I Lost Our Baby Saving My Husband’s Mistress

"Water... I need water..."

Maria Rodriguez jolted awake with her body burning up, the thirst dragging her back to consciousness in the worst way. In the moonlight filtering through a small window, she took in her surroundings—a cluttered storage room. It wasn’t just thirst tormenting her; the cold had seeped deep into her bones. She braced a hand against the wall, pushed herself to her feet, and started toward the door. Every step left her breathless.

When she tried the handle, it was locked from the outside—just as she’d suspected. Maria knew screaming for help would only waste what little strength she had left. Silence was her only option. Instead, she focused on finding something—anything—that might take the edge off her thirst.

In a shadowed corner, she found a dusty crate of bottled water. She had no idea how long it had been sitting there. She had just cracked open a bottle when the door swung open.

She expected Mrs. Rodriguez. Instead, she was caught off guard by her sister-in-law, Piper Rodriguez.

Piper sneered, her voice dripping with mockery. "Did you really think Grandma’s protection would keep you safe here? When you plotted to marry my brother, did you ever imagine this day would come?"

Piper had just gotten home from a night out, and she relished the chance to torment Maria—who had defied her mother-in-law and was now paying for it.

"What are you waiting for?" Piper snapped at the servant behind her. "Look at the water in Maria’s hand—it’s expired! We can’t have her drinking that, can we? What if it hurts the baby?"

The servant rushed to snatch the bottle from Maria’s grasp. Maria knew Piper was doing this on purpose, but her strength was already fading. "Piper, please... just one sip."

"Thirsty, are you?" Piper crouched until they were eye level. "But begging requires the right posture."

Maria clenched her fists. "What do you want?"

Piper smiled. "Get down on your knees and beg. Maybe then I’ll let you have a drink."

"Piper, you’re going too far..."

"If you don’t want to, then forget it." Piper gestured to the servant. "Pour it out—all of it!"

"Yes, Miss Piper!"

Faced with a choice between pride and survival, Maria chose survival. If she died, who would take care of her mother?

Swallowing her humiliation and rage, Maria slowly knelt.

Piper burst out laughing. "Maria, do you know what you look like? Worse than a stray dog on the street!"

With a cruel grin, Piper planted her foot on Maria’s back, grabbed the bottle from the servant, and poured it over Maria’s head. "Here—I’ll help you drink!"

Piper emptied the entire crate, not letting Maria have a single drop.

Maria couldn’t stop her. She had nothing left.

"Why are you glaring? It’s for your own good—expired water isn’t safe to drink!" Piper glanced at Maria’s defeated expression and told the servant, "Go to the kitchen and find something Maria can drink."

The servant returned quickly with a tray carrying a small white porcelain bowl. "Miss Piper, it’s late, and the only thing left is the chicken broth you didn’t finish this morning."

"Even leftovers are safer than expired water," Piper said, waving the servant forward. "Hurry up! Can’t you see her lips are cracked?"

The servant obeyed, grabbing Maria by the hair and forcing the spoiled broth down her throat.

Maria choked and coughed. Watching her struggle only seemed to delight Piper more. "Still thirsty? If you want more, I can send the servant back to the kitchen."

Maria lay on the floor, barely responsive. She fixed her eyes on the doorway, refusing to let Piper see her cry. Seeing her like that satisfied Piper. "This quiet little spot is perfect for your rest. Take care."

Meanwhile, at the hospital, Easton Rodriguez stood over Kylie Taylor’s sleeping figure. No matter how hard he tried to focus on her, Maria’s face kept pushing into his thoughts. He remembered how unwell she’d looked.

He frowned and stood, but before he could leave the room, Kylie let out a terrified cry. "Don’t... don’t touch me..."

Easton turned back immediately, taking Kylie’s hand. "Kylie..."

She jolted awake, threw her arms around his waist, and sobbed, "I don’t know why—every time I close my eyes, I see that man from last night who wouldn’t let me go..."

"Don’t worry. I’m here," Easton reassured her, gently patting her back. "I’ve sent someone to find him. We won’t let him get away with it."

"Really?" Kylie lifted her tear-streaked face and stared up at Easton. "You can’t imagine how scared I was, thinking I’d never see you again..."

"It’s all right now." Easton brushed away her tears with his thumb. "I’m not going anywhere. Try to sleep."

"Are you sure you’re not tired?"

"I’m fine."

Kylie managed a small smile. "Meeting you is the greatest luck of my life, Easton."

Easton smiled faintly. "Just sleep."

Once she settled back down and her breathing evened out, Easton took out his phone and texted his assistant.

[Check Maria’s recent medical records.]

Half an hour later, he got a reply.

[Mr. Rodriguez, Ms. Rodriguez only came in for a routine checkup during the day. There are no other medical records.]

Easton’s eyes darkened. "A routine checkup—yet she colluded with hospital staff to trick me into going there! All to make me bond with a baby so she can secure her place as Mrs. Rodriguez!"

He let out a cold laugh. "Maria, you really are delusional!"

Resolved, Easton decided Maria would stay at the manor. With Poppy away, his mother could teach Maria some discipline.

Back at the manor, first thing in the morning, Mrs. Rodriguez received an unexpected call from Poppy announcing her early return. "Housekeeper, check on that wretched girl. See if she’s still alive."

The housekeeper was back within minutes. "She’s alive, but barely breathing."

"I thought I’d have more time to deal with that vile girl..." Mrs. Rodriguez murmured with concern. "I didn’t expect Poppy to return so soon. If she finds out..."

"What are you afraid of, Mom?" Piper yawned as she came down the stairs. "Just get rid of her. As long as she doesn’t die here, Grandma can’t hold us responsible."

Mrs. Rodriguez saw the sense in her daughter’s suggestion. "You’re right. Housekeeper, arrange for her to be taken to the lake house."

"That won’t work. Even if my brother doesn’t care about her, she’s carrying his child. He might feel sympathetic. You’ve seen Easton’s temper—when he’s angry, he doesn’t recognize family."

Mrs. Rodriguez pondered. "Where, then?"

"Send her back to her own home. It’s perfectly normal for a woman to return to her family. If anything happens, it’s on her."

"Agreed. Housekeeper, see to it right away!"

Maria’s family home was in an old city neighborhood, at the end of a narrow alley, surrounded by abandoned houses. The Rodriguez family dumped her at the doorstep like discarded trash.

The knife wounds, the lost child, Mrs. Rodriguez’s beatings, the drenching from Piper—all of it left Maria feverish and clinging to life only for her mother’s sake.

With no one nearby, she dragged herself up using the rusty wrought-iron gate, inching along the wall toward the mouth of the alley.

Eventually, Maria reached the alley’s opening, but after waiting what felt like forever, no one came. She was like a candle burned down to the wick; even the wall couldn’t hold her up.

"Maria, just wait a little longer. Someone will come. Someone will save you..."

As she collapsed, those thoughts were her last, desperate hope.