A Year After His Death, I’m Carrying His Baby Chapter 1

The day I found out I was pregnant, a single sentence from my mother-in-law sent shivers down my spine.

"You vile slut! My son's barely been gone a year, and you're already pregnant with another man's child? How dare you disrespect his memory!"

I stared at her in disbelief, my voice trembling with fear as I tried to explain:

"Mom, what are you even saying?! This baby inside me, it's Liam's!"

Martha's fury erupted. She slapped me so hard my head snapped sideways, then grabbed a fistful of my hair, dragging me towards Liam's gravestone.

Looking at Liam’s photo on the gravestone, a wave of terror washed over me.

"No way! This can't be real!"

Because all this past year, Liam has been right here with me.

Just last night, he was in my bed!

I stared at Liam's memorial photo on the gravestone, my mind a sudden blank.

Then I ran home like a maniac.

"Liam! Liam!"

But the living room was silent, save for the frantic pounding of my own heart.

"Liam! Where are you?!"

The bedroom was empty.

The bedsheets were neatly folded, undisturbed.

There was no sign of Liam anywhere.

I stood in the center of the living room, my eyes frantically scanning the surroundings.

His worn-out gray slippers were by the door, and the half-empty coffee mug he’d been drinking yesterday was still on the coffee table.

These details screamed that Liam was here, that he’d never left this house.

But Martha’s words, the photo on the gravestone – they pressed down on my heart, suffocating me.

I pulled out my phone, my hands shaking uncontrollably. It took several tries to dial Liam’s number correctly.

The phone rang three times, and then, finally, he answered.

"Honey."

Liam's voice, that familiar low rumble, came through the receiver.

My eyes instantly welled up.

"Liam! Where are you? Please come home! I'm so scared!"

"What's wrong? What happened?"

Liam's voice immediately tightened with concern.

"Mom... Mom just said you died!"

The more I spoke, the more agitated I became, tears streaming down my face.

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end, then Liam's voice returned.

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

"But Mom dragged me to your gravestone! That photo, it was clearly you!"

I couldn't stop myself from crying.

"Maybe Mom's just been under too much stress lately, having another episode."

"I still have some things to handle here. I’ll be back in a few days."

"Stay safe at home, and take good care of yourself and our baby."

Liam gave a few more gentle reminders, his tone soothing.

Hearing Liam's words, a tiny sliver of hope, a small relief, settled in my chest.

But just as I sat down on the sofa, a frantic knocking echoed from the front door.

"Chloe! Open this door! Don't you dare hide in there playing dead!"

My heart seized up. I instinctively clutched the hem of my shirt and stood to open the door.

The moment it opened, Martha burst in, followed by several relatives.

Their faces were all grim, radiating anger.

"You shameless slut! My son's barely been gone a year, and you're pregnant with another man's bastard child! How dare you betray Liam?!"

I retorted, my voice laced with defiance:

"Mom! Why are you saying such things again! Liam is fine, he'll be back in a few days! What kind of mother wishes death upon her own son?!"

Martha's face flushed red with rage, her chest heaving.

"Still lying! You're at your wit's end and still won't admit it!"

"Liam's been dead for a year! If it's not another man's child, then whose is it?!"