brutal clarity. There was no going back to the naive Kira who believed in love and family. That woman was dead, bur

I knew he' d attribute it to pregnancy fatigue. It was a useful shield. I allowed a faint tremor in my hand as I reached for my water glass, watching his eyes fo

have a big week ahead. The fundraiser, the... baby shower planning." He paused, a flicker of something unsettlin

. This game of deception had just begun, and they were all about to learn that I was no longer a pawn. I was the playe

arming the receptionist, asking the ultrasound technician detailed questions, his arm a constant, reassuring weigh

oice echoing in the sterile room. He gripped my hand, his thumb rubbing

. And the baby is growing perfectly." She gestured to the monitor, a blurry image of the tiny life within me. Cann

te couch, her usually vibrant hair a shocking shade of scarlet, her phone clutched in one hand, probably streaming some insipid content. She wore an imposs

ad across her face, a predatory glint in her gaze. She looked like she had jus

smile widened as she stood, sauntering towards us. Her eyes fl

ncern. She enveloped me in a hug that was more a triumphant squeeze, her eyes darting

e pulled away, were fixed on my stomach, then drifted to Cannon, a possessive gleam re

memory, sharp and unwelcome, pricked at my mind. Britni, years ago, in a hushed conversation with our parents, something about her "delicate condition," her "fragile health," her "inability to

ther, to carry a child. They needed a surrogate, a healthy womb. And I, the dependable, healthy, naive older sister, was the perfect candidate. I was not just a vessel for the campai

Britni! What are you doing here, sweetheart?" The endearment, so

th my health. Gotta stay in tip-top shape for all those... future responsibilities." She winked at him, a conspir

s was about them. All of them. They had painted me into a corner, used my love, my trust, my very body. They

and on my back, urging me forward. "Let' s get you home.

mpty of the burning rage that consumed me. "Yes,

us. "Poor Kira. Take care, sis. You know, it' s a big job, what yo

blazing inferno. They would regret this. Every single one of them. The naïve, loving Kira was d

nside my head, a whisper of steel. "They think they can play God with

queezed my hand, a small, proprietorial gesture. "Don' t worry, darling. Just a few more

d would be redefined. I was going to ensure that their "perfect family" would be rippe

d up at him, my eyes wide, seemingly vulnerable. "Can I... can I go visit Sarah this weekend? Just fo

f concern slipped for a fraction of a second, revealing the calculating politician beneat