Love and Hate Etched at Rebirth’s Dawn

I stared in disbelief.

That sports car was a custom-made gift from my brother, Michael Carter, after he learned I was pregnant—a gift worth millions.

I hadn’t even driven it once, and Daniel was going to give it away?

Fuming, I stormed down to the underground garage, and sure enough, there they were—Daniel and Sophia Miller.

Sophia ran her hand along the gleaming body of the car, her eyes glinting with greed, though her voice feigned modesty.

“Daniel, are you really going to give me this car? It looks so expensive… won’t Lily be upset?”

“No. She upset you yesterday, so it’s only right I make it up to you. As long as you like it, that’s all that matters.”

Sophia’s face lit up with joy as she opened the door, ready to slide into the driver’s seat for a test drive.

“Daniel, this car was a gift from my brother. Who gave you the right to give it away?”

I stepped in front of her, fury in my voice.

Before Daniel could speak, Sophia piped up with mock indignation.

“Lily, you’re being way too petty. This is marital property, and besides, Daniel’s been taking care of you for so many years—doesn’t he have the right to handle a little thing like a car?”

“Is this a conversation between husband and wife, or did we invite you to weigh in?”

“A ‘little’ car? Then why were you practically drooling over it just now? Stealing from someone and acting so righteous—you really are shameless.”

I shoved Sophia aside, making her stumble. Daniel caught her instantly, holding her protectively and checking if she was hurt.

She shook her head, eyes brimming with tears.

“Daniel, I’ve been a doctor for so long and never once accepted a patient’s gift. How could I steal someone’s belongings?

A husband is a wife’s protector—I just couldn’t stand seeing Lily try to put you down at every turn. I only wanted to speak up for you, but she misunderstood me…”

Daniel, moved and pained, turned to me with anger in his eyes.

“Lily, has pregnancy made you stupid? How long are you going to keep making trouble?”

“Sophia’s right—we’re married. Half of what’s yours is mine. She endured such a huge insult from you yesterday, and now she’s willing to put it aside to take care of you. I’m going to make it up to her. I’m giving her this car, and that’s final.”

“Don’t think I don’t know you’ve scheduled an abortion. That doctor is Sophia’s friend—she told her everything. This is my child. You may be cruel enough to reject him, but I’ll protect him! From now on, you’ll stay at home and carry this baby until it’s safely born.”

I hadn’t expected Daniel to actually imprison me for the sake of his and Sophia’s child.

Instinctively, I looked down at my belly—four months along, barely showing.

But I knew that if I kept it, my stomach would swell like it had in my previous life, as if it would burst at any moment.

I never understood why, despite eating normally during pregnancy, my belly had grown nearly twice as large as other expectant mothers’, leading to a dangerous delivery and death from massive hemorrhage.

Back then, I’d begged Daniel for a C-section, but Sophia had insisted that natural birth was better for the baby.

And Daniel had only said:

“Lily, haven’t you always wanted our child to be healthy? Do it for the baby—just bear with it.”

Even reborn, I couldn’t erase the memory of that tearing agony. The thought alone made me tremble, the vision of blood filling my eyes.

The cruelest part? The life I’d nearly died to give was nothing more than the illegitimate child of my husband and his mistress.

This time, I would change my fate.

“You’re right,” I said, forcing a smile. “We can’t waste Dr. Miller’s kindness. If you want to give her the car, then by all means, give it to her.”