Chapter 10: The First Warning Sign
I stared at the medical file until the words blurred.
Six months earlier.
The same day my mother hugged me in the kitchen and cried tears of happiness when I told her I was having a baby girl.
The same day she said, “I finally get the granddaughter I always dreamed of.””
Now I wondered if those tears had ever been real.
The doctor sat beside my bed.
“We reviewed your previous prenatal records carefully.””
Ethan moved closer.
“What did you find?””
The doctor opened another page.
“Your blood work from your first trimester showed unusual levels that were later corrected.””
I frowned.
“Corrected?””
“Yes. Your body naturally recovered after the source was removed.””
I looked at her.
“What source?””
The doctor hesitated.
“A supplement.””
My stomach tightened.
“The vitamins?””
She nodded.
“We tested the remaining sample your family provided. It wasn’t a standard prenatal supplement.””
Ethan’s expression changed.
“Who provided it?””
I swallowed.
“My mother.””
The room went quiet.
The doctor continued.
“The amount wasn’t immediately life-threatening. That appears intentional.””
Intentional.
That word stayed in my mind.
Someone didn’t want a sudden emergency.
Someone wanted a slow problem.
Someone wanted nobody to notice.
“What would it have done?”” I asked.
The doctor looked at the file.
“Over time, it could have created complications.””
My hand moved protectively over my stomach.
“But my baby is okay?””
The doctor smiled softly.
“Your daughter is a fighter.””
A tear slipped down my cheek.
But the relief didn’t last.
Because now I understood.
The kick wasn’t the beginning.
It was the final step.
Someone had been testing how far they could go.
Later that afternoon, the detective returned.
He placed a folder on the table.
“We found the person who supplied the supplements.””
My heart raced.
“Who?””
The detective opened the folder.
“A private wellness company.””
Ethan frowned.
“Who owns it?””
The detective looked at me.
“Your mother.””
I felt numb.
My mother didn’t just recommend them.
She created the source.
“She owned the company?””
The detective nodded.
“It was registered under another name, but financial records connect her.””
I leaned back.
Everything I remembered suddenly looked different.
The homemade meals.
The vitamins.
The constant questions.
How I was sleeping.
How often the baby moved.
Whether I felt any pain.
She wasn’t caring for me.
She was collecting information.
The detective continued.
“We also found communication between your mother and Claire.””
He placed another document down.
Claire’s message appeared.
I don’t want to hurt Emma.
My chest tightened.
The detective pointed to the reply.
My mother’s response.
You’re not hurting her. You’re protecting what belongs to us.
I closed my eyes.
Claire was wrong.
My mother was worse.
She had convinced everyone they were victims.
She made them believe they were fighting for something stolen.
When really…
They were trying to steal from a baby.
That night, I finally slept.
For the first time in days.
But at 3:17 a.m., my hospital room door opened.
I woke instantly.
A figure stood in the doorway.
My heart jumped.
“Who’s there?””
The person stepped into the light.
It wasn’t my mother.
It wasn’t my father.
It was Claire.
Her eyes were red.
She looked terrified.
“Emma…”
I reached for the call button.
“Why are you here?””
She lifted both hands.
“I’m not here to hurt you.””
I didn’t believe her.
“You said that before.””
Tears filled her eyes.
“I need to tell you the truth.””
I stared at her.
“What truth?””
Claire looked toward the hallway.
Then whispered:
“Mom never told you what happened the night before the attack.””
My blood ran cold.
“What happened?””
May you like
Claire’s voice shook.
“She changed the plan.””
