The Surrogate Trap: I Ruined My Husband and His Mistress

#### Chapter 1 Ever since I got pregnant, my husband, Ethan, had been incredibly attentive, catering to my every whim. Wanting to show my appreciation, I decided to surprise him at his office with some homemade seafood chowder—his absolute favorite. But when I reached his office door, I accidentally overheard a conversation between him and his secretary, Sarah. "Mr. Vance, since the baby actually belongs to Melanie and Chloe is just carrying it as a surrogate, why don't you just tell Chloe the truth? Now Melanie is insisting on moving into your house as a maid. If Chloe finds out, things will get ugly." Hearing those words, a cold chill ran down my spine. It felt like a physical blow. The baby in my womb... belonged to Ethan and another woman? Then, Ethan’s firm, cold voice cut through the silence. "We can't tell her! For the sake of the Vance Group's future, I’ve made Melanie suffer in secret for too long. Only when the baby is born can I hand the child and the Sterling family trust fund over to her. That surprise is the only way I can make up for what I owe her..." The next day, Melanie moved into our villa under the guise of a live-in maid. Yet, she acted like she owned the place. She was arrogant, demanding, and secretly slipped abortion pills into my food. I pretended to know nothing. I ate every single spoonful of the poisoned chowder. Then, stroking my slightly bumped belly, I looked at Ethan and smiled. "This new maid is great. Her cooking is amazing." *** #### Chapter 2 On the very first day Melanie moved in, she tried to order my parents around when they came to visit. My mom, of course, wasn't going to take orders from a maid. During the argument, Melanie slapped my mom hard across the face. "You old fossils, do you really think you own this place? Everything in this house belongs to Ethan! Who do you think you are, giving me attitude?" My parents both have weak hearts. They were so angry they clutched their chests, unable to breathe. I bolted down the stairs, grabbed Melanie by her hair, and slammed her head hard against the coffee table. "Who the hell do you think you are, talking to my parents like that?" Of course, I knew exactly who she was. She was Ethan’s precious secret lover. Spoiled, pampered, and never having suffered a single scratch in her life. Now, with her forehead split open, blood ran down her face into her eyes. The look she gave me was pure, murderous rage. "You dare hit me? You cheap bitch, listen up! I am Ethan’s—" "Cousin!" Ethan burst through the front door, panting, and rushed over to pull us apart. "Melanie is my distant cousin!" He turned to me, his voice frantic. "Chloe, she didn't know who your parents were. Don't lower yourself to her level." Only then did I let go of Melanie’s hair, letting out a soft, mocking laugh. "Oh! So she's family! I thought some lunatic had escaped from the psych ward, forgot her place, and started biting people like a rabid dog." "But Ethan, if she's your cousin, she's a guest. Why would you make her work as a maid? Or does she just naturally love serving people?" Melanie gnashed her teeth so hard I thought they would crack. If Ethan hadn't been holding her back, she would have lunged at me to tear me apart. Ethan forced a terrible smile and quickly explained, "Melanie just graduated and had nowhere to live. I let her move in so she could earn some money and get used to working." "Chloe, go sit with your parents. I’ll take Melanie to her room and teach her some manners." Without waiting for my reply, Ethan dragged Melanie into the guest bedroom. I pretended to be oblivious and sent my parents home first. As we walked to their car, my dad's hands were shaking with worry. "Ethan never mentioned having a cousin. Where did she suddenly come from? And did you see how close they were? That’s not a normal cousin relationship, Chloe." "Ever since you helped Ethan bail out his company, he’s been getting colder to you. You’ve already paid him back for saving your life years ago. Your mother and I are retired now; we don't have the power we used to. Please, don't throw your life's happiness away for a man who doesn't deserve it." I blinked back my tears, not knowing how to comfort them. After marrying Ethan, I trusted him completely. I never suspected a thing. When he started pulling away, I only blamed myself and tried harder to please him. When I "got pregnant" and he suddenly became warm and loving again, I was so touched that I was ready to hand over all my assets to him. Thank God I found out the truth before he could bleed me dry. I rubbed my eyes, my gaze turning icy cold. "Don't worry, Dad. I won't let Ethan take another penny from us. I’m going to make him pay back every single thing he owes me, with interest." I pulled out my phone and opened the hidden camera app. The live feed showed Ethan’s guest bedroom. The door was locked, and the two of them were wrapped around each other, kissing passionately. "Ethan, you said you only love me! That bitch Chloe called me a servant, and you didn't even defend me!" Ethan pinned Melanie down onto the bed, hovering over her. "Babe, just bear with it. Six more months at most, and I promise I’ll give you the life you deserve!" *** #### Chapter 3 I was four months pregnant. Six months from now would be my due date. I remembered how I found out about the pregnancy. It happened right after a terrible car accident. When I woke up from a medically induced coma, Ethan was by my bedside, crying tears of joy as he showed me the positive pregnancy test. He told me it was the miracle of our love. For the next month, he stayed by my side 24/7. His overwhelming affection blinded me to the unusual discomfort in my body, and I was entirely consumed by the joy of becoming a mother. I never could have imagined that the baby in my womb was actually Melanie’s. He had bribed a corrupt clinic while I was unconscious to perform an unauthorized embryo transfer. The conversation between him and his secretary flashed through my mind again: "Mr. Vance, since Melanie was the one who wanted your child, you could have just let her carry it. Don't you think secretly transferring the embryo into Chloe’s womb is too risky?" Ethan had been resolute. "What do you know? Melanie has a weak constitution. How could I bear to watch her suffer through ten months of pregnancy? Having Chloe carry the baby not only spares Melanie the pain, but it will also keep Chloe distracted so she’ll hand the company operations over to me." "Work overtime these next few weeks. I want all of the Sterling family's assets transferred out by the time the baby is born. It’ll be my wedding gift to Melanie..." As my emotions surged, a sharp, stabbing pain shot through my abdomen. Melanie’s health was fragile, but mine was worse. Years ago, to help Ethan's business get off the ground, I had used my status as the Sterling heiress to drink and network with clients, which ruined my stomach. Combined with the lingering injuries from the car crash, this pregnancy was pure torture. Yet, for the sake of the baby, I hadn't taken a single painkiller. I had endured it all. As a tear slipped down my cheek, Ethan's voice came through the phone's speaker again. They were finished. Ethan was holding Melanie, looking at her with a tenderness he had never shown me. "Babe, you wanted to live with me, and I agreed. But we had a deal—you had to behave. Why did you have to pick a fight with Chloe's parents on your very first day?" Melanie snorted, displeased. "You love me, so why does Chloe get to act like the lady of the house while I have to hide in the shadows? I hate it!" "Baby, if I don't play along with Chloe, how am I going to give you the luxurious life I planned? Just wait. Once I bleed her dry and she’s of no use to us, you can treat her however you want..." I couldn't listen anymore. I shut off my phone, took deep breaths, and forced my emotions down. They used my womb, plotted to steal my inheritance, and yet they acted like I was the villain in their story! At dinner, Melanie sat at the table under the guise of the "cousin." I had to dig my fingernails into my palms to keep a polite smile on my face. "Chloe, my cousin hasn't found a job yet, so she’ll be staying with us for a while. Even though she's helping out around the house, she’s still family. Don't be too hard on her." I immediately reached out and took Melanie's hand warmly. "Of course not! Ethan, you've been so worried about my pregnancy that you won't let me work. I’ve been bored to death at home. I’d love some company." "Melanie, let's put our little misunderstanding behind us. If we get along, maybe I’ll let you be the baby's godmother. What do you think?" Hearing me talk about "my" baby, Melanie's face turned white with rage. I smiled even wider. "What's wrong? You don't want to? Well, the baby is in my stomach, after all. It’s not like you could be the real mother, right?" That "joke" made Ethan freeze. He quickly grabbed my hand to change the subject. "Alright, alright. Melanie is shy and doesn't talk much. Stop teasing her." "Oh, Chloe, remember that diamond necklace you liked at the auction? I got it for you. See if you like it." He produced a velvet box and fastened the diamond necklace around my neck. His eyes were filled with what looked like genuine devotion. He whispered sweet nothings, telling me to focus on resting, to leave the company to him, and promised we would go on a month-long luxury trip around the world after the baby was born. I looked touched, but my heart was dead. The necklace he gave me wasn't even worth a fraction of the "Heart of the Ocean" blue diamond he had secretly bought for Melanie. Behind his loving eyes lay the venom of a snake. All his care was a trap to steal my wealth and keep me compliant until I delivered his and Melanie’s child. The next morning, I waited for Melanie to come downstairs for breakfast. The moment she appeared, I grabbed her wrist. "Ethan's not here, so we can drop the act. You degraded yourself to be a maid just to be near him. I’m actually touched." "Tell you what—if you're willing to be my obedient little dog, I’ll let you stay. What do you say?" *** #### Chapter 4 Melanie violently shook off my hand, trembling. "You... you know who I am?" "Of course I do. You're Ethan's cheap little side piece. I was going to have you ruined, but now that I'm carrying Ethan's heir, you're nothing but a joke to me." Before I could finish, she started shaking with rage. "You're lying! I am the love of Ethan's life! Even if you're pregnant, you can't change that!" I laughed in her face. "Is that so? Then why did Ethan get me pregnant right after your sudden miscarriage? You think he brought you here because he cares about you? Don't be naive. He's just using me to get rid of you." Unable to accept it, Melanie shoved me aside and stormed toward Ethan’s room. I grabbed her arm. "Do you really think he'll tell you the truth if you ask him? Melanie, look at the reality. I am the wealthy heiress of the Sterling family. You're just a trashy, low-class mistress. Who do you think Ethan is going to choose?" No matter how much Ethan claimed to love her, the fact that he kept her hidden was a constant knife in her heart. Her lack of security drove her mad. She glared at me, her eyes bloodshot. "You bitch! You're the mistress! You're the one who stole Ethan from me!" She lunged at me, and we began to struggle. I purposely twisted my ankle, pulling her down the stairs with me. The stairs weren't steep, and they were heavily carpeted. Neither of us was going to get seriously hurt. But Melanie screamed at the top of her lungs anyway. The noise brought Ethan and the house staff running. The man I had shared a bed with for seven years didn't even glance at me. He instinctively threw himself over Melanie, his eyes wild with terror and panic. "Melanie! Are you okay?" "Are you hurt?" Seeing this, the gathered servants started whispering, realizing the truth of their relationship. Melanie smirked at me triumphantly, wrapping her arms around Ethan’s neck. "It hurts so much, Ethan. Don't go to the office today. Take me to the hospital, please." Ethan immediately went to scoop her up into his arms. I clutched my stomach and said quietly, "Ethan, my stomach hurts." That single sentence made Ethan freeze. He instantly dropped Melanie and rushed to my side. Melanie screamed in frustration, "Ethan! Chloe dragged me down the stairs on purpose!" Ethan paused, a flash of pure malice crossing his eyes as he looked at me. "Is that true?" I didn't bother lying. "I lost my footing and grabbed her to break my fall." The blame was on me. Ethan didn't know the truth, but Melanie and I did. In that silent moment, we were fighting for dominance. In the end, I won. Ethan abandoned Melanie and carried me to the car to rush to the hospital. However, he didn't have the patience to stay. Once the doctor confirmed the baby was fine, he made an excuse about a business emergency and hurried back home. My hidden cameras caught everything. Melanie was throwing a violent tantrum at home, smashing everything in sight. When the butler tried to stop her, Ethan returned and backhanded the butler across the face. He gathered all the staff in the living room and threw stacks of cash at them. "Listen to me carefully! When I am not home, Melanie is the mistress of this house! If anyone disobeys her, I will personally ruin you!" "But in front of Chloe, you act normal. Understood?" Once the servants left, Melanie glared at him, her eyes red. "So, in your heart, I’m still second-best to Chloe?" Ethan hugged her, desperately trying to soothe her. "How can you say that? I only care about the baby in her womb. Babe, please, just wait until she delivers the child. I’ll give you whatever you want. Just tolerate her for a little longer, okay?" I knew the baby was theirs. But Melanie didn't. Behind Ethan’s back, she had secretly bought several doses of heavy abortion pills. *** #### Chapter 5 I hated the hospital, so I insisted on going home early. After being pampered by Ethan for a few days, Melanie’s attitude seemed to improve. The moment I sat down at the dining table, she walked out of the kitchen wearing an apron, carrying a bowl of soup. "Chloe, we're family. Let's put the past behind us." Ethan smiled. "I gave Melanie a good talking-to. See how sweet she is now? She made this late-night soup especially for you." I narrowed my eyes and smiled. Ignoring the venom in Melanie's eyes, I took the poisoned bowl and ate every last drop without hesitation. Then, gently rubbing my belly, I took Ethan’s hand. "This new maid is really something. Her cooking is fantastic." Ethan’s smile faltered. "Chloe, she's my cousin. Stop calling her a maid." I tapped my forehead, pretending to be ditzy. "Oh, look at my pregnancy brain, I totally forgot! But really, Melanie fits the role of a servant so well." "If you ask me, she shouldn't bother looking for another job. She should just stay here and serve me. I really like how obedient she looks." Melanie’s knuckles turned white. She glared at Ethan, begging him with her eyes to stand up for her. But Ethan only pretended not to see, laughing it off and changing the subject. After that, whenever I got the chance, I humiliated Melanie right in front of Ethan. Ethan endured it for the sake of the baby, which meant Melanie had to suffer in silence. The next time she brought me the poisoned soup, I looked at her with a smirk. "So, you’ve accepted your place as my dog? How sweet. If you keep behaving and making me happy, I might let you stay." "After all, kids love pets. When Ethan and my baby is born, I’m sure he’ll love playing with you." With a loud clatter, she slapped the empty bowl out of my hand. Her eyes were bloodshot. "You think you’re actually going to give birth to this baby? Dream on!" I gasped, feigning terror. "What do you mean? Did you put something in the soup?" Melanie dropped the act entirely. "Yes, I did! But letting you miscarry quietly is too easy for you, Chloe. You should experience what it feels like to have your baby beaten to death inside you!" She was shaking with a manic, crazed energy. I played along, showing absolute terror. I reached for my phone to call 911, but Melanie lunged forward, snatched it away, and barked at the servants, "Tie her up!" The servants surrounded me. I glared at them. "I am the mistress of this house! Who dares touch me?!" Melanie laughed maliciously. "Mistress? To Ethan, you’re nothing but a breeding machine!" "Listen up, everyone! Ethan said whoever disobeys me will pay. Help me tie Chloe up, and I will give each of you a million dollars! If anything happens, I’ll take the blame. We’ll just tell the police she fell down the stairs!" Lured by the massive bribe, the servants chose her side and pinned me to the chair, tying me up tightly. Melanie grabbed a heavy wooden rolling pin. To prevent external bruising, she placed a thick folded blanket over my stomach, and then slammed the wooden pin down onto my belly with all her might. The blinding, agonizing pain made my body spasm. I screamed in agony. Melanie had completely lost her mind, striking harder and harder. "Ethan doesn't love you! He's only nice to you because of this stupid baby! Once this baby is dead, he’ll go back to being my Ethan!" Slowly, I felt a warm stickiness spreading between my thighs. I looked down. The carpet beneath me was stained a brilliant, horrible crimson. Only then did I stop pretending. I burst into loud, hysterical laughter. Melanie had just personally murdered her own child. I couldn't wait to see Ethan’s reaction. Right on cue, the front door slammed open, and Ethan rushed in. He was trembling from head to toe. He approached me slowly, his hands shaking, not even daring to touch me. "The baby... the baby—" I cut him off, my voice dripping with venomous joy. "The baby is dead, Ethan. Melanie beat it to death with her own hands." "I guess that big surprise you planned for your little lover... is ruined."