Laughing wildly, my six-year-old nephew bounced on my stomach, yelling for the baby to hurry up. A sharp pain hit me all at once, and in that instant, my water broke. I looked to my MIL and SIL for help, but they just laughed harder. Shaking, I grabbed my phone to call my husband—then everything changed in a second.
Chapter 1: Ghosts in Sterling Manor
Sterling Manor stood majestically amidst the vibrant red maple forests of Berkshire like a fortress of grey stone. Inside, the scent of expensive scented candles mingled with the fragrance of sandalwood, creating a luxurious yet stifling atmosphere.
I, Sarah, was nine months pregnant. My heavy belly made every step difficult. In the Sterling family, I had always been considered an outsider, a “country girl” fortunate enough to marry Mark – the promising heir to the Sterling Global financial conglomerate.
“Sarah, you should get some exercise,” said Eleanor, my mother-in-law, as she sipped her Earl Grey tea. She wore an elegant silk dress, her face wrinkle-free, but her eyes were as cold as winter ice.
Beside her was Chloe, my sister-in-law. Chloe always looked at my belly with unspoken hatred. Her son, Leo – a mischievous and ill-mannered six-year-old – was running and jumping around the living room.
“Leo, come here and play with Aunt Sarah!” Chloe called out, her smile carrying a hidden meaning I didn’t immediately realize.
Chapter 2: The Devil’s Laughter
Leo lunged towards me. He showed no sign of stopping. “Come out, baby! Come out and play with me!”
Before I could react, Leo leaped onto the sofa and, taking a running start, jumped directly onto my stomach.
A terrible, sharp pain, like a red-hot iron rod piercing my uterus, sent me crashing to the ground. The pain choked me, my vision blurred. And immediately, I felt a stream of hot fluid gush out. My water had broken.
“Madam… Eleanor… Chloe… help me…” I whispered, clutching my stomach, sweating profusely. “The baby… it hurts so much…”
I looked up at the only two women in the room. I expected a panic, a call for help. But no.
Chloe looked down at me, then at her mother. They both suddenly burst into laughter. Their laughter echoed through the large room, shrill and dry like champagne popping at a funeral.
“Look, Mom, our ‘star’ is shattering,” Chloe said, pointing at me, still laughing.
Eleanor calmly took another sip of tea. “I told you, low-quality stuff doesn’t last long. Maybe even God knows this child doesn’t deserve the Sterling name.”
They weren’t just not helping. They were reveling in my pain. In their world, if I lost this baby, Chloe’s son – Leo – would be the sole heir to the $4 billion trust that Mark’s father had left behind.
Chapter 3: The Fate-Changing Call
I trembled, using my last ounce of strength to reach for the phone on the table. My hands were sticky with amniotic fluid and blood, but I managed to dial Mark’s number.
“Mark… save me…” I screamed into the phone the moment he answered.
Just then, Eleanor came over, intending to snatch the phone from me. But Mark’s actions on the other end of the line changed the atmosphere in an instant.
“Mom, Chloe,” Mark’s voice came through the speakerphone, but it wasn’t his usual worried tone. It was cold, powerful, and filled with disgust. “You two can stop laughing now. I’m seeing everything.”
Eleanor froze. Her face changed from triumphant to horrified. “Mark? What are you saying? Sarah fell, we were going to…”
“Don’t lie anymore!” Mark roared. “I installed an anonymous security camera system in the living room a month ago, as soon as I realized you two were plotting something against my wife. The entire scene – from Chloe instigating Leo to jump on Sarah to my mother’s insults – was streamed live to the local attorney’s office and police.”
Chloe’s face turned pale, and the phone in her hand dropped to the floor.
Chapter 4: The Climax – The Migration of Power
The sirens of ambulances and police cars blared from the mansion gate. Mark rushed into the room, scooping me up, his eyes filled with pain and rage.
“Sarah, hang in there. I’m here.”
He turned to look at his mother and sister. “Father’s will has a clause you two have forgotten. If any family member acts in a way that endangers the life of the direct heir, they will be completely stripped of their rights and immediately expelled from the family.”
Mark pulled out a black file. “This is the order to suspend all of Mother and Chloe’s personal accounts. From this moment on, you two have no money and are not allowed to set foot on any Sterling Global property.”
“You can’t do that to me!” Eleanor shrieked, her elegance gone, replaced by the appearance of a frightened old woman.
“I just did it,” Mark said coldly as the paramedics lifted me onto a stretcher.
Chapter 5: The Final Twist
As I lay in the ambulance, teetering between life and death, I grasped Mark’s hand. “Mark… the baby…”
Mark kissed my forehead, whispering, “It’ll be alright, honey. And there’s something I haven’t told you yet.”
He leaned closer to my ear: “Sarah, that $4 billion trust… actually, my father left it to you before he died. I’m just the temporary manager until the baby is born. My father has known what kind of people your mother and Chloe are for a long time. He trusts you more than his own flesh and blood.”
I was stunned. So, I was the true owner of this fortress. All my preparations, all my silent patience over the past year, had been rewarded with a truth that even those greedy people never expected.
Chapter 6: The Author’s Conclusion
The Sterling Mansion still stood there, but Eleanor and Chloe’s laughter had completely faded. They were led away in humiliation in the cold autumn night.
Three hours later, at the hospital, the cries of a newborn boy shattered the silence of the hallway. The child carries Sterling blood, but will grow up in a different world – a world devoid of the cruel conspiracies disguised as luxury.
My silence has ended. And today, the true reign of my child and I officially begins.
Author’s concluding remarks: The story concludes with a perfect purge. The climax lies in the contrast between the wicked laughter and the husband’s meticulous preparation. A practical lesson: Never underestimate those you consider weak, for they may hold the key to destroying your entire world.
