No Child, No Chains

One glance told me everything.

Aside from a thin layer of chicken fat floating on top, the soup was practically clear. The meat had probably already been sent to Jane.

I took the chicken soup, and under Declan's expectant gaze, I set it aside.

As expected, Declan got anxious. "Mom made the chicken soup herself. If you leave it much longer, it'll get cold. You should drink it while it's hot and not waste her effort."

"She still has the heart to care about me?"

I almost laughed, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

My mother-in-law, Irene Truman, had always disliked me for not being gentle and soft-spoken. She thought I was unfit to manage a household like a perfect daughter-in-law should.

She also looked down on my ordinary background. Both my parents were farmers in the countryside, completely incomparable to Jane, the daughter of war heroes.

Irene's favorite line had always been, "It was my mistake from the start. I should have matched Jane and Declan together. Oh, how I adore Jane... She's so much better than that stiff, unyielding Sierra Marks."

Even when Jane and I were both pregnant, Irene's eyes were only on her. Any good food in the house was immediately sent to Jane, and I was always left out.

Declan knew all of it.

He recalled Irene's attitude toward me, and I caught a flicker of guilt in his eyes. However, he quickly found his excuse.

"Sierra, that's just how she is. Mom has a sharp tongue but a soft heart. There's no way she would truly ignore our child. This soup was made from the old hen she raised herself, stewed for hours. Don't be upset with her, okay? After all, she's still my mother."

I did not say another word. As if I had been persuaded by him, I drank the chicken soup in one gulp.

Declan breathed a sigh of relief and left contentedly with the empty bowl.

I knew that bowl contained labor-inducing drugs. Before long, I pretended the medication was taking effect, clutching my belly and crying out in pain.

"Ouch! My stomach hurts so much! Am I going into labor? Honey, hurry and take me to the hospital!"

Declan and Jane exchanged glances, their faces full of joy.

She immediately put her hand on her belly too. "Declan, I think I'm going into labor too!"

"Perfect, Jane's in labor too. I'll take you both to the hospital right away!"

He hurriedly borrowed a car from the old commander next door and drove us both to the hospital.

By the time we arrived, Jane's water had already broken, soaking her clothes, and she was crying in agony.

"It hurts so much, Declan. Am I going to die?"

He picked her up tenderly in distress, telling me, "Jane's situation is more urgent. I'll take her to the emergency ward. Figure something out yourself!"

I rolled my eyes at his retreating figure and slowly walked into the private delivery room I had already arranged. Inside stood Albert Lloyd, the doctor Declan had secretly bribed to help with his scheme.

However, he did not know that just a few days ago, I had already approached Albert and offered him a far better deal.

I lay on the hospital bed for several hours, waiting patiently until the uninvited guest finally appeared.

Declan came in carrying a baby bundle. Seeing me with my eyes closed as if I were asleep, he tiptoed into the delivery room, heading straight for the 'child' lying beside me.

Just as he set the baby down and reached for the swaddle, I spoke up.

"Honey, what are you doing?"