Chapter 3

Sharon dragged me to the largest supermarket in the city, piling the shopping cart high with expensive, gourmet ingredients as if they were free.

I waved it off without a care and paid for everything. On the way home, I reminded her with a cheerful tone, "You’re carrying the golden blessed child, the pride of our family. Make sure Mom prepares all this properly for you."

Stuffing a spoonful of her dessert parfait into her mouth, Sharon nodded eagerly. "Don’t worry, Fiona. You’ll always be the family’s favorite. Even the little golden nephew wouldn’t dare outshine you!"

Under my and Mom’s dedicated care, Sharon’s belly swelled rapidly, as if inflated like a balloon.

Even my usually indifferent brother couldn’t help but comment when he saw her. "You and Fiona got pregnant around the same time, so how is your belly twice the size of hers?"

Sharon playfully smacked his arm, clearly annoyed. "I’m carrying the golden blessed child, while she’s carrying an ordinary baby. Of course, my belly is bigger."

She even shot me a disdainful look, rolling her eyes.

I pretended to be engrossed in my phone, biting back a smile.

“Your golden dream is about to shatter,” I thought.

Over the next few months, Sharon frequently suffered from unbearable abdominal pain, waking up in agony in the middle of the night. But this time, without my help, no one in the family was willing to take her to the hospital. She had no choice but to silently endure the pain.

As her due date approached, her belly grew so large it looked ready to burst.

Finally, panic set in. She came to me privately, pleading for help. "Fiona, please take me to the hospital for a check-up."

I lowered my gaze, my eyes scanning her frail frame and the overstretched skin of her massive belly, patterned with dark striations. My lips curled into a smile I couldn’t hide.

"Sharon, just look at your belly. It’s obvious you’re about to give birth to a golden blessed child. What’s there to worry about?"

Sharon glanced around to make sure no one was nearby before lightly tugging on my sleeve. "I know what you’re saying, but something feels off. Even if it’s a golden blessed child, it shouldn’t be this big. And my stomach hurts every day. You’re just as far along as I am. Do you feel this kind of pain?"

I gave her hand a playful pat. "That just proves how strong the little guy is! He’s probably kicking you so hard that it hurts!"

Sharon frowned slightly, her eyes darting back and forth before she leaned in with a sheepish smile. "Fiona, you know we’re both pregnant, but I’ve suffered so much more than you to bring this blessing to the family. Don’t you think you should consider helping me a little?"

Alarm bells went off in my head. I asked directly, "What exactly do you mean by that?"

Before she could answer, Mom walked out with a large bowl of supplements, thrusting it into Sharon’s arms before turning her attention to me.

"Fiona, you know how shy your sister-in-law is. We’ve been talking, and the house is just too small for everyone. You should speak to your in-laws and ask them to send more money so your brother and Sharon can buy a villa!"

She added quickly, "Of course, you’re my favorite. Once they move, we’ll give you the old house."

Sharon’s eyes reddened as she wiped away imaginary tears. "Fiona, I’m so jealous of you. Look how good Mom is to you. She’s willing to give up the old house without even a second thought."

My expression turned cold, but before I could refuse, a sudden streak of blood appeared beneath Sharon.

Her eyes widened in panic as she clutched my hand desperately. "Fiona, call an ambulance! My belly is too big for a natural birth. Come with me to the hospital!"

Seeing the blood, a sharp pain shot through my own stomach, leaving me breathless.

Despite the searing pain, my heart surged with joy—my daughter was finally coming back to me.

Steadying myself, I quickly called for an ambulance. Both Sharon and I were lifted onto stretchers and loaded into the vehicle.

As the ambulance sped off, my condition stabilized, but the blood beneath Sharon continued to pour, an alarming, unstoppable flow.

My mom didn’t spare me a single glance. Instead, she was nearly on her knees beside Sharon, sobbing hysterically. "You have to hold on! I can lose everything else, but not my precious grandson!"

The nurse, visibly startled by the size of Sharon’s belly, quickly grabbed an ultrasound machine to check.

The moment the machine touched Sharon’s stomach, the nurse’s face turned deathly pale.

It felt like an eternity before the nurse finally stammered, "Ma’am… your daughter-in-law’s baby…"