"Sarah, guess who Michael will love more once your child is born? Him or Danny?"
I finished reading the message and gripped my phone tightly in my palm. After a moment of silence, I took a screenshot of this message and sent it to Michael.
The next day, I went to the hospital for an abortion. From discovering the child's existence to the child completely leaving me, it had all happened over a span of two months.
This was the child I had eagerly anticipated, yet now I was personally giving him up. My face was pale as I left the hospital with the recovery medication the doctor prescribed.
At the entrance, I happened to run into Michael and Lisa bringing Danny to the hospital for a checkup. The two of them were acting intimately, laughing and chatting, with Danny leaning into Michael's embrace. The three of them looked like a warm, happy family.
Lisa spotted me first. Her lips curved upward in a mocking smile, then she suddenly pretended to panic and pulled her hand away from Michael's arm.
"Sarah..."
Lisa had barely begun to speak when Michael jumped like he'd been frightened. He stepped back to maintain distance from Lisa.
He explained, "Danny wasn't feeling well last night, so Lisa and I are bringing him for a checkup today. Don't read too much into it."
I glanced at Danny, who had a rosy complexion and even glared at me fiercely when he noticed me looking at him. He didn't look unwell at all.
I had thought that seeing that screenshot would help Michael see Lisa's true nature, but it seemed like whether he saw it or not made no difference.
"You're so thoughtful. Not only are you accompanying your sister-in-law and nephew for their checkups, but you're personally running around to get medicine for Danny. You're more attentive to him than you would be to your own biological child. What a good uncle."
Lisa quickly pulled Danny toward me. She gripped my hand as she said, "Sarah, please don't overthink this. Michael only takes such good care of us because he pities us."
She pushed Danny in front of me. "Danny was at fault for ruining your wedding yesterday. Danny, hurry up and apologize to your Aunt Sarah!"
Danny glared at me and shouted, "I won't apologize! You're the bad woman trying to steal my daddy!"
Before I could say anything, Lisa suddenly reached out and pinched Danny's arm. He immediately fell to the ground and started wailing.
"Danny!"
Lisa cried out in alarm, quickly scooping up Danny and looking at me with tears as she said, "Sarah, I know you're angry, but Danny's just a child. How could you pinch him?"
Michael's expression also changed drastically as he roughly pushed me aside and carefully picked up Danny.
When he saw the red, swollen pinch marks on Danny's arm, he angrily demanded, "Sarah, I can overlook you taking your anger out on me, but Danny's so young. How could you lay a hand on him?"
Lisa cried pitifully, choking back sobs as she defended me, "Michael, don't be angry at Sarah. It's Danny's and my fault. We made Sarah dislike us. We're the ones in the wrong."
This wasn't an explanation at all. She was clearly adding fuel to the fire.
Hearing her words, Michael became even angrier and yelled at me, "Sarah, apologize to Lisa and Danny!"
"I didn't pinch Danny. Lisa did it."
Michael had just pushed me forcefully. I hadn't reacted in time and nearly fell to the ground.
I steadied myself, covering my aching stomach with one hand. My face was pale as I explained, "I never even went near Danny. This whole thing was part of Lisa's performance. Why should I apologize?"
