Chapter 2

"Brenda, don't overthink this," Ainsley chimed in. "Lemuel was worried about you after the retrieval. You were so weak, and the process was complex, so he asked me to handle everything. I used my eggs as a backup to ensure success."

She glanced at Lemuel, feigning helplessness. "If you don't believe me, ask him."

Lemuel scratched his head, exasperated. "Brenda, really? Ainsley is my best friend. She saw how much pain the retrievals caused you and offered to help. This is for your benefit. If you've got a problem, talk to me. Why take it out on her?"

He sounded justified, as if his logic was airtight.

I stood frozen, staring back at the man I'd loved for three years. Whenever Ainsley was involved, he'd take her side without question.

The onlookers began whispering.

"Sounds like she can't have kids and is too proud to admit it."

"The doctor is trying to help, but she doesn't appreciate it."

"Typical rich-family drama. She is jealous of her husband's closeness to someone else."

Ignoring them, I fixed my tear-filled eyes on Ainsley. "Helping? Using your eggs with Lemuel's behind my back. That's your idea of help?"

...

I was healthy, with perfect medical stats. Doctors confirmed I had a high chance of natural conception.

It was Lemuel's mother, Julie Hanson, who insisted on IVF, hoping to get a grandson. Lemuel was equally obsessed with continuing the family line.

I'd only agreed to stop their relentless nagging. I never imagined it was a setup.

I turned to the head nurse. "I want to see all my medical records."

The nurse, regretting her slip, hesitated. "Ma'am, patient files are confidential. Besides, Mr. Hanson signed the embryo transfer proxy form on your behalf."

"I'm the patient!" I snapped. "I didn't authorize anyone. Is this how your approval process works, riddled with loopholes?"

My question left her speechless.

Ainsley, seeing the standoff, choked up dramatically. "Brenda, don't make this hard for her. It's my fault for taking this on."

She wiped her tears, glancing pitifully at Lemuel.

I glared at her, itching to tear through her act. "Fine! Destroy your embryos right now."

Regardless of the public occasion, she sobbed harder, throwing herself into Lemuel's arms. "Lemuel, let's just drop it. Destroy those embryos."

She clutched her chest, as if on the verge of fainting. Lemuel pulled her closer, raising his voice. "Ignore her. Brenda is just stressed out and overreacting. Don't take it personally."

He dismissed my protest as irrational. Bolstered by his support, Ainsley cried harder. "Lemuel is just looking out for me. They're his kids either way. Why are you so aggressive?"

Her words implied an inappropriate bond with Lemuel to everyone watching.