《The Canto of Sin and Love》

Eight months into my pregnancy,I was in danger.

The kidnapper used my phone to call my husband.

The line got disconnected seven times,and after each call,his patience wore thinner.Finally,he lost it and sent a hard kick straight to my stomach.

Pain erupted,twisting through me,and I broke into a cold sweat.A faint smear of red pooled beneath me on the floor.

One last attempt.This time,someone picked up on the other end:

“Winnie fell at the mall and is bleeding.Stop calling me!This isn’t about you vying for attention!”

Just as I felt the end approaching,my best friend tracked me down through my phone’s location.

She saw me lying there in a pool of blood and quickly dialed her judge husband for help.

All she got was a message in reply:[Winnie’s in court.Do not disturb]

Unable to reach anyone,she dragged me to her car and tried to get us down the mountain.

But We were trapped,rain pouring down and mud closing in.

It was a forest ranger who eventually found us,saving us from the brink of death.

When I came to,the first thought that crossed my mind was:divorce.

——

After confirming that my best friend had also made it through,I immediately messaged Ross,telling him I wanted a divorce.

Two days went by with no reply.

[Our baby is gone.]I finally messaged him.

That got his attention.For the first time,he called back.

“Maisie,is that what you do now?If I don’t respond,you threaten to hurt the baby?

“Didn’t I tell you to stay home and rest?You had to go off on these ridiculous whims,calling eight times when I didn’t answer,like some lunatic!

“There was a scene at the mall,Winnie was there,and she was so frightened that she nearly lost the baby in her belly.How is anything more important than two lives?

“I’m warning you,don’t use the baby to manipulate me.If you want to get rid of it,do it!Just as you please.”

“Ross,”came a soft,fragile voice from his end,“don’t be mad at her.She’s just concerned about you.This is all my fault…”

“Winnie,this isn’t on you…”And with that,the line went dead.

My hand dropped weakly,the faintest trace of bitter laughter at my lips.

Of course.How could I ever compare to his precious Winnie?Trying to hold on would only humiliate me further.

But what about my baby?My child should have been able to meet me in just two more months.

The incident in the shopping mall was all directed at me,and everything was Ross's conspiracy.

The moment they grabbed me,the kidnappers slapped me across the face,twice,leaving me dizzy and disoriented.

I could just barely make out their bitter curses:“Your husband couldn’t save my wife.Do you even understand that?That so-called‘medical genius’–he’s a fraud!

“And I heard his family’s loaded.Kidnapping you means I can get the money I deserve for the loss he caused!”

When I realized he wanted money,a tiny bit of relief crept in.

At least that meant my baby might be safe.

But after eight calls–seven rejected,and one filled with nothing but blame and frustration–I lost all value in the kidnappers’eyes.

I had never been more afraid.

I knelt on the floor,begging them to spare my child.

But it was no use.

My baby was gone,just like that.

But only that morning,my pup one had been kicking inside me.

I passed out,slipping closer and closer to the edge of life.

Without my baby,I had no desire to keep fighting.

But just when I had made peace with the end,my best friend shattered the window to get to me.

She glanced down at my phone,still faintly glowing on the floor,and yelled,“Why didn’t you pick up?!If I hadn’t come,what would’ve happened to you?Were you just waiting to die?”

She lifted me,trying frantically to call Sean.

“Winnie’s in court.Do not disturb.”Those six words froze her in place.

She tried calling the police,but the signal was gone.

Dragging me into her car,she pushed on,only to run into that landslide.

Maybe it was fate.I closed my eyes,letting the world drift away...

Chapter 2

Now,my best friend and I lay in the same hospital room.

Silence filled the space,thick and heavy.

She must have heard Ross’s outburst over the phone.

Despite her weakness,she forced herself to stand and gripped my hand,her face pale,tears spilling onto my hand.

“I’m so sorry,Maisie.I never should have introduced you to Ross,”she said softly,her voice trembling.“You deserve so much better than this.”

I could see the guilt weighing on her,but honestly,my heart hurt more for her.

She had spent two years trying to conceive,only to lose her baby before she even realized she was pregnant.

Just as I was about to speak,her husband,Sean,called.

“My brother says Maisie didn't plan to keep the baby.Was this your idea?Can you two stop acting crazy for once?

“And didn’t I tell you yesterday I was working on Winnie’s case?It’s important!I told you not to bother me–are you deaf?

“Honestly,I don’t know why we married you.Always causing trouble,talking about divorce like threats!Go ahead if you want to divorce;no one’s asking you not to!”

The call ended abruptly.

My best friend looked at her phone,shook her head,and tried to brush it off,but her eyes grew red.

Taking her cold hand in mine,I whispered,“Don’t be sad.We’re alive–that’s what matters.Maybe this is just a sign.It’s time for us to let go.”

“Let’s get some rest,and when we’re stronger,we’ll move out.Deal?”

She choked out a small“okay,”and finally let herself cry,collapsing onto my shoulder as our emotions overflowed.Fear,anger,and sadness–all the feelings we had bottled up finally spilled out.

What we thought were dream marriages turned out to be nothing but nightmares.

I remembered when we first got married,sharing the story of“best friends marrying brothers”online.

We even got tons of comments,with people saying things like,“Wow,friends marrying into the same family–double the fun!”and“Dream come true;you two have got it made!”

But the fantasy shattered six months ago,when Winnie Greene came back from overseas.

Suddenly,Ross was always“too busy”to pick up his phone,and Sean was constantly out,dating and networking.

That’s when we realized this marriage had never been about love–it was Ross and Sean’s plan to get back at Winnie.

All those promises,all that affection–just part of their selfish game.

The cruel irony was how long Ellie and I had been fooled by them.

We had even allowed them to bring Winnie into the house,only for them to dote on her in ways they never did with us.

Photos of the two brothers with her filled their social media,always set to be hidden from her view.

A doctor and a judge,yet they revolved around her every need:Ross suddenly took an interest in obstetrics,and Sean went out of his way to help her with a divorce case.

Meanwhile,Ellie and I,their actual wives,barely got a holiday greeting or a single flower in all that time.

He was there,but his love felt like it never was.

We’d overlooked the truth:his heart had moved on.

Or maybe…there was never love at all.

It took losing two lives for me to finally see it.

Lying in bed,I distracted myself with my phone,trying hard to avoid social media.

When I opened Facebook,a video on the trending page caught my eye:

Winnie’s latest post.She was basking in affection,practically flaunting her two childhood“friends”with pride.

There were three photos:a group shot of the three of them,a legal document,and a close-up of her hands cradling her stomach.

Her caption read:[Those who care for you will always show up before danger does!Thank you,my dearest friends.]

The comment section was full of admiration and jealousy.

[Oh my god,where can I find childhood friends like this?]

[Girl,you’ve got it good!]

One or two people even noted:[Hey,don’t these two look familiar?Aren’t they the brothers who married those best friends?]

But those comments were buried quickly under all the adoring replies.

Just then,Ellie sent me a screenshot of Winnie’s latest post with a simple,steady message:[Maisie,I don’t know why,but looking at this,I feel…nothing.]

[Two husbands for one wife.Since they’re so eager,let’s make it official for them.]

I took a deep breath.

[You’re right.This has nothing to do with us anymore.I’m calling a divorce lawyer.I’ve put up with this long enough.]

The lawyer worked fast,and by the next day,our divorce agreements were ready.I had the lawyer send copies to both Ross and Sean’s emails.

Two days passed,and neither of them responded.

The dull,grinding pain of waiting wore me down,and I finally lost patience.

[Have you seen the divorce papers?]I messaged Ross.[Please respond.]

The reply was yet another angry tirade.

[Haven’t you caused enough trouble?I’m telling you,the more you push,the less I want to come home.Stop trying to‘test’me!]

I didn’t respond,stunned by his sheer arrogance.

How had I not seen this before?Ross was nothing more than a self-absorbed fool.

I was just about to explain myself when I heard Winnie’s voice in the background,all syrupy and coy:“Ross,what are you doing?Come on,let’s eat.Sean and I have been waiting for you.”

I couldn’t help but mock him.“No wonder you have no time for us–you’re too busy with your precious‘sister,’aren’t you?”

“Maisie,what’s your problem?I’m just helping out!Winnie’s pregnant–unlike you,she’s helpless in the kitchen,”he snapped.

Pregnant.The word hit me like a punch. My composure shattered.

“You have the nerve to worry about someone else’s child.What about ours,Ross?Did you ever care for me?Or your own baby?”

His tone turned cold,dismissive.

“This is pointless…”

But Winnie chimed in with a sweet laugh,“Maisie,we’re both expecting mothers.I get how it is–those pregnancy can mess with your emotions.Not all moms are as lucky as me,but don’t be too upset.”

Her words cut me like a knife.

I felt my strength slipping away as pain flared at my still-healing wound.

Ross’s voice drifted in with an indulgent murmur:“Don’t worry about her.Your health is all that matters,Winnie.Whatever you need,I’ll be there.”

I struggled to breathe as tears streamed down my face.

He had never cared for me,not once.What was I to him in these two years?A convenient piece of furniture,nothing more.

Before I could say another word,he hung up.

Crushed,I let out a sob.

Ellie rushed over,wrapping me in a comforting embrace.“Let it out,Maisie,”she whispered,soothing me.“He’s not worth it.Your baby understood that much–that someone like him could never be a true father.”

“It’s okay.If they ignore the papers,we’ll sue.This marriage is ending,one way or another.”

Chapter 3

My best friend and I spent three weeks in the hospital.

During this time,we received not a single word from the brothers.No one asked where we were,why we hadn’t come home,or how we were doing.

Any last vestiges of hope we’d held onto seemed to dissolve completely under their cold indifference.

It wasn’t until we were checking out of the hospital that we finally ran into Sean.

He didn’t notice us,his attention locked on his destination down the hallway.

Curious,we quietly followed him to the maternity ward,where the reason for his absence became clear.

There,Winnie lay on the bed,clinging to Ross,crying about her fear of giving birth.Sean was next to her,gently brushing the hair from her face,both of them looking at her with tender concern.

The three of them,side by side,painted a picture of harmony that was painful to behold.

My best friend and I instinctively placed our hands on our stomachs,the contrast to Winnie’s scene of“frightened happiness”only emphasizing our sorrow.

Forcing myself to look away,I grabbed my friend’s arm and left the hospital with her.

We had more important things to do.

[See you at the registry office the day after tomorrow.]I texted Ross.

[And bring Sean with you.This is serious–if you don’t show,we’ll proceed with divorce through the courts.]

Almost immediately,Ross called me,but I hung up.

Messages flooded in,but I didn’t read them.I shut my phone off.

Next,my friend and I headed to the police station to report what had happened.

This wasn’t just an incident;it was a calculated act of revenge against a doctor’s family.

I recounted the details to the officer,who looked deeply concerned.

“This is serious.Why report it now?If the suspect comes after you again…”he started to say.

I let out a bitter laugh.“They won’t.Even the kidnapper knows I have no value to Ross.Hurting me doesn’t affect him at all.”

I pleaded with the officer to check the security footage,explaining that my best friend and I had lost our babies during the incident and survived a landslide on our own.

His face softened with sympathy.

“Don’t worry,Ms.Baker.We’ll do our best to get to the bottom of this.”

Outside the station,we saw a new post from Winnie:[A little angel,6 pounds and 3 ounces,has come into my life!]

In the comments,Ross chimed in:[Godfather number one,reporting for duty!]

Sean added[Godfather number two,here too!]

A pang of irony struck me.If they ever found out they’d lost their own children,I wondered,would it even matter to them?

Exhausted from the day’s ordeal,my friend and I returned to the small apartment I’d lived in before I married.

When I turned my phone back on,a series of missed calls from Ross popped up.

I decided to call back.

He answered in a fury,practically yelling,“Are you done with your tantrums?I told you to stay home and rest!Now the house is a disaster.I only found out because I dropped by to get a gift for Winnie’s baby!

“And Ellie–what are you dragging her into now?Sean can’t reach her,probably because of you.Do you have to poison everything around you?You’ve ruined their marriage too.Are you happy?”

My best friend clenched her fists beside me,ready to unleash her rage,but I held her back.

“Don’t waste your energy on someone like him,”I whispered.

“Ross,let’s keep it simple:I want a divorce.I have no time for your baseless accusations.”

My friend took the phone from me,unable to hold back any longer.“You know what,Ross?Marrying into your family has been nothing but a curse.Let me make this clear:Ellie and I want divorces because you and Sean are fools.Get it?”

She ended the call and promptly blocked him on every platform.

The next morning,just as we were leaving for the registry office,we saw Winnie at the entrance,cradling her baby.

Her face was pale,and she looked pitiful,like a frail flower ready to wilt at the slightest breeze.

The moment she saw us,she dropped to her knees,looking as helpless as ever.

“Maisie,Ellie,I’m so sorry.I’m here to apologize on behalf of Ross and Sean.This is all my fault.Don’t blame them.They were just looking out for me as a single mother.

“They only stayed with me at the hospital because I was scared,that’s all.I thought they’d already let you know.I even reminded them!I never wanted to cause a misunderstanding.”

Even now,she kept up the act,portraying herself as the innocent victim,flaunting the bond she shared with the brothers as if we,their wives,were nothing but outsiders.

Seeing my friend’s growing fury,I quickly stepped forward,leveling a cold look at Winnie.“Oh?So what,Winnie?Do I need your permission to get a divorce?Your little act doesn’t work on us anymore.Save it.”

Out of sheer politeness for the child in her arms,I bent down to help her up.

But the moment she heard the elevator doors open,her expression shifted,and she let herself collapse onto the floor as if I’d pushed her.

Startled,I was about to react when Ross came rushing over,shoving me hard.

“Maisie!How could you be so cruel?Get away from her!”he shouted.

Caught off guard,I stumbled and fell,my friend rushing to help me up.

“Maisie,are you alright?”

Satisfied that Winnie was fine,Ross finally turned his attention to me,about to unleash a torrent of insults–until he noticed my now-flat stomach.His face went pale.

“Where’s the baby?”he asked,his voice shaky.“Maisie,where’s our child?”

Just then,Sean emerged from the elevator,talking on his phone.“What now?”he called over.“I could hear you two fighting from all the way down the hall!You’ll scare the baby.I have to get back to court right away;there’s a kidnapping case on trial,something about a pregnant woman being stabbed.The prosecution’s pressing charges.”

As he took in my appearance,he glanced at Ross.“Hey bro,did she give birth already?”

The question seemed to jolt Ross back to his senses.He grabbed my shoulders,shaking me as panic filled his eyes.

“Maisie,you had the baby,right?Don’t scare me like this!”

Chapter 4

Ross’s questions came in a rush,his hands gripping my shoulders and shaking me,his face desperate.

My heart bled just as deeply.

I could still feel the wrenching pain as I felt my baby slipping away.That horror was seared into my mind,raw and unrelenting.

I had never felt such hatred.

A hatred that engulfed me entirely.If only he had answered the phone,if he had given me a moment of his time,if he had sensed that I needed him–our baby might still be alive.

Looking at Ross’s and Sean’s guilty faces now,I felt nothing but revulsion.

“The baby is gone,”I said flatly.“Not only mine,but Ellie’s as well.She’d just found out she was one month pregnant.I told you both,but you didn’t listen.There’s nothing left to say.Divorce is the only option.”

Ross stumbled back,disbelief flooding his eyes as he muttered,“So you weren’t just trying to scare me.The baby…our baby is actually gone.”

Then,snapping out of his shock,he shouted,“Maisie,you’re not even human!The baby was eight months along,and you just decided to end it out of spite?She was fully formed!”

“Are you insane?How could you kill our child?Come with me to the police station–you need to pay for this!”

A bitter,sad smile crossed my face as I met his gaze.“If you want to talk about killers,look at yourself and Winnie.I was attacked because of a surgery you performed,out of revenge for a life you couldn’t save.They found me because of you.They beat me,they kicked me,and you call me inhuman?

“Who led them to me?Your dear‘sister’Winnie.She let them know that kidnapping me would draw your attention.So,tell me,who really killed our child?”

My voice shook with the weight of my pain.“Do you think anyone feels this loss more deeply than I do?”

“No,no,it wasn’t me…”Winnie stammered,scrambling to defend herself,but Sean cut her off,turning to me.

“Wait,Ellie was a month pregnant?What happened to her baby?I thought only one person was kidnapped–what does any of this have to do with her?”he demanded,voice unsteady.

At that,Ellie stepped forward and slapped him hard across the face.

“You have no right to ask!If any of you had bothered to answer your phones,we wouldn’t have been caught in the landslide.We wouldn’t have been trapped.Our baby wouldn’t have died!

“Maybe it’s better this way.You two never deserved to be fathers,or husbands.Wasn’t it clear you were always more invested in Winnie and her child?Now you can finally have your‘real family.’What happens to our children doesn’t concern you.”

Sean looked stunned,one hand raised to his cheek where the mark of her slap was still visible.

Ross,however,had finally grasped the gravity of the situation,his face frozen in shock.

“You’re telling me…that Maisie was actually kidnapped?Why didn’t you call me?You got caught in the landslide trying to save her?Why didn’t you tell us?”he pleaded,a hint of desperation slipping through.

Too late.Far too late for that.The time for regret had long passed.

I kept my voice steady,though my words were cold,laced with bitter irony.

“When you ignored seven of my calls,I was tied up.When you finally answered the eighth time,I was already worthless to them.

“You could have saved us,Ross.The kidnapper only wanted money at first;he never intended to kill our child.”

Ross collapsed,burying his face in his hands,sobbing uncontrollably.

Winnie tried to comfort him,wrapping her arms around him,but he shoved her away with such force that her hand scraped against the floor,leaving a smear of blood.

Her eyes widened,uncomprehending–this was the first time she’d ever been pushed aside like this.

Ignoring her,I turned to Sean,my expression hard.

“Guess who’s involved in that kidnapping case you’re handling–the victim and the plaintiff,to be exact?”

The truth dawned on them,their gazes sharp with sudden suspicion as they looked at Winnie.

“N-no,it wasn’t me.I swear!”she stammered,looking terrified.“I was just at the mall that day–I was a victim too!How could it be me?How could I know it was Maisie who’d been kidnapped?”

In the past,her teary defenses would have melted their hearts instantly,prompting them to rush to her side.

But now,neither of them moved to comfort her.Instead,they exchanged silent glances,their expressions clouded with something between contempt and realization.

I stepped closer,my voice calm but carrying a deadly finality.“I never mentioned where or when it happened.So tell me,Winnie–how did you know I was at the mall?”