Beyond the Plot: The Stepmom Who Broke the Script

The moment my stepdaughter threw a cup of hot water in my face, I had a shocking realization: I was the cannon fodder stepmom in a trashy novel.
My stepdaughter was the evil heroine, a ruthless narcissist who climbed to the top by stepping on everyone else.
As her stepmother, I was an eyesore.
The baby in my belly was an obstacle.
And so, I was destined to become just another casualty in her story.
I wiped the water from my face, my eyes fixed on the text scrolling across my vision, like comments on a live stream.
YES! This stepmom is so fake. She pretends to be nice to the main character but is already planning to have her own kid.
I hate these types, playing the innocent white lotus. Can't wait for our girl to slap her into next week!
Shes about to announce shes pregnant. You think our queen is gonna stand for that? LOL no.
The words hit me like a physical blow. I took a sharp breath and quickly shoved the pregnancy report deeper into my pocket.
Turning to my husband, another piece of cannon fodder in this twisted story, I forced a small smile.
"Arthur, honey, there's something I need to talk to you about after dinner."
1
My stepdaughter, Miranda, propped her chin on her hand and sneered. "Your voice is ruining my appetite."
She lowered her hand, her fingers inching toward the soup tureen. It looked like she was getting ready to douse me again.
The comments flew across my vision.
This stepmom talks way too much. Thats our queens dad, and she keeps calling him honey right in front of her. So gross.
Do it again! Throw the soup! This is the content I live for!
I blinked, confirming that the text wasn't a hallucination.
I immediately lurched to the side, dodging the scalding chicken soup Miranda slung at me.
It splattered everywhere, coating the beautiful dinner Id spent three hours preparing in a greasy film, making it completely inedible.
I couldnt even care about the ruined food. The spot on my face where the hot water had hit was starting to burn with a dull, throbbing pain.
I rushed to the kitchen and splashed my face with cold water again and again until the stinging subsided.
Just moments ago, all I had done was take a piece of the tender fish belly, and Miranda had retaliated by throwing her glass of water at my head.
Thank God it wasnt boiling, or my face would have been ruined.
Miranda watched me with cold, dismissive eyes. "Seriously? The water wasn't even that hot. Stop being so dramatic."
Arthur finally put down his chopsticks, his expression darkening. "Miranda, that's enough. You need to show some restraint."
The comments immediately shifted to him.
What a scumbag dad. First, he marries a new wife, and now he wants a new kid? Where does that leave our girl?
Guess shell have to tolerate him for a little while longer for the inheritance, of course.
In my eyes, Arthur had always seemed like a decent father. Miranda's mother had died in a car accident shortly after she was born, and he had remained single for fifteen years before marrying me. He chose me, I think, because I came from a small town with no connections, no power to challenge his precious daughter.
But Miranda didn't give him an ounce of respect. She scoffed.
"Restraint? I have none. What are you going to do about it?"
"This is my house," she spat, "and I'll kick out anyone I don't like. If you have a problem with it, you can get out with her!"
More comments appeared.
Thats our queen! A total savage. If you get in her way, shell send you to your grave!
Send me to my grave?
My hands clenched into fists.
Having also lost my mother, I had always felt a sense of pity for Miranda.
When she refused to let me move into the master bedroom, I took the guest room on the first floor.
When she didn't want our marriage to be publicly announced, I agreed to cancel the wedding.
I even made sure to buy her favorite fruits.
I had hoped that once she was past her volatile teenage years, we could find a way to live in peace.
But now, I saw that was just a foolish fantasy.
It wasn't just me Miranda couldn't tolerate. It was my baby, too.
With that thought, I discreetly pulled the pregnancy report from my pocket and held it under the running faucet. I let the water wash away the ink until the paper disintegrated into a pulpy mess.
"Hey, you. Are you done with your little drama yet?"
Miranda stood up and sauntered toward me.
"Stop playing the victim. I can't stand it." Her eyes narrowed. "And you just came from the hospital, didn't you? Are you pregnant?"
At her words, Arthurs head snapped up, his eyes fixed on me. A flicker of something crossed his face, but he remained seated, watching as his daughter advanced on me.
Miranda casually picked up a kitchen knife, running her finger lightly along the blade. She smiled. "I can smell the antiseptic on you. What did the doctor say?"
The comments exploded with excitement.
Go, Queen! Stab the cannon fodder stepmom and that little parasite in her belly right now!
So smart and so ruthless. This is the evil heroine I signed up for!
A chill traced its way down my spine.
A mothers instinct took over, and I forced myself to stay calm.
I frowned slightly and sighed. "No, Im not."
Miranda eyed me with suspicion.
I lowered my head, my voice cracking. "The doctor said my health isn't good. It will be very difficult for me to conceive."
"Miranda," I whispered, "it looks like you might be the only daughter I'll ever have."
Her expression soured, and she tossed the knife back onto the counter with a clatter.
"Who's your daughter? Don't get any ideas."
She turned and stalked out, clearly annoyed to be in the same room with me. But as she left, she threw an order over her shoulder. "I want to wear the coat my mother left me tomorrow. Have it pressed for me tonight."
"And for Dad's tie, choose the one with the thin stripes, not the one you bought him."
There it was again.
In the year since I had married into the Prescott family, she constantly used these little commands to assert her dominance. I usually let it slide, not wanting to argue with a teenager.
But this time, I shook my head. "I'm a little tired today. Why don't you ask the housekeeper to help you?"
She stopped in her tracks and turned, her voice cold. "Is that so?"
Arthur suddenly interjected. "Clara, you should do it. The housekeeper is too clumsy."
I looked at him, and in his eyes, I saw a flicker of disappointment. Was he disappointed that I wasn't pregnant, or disappointed that I wasn't endlessly catering to his daughter?
Not wanting to argue in front of Miranda, I simply nodded. "Fine."
A triumphant smirk touched Miranda's lips as she swept out of the house.
The moment the door closed, I hurried to Arthur's side.
"Honey," I said, stopping him as he put on his coat to follow Miranda out for a shopping trip. "Can we please talk?"
"Clara, I know Miranda shouldn't have thrown water at you," he said, "but you're the adult. You should be more patient with her. Don't be so sensitive."
He seemed to feel a little guilty, patting my shoulder. "And don't be too sad about the baby thing. If it's not meant to be, it's not meant to be."
"We'll focus on raising Miranda. One child is enough, right?"
I froze.
The poorly concealed relief in his voice hit me like a physical blow. We had agreed to have another child after we married. Now, it seemed like our baby was completely disposable to him.
I didn't give up. I had to try. "I wanted to ask could I go with you to the overseas branch for a while?"
Just a year. It would be enough time for me to get away from Miranda and have this baby safely.
Arthur laughed as if I'd told a joke.
"I'm going there to expand the market, Clara, not on vacation."
"You need to stay here and take care of the house. If you come with me, who's going to look after Miranda?"
I said nothing, focusing on the comments that were now scrolling in front of my eyes.
Phew, thank god. The scumbag dad has at least half a brain. He knows our girl is the most important.
Mirandas probably watching this on the cameras. Shell be so pleased.
Can't wait for the day our queen is done using him and tosses him aside. Maybe she'll grant him a clean death.
But why did the stepmoms plot change? When is the main character going to find out shes pregnant? I need to see her deal with this white lotus!
The comments sent a fresh wave of fear through me.
Just because I was a stepmother, did that mean I deserved to die at Mirandas hands?
What could I do to protect myself and my child?
My gaze shifted back to Arthur. I had once been drawn to his gentle, refined nature. Even knowing he was older and had a daughter, I couldn't help but fall for him.
Now, his face was etched with impatience. "Miranda is waiting for me outside. I have to go."
And this was our first wedding anniversary.
Dinner was ruined, and now the anniversary was, too.
The words slipped out before I could stop them. "Arthur, maybe we should separate."
He frowned, the look in his eyes changing.
"Clara, are you seriously picking a fight over a disagreement with a child? Is it really necessary?"
"Stop this nonsense. I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that."
He didn't want to waste another second on me. He turned and walked away.
The door shut, leaving me alone in the vast, empty house.
I didn't have time to feel sorry for myself. I immediately began searching for the cameras the comments had mentioned.
There was a pinhole camera hidden in the leaves of a potted plant, another tucked beside the television, and even a listening device taped under the dining table.
In that moment, I understood the true extent of Miranda's danger.
I hired a professional security team and had them sweep the entire house.
When they found a camera hidden behind the bathroom mirror, one of them whistled. "What is this, are you guys filming a spy movie?"
My face went pale. The thought that Miranda had been watching me, even when I was showering, for the past year was so repulsive I almost threw up.
In total, they found sixteen pinhole cameras and seven listening devices throughout the Prescott mansion.
When Arthur and Miranda returned, I was sitting in the living room, waiting for them.
His parents, my in-laws, were with them.
I knew then that Miranda had discovered I'd removed the cameras.
I got straight to the point. "There was only one room in this house that wasn't bugged, Miranda. Care to explain?"
"This is a violation of my privacy! It's a crime!"
Miranda just snorted, crossing her arms. "So what? I'm a minor. Go on, call the police. See if they even care."
My mother-in-law glanced at the pile of surveillance equipment on the table, then sat down on the sofa without a care in the world.
"What's with that look on your face? You really are from a small town, aren't you?"
My father-in-law sneered. "People with no breeding are so easily scandalized."
I wasn't surprised they were protecting her.
I looked at Arthur. His was the only opinion that mattered to me.
He turned his head away, refusing to meet my eyes.
"Miranda explained it to me. She did it because she feels insecure."
"Besides," he mumbled, "it's not like she actually did anything to you. Let's just drop it."
I let out a bitter, self-mocking laugh, my last shred of hope for him gone.
"Arthur, I'm serious. I want a divorce."
Miranda immediately scoffed. "A divorce? Youre just after the money, arent you?"
I didn't deny it.
If I were alone, I would have walked away with nothing. But I had a child to think of, a child who would need financial support. I would fight for what was rightfully mine.
My mother-in-law glared at me. "Who do you think you're threatening? Do you really believe our Arthur can't live without you?"
Arthur stared at me for a long time before speaking, his voice heavy. "Think this through, Clara. Who really stands to lose in a divorce?"
I gave him a calm smile. "Oh, I've thought it through very clearly."
Miranda was a ticking time bomb. I could either strike first, or get as far away from her as possible.
Since I didn't want to become a criminal myself, divorce was my only option.
It was late. I was too tired to argue with them anymore, so I went to my room.
The next morning, I had an appointment with my lawyer. As I opened the front door to leave, a plastic bag filled with water fell from above, drenching me.
Before I could even process what happened, I felt something cold and slimy slither down my collar.
The sensation sent a jolt through my body, and I froze, a violent shiver racking my frame.
Miranda was standing a short distance away, a gleeful smile on her face as she watched me frantically pull at my shirt.
My panic only made her laugh harder.
A goldfish flopped onto the ground at my feet. Its tail gave a few weak flicks before it went still, its gills ceasing their motion.
I couldn't hold it back any longer. I turned my head and retched.
Miranda's smile vanished. "You you're pregnant, aren't you?!"
I wanted to deny it, but my body betrayed me. I ran to the nearest bathroom, bile rising in my throat. I knelt before the toilet, heaving until tears streamed from my eyes.
The rest of the family heard the commotion and came to investigate.
My mother-in-law, who usually did nothing but glare at me, actually had a smile on her face. "That reaction she must be pregnant."
Arthur frowned. "But Clara just came back from the hospital yesterday and said she wasn't."
His mother grabbed his arm. "Take her again! There's no mistaking that kind of morning sickness!"
Even my father-in-laws tone was unusually gentle. "If she really is pregnant, then this divorce is out of the question."
"The Prescott family needs more heirs. This child is coming at the perfect time."
In stark contrast to their joy, Mirandas lips were pressed into a thin, cold line. The look she gave me was filled with enough hatred to flay me alive.
I sat weakly on the floor, my mind a chaotic mess.
The comments reappeared.
This stepmoms plot is so weird now. How did she find the cameras? And she dared to ask for a divorce? Her character is totally broken!
Finally! The main character knows shes pregnant. Its time to get rid of her!
I wouldn't let that happen.
Why should I, a living, breathing person with feelings and a future, be nothing more than cannon fodder for Miranda's story?
On the way to the hospital, I thought hard.
Finally, I took out my phone and sent a message to my lawyer.
I told him to pause the divorce papers and draft something else entirely.
The hospital confirmed it quickly. My in-laws held the report, their faces beaming.
They pulled Arthur aside. "Arthur, you can't get divorced now. You need to talk to Clara, smooth things over."
"If you have to, just give her some more money."
Arthur looked at me, his eyes filled with an emotion too complex for me to read. "Clara, why did you hide the pregnancy from me?"
I deliberately lowered my voice. "I was scared."
He was speechless for a few seconds before he finally managed to say, "Miranda is just a child. She didn't mean any harm."
From the comments, I already knew his fate. He was cannon fodder, just like me.
You can't wake someone who's pretending to be asleep. I decided to respect his choice.
When we left the hospital, I didn't get into the family car. I walked straight to a waiting taxi.
Arthur blocked my path. "What are you doing now?"
A heated debate erupted in the comments before my eyes.
YES! The cannon fodder stepmom is finally going to die! Smeared all over the road! So satisfying!
But the stepmom hasn't really done anything bad. She cooked and cleaned for the main character. Isn't this a little too cruel?
If you have a bleeding heart, why are you reading an evil heroine novel? Get lost! The main character is supposed to get everything she wants. Who cares if a few side characters die?
I smiled. "If I told you that Miranda tampered with that car, would you believe me?"
Arthur's face hardened. "That's enough, Clara. Why are you so determined to pick a fight with a child?"
"I thought you genuinely cared about Miranda, but now I see"
I tuned him out and shut the taxi door.
On the way home, I deliberately had the driver take a longer route.
When I walked through the front door, my in-laws were excitedly telling Miranda about the baby.
The moment she saw me, her eyes widened in disbelief. "You How? Then who was in that car?!"

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