***
The next morning, I came downstairs with a smile on my face and told Ethan I wanted to throw Claire a baby shower. “She’s doing something incredible for us. She deserves to be celebrated.”
He smiled. “I think she’d like that.”
I spent the next two weeks planning it. Ethan watched all of it with quiet satisfaction.
He thought he was watching his plan unfold. He had no idea the recorder was sitting in my desk drawer, tucked inside an envelope along with documents my lawyer had drawn up for me.
I told Ethan I wanted to throw Claire a baby shower.
***
Soon, the day of the baby shower arrived. The living room was full of people. Claire sat in the center of it all, smiling nervously as people told her what an extraordinary gift she was giving Ethan and me.
Ethan stood beside her, proud, grinning, and oblivious to the fact that I was about to show everyone what a liar he was.
When it was time for the toast, I stood up with a glass of sparkling cider.
The day of the baby shower arrived.
“I want to thank everyone for being here today,” I said. “And most of all, I want to thank two people who have been taking such good care of this baby.”
Ethan smiled. Claire looked touched.
I turned toward them. “Ethan has been visiting Claire constantly. Bringing groceries. Vitamins. Helping with everything. So before the baby arrives, I thought everyone here should hear just how dedicated he’s been.”
Ethan’s smile stayed in place, but something behind his eyes shifted.
Ethan smiled. Claire looked touched.
“What do you mean?” he asked.
I reached into my pocket and pulled out the recorder.
And then I pressed play.
Claire’s voice filled the room. “Are you sure your wife is okay with all this?”
Then Ethan. “She doesn’t want the baby, Claire. She only agreed because I begged her to try surrogacy.”
I reached into my pocket and pulled out the recorder.
“But she comes with you sometimes,” Claire said. She sounded uncertain.
“Only for appearances,” Ethan’s voice continued. “Once the baby’s born, she’s signing her rights over.”
Claire hesitated. “That’s why you’re keeping all the medical records?”
“Exactly,” Ethan said. “If she changes her mind, I’ll show the court she never bonded with the pregnancy.”
There was a crackle on the recording.
Then Claire spoke again, “I just don’t want to hurt anyone.”
“That’s why you’re keeping all the medical records?”
I spoke before anyone else could find their voice.
“I want to make something clear.” I looked at Claire directly. “I love this baby. I prayed for it. I ached for it for years. I have no intention of signing away my rights. Ethan lied to you.” I turned to face my husband then. “And now I’d like to know why.”
Ethan looked around the room. His parents, my parents, and all our friends were staring at him, waiting.
“You’re all misunderstanding,” he started.
“Am I?” I asked quietly. “Why don’t you explain it then?”
“And now I’d like to know why.”
Something moved across his face, and I watched the performance fall away.
“You really want to know?” he said finally. “Fine. Our marriage died years ago. The treatments, the disappointments… All of it. It broke us. I still wanted my child. I just didn’t want to raise it in a broken marriage.”
“So you decided to steal it instead,” I said.
Claire moved away from him. “I would never have helped you if I’d known the truth.”
Ethan’s mother stood. “How could you, Ethan?”
I watched the performance fall away.
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