Part 1My Husband’s Lingering Obsession

My husband died, but his voice didn’t. It started echoing in my head.

As I checked our bank account, he was gloating.

Heh. She’ll never guess I was reborn inside her own womb.

She wants my money? Dream on. I already transferred the cash and the house to Claire!

And I was smart enough to get a DNA test done with Claire’s kid. All she has to do is open my safe deposit box at the bank. The test will prove the kid is mine and entitle her to half my estate.

Then, when Sophia is giving birth to me, I’ll find a way to make sure she dies in childbirth. The rest of the money will come right back to me!

I’ll give it all to Claire, and our little family of three can finally be together!

* * *

When my husband, Marcus, died in an accident, I was so wracked with grief at the funeral that I collapsed.

After being rushed to the hospital, the doctor wouldn't let me leave.

"You're pregnant. Didn't you know?" she asked gently. "This level of stress is dangerous. If you want to keep this baby, you need to stay here on bed rest. Your pregnancy is extremely unstable right now."

I clutched my stomach in shock. Before I could even process the news, my mother-in-law was grabbing my hand, her face streaked with tears.

"Sophia, that baby is all we have left of our son. I'm begging you, you have to have this child."

"You just focus on giving birth," she pleaded. "We'll raise the baby for you. Boy or girl, it doesn't matter, they'll be the light of our lives. Please, Sophia. This is your mother asking you."

A storm of joy and sorrow washed over me. This was the last gift Marcus had left me. In a rush of emotion, I agreed.

But raising a child alone is expensive.

A week later, I was discharged. The first thing I did when I got home was check our bank accounts. My husband had earned a good salary for years; there should have been more than enough to raise our child.

But when I saw the balance, I had to rub my eyes in disbelief.

"How is there only three thousand dollars?"

My hand trembled as I scoured Marcus's phone, checking every app, every account. All told, it was less than five thousand.

I felt like I'd been struck by lightning. I had no idea what had happened, when suddenly, I heard Marcus’s sly voice in my head.

Heh. She’ll never guess I transferred the cash and the house to Claire!

My body went rigid.

Claire was with me for six years, never asking for money or a title. I couldn't let her down. Thank god I got all my affairs in order. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to rest in peace.

The condo at The Crestwood is prime real estate. After buying it for her, there was just enough left over to give her a nice little nest egg.

I slowly lowered my head, my gaze falling to my own stomach.

The voice was coming from inside me.

Could it be? Had he been reincarnated... in my womb?

To test this insane theory, I spoke aloud, my words a deliberate probe. "Marcus made fifteen thousand a month, and I make ten. We should have had at least three hundred thousand in savings. For there to be this little... did he cheat on me?"

! How did she guess so fast? I was so careful! She never suspected a thing!

My heart sank into a pit of ice. I had to accept the horrifying truth.

My husband of six years had been cheating on me. Based on what he said, the affair started almost as soon as we were married.

And I was actually planning on carrying his child to term. What a fool I'd been.

Once I calmed down, it didn't take long to find the digital breadcrumbs on his phone. The woman, Claire, was his mentee at work. She had even been to our house for dinner more than once.

They had been carrying on right under my nose. And now, the bastard had been reborn inside me.

The thought was so revolting I had to run to the bathroom and empty my stomach into the toilet.

Ugh, morning sickness. But it doesn't matter how sick she gets. She’ll have me. She’s always been so devoted to me.

Rage and grief churned inside me. I grabbed my coat, my keys, and drove straight to The Crestwood. On the way, I called my lawyer and had him pull every single one of Marcus's bank statements.

He thought he had everything arranged for his little mistress?

Whatever he arranged, I was going to tear it all down.