Chapter 4
I decided to find out the truth.
Karen had been too convenient. Too prepared. Too sure she could stay.
I waited until she was napping and took her phone from the nightstand. She’d been careless—she’d used my birthday as her passcode. She thought I wouldn't notice.
I scrolled through messages. Emails. Medical records.
And there it was.
A message to her sister: Positive. Fake. But he won't check. I have nine months to secure everything. Then I decide when to "lose it."
My blood turned to ice.
I took a screenshot. Forwarded it to my phone. Then put hers back exactly where I found it.
That evening, I waited until Dad came home from work. Karen was sitting on the sofa, hand on her stomach, smiling.
"Dad," I said. "I need to show you something."
Karen stood up quickly.
"Don't listen to her—"
"Sit down, Karen," Dad said. He looked exhausted.
I held up my phone. Played the message.
Dad listened. His face turned gray.
He looked at Karen.
"Is this true?" he asked, his voice terrifyingly calm.
Karen hesitated. Then her face hardened.
"Even if it is… what does it matter? Once I have a real child… you'll see. You'll choose him over them. You'll always choose the heir."
"I would never choose anything over my children," Dad said. His voice broke. "You thought you could replace Aiden and Olivia with a lie?"
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"I thought I could make you see what matters," Karen said, standing tall. "Legacy. Name. Future."
"Family matters," Dad said. "And you tried to destroy mine."
