Chapter 1
Chapter 1
16.20
My sister–in–law, Lydia, was diagnosed with a rare triple womb, sending our entire family into a frenzy of joyous celebration. My mother, delighted beyond words, exclaimed, “Three wombs? Perfect! She can deliver three strapping grandsons for me in one go!”
I urged Lydia to seek a second opinion from a specialist at a major hospital. The specialist’s diagnosis wat chilling: severe fetal deformities. A termination was imperative to save her life. But after Lydia recovered she was unable to conceive again.
She and my mother blamed me. “What triple womb? I say it’s just your own barren jealousy, because you can t bear children, and you envied my miraculous triple blessing.”
“The Vance family legacy is severed by your hand! How dare you still draw breath?!”
My mother and Lydia, in a sickening alliance, smothered me with pillows until I stopped breathing.
Then, my eyes snapped open. I was back. Back to the very day I suggested Lydia seek a second opinion at the hospital…
- 1.
“SLAP!” The moment my eyes opened, a stinging slap sent stars dancing across my vision. My mother, he face a mask of fury, jabbed a finger at me. “Clara Vance, you wretched girl! You insisted your sister–in–law’s triple womb would lead to deformities, urging her to visit some ominous clinic for a check–up! I say you’re utterly superfluous–a pointless waste of breath!”
“When I carried your brother and you, I never once saw a physician, and you both turned out perfectly healt hy!” she ranted. “I swear your intentions are malicious! You want the clinic’s ill fortune to curse away my precious grandsons…”
My cheek burned, but as I listened to Mother’s soul–crushing accusations, the truth slammed into me: I had been reborn. Back to the very day I suggested Lydia get a second opinion. My entire past life’s tragedy had begun on this exact day. I would not repeat that nightmare.
Swallowing the inferno of rage in my chest, I covered my stinging face, forcing a placating smile. “Mother, it you don’t want to go, then we won’t. Why get so upset? You’ll only harm yourself. I merely made a suggesti on; whether to go or not is entirely your decision.”
Lydia, hovering nearby, fanned the flames. “Now you’re worried about upsetting Mother? I say it’s just your own infertility, your burning envy that I’m carrying triplets. You, my dear sister–in–law, are nothing but a black hearted wretch.”
As expected, Mother’s dwindling anger flared anew. Her hand shot up, ready to strike me again. I knew Lydia s nature. Unless I showed her some ‘blood‘ today, this would never end. I feigned protest, truly surrendering. “Lydia, how can you say such a thing about me? Alright, then. To prove I’m not a black–hearted sister–in–law, I‘ Il transfer two thousand credits to you for the nephews‘ nutritional expenses.”
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The words barely left my lips before I swiftly transferred two thousand credits to Lydia via my comm–device. Compared to my life, two thousand credits were a paltry sum.
Lydia instantly accepted, her face blooming into a wide grin. “Oh, look at me, chattering nonsense! Our dear sister–in–law is certainly not black–hearted. You care for your nephews the most! From now on, their food, drink, and everything else will depend entirely on you.”
Mother lowered her arm, nodding vigorously. “You’re about to be an aunt! You’ll need to spend generously on your nephews.”
My sole desire was to put this behind me. Without another word, I just nodded and smiled, finding an excuse to leave. Stepping out the door, I overheard Lydia calling my brother, Marcus. She was excitedly planning a seafood lunch, mentioning rare Comb–Claw Crabs and Obsidian Dragon–Lobsters, and craving Black Ink Broth. Marcus asked if she’d won the lottery. She replied, “No, I just fleeced your soft–hearted sister.” Marcus roared with laughter on the other end, praising her cleverness and efficiency, and not forgetting to add two bowls of Sea Cucumber Porridge to the order.
Truly, my wonderful brother and sister–in–law!
In my previous life, even after that slap, I had insisted on taking Lydia to the hospital for a check–up. I promi- sed that if Mother agreed, I would cover all of Lydia’s pregnancy expenses. That’s what finally made Mother relent and Lydia’s heart waver. At the hospital, the specialist’s diagnosis was a rare triple womb. “This is a severe uterine malformation. You cannot sustain a pregnancy to term. Even if you conceive, you won’t be able to deliver, and it will endanger your life. You must undergo surgery immediately to save yourself.”
Lydia was terrified, trembling. “Then… can it be done today?” The specialist, intrigued by such a rare case, made an exception and scheduled the termination for her.
But who knew? When she recovered and returned home, she shifted all the blame onto me. “Mother, it was all Clara! She can’t conceive herself, and she was jealous I was carrying three, so she dragged me into that operating room! How could I, a pregnant woman, fight her?”
“Oh, my poor sons, boo hoo hoo… The doctor said this termination has damaged my womb, and I may never conceive again.”
Mother, hearing this, went utterly insane. Her eyes blazing, she lunged at me, grabbing a pillow and pressing it over my mouth. “A triple womb, so many would kill for! You insisted it would lead to deformities! I say you‘ re the deformity! I’ll smother you to death, you abomination!”
“The Vance family legacy is severed by your hand! How dare you still draw breath?!” Lydia also helped press down the pillow. “What uterine malformation? It’s just your own barren jealousy, because you can’t bear chil- dren, and you envied my miraculous triple blessing.” Together, the mother and daughter–in–law smothered me until I drew my last breath.
This time, I wouldn’t meddle in my birth family’s affairs. I would watch with cold detachment. Let’s see if Lydia’s triple womb can truly produce the heirs the Vance family so desperately craves.
- 2.
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That evening, just as I was about to go to bed, Mother’s call came through. The moment I answered, her
voice lashed out, raining curses upon me. “You wretched girl! What are your true intentions? You transfer money to your sister–in–law, letting her gorge herself on luxuries, and now she has a stomachache! Tomorr ow, you’ll buy her some bird’s nest and shark fin to nourish her”
I couldn’t help but sneer inwardly Bird’s nest and shark fin cure all ailments? In plain terms, it was just anot-
her excuse to bleed me dry.
My husband, Liam, drying his hair, chimed in. “Darling, why don’t I arrange for some bird’s nest and shark fin
tomorrow? You can deliver it to your sister–in–law.”
Looking at my considerate, understanding husband, I felt a pang of tears. In my previous life, after my death, Liam never remarried. He even often sent aid to my birth family, giving over half of his salary to Mother. But she still complained it wasn’t enough. Ultimately, to seize our home, she had Liam killed. Remembering Liam’s fate in my previous life, I shook my head. “No need. I’ll buy it myself.”
The next day, I barely stepped through the door, gift box in hand, when Mother’s feather duster swished tow- ards me. “You cursed wretch! A pregnant woman like your sister–in–law, going to a hospital, a place of death
and ill–omen?! Have you no fear? Are you trying to destroy the Vance family legacy?!”
I blocked Mother’s duster with the bird’s nest box. “Mother, look closely! This is bird’s nest. If you break it,
Lydia won’t be able to get her nourishment.”
From the bedroom, where she was secretly watching the commotion, Lydia heard this and immediately beg-
an to wail loudly. “Ow, ow, my stomach hurts so much! My three sons must not be getting enough nutrients; they must be craving bird’s nest!”
Mother, hearing this, immediately dropped the duster, snatched the bird’s nest, and rushed to the kitchen. “L- ydia, bear with it! Mother will stew the bird’s nest for you right away. My three precious grandsons must not
suffer!”
I handed the shark fin gift box to Lydia. Her complexion was rosy, her spirits high, not a single sign of illness
on her face.
Marcus emerged from the bedroom, yawning. He glanced at me, frowning in displeasure. “Clara, did you forget to buy me tea this time?”
I feigned a placating smile. “I was so preoccupied with Lydia! Next time, I’ll buy you two extra boxes as an apology!” After all, today’s bird’s nest and shark fin were bought from a bargain bin online store for a paltry sum. In the future, Marcus’s tea could also be purchased from a cheap online store. It shouldn’t cost much.
Lydia suddenly clutched her stomach. “Husband, it hurts so much.” Marcus quickly asked, “Why does it hurt again?” Lydia, with a straight face, replied, “Probably not enough nutrients. The boys want some premium
crab.”
I reminded her, “Lydia, pregnant women should limit their intake of rich, high–fat foods.” Lydia ignored me, simply clutching her stomach and wailing about the pain. Marcus quickly said, “Eat what you want! No restr ictions!” He then told me to go buy the crabs. Lydia, clutching her stomach, told me to buy a lot, at least ten
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pounds.
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Mother, in the kitchen, pretended to be deaf. Compared to my tragic end in the previous life, their petty sch- emes were child’s play to me. Since they were so eager to dig their own graves, I would gladly lend them a shovel. As I stepped out the door, Lydia’s triumphant voice floated from behind me. “Husband, aren’t I clev- er? Yesterday, the premium crab was too expensive for you, but today, your sister can buy it for us. What a brilliant wife you are! Ten pounds should last us two days.”
- 3.
After successfully fleecing me twice, Lydia became even more brazen. Every few days, she’d complain of weakness or pain. Mother doted on her, as if she were a goddess, indulging her every whim. Anything Lydia herself was too stingy to buy, she’d have Mother call me for: Marcus even occasionally sent me videos of Lydia’s bulging belly, bragging about his “sons” who were destined to inherit a fortune. In the videos, Lydia’s stomach was enormous, like a balloon inflated to its maximum. But based on her gestation, she should only have been four months along!
I couldn’t resist reminding Marcus. “Lydia’s belly is alarmingly large. Perhaps she should see a specialist?”
Marcus immediately exploded. “Clara Vance, what are your true intentions? With three sons inside, how could her belly not be big? I say it’s just your own inability to conceive, and your jealousy of Lydia’s triple blessing!”
Mother, stamping her foot, chimed in. “A big belly means my grandsons are growing well! If you dare mention sending your sister–in–law to a clinic again, to bring ill fortune, I’ll rip your tongue out!”
Lydia, enjoying her current life of endless indulgence, also told me to mind my own business. Even the Grim Reaper can’t stop someone determined to hasten their own demise. I stopped advising them.
When Lydia was five months pregnant, Mother called me in the middle of the night, weeping, claiming Lydia was threatening to jump from a window and begging me to rush back and help talk her down. I drove home to find Lydia standing by the window, a roasted drumstick in one hand, a can of soda in the other, eating and drinking. Seeing me push open the door, she tossed her food, feigned a jump, and wailed theatrically, “I can’t bear this life any longer. I might as well die…”
One look at her, and I knew she was up to her old tricks, plotting against me again. But what disturbed me more was her belly. What kind of monstrosity was she carrying?! Her stomach was grotesquely distended, forming three balloon–like lobes, her skin stretched thin and almost translucent. It wobbled from side to side with her movements, like a child’s sloshing toy, and I could hear liquid gurgling within.
Seeing me silently staring at Lydia’s belly, Mother delivered a sharp slap to the back of my head. “Don’t pret- end to be deaf and dumb! Hurry and talk some sense into your sister–in–law!”
I tore my gaze away and asked directly, “What do you want this time?”
Marcus rubbed his nose, a sheepish grin on his face. “It’s nothing major, really. Just wanted to discuss the matter of your three nephews‘ properties.”
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“My three nephews‘ properties?” I feigned confusion.
Mother cut Marcus off, earnestly advising me. “Your sister–in–law is carrying triplets, and they’re all boys! Don’t they each deserve their own house? Your father’s and mine, plus your brother’s and Lydia’s, and then yours–that makes exactly three! When do you have time to transfer your property into Lydia’s name, so she can rest easy during her pregnancy?”
“In the future, your nephews will remember your kindness and take care of you in your old age!”
“Sister, Lydia is carrying the future of the Vance lineage in her belly. There can be no mistakes! You mustn’t falter now, or you’ll be a sinner against our family!“,
Lydia pointed to her belly, utterly confident in her leverage. “Clara Vance, if you don’t agree, I’ll jump right now, and you’ll watch!”
I almost laughed with rage. In both this life and the last, they coveted my home. Remembering how, in my previous life, they had murdered my husband for it, I knew that if I refused today, they might plot something sinister against Liam and me.
“I have no objection to transferring the house to Lydia. After all, I don’t plan on having children, so it will all go to my nephews anyway.”
Mother and the others beamed, praising my understanding and sensibility. I sneered inwardly, my face betra- ying nothing. “It’s just that the house is shared marital property. I’ll need to discuss it with Liam. Rest assur- ed, I’ll work on him. The house will definitely go to my nephews.”
My words were perfectly reasonable, even Marcus nodded in agreement. “Right, right. You do a good job convincing your brother–in–law. We need to keep our wealth in the family.”
Lydia, slightly displeased I hadn’t immediately agreed, continued to demand more. “Clara, when your three nephews are born, you mustn’t be stingy.”
“You’ll need to give each of your nephews a gift of at least sixty–six thousand credits, won’t you?”
I almost rolled my eyes. But I readily agreed. “Fine!” As long as you can actually deliver them.
