My husband and I were staunch supporters of being child-free. After ten years of marriage, he changed his mind.
"Let's just adopt one. I just want to fulfill my dream of being a dad."
My in-laws pushed my parents, relatives, and friends to pressure me. In the end, we adopted a boy.
They assured me I didn't need to worry. The in-laws would take full responsibility for the child.
It wasn't until I died in a car accident that I discovered everything had been a lie.
My husband had adopted his biological son.
"Dad, you're the smart one. You put that huge insurance policy on her, and now all the money is ours. Mom's already picked out her wedding dress..."
When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day my husband brought the child home.
...
"Lainey, look, this is Adam, seven years old. He's got a strong, handsome forehead, so polite and obedient. He'll definitely be well-behaved and take care of us when we're old.
"I spotted him at the orphanage right away..."
My husband, Rowan's constant praise and obvious fondness for the boy filled my ears.
I stared in a daze at the young boy's innocent face, and suddenly realized I had been reborn.
His wide, innocent eyes were studying me, though I could see a flicker of disgust in them.
I watched this "loving father and son" scene, pinched myself hard, and barely managed to suppress the overwhelming hatred I felt inside.
Slap!
I slapped Adam across the face.
Rowan's smile froze, and he immediately questioned me angrily.
"What are you doing? It's the kid's first day here, and you're hitting him? Don't you know how to be a mother?"
I calmly opened my hand, revealing a dead mosquito.
"Honey, I was just trying to keep Adam from being bitten by mosquitoes. Why are you so tense? Don't tell me having a kid means you don't love me anymore?"
I pretended to tear up. Rowan glanced at both me and the child, flustered, before gently trying to comfort me.
"Honey, that's not what I meant. Adam isn't even our biological son. How could he be more important than you?
"Tell you what, I'll take him to my parents' place. That way, you won't get jealous, and you won't have to worry about anything. You just focus on your career. I'll handle things at home."
He was about to leave when I grabbed his arm.
"I've thought about it. Since we agreed to adopt, Adam is now my son. From now on, he'll live with us here."
"But didn't you say you don't like kids?"
"That was before. When I saw Adam today, I found him quite charming. Why not raise him here with us? Do you want him to go to school and get teased for not having parents? He's already been through enough. We can't deny him love. It's settled."
"You think you'll send him off to your parent's place and then live happily ever after with that wretched woman and your son behind my back? Dream on!"
This time, I'm keeping this little brat close, and I'll hold everyone's fate in my hands.
By noon, I hadn't seen the boy, and Valeria called in a hurry.
"Why aren't you here yet? Your father and I made a big meal and we've been waiting for you!"
Rowan hesitated. He pretended to be considerate in front of me. He said, "Lainey said she really likes Adam, so he'll stay with us for now. I'll bring him over to see you on the weekend."
As Rowan spoke, he moved toward the balcony with the phone, lowering his voice. He had no idea that the kitchen window was connected to the balcony, so I could hear everything.
"There's nothing I can do. She insisted on keeping Adam here.
"It won't last. I know her too well. In a few days, she'll be tired of him and beg me to send Adam over to you. Just wait."
Naturally, Valeria was anxious about not seeing her grandson. In my past life, I was so blind and foolish. I didn't realize what was happening.
They protected Adam in every way, spoiling him rotten. If he so much as scraped his finger, they'd wail and cry as if the world was ending.
Valeria, who had always been stingy, somehow managed to spend ten thousand dollars on a model for Adam, saying he had the makings of an architect.
I should have realized it sooner. How could these backward, old-fashioned people go to such lengths to spoil a child who wasn't even blood-related?
Rowan spent all his time running to his parents' place, sometimes not even coming home at night. I never questioned it, thinking it was harmless. Little did I know, it was the perfect hideaway for their little family reunions.
For years, I was busy with my career, pouring all my energy into work. By the time Adam turned eighteen, I had climbed the ranks to general manager. And it was on the very day of my promotion that the car accident happened.
Everything happened so conveniently.
As my soul drifted away, I saw those villains celebrating next to my lifeless body.
"Good boy, Lainey's dead. All her money is ours now. This is your best birthday present from me."
I was filled with hatred, wishing I could tear them apart, crush them one by one.
Fortunately, heaven gave me a second chance.
I glanced at Adam, standing awkwardly in the living room, and my fingers twitched.
"Honey, I think Adam wet his pants, and your building blocks fell on the floor. Come quick!"
Rowan rushed over, and when he saw the blocks he'd spent hours assembling, his expression darkened.
"Adam, how could you be so careless? This is my most treasured possession."
Adam shrank into a corner of the table, fear in his eyes.
"No, it wasn't me."
Rowan quickly realized his harsh tone and softened his voice.
"Uh, just don't touch the blocks anymore, okay? Come on, let's get you changed."
A seven-year-old is bound to have little accidents like this.
He needed help with everything. Eating, bathing, laundry, going to school, even sleeping.
Especially at his age, boys are the most troublesome. Knowing he was my husband's biological son, he never thought of himself as an outsider.
He got everything handed to him on a silver platter and threw tantrums regularly. I pretended not to see.
Within a few days, Rowan's face began to show signs of irritation. He was losing his morning sleep-ins and had to stay up late reading bedtime stories to Adam. Of course, he was annoyed. What grown man wouldn't be?
"Honey, Adam needs to be picked up and dropped off at school. I can handle the mornings, but I really don't have time in the afternoons. I'm taking off work every day, and my boss is already upset with me. How about letting my parents take care of him?"
"That won't work. Your parents are old and not in the best health. They can't handle a rambunctious child, and they don't know how to educate him or help with his homework. We can't let Adam's growth be stunted."
After that, Valeria and her husband showed up in person.
Rowan must have privately discussed it with them, trying to pressure me into agreeing.
But there was no way I'd let them get their way.
"Lainey, since you and Rowan are busy with work and don't want to leave Adam with us, why don't your father and I move in temporarily? We can help with the housework and take care of Adam, too."
"That's great! I'd be thrilled to have you, but we only have two bedrooms, so Adam can sleep in the living room!"
As soon as I said that, the three of them objected.
Valeria was the first to speak, "Adam's still growing, and that sofa is too small. He won't grow properly sleeping there."
"Exactly! Your mom and I can sleep anywhere, but we can't let the child suffer. We'll sleep on the floor, and Adam can have the bedroom."
Oh, they really doted on their grandson. But why torment just one person when I could torment the whole lot of them?