The Silent Womb's Revenge

Chapter 2

The midday sun streamed through the car window as Sophia Williams gazed absently at the scenery flashing by.

"Sweetheart, if my mother says anything unpleasant later, just ignore her," Ethan Sullivan murmured, one hand on the steering wheel while the other covered her cold fingers. "We'll leave right after dinner—not a minute longer."

Sophia gave a quiet hum, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the wedding band on her ring finger.

The Sullivan mansion was brightly lit. The moment they stepped into the foyer, cheerful laughter drifted from the living room.

"Oh, these tiny feet are adorable! Just as pretty as your mother!"

Sophia froze. That voice—she knew it all too well. It was Margaret Sullivan.

Ethan stiffened beside her, his brow furrowing. Before he could speak, his mother approached, arm-in-arm with a young woman.

"Ethan, you're here! This is Victoria, my old classmate's daughter." Margaret beamed, shoving an ultrasound photo into Ethan's hands. "Look, doesn't the baby resemble its father?"

Sophia's nails dug into her palms.

The girl in the photo—she recognized her. The same woman from the pregnancy announcement.

"Mom!" Ethan's voice turned icy. "This isn't funny."

Margaret gave Sophia a pointed glance. "Victoria, this is your brother Ethan."

"Hello, Brother Ethan," Victoria Taylor murmured, blushing as she twisted the hem of her dress.

Ethan pulled Sophia closer. "This is your sister-in-law."

"Hello, Sister-in-law," Victoria whispered timidly.

Sophia felt her blood turn to ice. So everyone knew—except her.

"You're so pale." Ethan pressed a hand to her forehead, fishing a candy from his pocket. "Is your blood sugar low again?"

The sweetness dissolved on her tongue, bitter as poison.

At the dinner table, Ethan barely touched his food, spending the entire meal peeling shrimp for Sophia.

"Brother Ethan is so good to Sister-in-law," Victoria suddenly spoke up, pushing her bowl toward him. "I'd like some shrimp too..."

"Peel your own," Ethan said without looking up. "I only peel shrimp for my wife."

Sophia set down her chopsticks. "Give them to her. I'm full."

"No!" Ethan stubbornly popped the shrimp into his own mouth. "The ones I peel are only for you."

Sophia smirked coldly. What an act.

"Sophia," Margaret cut in, "I heard your sixth IVF failed again. Maybe you should ask Victoria for advice."

"Auntie, I really don't have much experience..." Victoria stirred her soup shyly. "It just... happened on my birthday. One time was all it took."

"Some women just lose their usefulness with age," Margaret remarked pointedly. "I’ve decided to have Victoria move in. Maybe some of her luck will rub off."

"No!" Ethan slammed his hand on the table.

"What? You can't produce an heir, so you won't let anyone else try?" Margaret sneered.

"Mom!" Ethan's face darkened. "If you keep this up, I won't step foot in this house again!"

Victoria suddenly stood. "I'm sorry, this is all my fault—" Covering her face, she fled the room.

Ethan instinctively took a step after her before forcing himself to stop.

Sophia rose from the table without a word.

The moment she stepped outside, her phone buzzed. A friend request:

[March 5th was my birthday. He didn’t let me out of bed all day...]

Sophia's vision blurred. That day—her fifth failed IVF—she had locked herself in her room, drowning in grief. And Ethan... had been in someone else's bed.

Her heart tore open, the pain doubling her over.

"Sophia!" Ethan rushed after her, paling at the sight of her tear-streaked face. "What's wrong? Who hurt you?"

Then his gaze dropped to her phone—and his expression shattered.