Beyond His Betrayal, A Mother Rises

d a simple, happy announcement on social media-a picture

deliberately hurt his "fragile" friend, Clemmie, who was i

d, while Clemmie watched, or

, to think of our ch

being warned it could kill the fetus. He

ospital, not to be saved, but to be harvested. I heard

urdered to give my heart a

in. My last thought was of my baby, who would never draw a

fluttered open

pte

rapped to a table in a room that smelled of sterile cl

oice cracking. "Stop this. Whate

dsome face a mask of cold fury. He didn't look at me. His

ourself," Kaeden said, hi

pale and tear-streaked. She looked fragi

ispered, her voice trembling with f

He gently stroked her hair. "She needs to learn, Cle

he cyberbullied you. She shamed you for your infertility, for your depression, ju

was a happy thing, Kaeden. For us. For our baby." I instinctively tried to curl

ardened again. "You should have thought of t

"Turn it on. Let's sta

le screamed. A raw, guttural cry was ripped fro

en the current ceased. "I'l

now," Clemmie said, burying her face

ver, my love." Then he looked at th

, this level could be d

ded, his voice leaving

o me. My vision went white, then black. I could feel the life d

er forgive you," I spat, blood mixing with my saliva. "If I die.

ugly sound. "You're not in a p

ia, don't say such things. We just want yo

more painful tha

ds outside the door ignored my desperate cries for help. My body was a wreck, sh

f the guards through the crack

impassive. "Mr. Burris pays our

other guard added with a cynical

focating silence. Hope died, and a chilling blac