ManyWriters

A month before I was due to give birth, I caught snippets of a hushed conversation between my husband and his mother in the corridor.
My mother-in-law sounded exasperated. "I've had multiple tests done, and they all say it's a girl! I even tried that special concoction to alter the gender, but it didn't work. What a disappointment!"
My husband replied calmly, seemingly unconcerned. "It's alright, Mom. Sophia and I are only having this one child. Even if it's a daughter, she can still inherit our family's wealth."
His mother scoffed disdainfully. "A woman who marries is like water poured on the ground—worthless! Without male genitalia, she's not truly part of our family. What's the use?"
My husband chuckled, his voice tinged with a perverse sense of pride. "Mom, remember that girl I loved from the rural area? Actually, I never ended things with her. She's expecting too, and judging by her wide hips, it's surely a boy."
His mother gasped, then erupted in joyous laughter. "Is that so? I'm going to have a grandson? Oh, this is fantastic!"
She leaned in, speaking in a hushed, conspiratorial tone. "We can't let our precious heir suffer. We'll exchange him with the girl she's carrying. No one will ever find out."
Two weeks later, I woke up in excruciating pain, my abdomen feeling like it was being torn apart. I was rushed to the hospital for an emergency cesarean section.
When I regained consciousness, my mother-in-law stood before me, her face beaming with satisfaction as she cradled a baby boy. "Sophia, you're incredible! You've given birth to a big, healthy boy—4 kilograms! What a blessing you've brought to our family!"
I looked at her, seeing right through her deceit. But I remained silent.
I played along with their deception for eighteen years.

The Cradle Swap Conspiracy

Jacob found himself at the epicenter of the commotion, with Olivia's declaration sending waves of astonishment through the gathered crowd. All eyes turned to her, perplexed by her unexpected announcement.


I gazed at her, feigning ignorance, and spoke in a controlled, even voice, "Olivia, have you been drinking? What on earth are you talking about?"


Undeterred, Olivia persisted, "I've just received a call. Our babies were accidentally swapped at the hospital. Ma'am, Jacob is actually my biological son."


She then gestured towards her daughter—who stood paralyzed with anxiety at the dinner table—and proclaimed, "And that young lady over there is your child. She's your daughter."


The room exploded into murmurs and gasps. The news was so shocking that nobody knew quite how to respond.


Chapter 5