Chapter 1

One week before our wedding, my future sister-in-law Sharon showed up at my doorstep with a massive baby bump.

She smiled smugly and said: "Jade, once you marry my brother Zach, you can help me raise your little nephew."

My future mother-in-law chimed in: "Jade, if it weren't for Sharon saving Zach when they were kids, Zach wouldn't even be alive today. You two owe her everything."

Zach added with a grin: "Babe, look how sweet my sister is. She knows you don't want to get pregnant right now, so she got pregnant herself to give us a baby!"

My dad was so furious at their shameless attempt to turn me into an unpaid nanny that his blood pressure spiked and he collapsed straight into the hospital.

Instead of feeling guilty, Zach's family sneered: "What does your dad's breakdown have to do with us? If you still want to marry our Zach, get over here right now and take care of Sharon and her baby."

Seeing their true repulsive colors, I gave a cold laugh: "Fine by me. The wedding is off, and you can all go to hell."

1

"Surprise, Jade!"

Looking at Sharon rubbing her huge belly right in front of me, my face turned pale.

Was this supposed to be a surprise?

Is this what the Evans family considered a treat?

To me, it felt like an absolute nightmare.

Remembering Sharon was already pushing forty, I cautiously helped her to the couch: "Sharon, what's going on here?"

I vaguely remembered seeing Zach's sister about six months ago, so she must have already been pregnant back then.

Honestly, having a second child at her age and financial status made no sense.

I always knew her family struggled financially with just one kid, so having another was purely reckless.

Zach had constantly sent her cash in the past.

I didn't say much while we were dating, but I never planned on letting him bankroll her entire life after marriage.

What baffled me most was why she chose to announce this right on our doorstep a week before the wedding.

Had they kept me in the dark on purpose all this time?

I stood there, completely stunned.

Even though our ceremony was next week, I had already considered Zach and his family as my own.

Seeing my bewildered expression, Sharon patted her stomach proudly: "The ultrasound confirmed it's a boy. In the future, he'll take care of you and Zach when you get old."

"Take care of us?"

I chuckled dryly.

Why would another woman's son be responsible for taking care of my retirement?

"Of course! You and Zach are going to raise him, so naturally, he'll support you both later on."

Sharon looked dead serious.

Realizing she wasn't joking at all, I let out an awkward laugh: "Sharon, didn't Zach tell you that I don't plan on having kids right now?"

"Besides, why on earth would I raise your child?"

Did I miss some weird family tradition here?

"Listen to yourself! What's with this 'yours' and 'mine'? Aren't we about to become one family?"

"Besides, you won't even have to go through labor! I'll be there to help you raise him, and all you have to do is take care of my postpartum recovery. I literally bore a child for you so you wouldn't have to suffer. You don't even need to thank me!"

Bore a child for me?

The more she spoke, the more twisted it sounded.

Is this child Zach's?

Did he and his sister―

A sudden shudder ran down my spine, terrified of where my thoughts were heading.

Seeing me freeze, Sharon put on a wounded expression: "Jade, are you saying you don't want to look after me? I did all this for your own good!"

"Didn't Zach tell you? If it weren't for me saving his life when we were kids, he would've been taken by traffickers and died long ago!"

She kept rambling on and on right in my ear.

Only then did the reality sink in: they wanted me to be her 24/7 postpartum maid and the financial sponsor for her kid.

Her ridiculous entitlement stemmed from one incident years ago when Zach almost got kidnapped as a boy, and she had screamed for the neighbors to rescue him.

What the hell did that have to do with me?

As an older sister, isn't saving your little brother basic human instinct?

"Jade, make sure you put in your paid time off at work early so you can nurse me after delivery."

"Giving birth at my age is dangerous and exhausting, so I'm counting on you to handle everything."

"Handle what for you? What kind of favors are you demanding from my daughter? Don't you have a husband, or is that bastard missing in action? Why are you dumping your responsibilities on my girl?"

My dad suddenly walked in through the front door, his face red with fury.

My mind was still spinning, but I rushed over to soothe him: "Dad, calm down. Please don't get worked up."