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I tilted my head. “Why? The photos will be so cute. Carl and I took some just like that at our party.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Angela’s eyes darted toward me. “Well, we won’t,” she snapped.
My heart pounded. “Because you have something to hide, don’t you?”
Angela lifted her chin. “I have nothing to hide.”
That was it. I couldn’t hold back anymore. I stepped forward and, before she could stop me, lifted her shirt slightly. I froze.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
There was a real belly.
My breath caught in my throat. My entire body turned cold. Angela gasped and stumbled back. “What are you doing?!” Her voice cracked as she burst into tears and ran out of the room.
Silence fell over the guests. I could feel every pair of eyes on me.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“Julia! What have you done?!” Carl’s voice cut through the stillness.
I turned to him, my mouth opening, but no words came out. “I… I thought…” My hands trembled.
Carl shook his head, anger flashing in his eyes. “I told you your suspicions were baseless!”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
I swallowed hard. My throat burned. “Don’t yell at me!” My voice broke. Tears welled up. I didn’t know if it was from his words or the weight of my own mistake.
“I’ll go talk to her,” I said, turning toward Angela’s room. My chest felt tight, but I had to do this.
I knocked gently on the door. “Angela, it’s Julia. Can I come in?”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
There was no response. I waited a few seconds, then tried the handle. The door wasn’t locked.
As I stepped inside, I saw Angela sitting on the bed, her shoulders slumped, her hands covering her face. She was crying.
In that moment, a wave of guilt crashed over me. No matter how frustrating she had been, I had made a pregnant woman cry. I hadn’t wanted this.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
I took a careful step forward. “I want to apologize for what happened. I truly thought you were lying,” I said, my voice quieter than I expected.
Angela lifted her head, her eyes red and swollen. “Why would I lie about something like this?”
I exhaled. “Because you were always trying to be so close to Carl and me. You were everywhere, all the time. You even ruined our gender reveal party. I thought this pregnancy was just another way to insert yourself into our lives. And… I saw you buying a fake belly.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Angela wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her sweater. “I bought that for Jesse. It was a joke, just for fun photos. But then I realized he already has a belly, so I returned it.”
Shame burned in my chest. “I’m really sorry. I let my frustration get the best of me.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Angela let out a weak, tired laugh. “I was so afraid of being the ‘bad mother-in-law’ that I became even worse.”
I nodded and sat beside her. “I think we all just need a little space. But I know we’ll be fine.”
Angela hesitated for a second, then pulled me into a hug and I let her.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
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