Chapter 2

Laughter drifted from the living room. I walked towards it, my suitcase still by the door. Ethan was on the sofa, a tiny bundle in his arms. Chloe sat beside him, pale but beaming, her hand on his arm. Eleanor and Richard were cooing over the baby. They looked up. Silence. Eleanor’s face, once warm, hardened. "Ava. You’re back." No surprise, no welcome. Richard just grunted, turning back to the infant. "What is this, Ethan?" I kept my voice even. He wouldn’t meet my eyes, his gaze fixed on the baby. "It’s a boy, Ava. Leo." Chloe smiled weakly. "Hello, Ava." So innocent. "Your career kept you busy, Ava," Eleanor said, her voice sharp. "You were never here. Ethan needed a family." This was my changed home, them celebrating their new unit, erasing me. Ethan finally looked at me, guilt and defensiveness warring on his face. "Chloe is sick, Ava. Terminally. This was her dying wish, to be a mother." He shifted the baby. "And I thought… after your… difficulties… this could be a way. Painless motherhood for you." Painless. The word was a slap. My miscarriage, the empty ache of infertility, he called it a difficulty. "She saved my life, Ava, years ago, pulled me from that car wreck. I owed her." This was his justification, his twisted logic. I remembered his promises after the miscarriage, "We'll get through this, Ava. It's us against the world." Now, it was him and them against me. Chloe coughed, a delicate, attention-grabbing sound. "I never meant to cause trouble. We can all be a family." Ethan nodded eagerly. "Yes. There’s a baby shower next week. Everyone will be there. You can be there, Ava. As his mother. If you cooperate." An ultimatum dressed as an offer. I looked at their expectant faces. "Okay," I said. "I’ll be there." He looked relieved. They all did. They didn’t see the ice in my eyes, the secret plan clicking into place.