My Sister's Lover, My Husband

as perfect, a pictu

hriving brewery, and together with my sis

attering p

ull of life, had c

wed, but the true nightmare be

kable: I was to carry David's child for my

g Jess, twisted the knife, ur

Mark, my supposed ancho

ense was a c

st room, not comforting my griev

nt your baby, Mark. Openly

egnant with

with my own sister, all while their desperate fam

ery word of trust, twist

ruly so

ly mani

y

ound and sick

, the naiv

hard rag

ked my bags, and moved ha

twisted family thought t

were

was retreating to dr

just about e

perfect retribution, a revenge so compl

pte

hirts, the scent of his dete

ning, quiet, the kin

y, a text from him earlier say

the neatly folded

y event planning company di

ee when her phone b

sn't

howed "Brend

stantly. Brenda rarely called her d

ng to keep her voice

ight, strained, not its usual

avy, thick with

ulance is taking him to St. Luke's.

and sharp. "Collapsed?

bad, Sarah. Just come."

tical twin, her si

were a unit, or

three years, a love sh

. Jess, her older sister, always the star, always getti

a pale shadow next t

he craft brewery, their fathe

the brewery and her sons as the Thompson dynas

k as she grabbed h

e images. David, always so full o

e's, her heart pound

area was stark, smelling

face ashen, his shoulder

lling her into a hug

im," he choked out. "

ure on a plastic chair, her usuall

animal sound of grief th

Jess, stroking her hair, murmu

hand on her sister's shaking s

eyes wide with panic and disbelief, fix

tones to a nurse, his voice stra

ed then, her formidab

rs older, her face

straight to Mark, her hand gri

d, the vibrant, laughing David, was fighting for his life

y emerged, his

gone. A sudden, aggressive brain

ned into a scre

were a blur of grief an

the burial. So many p

trying to support Mark, trying to offe

is twin, his business partner, his other

ing matriarch, her eyes h

er focus entirely on her fav

ock began to subside, replac

house, unable to face the h

er. "We need to talk," she'd said, her voic

n home was somber, portraits

clung to e

expression a mixture of s

ghtly. "Losing David... it's a wound that will never h

y, tears welling up aga

d David... you were about to start

chill. Where

continued, her voice gaining strength. "Je

er gaze dire

you are healthy. Jess n

were intense,

rogate for Jess. To carr

. The fork in her hand c

other-in-law's ch

monstrous,

e firm, as if stating the mo

ue. For Jess to have the child they planned. It's the ulti

Her stomach churn

yes begging for him to sa

ly his chair scraped lo

ly out of line!" His v

that. It's her body, her li

ide, his hand protect

ry other way possible, but n

washed over Sarah. He unders

ark, this is about family.

h, her voice softening

thing. This is her only hope for a piece of David,

ense, the emotional

roat tighten. She

n, chimed in, her voice dr

hat she's going through. It's the least you can do f

tter, rose in Sarah's

appiness again," Karen continued,

d, painted as self

ists under the table, nai

l was a familiar weight

ected to "be understandin

ifice of her body, her au

ark again, sear

en her champion,

her. She remembered his vows, his

bsolute. He wouldn't l

ositioning himself slig

low, but steel

u're grieving. We all are. B

h will not be doing this. We will n

continued, his tone firm but respectful. "We will support her financially, emotional

You're denying David his legacy, Ma

wife," Mark stated,

er of apology in his eyes for her

oulder gently, a silen

ed. He was her husb

r her, for them, agai

found, it almost brou

in that moment. She