckles were white. “If you had just listened to Clara for one second, would any of this have happened?” Looking at Leo’s pale, bloodless lips, a flicker of regret crossed my mother-in-law’s face. Then, she spun around and slapped Sarah hard across the cheek. “This is all your fault! You were the one saying a little bit wouldn’t hurt him!” “And look what happened! My grandson suffered because of you!” Sarah, stunned, cradled her stinging cheek. “Mom! It was you! You were the one who said he wasn't allergic, that it was just an excuse Clara made up because she’s cheap!” “You said, ‘a new wife means a new father,’ and that Leo was probably suffering in silence! How is this my fault?” “When did I ever say that? That was you!” They argued, their faces red, until their eyes fell simultaneously on Leo’s still form on the bed. Their expressions grew complicated. “It was Leo…” my mother-in-law murmured, her voice trembling. “Leo said… he said he was always hungry, that he had to do so many chores…” Sarah frowned, her tone uncertain. “He also said Clara was always yelling at him, and sometimes… sometimes hitting him.” They had believed Leo’s every word without question. After all, who would suspect a seven-year-old of such elaborate lies, especially when my position as a stepmother was already so precarious? But after witnessing the violent allergic reaction with their own eyes, a seed of doubt had been planted. I feigned a look of utter devastation, a bitter smile on my lips. “Leo has a sensitive stomach. The doctor told us he should only eat until he’s about seventy percent full. Any more is bad for him.” “As for chores, that was a ‘life skills’ assignment from his school. I would never force him to do heavy labor.” I wiped away a tear, my voice thick with false grief. “We’ve been married for a year. I’ve poured my heart and soul into caring for Leo, and to think he would spread such lies about me behind my back…” Sarah instinctively started to retort, “That’s impossible, Leo’s only seven, he wouldn’t…” But as she thought about it, she realized that every negative impression she had of me came directly from Leo’s thoughts. She had never actually seen me mistreat the boy herself. My mother-in-law’s face went pale. The same realization was dawning on her. Just then, Leo’s eyes fluttered open. Unaware that his scheme was unraveling, he immediately started projecting his thoughts. [Grandma, Aunt Sarah, I’m so scared… Is Stepmom going to yell at me again? I didn’t mean to have a reaction, I just wanted to eat something nice for once…] But this time, my mother-in-law and Sarah only offered a few half-hearted words of comfort. The pity in their eyes was gone, replaced by a sharp, probing scrutiny. Leo, confused by the change, looked crestfallen. But when his gaze landed on me, it was filled with pure, unadulterated hatred. I looked at him and almost laughed. A little bit of suspicion was nothing compared to the hell they’d put me through in my past life. My mother-in-law, embarrassed, stayed away for a long time. It was Sarah who came to me, offering a quiet apology. When she mentioned Leo, she hesitated. “Clara… from now on… you should probably keep a closer eye on Leo. I think there’s more going on in that little head of his than we realize.” Leo, too, seemed to have settled down. But I could see the darkness growing behind his mask of obedience. It wasn’t long before the familiar waves of nausea returned. I gently placed a hand on my still-flat stomach, my resolve hardening. “Don’t worry, little one. This time, Mommy will protect you.” One morning, the sickness was so bad I couldn’t get out of bed. Just like in my past life, I ordered a courier to take Leo to school. I knew his performance was about to begin. I took a walk around the complex and, sure enough, I found him in the community playground, putting on a show for a small crowd of neighbors. [I’m going to be late for school! But Stepmom gets so angry if you wake her up. She’ll hit me!] [When Dad’s not home, so many strange uncles come to visit.] [I wonder if the one taking me to school today is Stepmom’s favorite?] 3. Leo’s dramatic sobs quickly attracted a circle of concerned mothers from the neighborhood. He pretended not to see them, wiping away crocodile tears. [That uncle always says bad things about Dad. He said that when he and Stepmom get married, they’re going to send me away…] [If Dad knew, he would be so heartbroken, right?] Half an hour later, Daniel stormed through the front door, his face a thundercloud. “Where is he? Tell me where you’re hiding your lover!” I looked at him calmly. “I haven’t done anything like that. If you don’t believe me, you can check the security cameras.” Daniel let out a cold, humorless laugh and turned toward his office. “Fine. Let’s check. Let’s see just how much of a liar you are.” Just then, Leo’s thoughts, laced with panic, cut through the air. [No wonder Stepmom unplugged the cameras! She was afraid Dad would find out about the uncle!] Daniel froze, the disappointment in his eyes so thick it was almost tangible. “Clara, you really have thought of everything, haven’t you?” I didn’t argue. Instead, I called out toward the door. “Mrs. Peterson, Mrs. Gable, would you mind stepping in for a moment?” The women who had been comforting Leo filed into our apartment, their faces a mixture of curiosity and judgment. I led them into the office and pulled up the security system on the monitor. “Please, have a look. This is the footage from the last month. You can all see for yourselves whether I’ve been bringing strange men home.” Eight high-definition feeds played simultaneously, showing nothing but me. Me, waking up early to make Leo breakfast. Me, cleaning the house while he napped. Me, helping him with his homework at night. Occasionally, when the morning sickness was bad, the camera would catch me resting on the sofa for a few minutes. As they watched, the expressions on the women’s faces began to change. “Oh, Clara, dear, we are so sorry. We completely misunderstood.” “Look at this footage. You treat Leo so well. You spent two hours making him that special bone broth porridge, and he just knocked it over. Then he ran outside telling everyone you made him eat off the floor…” Leo, seeing his narrative crumble, panicked. He wasn’t done yet. [Is Stepmom doing this on purpose? She must have deleted the videos with the uncle in them and only kept the good ones to show everyone!] [Besides, this is all old footage! If she was really so nice to me, why would she make a strange man take me to school?] The flicker of doubt in Daniel’s eyes vanished, replaced by disgust. “A lie is still a lie. Why won’t you show us the recent footage? Are you afraid we’ll see that you’ve finally dropped the act?” I looked at his distrustful face, and the last shred of hope I had for him died. “The doctor said I’ve been overexerting myself. If I don’t get some bed rest, I could lose the baby.” The room fell silent. A hint of joy crept onto Daniel’s face. “You’re… you’re pregnant?” But before the news could sink in, Leo’s thoughts struck again. [No wonder that uncle brought Stepmom so many supplements yesterday! It’s because she’s having a baby!] [But the baby isn’t his, so why was he so happy? Why did he hug Stepmom’s tummy and say, ‘You have to grow up healthy and strong, little one’?] The color drained from Daniel’s face. His eyes were filled with a terrible, hollow despair. “Clara, I want you to swear to me. Swear that this child is mine.” “Of course I can!” I said, my voice choked with emotion. I raised my right hand, ready to make the oath. But Mrs. Peterson grabbed my arm, her face grim. “Clara! Don’t you be foolish just because you’re young. You don’t make oaths like that!” “What if it comes true one day? What will you do then?” The other women chimed in, a chorus of warnings, as if they had personally witnessed me in bed with this phantom lover. I tried to speak, to explain, but my voice was drowned out by their concerned shouting. Leo shot me a grin, a dark, triumphant smirk. I took a deep breath, ready to lay out the entire, ridiculous truth. But then, a familiar voice cut through the noise from behind me. “Clara, what’s going on here?” The next second, Leo’s thoughts exploded in my mind. [It’s him!] [No, it’s the baby’s real daddy!]
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