Chapter 11: Bitter Awakening

Three months ago, inside the quiet maternity ward of the hospital, Petra lay weakly on the hospital bed after hours of painful labor.

Her body felt exhausted, but the soft bundle in her arms filled her with a warmth she had never known before.

She held the baby carefully against her chest, her fingers gently touching his tiny cheeks while her eyes shone with pure love.

The little boy slept peacefully, unaware of the storm that had brought him into the world.

Petra smiled softly as she studied his face again and again, unable to believe that such a beautiful child had come from her.

“Look,” she said with excitement in her tired voice.

Pete was sitting at the edge of the hospital bed beside her, his posture stiff as he stared at the baby. Petra lifted the child slightly so he could see better.

“Our baby is adorable.”

Her voice carried pride and joy, the kind only a new mother could feel.

Pete forced a smile. It looked unnatural, like a mask he had quickly put on. He dropped his head for a moment as if thinking deeply before lifting it again to face her.

“Dear, I know childbirth was hard,” he said slowly.

His voice sounded calm, but there was distance in it.

“But I’ve been so busy lately. I can’t take care of you two. You’ll have to look after the child.”

The words landed heavily in the quiet room.

The bright smile on Petra’s face disappeared immediately. Her eyes widened as she stared at him, confused by what she had just heard.

“I’m the only one?” she asked.

Her voice trembled slightly.

Pete nodded without hesitation. “But I just gave birth,” she protested weakly.

Her body was still aching from the labor. Even sitting up in bed felt like a struggle.

Pete sighed as though the conversation was already tiring him.

“Dear, Zoe said it’s best for the mother to care for the child herself,” he said calmly.

He spoke like someone repeating advice he trusted completely. “Otherwise, it could affect the child’s early development. She’s my best friend,” Pete continued. “She’d never harm us.”

Petra blinked slowly.

Those words were enough to silence Petra.

At that time, she believed him.

She thought Pete was simply overwhelmed with work and responsibilities. She told herself it was normal for things to be difficult in the beginning.

So she swallowed her complaints.

For the sake of the baby, she stayed quiet.

Throughout the long weeks that followed, Petra struggled through the painful days of postpartum recovery while taking care of the baby alone. Every morning she woke up with soreness spreading through her body, but she pushed herself to stand up and attend to the child whenever he cried.

Nursing the baby was especially painful in the beginning. The first few times she tried, she nearly cried from the discomfort. Sweat would gather on her forehead while she held the baby close, forcing herself to endure it.

Sometimes she broke out in a cold sweat while feeding him. Sometimes tears quietly slipped down her face.

But even then, she never complained.

Because she believed the baby in her arms was her own flesh and blood. That belief made every sacrifice feel worthwhile.

She had no regrets.

Now, standing inside the mall, Petra slowly turned her head and looked at her brother.

Her face looked pale, her eyes red from the tears she had been holding back.

Then she slowly turned away again.

Her mind felt heavy with the truth she had just heard.

‘It turns out it wasn’t my child at all.’ The thought echoed painfully inside her heart.

Her lips trembled slightly as another whisper formed inside her mind.

‘I’d been kept in the dark the whole time like a fool, raising someone else’s child.’

The sobbing returned suddenly.

This time it came with more force.

Her body shook as the pain she had been holding inside finally overflowed.

Her grip tightened around the metal pole beside her as if she needed something to keep her standing.

Meanwhile, inside the boutique, Zoe walked casually toward another section of the store.

Her movements were relaxed, her confidence shining in every step she took.

“As the saying goes,” Zoe began with a playful tone. She slowly ran her fingers across a row of lingerie hanging neatly on the rack. “Wives may come and go,” she continued calmly, “but friends are forever.”

Her fingers stopped on one piece of lingerie.

It was dark red and delicate.

She pulled it from the rack and held it up to admire it.

“You can change wives,” Zoe added with a small smile, “but you never change friends.”

She turned around slowly and glanced at Pete with a seductive smile.

Pete returned the smile and nodded in agreement.

“It’s perfect,” Zoe said as she looked again at the dark red lingerie in her hands.

Her eyes gleamed with satisfaction.

“With my friend’s wife taking care of the baby, I can be a mom without raising the child myself.”

She tilted her head slightly. “Someday, the child will look after me.”

Not far away, Petra continued watching and listening.

Each word stabbed deeper into her heart.

Pete walked closer to Zoe until he stood right behind her.

Without hesitation, his hands stretched forward and wrapped around her waist, settling comfortably on her belly.

Zoe giggled softly.

Her body leaned back into his chest as if she belonged there.

“Sure,” Pete said gently.

He lowered his head and brushed his cheek lightly against hers. “Your only job is to stay beautiful.”

The two of them smiled at their reflection in the large mirror across from them.

From where Petra stood, she could see everything clearly.

The way Zoe leaned against Pete.

The way Pete held her.

The way they both looked at themselves proudly in the mirror.

Zoe’s body pressed closer to his.

Her hips shifted slightly, pushing backward against him while they stood there smiling like a newly married couple enjoying a quiet moment together.

Petra swallowed painfully.

Her chest tightened as the sight burned into her eyes.

Slowly, she lifted her hand and wiped away the tears running down her cheeks.

Her fingers trembled slightly. “Malcolm,” she called softly. Her voice sounded hoarse, almost broken. “Let’s go.”

Malcolm immediately stood up from the floor where he had been crouching beside her earlier.

His face was filled with anger as he glanced toward the couple inside the boutique.

“You’re letting them get away with it?” he asked sharply.

His hand lifted and pointed fiercely toward Pete and Zoe.

Petra turned her head slowly and looked back into the store one more time.

Her eyes settled on the two of them leaning against each other, laughing softly like lovers completely lost in their own world.

“What?” she said quietly.

Then the tears came again.

Her body trembled as another sob escaped her chest. But this time, there was something else mixed with the pain.

Something darker or even colder.

Her voice shook as she spoke again. “No way.”

She wiped her tears slowly. “Punishing them now would be far too easy. I want them to live a life worse than death!”Bottom of FormBottom of Form