Dangerous Mother-in-law, Turbulent Marriage

"Are you out of your mind?"

A mix of disbelief and outrage consumed me. Neither Jeremy nor Alfred had raised a voice against this preposterous plan.

With their backing, Cathrine stood beside me and held her head high like a rooster, claiming victory.

In her arms, she cradled a baby, younger even than Xavier.

"This is the child Alfred and I adopted. He is your son now. Just as you've nurtured Xavier, your duty to care for another child endures unchanged. You must treat these two children equally in the future, especially when it comes to breastfeeding."

The absurdity of it all left me reeling. My milk supply was already scarce, and now I was expected to share it with this strange child.

I pondered silently, "Could it be that my breast milk Cathrine had stolen before was meant for this child?" I couldn't help but scrutinize the child, who bore a resemblance to Cathrine, particularly around the eyes and eyebrows.

During my pregnancy, Cathrine had vanished without a trace.

Given the strained ties between her and me, it was hardly surprising she hadn't graced me with her presence. In fact, she had been completely absent. It was the perfect window for her to have a child.

Could this child be Cathrine's illegitimate son?

The situation had spiraled beyond my wildest imaginings. Jeremy's family was a tangled mess.

Confronted by Cathrine's unyielding pressure, I sneered, gesturing toward her bedroom.

"Did Alfred know? Did he know about your sex with another man in that bedroom? Did he know this child might be your illegitimate son?"

Her face drained of color. Panic was etched into every line.

"Don't worry. I can keep a secret. But this will only hold true if we both agree to keep our distance from one another."

I cast a disdainful glance at the child beside her.

"If you persist in confronting me with these vile and odorous matters, intent on repulsing me, even if it heralds the apocalypse, I will ensure your reputation lies in ruins."

My threat had the desired effect; Cathrine fled with the child, never to parade him before me again.

Yet, I wavered. Even armed with evidence of her infidelity, what did it truly matter? What if her betrayal came after Alfred's passing?