Burdened by Betrayal: A Mother's Awakening

When my son fell gravely ill, I discovered the devastating truth that he wasn't my child. Confronted with my questions, Michael frowned. "The baby didn't survive. I was afraid you'd be heartbroken, so I brought Elizabeth's child for you to raise. Elizabeth didn't even complain about not raising her own child, so what are you dissatisfied about?" Elizabeth spoke softly, "I was immature before. I thought a child would hinder my dance career. Thank you for taking care of him all these years. I'm taking my child back now; after all, I am his mother." Michael, as if fearing my disagreement, offered a dismissive compromise. "Of course, if you want a child, I can give you another one." ***** "My child... why isn't he mine?" I stared at the paternity test results, my fingertips trembling with fear. "Michael, quickly contact the hospital. The babies must have been switched at birth..." Michael's voice was calm, laced with anger. "Lily, you went behind my back for a paternity test? What do you take me for?" "The child has heart disease..." I began, but Michael shoved me hard. I crashed to the floor, a searing pain making me curl up. He didn't even glance at me, rushing to our son's side. "Ethan, where else do you feel unwell? It must be because she didn't take good care of you! Don't worry; I'll call your real mother to look after you!" He immediately pulled out his phone and, under my disbelieving gaze, dialed a number. "Elizabeth, our son has heart disease. He misses you very much." Soon, Elizabeth, Michael's first love, the woman he supposedly had to leave, rushed in and embraced my son. Michael beamed, a joy I'd never seen before painted across his face. I felt like I'd plunged into an icy abyss. My mind buzzed, unable to comprehend what was happening. They were a family. Then who was I? Ethan was the child I carried for ten months and gave birth to. How could he call someone else "Mom"? Still on the floor from the fall, I was kicked again by Michael. He clearly hadn't noticed me at his feet, simply shoving me aside as an obstacle. "Ethan, don't worry. I will find you the best hospital for treatment, and then our family will be reunited!" He held the child in one arm and the sobbing Elizabeth in the other, turning back to me impatiently. "What are you still standing there for? Hurry up and pack Ethan's clothes. Keep up! Why are you so slow?" Almost instinctively, I packed the child's clothes. By the time I caught up with them, they were already gone. When the phone rang, I was met with a barrage of accusations. "Lily, didn't I tell you the child was being transferred to another hospital? How could you, as a mother, not have his things prepared for his hospital stay?" "But where did you tell me he was going? Where is he? You abandoned me there and left with your first love. Where was I supposed to find you?" I hadn't wanted to argue, especially with our son sick and this revelation. Michael's response was a sneer. "You're such a useless waste. If you had half of Elizabeth's competence, the child wouldn't have this illness!" He rattled off a hospital address and hung up without another word. My heart ached. When had Michael started constantly belittling me, finding fault with everything I did? But this... this was something I needed to understand. How could my son become someone else's? I watched Michael solicitously massage Elizabeth's neck. I couldn't stand it anymore. "Michael, what do you mean by this?" His gentle smile vanished the moment he saw me. "What do I mean? Don't you understand? When your child didn't survive, I saw how distraught you were, so I gave you Elizabeth's child! And you? You couldn't even take care of him properly! Now you're asking me what I mean. Aren't you being a little too ungrateful?" I almost collapsed. My child was gone? The child I'd cherished for so many years... was his first love's? I was practically frantic. "Michael, why are you doing this to me?" Elizabeth spoke softly. "Lily, don't be angry. I was immature before. I thought a child would hinder my dance career, so I didn't really want to raise him. It just so happened... you needed a child, so Michael brought him to you. You've really misunderstood him. He was just afraid you'd be too heartbroken... I'm truly grateful for your care all these years, but I am his mother after all. Even if you don't care about my child, you shouldn't yell and make him have an episode. And now, the time is right. I think he should know who his real mother is." I hadn't even processed her words when Michael, hearing the mention of an episode, flew into a rage. He dragged me out. "Lily, that's the child you raised for five years! Don't you care about him at all? Yelling like a lunatic... do you want to kill him?" My heart felt like it was being ripped apart. "You're the cruel one! Making me raise your first love's child! You treated me like a fool! Where is my child? Where is my child?" Michael pinched the bridge of his nose. "Stop it. If you want a child, I'll give you another one. Ethan has brought you so much joy. You haven't lost out, have you?" Ethan... Elizabeth.... Michael insisted on that name. For five years, every day, when Michael called his son's name, he was also reminded of his first love. How disgusting. What was I then, not even a nanny? I was a fool, played by them both. "Michael, how can you even say that? You make me raise her child, and then give me another one? Is it because she's back now and doesn't need me anymore? My usefulness is over, so now I can be your breeding mare? How dare you even suggest it? Are you going to switch the babies again and have me raise her child?" Michael grew increasingly impatient, his anger surpassing my own. "Enough! Do you have to be so nasty? Wasn't this an accident? They haven't done anything wrong to you. Do you have to dwell on this? Was it my fault you lost your child? It was your own inability to carry the pregnancy to term. Remember that this is your own fault. Don't blame everything on us!" It was my fault I was hit by a car and lost my child. Overwhelmed by rage, I fainted.