The tighter Denzel's grip became, the more fear surged through me, a relentless current pulling me toward a darkness I dared not face.

I shuddered to think of the hell that awaited me if I returned home with him—chains, a dog cage, a life severed from all social contact.

Would I even be considered human or just a prisoner in my own life?

Desperation lent me strength as I struggled against him, his grip only growing more frantic.

With one hand, he clamped over my mouth, the other viciously yanking at my hair, sending jolts of pain through my scalp.

In a moment of pure panic, I bit down hard on his hand and managed to scream, my voice a shattered plea echoing through the air, "The baby in my belly isn't mine! It's Denzel's and my sister's! They switched the embryos behind my back!"

Denzel's face turned ashen, his eyes narrowing into threatening slits.

"Don't buy into her BS! She's just going through some rough pregnancy hormones, totally messing with her head," he insisted, striving for calm, but the tension radiated off him, betraying his turmoil.

He thought, "What if she already saw that data sheet in my car? If she gets her hands on it, that document could totally be the end of me and Jennifer!"

Sweat dripped down his temples, betraying his composed facade, while Jennifer's eyes welled with crocodile tears.

"What's with this accusation? You can't just throw that at me! I'm your sister!" Jennifer cried, her voice trembling with faux innocence.

I shot back, my words sharp with desperation and pain. "How you gonna explain that every time you end up in the hospital, it's right around my embryo transfer? What kinda sick joke is this?"

I was on the brink of a breakdown, every revelation cutting deeper than any physical wound.

The betrayal of my beloved sister and my husband of nearly ten years entwined in this sickening conspiracy was more than I could bear.

With trembling steps, I turned toward Miranda, my mother, my last bastion of hope.

"Mom... no matter what, I'm not having this baby. I can't take this humiliation anymore..." I whispered, my voice breaking under the weight of unshed tears and indelible betrayal.

Then, a sharp slap cut through the air, my head snapping violently to the side.

I looked up in a daze, the metallic taste of blood filling my mouth.

"You'll deal with it, whether you like it or not! Today, you're having Jenny's baby!"

I opened my mouth in disbelief.

"Mom?"

Another slap cracked through the silence like a gunshot, sending me crumpling to the floor, stars exploding in my vision, and my balance lost to a world turned upside down.

"Are you seriously making such a big fuss about giving your sister a baby? What the hell is wrong with you? I didn't raise you to be so selfish and heartless!

"Do you even get how much having a baby messes with a woman's body? How can you be such a bitch and make your sister go through that? Just carry the damn baby for her! Why the hell is that so hard for you to do?

"For years, you've been clueless about your role in this family! If Jenny hadn't gotten sick, I wouldn't have even brought your name up for this shit!"

I clutched my stinging face, disbelief washing over me in waves. It was only when my gaze fell upon the table laden with elaborate dishes that a wry smile curled my lips.

Of course, I had always been the unloved one.

These beautifully arranged dishes looked nutritious and complex, yet not a single one catered to my tastes; they were all tailored to Jennifer's preferences.

The bitter truth unfurled before me like a long-hidden secret: I was only ever born because Jennifer had been frail as a child, possibly in need of a relative's blood or organs at any moment.

I was never meant to be cherished, merely a spare part in a life orchestrated for someone else.

Miranda's desperate efforts to conceive were entirely for Jennifer's sake, a consequence that birthed my existence.

I stood there, disheveled and struggling to contain the tidal wave of resentment within me.

I thought, "Why, when we are all her flesh and blood, did I have to live as an appendage to Jennifer?"

I glared at Jennifer with a fury that simmered beneath my skin. "If you're into Denzel so much, why don't you just marry him yourself? Why come in and steal my happiness?"

Jennifer bit her lower lip, her expression a tortured knot of hesitation and anguish. "I'm too clumsy to take care of a guy. I'm scared Denzel would suffer if he was with me.

"Besides, I never thought about having kids back then. How could I be so irresponsible to marry without even considering that?"

She looked up at Denzel with a tender, shy gaze as if he were the answer to all her prayers.

A wave of nausea hit me, and I felt a sharp pain in my stomach, a physical manifestation of the turmoil within. It dawned on me that even in the throes of heartbreak and rage, one could still feel physically sick.

Through Denzel's thoughts, I realized I couldn't waste any more time here. I had to escape as soon as possible.

Once caught by these monstrous family members, I would be shrouded in darkness, facing a life in the shadows of others' desires.

I forced myself to sound calm. "I need some air to clear my head. I'll be right back."

As I turned to leave, Denzel showed no intention of letting me go.

He wrapped his arm around my waist and gripped my arm tightly, his touch possessive.

"I'll go with you. There's gotta be some misunderstanding. Let's talk it out, no rush," Denzel said, his voice soothing, a wolf in sheep's clothing.

His thoughts echoed in my mind once more, brutal and unyielding.

"First, I gotta get Louisa to the car. Then I'll hit her with the stun baton I prepped and take her home for a little 'chat.' That swapped embryo can't get out! If anyone finds out, they'll think the absolute worst of me and Jenny."