At seven months pregnant with twins, my husband’s boss texted me a picture of Eric in her bed. Hours later, they delivered the ultimate betrayal: he was leaving me for her, and she demanded one of my babies in exchange for housing. They had no idea what I had planned.
My life fell apart while I was heavily pregnant with twins.
My phone buzzed as I was folding little onesies and wondering about baby names.
My pulse hammered as I realized it was a message from my husband’s boss, Veronica. I figured something horrible had occurred to Eric at work, but the reality was considerably worse.
I opened the message expecting to see news of an accident, but instead got a picture of Eric resting in an unfamiliar bed, shirtless. Smirking into the camera.
If I had any doubts about what it meant, the caption clarified: “It’s time you knew. “He is mine.”
My hands got cold. The babies kicked inside me, as if they sensed my distress. Eric cheated on me with his boss.
I immediately contacted Eric, but the call went straight to voicemail. I kept calling, but none of them went through.
By that time, it seemed like the twins were using my bladder as a trampoline. I cautiously dropped myself onto the sofa and rested my palm on my belly.
“Easy, babies,” I mumbled. “Mama will always take care of you.” Regardless of what happens today, I know Daddy. Eric would not desert you, even if he has betrayed me.”
I could not have anticipated how incorrect I was.
When Eric returned home from work that evening, he was not alone.
Veronica walked in as if she owned the place. Tall, confident, and dressed in clothes that likely cost more than our rent. The type of woman that demanded attention simply by breathing.
“Eric… what is this?” I stood in the living room, staring them both down, attempting to appear powerful despite my lack of confidence.
Eric exhaled. “It is simple, Lauren. I am in love with Veronica, thus I am leaving you. Let’s be adults about this and not cause a scene, okay?”
The words struck me like physical blows. Each one landed right where it hurt the most.
“You can’t be serious,” I muttered. “We’re having babies in two months.”
“Life happens,” he explained with a shrug. A shrug. He seemed to be negotiating a change in dinner arrangements, rather than abandoning his pregnant wife.
Then, Veronica crossed her arms, her finely manicured nails tapping against her elegant blazer.
“And since this is Eric’s apartment, you’ll need to move out by the end of the week.”
I saw red. “Are you two insane?” I’ve got nowhere to go! “I am carrying HIS children!”
“Twins, right?” She tilted her head, looking at my belly with cold calculation. “Or are these triplets? You are bloated. I believe I can offer you a solution.”
Her lips twisted into what I assumed was a smile. “I’ll rent you a house and cover all your expenses, but I want one of your babies.”
My blood became chilly. “What?!”
“I’d like to have a baby, but there’s no way I’m going to do that to my body.” She swirled her finger at my stomach. “You’ll never manage raising twins alone, so this is a win-win situation.”
I couldn’t believe what I heard. This woman spoke as if she were talking about adopting a puppy!
“I will raise the child as my. They’ll have the best nannies and go to the best schools… She massaged Eric’s chest, and he leaned into her touch. “You receive a roof over your head. “It’s a fair deal.”
Eric nodded along as she spoke, like bartering one of our babies was reasonable.
I couldn’t breathe. How dare they try to turn my babies into bargaining chips? I wanted to kick them both out, but they had me cornered. I had no family or close friends I could turn to.
But then a plan formed in my mind.
“I have nowhere else to go,” I whispered, forcing tears to my eyes. “I’ll agree to your deal, but I have one condition.”
Veronica smirked. “Smart girl. What’s the condition?”
“I want to pick which baby you get.” I sniffled, looking down as if ashamed. “Just give me some time with them to decide which one will have a better life with you.”
She exchanged a look with Eric. They thought I was defeated — I could see it in their eyes.
“Fine,” she agreed. “But don’t take too long. Once they’re born, we’ll take the one you don’t want.”
I nodded, wiping away a fake tear. “And… one more thing.”
Veronica breathed deeply. “What now?”
“You’ll buy me a house, not rent it,” I stated firmly. “I need security. If you don’t agree, I’ll go and you’ll never see any of them.”
Eric scoffed, but Veronica raised a hand.
“You’re pushy, but I’ll agree,” she replied. “It saves me the trouble and delay of looking for an alternative solution.” But you best keep up your end of the bargain.”
I nodded, looking every inch the shattered, weak woman they assumed I was.
What about the inside? I was grinning. They had no idea what was coming.
The following few months were a game of patience.
Veronica purchased me a three-bedroom home in a peaceful neighborhood. She and Eric did not even see it or meet the agent until the day we signed the paperwork.
I sighed with relief as we left the realtor’s office that day. Step one was completed, but they were still ignorant.
I kept them up to date on doctor appointments and let Veronica feel my belly when she came to visit, exclaiming about “her” baby. I told her I couldn’t decide which baby to keep.
I went into labor on a Tuesday night. When I went for the hospital, I texted Veronica but made it clear to the nurses that I did not want her or Eric in the delivery room.
I overheard them complaining outside at one point, but the contractions were coming so rapidly that I couldn’t understand what they were saying.
Six hours later, my babies arrived. Two lovely girls with wisps of dark hair and perfectly functioning lungs.
The nurse smiled. “Want me to tell your husband and your… friend?”
“Tell them the babies are fine, but I need three days,” I said, holding my daughters.
The nurse looked confused but nodded.
I named the girls Lily and Emma. I memorized their faces, their cries, and the feel of their tiny fingers clasped around mine.
And I finalized my plan.
I took the babies home on the second day. On the third day, I called Veronica.
“I’m ready to talk.”
She and Eric showed up within an hour. Veronica was practically vibrating with excitement, Eric trailing behind her like a shadow.
“So,” she cooed, walking into my house. “Which one is mine?”
I took a deep breath, holding one baby in each arm. “Neither.”
Her smile froze. “Excuse me?”
I stood up slowly. My body ached, but my voice was strong.
“I’m not giving you my child, Veronica. Either of them.”
Eric groaned. “Oh, don’t start this dramatic nonsense—”
“You two thought you could buy a baby from me? Like I was some desperate idiot? Well, newsflash: I’m not.”
“Then I’m kicking you out of this house,” Veronica snarled. “You can live on the street for all I care!”
I smiled. “You can’t do that. This house is in my name.”
Veronica’s face drained of color. “What? No, that’s impossible! Eric, tell her!”
Eric looked just as confused. “We signed the papers together!”
“Yeah. And you both signed it over to me completely. You were too busy gloating to notice. My name’s the only one on the deed.”
Veronica stumbled back like I’d slapped her.
“You conniving little—”
“Oh, and one more thing,” I added, gently rocking Lily as she fussed. “I went ahead and told a few people about how Eric cheated on his pregnant wife, and how he and his mistress tried to buy his child.”
I nodded toward my phone on the coffee table.
“Feel free to check social media. I posted everything last night. The messages. The pictures. Your sick baby deal. It’s all there. I tagged your company too, Veronica, and your investors. Even those charity boards you sit on.”
Veronica lunged for my phone. Her face went from pale to gray as she scrolled.
“As you can see, they find your behavior very interesting.”
Veronica screamed, a sound of pure rage and desperation.
Eric grabbed the phone from her, his face white as paper. “You — you ruined us!”
“No. You ruined yourselves.”
Eric lost his job. Attempting to sell your child didn’t sit well with his company’s “family values” image. Veronica wasn’t just fired: she made front-page news for all the wrong reasons and her social and business circles blackballed her.
And me? I rocked my girls to sleep each night in our beautiful home, content in the knowledge that I didn’t just get revenge.
I won.
