Chapter 1 I was five months pregnant when my birth parents finally found me and brought me home. The moment I stepped through the door, I heard a voice in my head. It was my baby's. Mom, this is a wolf’s den! They only brought you here so you can donate your bone marrow to their other daughter! My feet froze on the welcome mat. Just then, my birth mother came toward me, holding a glass of freshly squeezed juice. The baby’s voice screamed in my mind. Don’t drink that! She put something in it to make you miscarry! My birth father and a young man I assumed was my brother walked in from the other room. Run, Mom, run! the baby pleaded. They’re going to drag you to the hospital for testing! I’d just met these people. My baby, on the other hand, was a part of me. I trusted the voice. Without a second thought, I spun around and bolted. But as I sprinted across the street, a blinding pain shot through my abdomen. I stumbled, right into the path of a speeding truck. As my life faded, the last thing I heard was the cheerful, triumphant voice of my baby in my head. Hahaha, I finally got rid of you! I didn’t understand. Why would the baby I was so excited for want me dead? Then I blinked. My birth mother was standing in front of me, holding out the same glass of juice. As the baby’s voice screamed the same warnings in my head, I took the glass and drank it all. … The sweet and sour juice slid down my throat, the familiar taste slowly pulling me back from the phantom agony of being hit by a truck. A moment later, the frantic voice of my baby echoed in my ears. Mom, spit it out! It’s drugged! She’s trying to make you lose the baby! They don’t love you! They just want you for your bone marrow! Hearing that voice again sent a chill down my spine. The baby insisted the juice was poisoned, but as I cradled my stomach, I felt nothing wrong. My heart began to sink. In my previous life, I’d believed that voice without question. And it was true that my birth parents had mentioned going to the hospital for a compatibility test. I’d been terrified, and in my panic, I’d run straight to my death. This time, I needed to know the truth. Was the voice real? And why did my baby want me dead? My silence seemed to make my mother anxious. “I called your husband, David. He said apple juice was your favorite.” She looked worried. “You don’t like it?” Her concern felt genuine. I managed a small smile. “It’s delicious. I just drank a lot of water on the way over, so I’m a little full.” I glanced around the spacious living room. “Are Dad, my brother, and my sister not home?” A shadow crossed my mother’s face. “Your father and brother are on their way back now.” She sighed. “As for your sister… she’s sick. She’s in the hospital.” My blood ran cold. So that part was true. My sister really was sick. Chapter 2 A triumphant giggle echoed in my mind. What a dummy. I already told you your sister was sick. Hmph. You should always listen to your baby. The childish voice sounded like a demon whispering in my ear. I couldn’t help but shiver. My mother immediately steadied me. “What’s wrong? Are you not feeling well?” “Just a little tired from the walk over,” I explained, letting her guide me to the sofa. “I’ll be fine after I rest a bit.” She still hovered, her face etched with worry. Just then, the front door opened, and my father and brother walked in. The baby’s voice scoffed. Here they are. Two-faced hypocrites. They only care about your sister. They don’t give a damn about you. My pulse quickened. But then my brother, Liam, strode over to me, a warm, sunny smile on his face. His eyes were full of genuine concern. “Maya, what are you doing here already? I was supposed to come and pick you up.” My father stood beside him, his voice gentle. “You look a little pale. Are you feeling okay?” I was stunned. They were nothing like the monsters the baby described. An idea began to form in my mind. “I’m fine,” I said. “Are you guys heading to the hospital later?” My mother nodded. “Your sister… she’s very sick. She needs a bone marrow transplant. Your father and Liam are going to get tested for a match today.” The baby shrieked. Idiot! Run! They’re going to make you get tested too! With the baby’s scream, a sharp cramp twisted in my abdomen, and my heart began to pound. I doubled over, gasping. “Maya, what is it?” my mother cried, her face panicked. “Go start the car! We have to get her to the hospital! She’s pregnant, we can’t take any chances!” NO HOSPITAL! the voice screamed in my head. GO HOME! NOW! The sharpness of the voice was excruciating. I took a deep, shaky breath. “I’m not going to the hospital,” I gasped. “My apartment isn’t far. I just need to go home and rest.” As soon as the words left my mouth, the cramping began to ease. Before my parents could argue, Liam jumped in, his tone disapproving. “You live in that old walk-up without an elevator. And your husband’s job… he works a lot, right?” The baby sneered. See? They’re ashamed of you. They think you married a loser. But Liam continued, “I’m not trying to criticize him. I’m just worried about you being pregnant, climbing all those stairs, and having no one to look after you. Why don’t you stay here for a while? At least until after the baby is born. There’s plenty of room. David can move in too. We’re family. It’ll be nice to have everyone together.” A wave of warmth washed over me. But there was something I had to test. I insisted on going home. Chapter 3 My parents exchanged a look but didn’t argue further. Since they were heading to the hospital anyway, they offered to drop me off on the way. As the car neared my neighborhood, I spoke up suddenly. “Actually… I’d like to come with you. I want to see my sister.” Of course, they were thrilled. My mom even started saying she could make a doctor's appointment for me, get me a check-up while we were there. The baby’s voice exploded in a furious shriek. You LIED to me! Liars get PUNISHED! A firestorm erupted in my belly. Cold sweat beaded on my forehead. The baby was hurting me directly, just because I disobeyed. Was I carrying a baby, or a demon? The closer we got to the hospital, the worse the pain became, until it felt like my heart itself was being squeezed. I bit my lip to keep from screaming, my knuckles white as I gripped the car door. But the moment I forced myself to stand and walk to the door of my sister’s hospital room, the pain vanished. And the baby’s voice went completely silent. It was an eerie, unsettling quiet. My suspicions deepened. Inside the room, my mother took my hand. “Maya, this is your sister, Chloe.” Chloe was pale, propped up against the pillows in an oversized hospital gown. When my mother placed my hand in hers, a jolt of pure terror shot through me. It wasn't my fear. It was the baby's. He was terrified of my sister. I instinctively tried to pull my hand back, but Chloe gripped it tight. Her eyes met mine, and her voice was laced with a strange meaning. “Sister. We finally meet.” Then she looked at our parents. “Mom, Dad, did you bring her here to schedule the abortion?” My heart stopped. I yanked my hand away. “What are you talking about? Who said anything about an abortion?” I looked at them, my defenses flying up. Was the baby right all along? Was their kindness just an act to get me here? My mother frowned. “Chloe, what a terrible thing to say!” Chloe’s eyes filled with tears. “But isn’t that why you found her? To donate her bone marrow to me?” She turned to me, her voice syrupy sweet. “It’s for the best, sister. The baby is still small. You’re young. You can have another one after you save my life.” My father’s face darkened. “That’s enough!” he snapped. “Maya is pregnant. She will not be getting tested. Liam and I are getting tested today. If neither of us is a match, we will find another way.” Chloe began to sob quietly. “Then why did you even bother finding her? You already have me and Liam. You don’t need another kid.” As she wept, her head tilted, and I saw the back of her neck. It was covered in a raw, red rash, the skin peeling away to reveal weeping flesh that soaked through the collar of her gown. Chapter 4 My stomach churned at the sight. I clapped a hand over my mouth and ran out of the room. Once I was far down the hall, the baby’s voice returned. See? I was right. They just want you for your bone marrow. And you still dared to come here. I didn’t argue. But I was certain of one thing: my parents and brother had never intended for me to be a donor. Chloe, on the other hand… My gaze fell to my stomach. After a moment, I walked to the OB-GYN clinic and made an appointment for a prenatal check-up. The baby shrieked. Are you trying to get rid of me? Bad mommies get punished, you know! Instantly, my stomach felt like it was being twisted into knots, the pain even more intense than in the car. My legs gave out and I nearly collapsed. I grabbed a doctor’s arm, forcing the words from my throat. “Please… you have to help me. I need to know if my baby is healthy. I love my baby. I want him to be born safe and sound.” Oh. So you’re not getting rid of me. Good girl. As the voice faded, so did the pain. I was becoming more and more terrified of this thing inside me. The check-up was quick. The doctor confirmed it multiple times: the baby was perfectly healthy, growing right on schedule. I twisted the hem of my shirt. “But… if I were to terminate the pregnancy now…” The baby’s voice whispered, a chilling, ghostly sound in my mind. Mommy… you don’t really want to get rid of me, do you? A shiver went through me. I couldn’t say another word. I fled the doctor’s office in a panic. Sitting on a bench in the hallway, I debated telling my husband, David. This baby was terrifying. I couldn’t keep it. But would he even believe me? After thinking it over, I decided to post on a forum online. I typed out a desperate plea for help: I can hear my baby’s thoughts, but everything the voice says is the opposite of what’s really happening. What is going on? Replies came in quickly. I opened them with a flicker of hope, only to find a stream of mockery. People told me I had “pregnancy brain,” that I was having a psychotic break and needed to see a psychiatrist immediately. The more I read, the more frustrated I became. And with the frustration came another searing wave of pain in my stomach. I almost slid off the bench. The voice was back. Are you still secretly planning to get rid of me? My jaw clenched. With trembling hands, I typed a message to David, telling him everything—the voice, the pain, the manipulation. “David, I can’t have this baby!” After sending the text, I struggled to my feet, determined to go back and schedule the termination. Just then, a new notification popped up on my post. It was a long reply, three or four hundred words. As I read it, my blood ran cold. Then, everything clicked into place. I finally understood. Rage burned through me. I quickly deleted the message I’d sent to David. Looking down at my swollen belly, my face was a cold mask. “Don’t worry, sweetie,” I said, my voice dripping with ice. “Mommy is definitely going to see you’re born.” As I spoke the words, the agonizing pain that had been tormenting me finally began to fade.
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