Mary sat quietly in the passenger seat as she and her husband, Ed, made their way toward his mother’s house. They hadn’t even arrived yet, and she was already wishing the visit were over. Spending time with Scarlett was never easy. From the day Mary entered the family, Scarlett had made it clear she didn’t approve of her.
Even their wedding day had been overshadowed by Scarlett’s need for attention. She had shown up wearing an elaborate veil of her own, almost as if she wanted guests to mistake her for the bride. It was just another reminder that she refused to accept her son was an adult with a life of his own.
When they finally pulled into the driveway, Mary took a deep breath before stepping out of the car. She knew there would be criticism waiting for her somewhere inside that house. There always was.
The front door swung open before they could even knock. Scarlett rushed forward and wrapped her arms around Ed dramatically.
“My darling boy! I’ve missed you so much!” she cried.
“Mom, we saw each other last week,” Ed replied with an awkward laugh.
Scarlett barely acknowledged his response. Her attention shifted to Mary, and the warmth instantly disappeared from her expression.
“Well, Mary,” she said, looking her up and down, “it seems you’ve gained a few pounds lately.”
Mary forced a polite smile, though her patience was already wearing thin.
“Nice to see you too, Scarlett.”
Dinner quickly became an endurance test. Scarlett spent most of the evening finding fault with everything Mary did. According to her, Mary couldn’t cook properly, didn’t have a respectable career, and lacked any sense of style.
Mary stayed quiet, refusing to give her the argument she clearly wanted.
Then the conversation took a much more personal turn.
Scarlett leaned back in her chair and folded her arms.
“So tell me,” she said casually, “when are you finally going to make me a grandmother? Or is there some reason that hasn’t happened yet?”
The comment hit Mary harder than Scarlett could have known.
For months, she and Ed had been trying unsuccessfully to have a baby. It was a sensitive subject, one she rarely discussed with anyone.
“That’s enough,” Mary snapped. “You need to stop interfering in our lives. Maybe the problem isn’t me at all.”
Scarlett laughed.
“Oh please. My son is perfectly healthy. But who knows what kind of history you brought into this marriage?”
Mary could feel anger boiling inside her.
“You’re impossible,” she said, her voice shaking. Then she turned toward Ed. “Are you seriously going to sit there and say nothing?”
Scarlett immediately looked at her son.
“Yes, Ed. Maybe you should teach your wife some respect.”
Without even looking away from his phone, Ed shrugged.
“This isn’t my problem. Work it out yourselves.”
That response hurt almost as much as Scarlett’s insults.
As the evening continued, Scarlett offered one final jab.
“A friend of mine knows some herbal treatments,” she said. “They’re supposed to help women with fertility issues.”
Before Mary could answer, a sudden wave of nausea washed over her.
She grabbed the edge of the table.
“Maybe you should try them yourself,” she muttered before rushing toward the bathroom.
Several minutes later she returned looking pale and exhausted.
“I’m ready to leave,” she told Ed.
“Fine,” he replied without much interest.
Scarlett tilted her head with fake sympathy.
“Oh dear. Are you not feeling well?”
Mary stared at her.
“You probably put something in my food,” she said bitterly.
The ride home was silent. Mary sat by the window, replaying every cruel comment in her mind. Yet another thought had begun forming.
“Can you stop at a pharmacy?” she asked suddenly.
Ed sighed but pulled into a nearby parking lot.
Inside the store, Mary bought a pregnancy test. Her hands trembled the entire way home.
The moment they arrived, she disappeared into the bathroom.
Minutes felt like hours as she waited.
Then she looked down.
Two clear pink lines stared back at her.
For a second, she couldn’t breathe.
Tears filled her eyes as relief, happiness, and disbelief crashed over her all at once.
She rushed out of the bathroom holding the test.
“Ed,” she said excitedly, “we’re having a baby!”
He glanced at it for only a moment.
“That’s good news,” he replied flatly.
The excitement inside her faded slightly.
She had imagined laughter, hugs, maybe even tears of happiness. Instead, she got indifference.
Weeks passed.
Mary threw herself into preparing for motherhood while Ed seemed more distant than ever. He spent more time on his phone, worked late, and appeared distracted whenever she talked about the baby.
On the morning of their first prenatal appointment, she sat on the edge of the bed waiting for him to finish his shower.
Then his phone buzzed beside her.
Normally she never touched it.
But lately, too many things felt wrong.
Almost without thinking, she picked it up.
To her surprise, the screen was locked.
Ed had never hidden his phone before.
Curious and uneasy, she entered his birthday as the passcode.
The screen unlocked instantly.
And what she saw next made her blood run cold.