Chapter 1
My sister-in-law Celine Maddox was a drama queen who picked fights with everyone, and she especially couldn't stand me.
So once I got pregnant, I did my best to stay out of her way.
That changed when the college student my husband, Everett Maddox, was sponsoring dropped to her knees in front of me for the 28th time.
"Aunt Tessa, when you came to the office that day, Uncle Everett had sand in his eye. I was just blowing it out for him. We didn't do anything else! You posted online calling me the other woman. Now all my classmates are pointing fingers at me. I'm too ashamed to go on living!"
Everett steadied her and frowned at me.
"You're about to be a mother. Why are you picking on a young girl? Delete that post right now. If this gets out of hand, don't expect me to clean up your mess!"
I shook with anger as cramps seized my lower abdomen.
"I didn't write that post. What exactly do you expect me to delete?"
When I snapped at Everett, Bridget Talbot pulled away from his embrace, crying.
"Aunt Tessa, this is all my fault. I'll never contact Uncle Everett again. Please, I'm begging you. Just delete the post!"
Seeing them like that upset me so badly that the pain in my belly wouldn't let up.
Just then, Celine rushed over and splashed a glass of wine in Bridget's face.
"Are you a walking trash can? You're certainly full of crap. You look older than Tessa. Where do you get the nerve to call her Aunt Tessa?"
Everett was about to speak when she slapped him too.
"And you! Your own children are still in your wife's belly, and you're already falling over yourself to be someone else's father?"
The slap left Everett stunned. Only when he saw how pale I was with pain did he come to his senses and hurry over to support me.
"The doctor said you're carrying twins. Getting worked up could cause a miscarriage. Please don't be angry."
"You brought this nightmare of a woman here. How could Tessa not be angry? You can't even look after your own wife and children, but you've got yourself a two-faced flirt for a goddaughter. She's only 2 years younger than Tessa. No wonder people are talking," Celine said with biting sarcasm.
Everett looked embarrassed as he apologized to me gently.
Beside him, Bridget flushed, then went pale. She clenched her fists.
With a hand over my belly, I stared at Celine in surprise.
Ever since I'd married Everett, she'd found fault with me every single day.
When I stayed up to make Everett a late-night meal while he worked overtime, she accused me of being far too eager to play his housekeeper.
When I saved up to buy him a gift, she said I was a fool to spend my own money on him and would be miserable for the rest of my life.
She even sneered at my everyday clothes and makeup, calling them cheap junk.
"What are you staring at? I'm standing up for my future niece and nephew," Celine snapped, rolling her eyes.
"Uncle Everett, the post..." Bridget began, her eyes red.
Before Everett could answer, Celine splashed another glass of wine over her. "Whoever wrote it didn't reveal their identity. How can you be so sure it was Tessa? If you have a problem, go to the police. Don't stand here and play the innocent."
Everett opened his mouth, then closed it again. He took out his phone. "I'll call the police for you."
"There's no need. Since it wasn't Aunt Tessa, I'll deal with it myself," Bridget said hastily, before offering me an insincere apology.
I gave her a cold look and ignored her.
Everett offered to drive me home to rest, but Bridget immediately started making trouble again.
"Uncle Everett, I just remembered I have a really important class. Could you take me back to campus first? Aunt Tessa, I get carsick, so I can only sit in the front. You don't mind, do you?"
She shot me a challenging look, then quickly climbed into the front passenger seat.
"Bridget gets badly carsick. You can sit in the back," Everett said, opening the rear door for me.
"She gets carsick, and I have morning sickness. Why should I be the one to give up my seat?" I refused to move.
Everett frowned in irritation. "I'm only asking you to sit in the back. Do you have to make such a big deal out of it?"
I was trembling with anger and about to lash out.
Celine grabbed me and pulled me behind her.
"If you think Tessa is making a big deal out of nothing, go ahead and drive Bridget. She won't be riding in your car."
Celine called a friend to drive me instead. He was a very handsome young man who greeted me warmly and offered me the front passenger seat.
Seeing this in his rearview mirror, Everett slammed on the brakes and reversed toward us, his expression dark.
"Celine, what do you think you're doing?"
