Mia and I both entered into strategic marriages with other wealthy families. But after the weddings, despite my perfect health, I couldn't get pregnant. Meanwhile, Mia, who had been diagnosed with an inhospitable womb, quickly had a daughter with her husband—a man notorious for severe male-factor infertility. Outside the delivery room, a private doctor mistook me for my adopted sister and offered a comforting smile. "Everyone's luck is different. Your sister has an incredible constitution, but you still have hope." I forced a smile and politely corrected him about my identity. The doctor’s eyes widened in disbelief. "Then why haven't you..." I was deeply stung. I assumed I just wasn't trying hard enough. I went home and rigorously managed my diet and fitness, pushing my body to the limit. I even took Mia's recommendation and started undergoing IVF treatments. Right after waking up from the procedure, cramping so badly I couldn't stand straight, my phone buzzed. Mia, whose first pregnancy was already deemed a medical miracle, was pregnant with her second child. ...... I stared at the text message on my phone, frozen in place. Envy and resentment washed over me like a suffocating tide. For some reason, my mind drifted back to the day I was brought home to my biological family. I was wearing faded, cheap clothes, looking entirely out of place in the sprawling Sterling estate. Mia, wearing a custom designer dress, showed no hostility in her eyes. Instead, she reached out and took my hand. "Sister, we're family now." My biological parents, their faces etched with guilt, sat me down. "Harper, Mom and Dad are so sorry. We promise to spend the rest of our lives making it up to you." "We've already arranged strategic marriages for both you and Mia. Take a look and see which family you prefer." Compared to living paycheck to paycheck as a wage slave for the rest of my life, an arranged marriage seemed like a small price to pay. I agreed without a second thought. A few days later, our pre-marital medical checkup results came back. The doctor's expression was grave. "Harper exercises regularly and is in peak physical health." "However, Mia... you have a congenitally weak reproductive system. Conceiving will be incredibly difficult for you." That night, Mia came to see me privately. "Harper, the Vance family is incredibly powerful, but Carter Vance has severe fertility issues. If you marry him, you'll definitely suffer the blame for not producing an heir." "But with my condition, if I marry into the Vance family and we can't conceive, neither of us can blame the other." I was deeply touched at the time, thinking this was terribly unfair to Mia. She just smiled, her voice soft. "I lived in the Sterling house for twenty years, enjoying everything that was rightfully yours. It's the least I can do." My parents urged me as well. "Harper, listen to Mia. The Vance family is too complicated." "You should marry into the Hayes family. Our families are on equal footing, and we know Ethan is a good man." At the time, I thought I had finally found my happily ever after. Not only did I have a family, but I also had a great marriage lined up. I had no idea it was the beginning of a nightmare. Ethan Hayes was indeed very good to me. He was honest, loyal, and accommodated my every need. But a year into our marriage, my stomach remained perfectly flat. In these high-society alliances, producing an heir is the absolute top priority. The already tense atmosphere in the house completely exploded the day we received the news of Mia's pregnancy. My mother-in-law went from polite and smiling to increasingly hostile. She muttered complaints all day long. "We bought a barren hen. If I had known, I would have had my son marry Mia. At least she could give me a grandson..." I was both furious and humiliated. Ethan immediately stepped in front of me, shielding me. "Mom, Harper is trying her best. You can't blame her if it hasn't happened yet. We can't rush this." My mother-in-law glared at me, raising her voice. "How can I not rush? Look at the Vances! They used to look down on Mia, but now that she's pregnant, the whole family treats her like royalty. Everyone says she's blessed with incredible luck. And look at our family..." Because of this, I cut out all my favorite foods. I worked out, tracked my sleep, and lived with a monk-like discipline that didn't belong in the 21st century. I didn't even dare use my regular skincare products, terrified that the chemicals might affect conception. Ethan and I went to the hospital for multiple extensive checkups. But the reports showed we were both perfectly healthy without a single issue. As for why I couldn't get pregnant, even the doctors couldn't explain it. My thoughts snapped back to the present. I tucked my medical file away and prepared to head home. A sudden gasp rang out, blocking my path. "Sister, are you here to visit me?" I looked up to see Mia wearing a loose, elegant maternity dress. One hand was carefully protecting her belly, while the other was tightly held by Carter Vance. Carter, who used to be arrogant and constantly spoke to Mia with cold disdain, now had eyes full of tenderness. "Walk slower, don't be in such a rush. What if you bump into something?" Mia smiled and patted his hand. "I'm fine, I'm not that fragile." Then, she turned to me, her eyes brimming with concern. "Harper, why are you at the hospital? Are you here for more tests?" I hid the IVF report behind my back, keeping my tone flat. "Yeah, just finished." Just then, our parents walked out of a nearby clinic room. Seeing me, their smiles stiffened for a second. Then, they immediately turned their doting attention back to Mia. "Mia, you're a mother of two now, you have to be careful with everything." Carter quickly spoke up, his tone respectful. "Mom, Dad, don't worry, I'll take good care of Mia. She's the hero of our entire family now." Ever since Mia helped Carter—who was practically sterile—have a daughter, her status in the Vance family skyrocketed. Mrs. Vance bragged to everyone in their social circle about Mia's "fertile aura," claiming her second child was guaranteed to be a boy. Even the Sterling family secured several lucrative business contracts riding on her coattails. My parents, who once felt deeply guilty toward me, now revolved their entire lives around Mia. My mom held Mia's hand, looking more satisfied by the second, showering her with praise. "Mia really is our lucky charm. You are the pride of the Sterling family." Saying that, she turned to me, her tone noticeably cooling. "Harper, how were the results? Still nothing?" My chest tightened. I gripped the medical file harder and whispered. "No." My mom frowned, her voice dripping with disappointment. "Look at you. You're so healthy, why can't you just get pregnant? Are you even trying?" My dad sighed heavily. "Harper, stop being so stubborn. Take care of your body. The Hayes family is waiting for a grandchild." Mia quickly played the peacemaker, grabbing my arm. "Oh right, Harper, did you drink that herbal remedy I sent you? It's really helpful for conception." Just hearing about that remedy sparked a fire in my gut. My tone was sharper than I intended. "I drank it. It didn't work." Not only did it not work, but it also caused a horrible breakout of cystic acne all over my face. I reached up and touched my cheek. The redness that had finally started to fade felt hot and inflamed again. Mia's smile deepened for a fraction of a second, before she feigned surprise. "How could that be? It worked wonders for me. It completely stabilized my pregnancy." I had zero patience for small talk, so I made an excuse and walked away. Without realizing it, I wandered over to the maternity ward nursery. I stopped in my tracks, looking through the glass at the tiny, pink newborns, my heart aching with envy. I had loved babies since I was a little girl. I thought they were the most beautiful things in the world. But now, it felt like I would never be able to have one of my own. "What are you doing?!" Suddenly, a shrill woman's voice pierced the air. A new mother in postpartum loungewear rushed over and shoved me hard, her eyes fierce. "Who are you? Are you trying to steal my baby?" I stumbled back, desperately trying to explain. "You're misunderstanding! I'm just a patient here for a checkup. I thought the babies were cute, so I was just looking." The woman shielded the glass, her gaze still vicious. "A patient? How do I know you're not faking it? What if you have some infectious disease and you give it to my kid?" "I don't!" I said, my voice shaking with panic. "You don't? Then show me your medical records!" The woman advanced on me, reaching out to snatch the file from my hand. I instinctively hid the papers behind my back, hesitating. The words IVF Report printed on the paper felt like a branding iron. I didn't want anyone to see it. Especially not in such a humiliating situation. I didn't want to be a laughingstock. But the more I dodged, the more certain the woman became that I was hiding something sinister. "What? Feeling guilty?" She sneered and lunged at me. She ripped the report right out of my hand. She quickly scanned the paper, then shouted to the growing crowd. "Everyone, look at this! This woman is doing IVF! She can't have her own kids, so she came here to steal mine! How creepy!" The surrounding crowd immediately cast bizarre looks my way. Some were curious, some were disgusted, and some were full of pity. Those stares felt like physical needles piercing my skin. I clenched my fists, my voice freezing over. "What kind of nonsense are you spewing?! If I wanted a child, I could adopt! Why on earth would I steal yours?" Just then, Mia and my parents hurried over. Mia held her belly, took in the situation, and her eyes darted around. She quickly stepped forward, gently pulling the woman's arm, and said softly. "Ma'am, please don't be angry. My sister has just been struggling to get pregnant and is very anxious. She saw how cute your baby was and couldn't help but look. She had no intention of stealing anyone." The woman looked me up and down, her tone even more disdainful. "Look at the acne all over her face. You can tell she's psychologically twisted and bitter. Someone like her, even if she could get pregnant, would be a terrible mother! Who knows what sick ideas she had in her head?" I was trembling with rage. I opened my mouth to tear into her, but my mom yanked me back. She frowned, her voice full of impatience. "Harper, you were the one at fault first. Stop causing trouble and making us a public joke." I looked at my mother in utter disbelief. I had just glanced through a window, and I was being humiliated and slandered. Yet my family didn't defend me; they thought I was the embarrassment. Mia quickly patted my back. "Sister, Mom is just looking out for you. Don't argue with her, it's not worth it." I looked at the cold expressions on my parents' faces, and then at the judging eyes of the crowd. All my grievance and anger were swallowed by a suffocating sense of powerlessness. I bit my lip, forcing my tears back down, turned on my heel, and walked away without another word. Just as I rounded the corner of the corridor, I heard a familiar voice. It was the new mother from a moment ago. Standing across from her was her husband. "Honey, I don't think that woman meant any harm. Weren't you a bit too harsh, poking right at her insecurities?" The woman stammered for a moment before finally confessing. "Actually, a pregnant woman named Sterling told me to do it. She said if I put on a good show, she'd pay me." "I just saw how hard you work and wanted to make some quick money for diapers." The man paused, shocked. "Aren't they family? Why would she do that?" The woman shook her head, quickly pulling her husband away, lowering her voice. "Keep it down! We got paid, that's all that matters." It felt like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over my head. I stood frozen, unable to process the shock. Mia. Why would she do this? Chapter 2 When I got home, Ethan was already waiting in the living room. Seeing my pale face, he quickly rushed over to support me. "You look awful, are you feeling sick?" "I'm sorry, work has been so crazy I haven't had time to go with you." I forced down the turmoil in my heart, shook my head, and squeezed out a smile. "I'm fine, just a little tired. The IVF went smoothly. The doctor said we'll do a follow-up in a week to see how things look." Ethan breathed a sigh of relief and helped me sit down. "That's good. Don't stress too much. No matter what the result is, I'm right here with you." My heart ached, but I didn't dare tell him about the nightmare at the hospital. Over the next few days, while resting my body, I couldn't stop replaying the past in my mind. The more I thought about it, the more twisted it all felt. Mia's concern over my pregnancy felt too deliberate. Too passionate. Ever since I got married, she frequently sent me obscure folk remedies, always adding a special note. "Harper, I had to pull a lot of strings to find this. It works miracles. I'm drinking it myself, you have to try it." Before, I was overflowing with gratitude, thinking she genuinely cared. But looking back, those remedies were bizarre. Some smelled putrid, others made my body run unnaturally hot. I only dared to drink one once before I couldn't stomach it anymore. But coincidentally, the day after I drank that potion, Mia announced her first pregnancy. At the time, I was genuinely thrilled for her. "Mia, your hard work finally paid off!" "But you're fragile, and the doctors said you're high-risk. Please be careful." Later, I found out Mia's daily routine was a mess. She stayed up late and did whatever she wanted. Yet, her pregnancy was unnaturally stable. There wasn't a single scare. And that was exactly the time I was driving myself crazy trying to conceive. Going to bed early, strict diets, daily workouts—and still, an empty womb. When Mia safely delivered her daughter, the Vance family rejoiced. I felt envious but bitter, and my anxiety pushed me to try IVF. But I never expected that right after my procedure... Mia, who hadn't even finished her postpartum recovery, announced she was pregnant again. The doctors explicitly said she had an inhospitable womb and severe fertility issues. Even if she conceived, miscarriage was highly likely. Yet she not only got pregnant on the first try, she got pregnant back-to-back. It was too much of a coincidence. Especially since every time I made a major move to get pregnant, she magically had good news. Was all of this really just luck? The week flew by. On the day of the follow-up, Ethan took time off work to go with me. But the doctor only sighed. "Mrs. Hayes, I'm very sorry, but the transfer wasn't successful." My eyes instantly reddened with tears. Right at that moment, my phone rang. It was my mother. "Harper! Great news! The doctors checked, and Mia is having a boy!" "The Vance family is going crazy with joy. Our family's luck is finally turning around!" Unable to bear it a second longer, I hung up on her. Ethan pulled me into his arms, comforting me softly. "You've tried your best. We can't force fate." I leaned against his chest, tears blurring my vision. My suspicions had grown into a roaring fire. It was all too coincidental. I drank her remedy, she got pregnant. I did IVF, she got pregnant with baby number two. My IVF failed, and she immediately found out she was having a boy.
? Continue the story here ?? ? Download the "MotoNovel" app ? search for "399247", and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel