Heard the Fetus’s Voice, Fed the Nanny’s Tonic to the Dog

Back from holiday, our longtime nanny Audrey brought me a dark fertility tonic she'd prepared. As I took the first sip, a child's giggle echoed in my mind: Hehe, once this idiot drinks this, her mansion will be mine!

A week later, I was pregnant. Audrey became especially attentive, even whispering to my belly. I was so moved, I doubled her salary and gave her gifts.

But after ten months of care, I hemorrhaged during childbirth. Dying, I heard that voice again: "Stupid woman. My mom planned this. When I grow up, she'll get all your family's money!"

My heart burned with rage as everything faded.

Then I opened my eyesI was back. And the first thing I did was pour that tonic out for our golden retriever.

Watching the dog lick the bowl clean, the burning hatred from my past life finally found an outlet.

Before I could even stand up straight, the fetuss shriek pierced my thoughts.

No! Mom! That idiot didn't drink the potion!

You have to make her drink it! Im not going to be poor with you for my whole life!

My body went rigid.

I turned my head. Just as I expected, the nanny, Audrey, was standing in the kitchen doorway, staring at me intently. A cold sweat prickled my skin.

Thankfully, the windowsill blocked her view; she hadn't seen me feed the tonic to the dog.

I steadied myself, set down the empty bowl, and walked straight to my bedroom.

This time around, I would never let this venomous mother and son use my body as their vessel.

The moment I sat down, Audrey appeared with another bowl of the dark liquid.

I immediately frowned. "That last bowl was disgusting. I'm not having any more."

She froze for a second before her usual sweet smile returned. "Vivian, honey, the remedy only works if you drink both bowls. I promise, this will get you the son you've been wishing for." She leaned in conspiratorially. "I had to carry this all the way from my hometown. Just pinch your nose and drink up."

Her soft-spoken persistence made my blood boil. In my last life, I had been completely fooled by her meek, honest facade. My father-in-laws liver cancer diagnosis had only made things worse; he was desperate to see a grandchild before his time was up, pressuring me and my husband, Marcus, every single day. So, I had gratefully drunk her tonic. And when I got pregnant, I had rewarded her for her "tender care" with raises and gifts, only to bleed out on an operating table.

The memory was so vivid it felt like fire. I swatted the bowl from her hand.

"I said I'm not drinking it!"

The potion splattered across the floor, releasing a sickeningly strange odor. Audreys eyes instantly welled with tears as she carefully picked up the broken pieces of the bowl. "Vivian, this is precious stuff. Why would you do that?"

Before she could finish, the fetuss voice chimed in again.

This bitch deserves to die, just like that old hag! If that suspicious old woman hadn't insisted on a paternity test in our last life, I wouldn't have ended up in an orphanage! Mom! You have to make this bitch drink the potion, and you have to get rid of the old woman before she gets suspicious again!

I saw a flash of pure venom in Audrey's eyes and a chill went down my spine.

This woman had to go.

"I said no. Don't you understand English?"

My harsh tone made her lip tremble. "Vivian, I'm only trying to help..." she whispered, her voice thick with unshed tears. "If you don't want it, I'll take it away." She looked so pitiful, as if I had deeply wounded her.

A knot of frustration tightened in my chest. I knew Audrey was behind this evil plot, but I couldn't just fire her. Her mother had been my mother-in-law's caregiver for most of her life. Out of respect for that long-standing relationship, my in-laws treated Audrey's family with exceptional kindness.

I needed a reason, a damn good one, to get her out of this house for good.

I unclenched my fists.

Even though the dog drank the tonic, I couldn't relax. I told our housekeeper that Marcus wanted to switch to a lighter diet, so Audrey shouldn't cook for a while. Then I spent the next few days making her do all the heavy lifting, hoping the physical strain might take care of the evil seed in her womb.

But day after day, she remained perfectly fine, though the glares she shot me grew darker and more menacing.

Then, the day my in-laws returned from their trip, she placed that same bowl of black tonic on the dining table. Right in front of me.

"Mrs. Collins," she said sweetly to my mother-in-law, "my mother sent this special remedy from our hometown. It's for Vivian. It's one hundred percent guaranteed to work!"

At her words, my in-laws, who were desperate for a grandchild, beamed. They praised Audrey for being so thoughtful and urged me to drink it while it was hot.

Seeing no way out, I pulled out a prescription Id gotten from the doctor just for this occasion. "Mom, Dad, Marcus and I are already following a treatment plan from our doctor. I can't mix it with other remedies."

Marcus looked confused but nodded along with me.

Before my in-laws could respond, Audrey interrupted, her voice sharp with urgency. "Those doctors are just scammers! They take your money, but their treatments are useless!"

As if to prove her point, she lifted her shirt to reveal a slightly rounded belly. "Look," she said, a shy blush on her cheeks. "I was only home for the holidays and drank it for a few days, and now I'm pregnant." She lowered her voice, her words hitting their mark. "Vivian has been trying for five years. If the doctors were any good, she'd have a child running around by now!"

Her words struck a chord with my mother-in-law. My father-in-law sealed my fate. "If my daughter-in-law drinks this and it works, Audrey, I'll let you pick any one of our properties as a gift!"

I was about to refuse again when Audrey picked up the bowl and shoved it toward my lips.

The fetus's voice exploded in my head.

Just one sip, Mom! If she swallows just one sip, I can transfer into her womb! We'll be rich and famous for the rest of our lives!

A wave of nausea washed over me. I shoved her arm away. "I'm not drinking it."

The bowl clattered to the floor. Audrey clutched her hand, which was now red from the hot liquid, tears glistening in her eyes.

The atmosphere turned glacial.

My mother-in-law frowned. "Vivian, Audrey was just trying to help. Was there any need for that?"

Marcus squeezed my hand, his expression pained. "Mom, Dad, if Vivian doesn't want to drink it, let's just drop it. Or maybe I should drink it?"

"It's all your fault for spoiling her!" my mother-in-law snapped. "Whose wife is still childless after five years of marriage? I'm the laughingstock of my social circle!"

On the verge of a full-blown argument, I claimed I was feeling unwell and escaped to my room.

I drifted into an uneasy sleep, only to be jolted awake by a voice that chilled me to the bone.

Yes! It worked, Mom! She drank it!

My eyes flew open.

Audrey's face loomed over me. She was holding a dropper, squeezing the foul liquid into my mouth!

My mind went blank. I scrambled to the bathroom, jamming my fingers down my throat, trying to vomit. The taste of that cursed potion was unbearable.

The commotion brought everyone running. Audrey looked nervous. "Don't throw it up, Vivian! I swear, there's nothing wrong with it!" she pleaded. "If you don't believe me, I'll drink it myself!"

And right there, in front of everyone, she drank the remaining contents of the bowl.

But the fetuss voice rang out once more, smug and triumphant.

Don't worry, Mom. I can only transfer to the first person who drinks the potion!

My heart leaped. The first one? That was Rusty.

I stopped trying to throw up. A cold, hard glare fixed on her. "You sneak into my room at night to force-feed me a potion. What's next, trying to murder me for my money?" I turned to my husband. "Audrey is fired."

"You can collect your final paycheck tomorrow and leave," Marcus added, his voice firm.

Audreys eyes filled with tears as she turned to my mother-in-law. "Mrs. Collins I was only trying to help."

My mother-in-law looked torn. "Her mother was with me for so many years," she murmured. "We can't just throw her out."

As they stood in a stalemate, the fetus's voice chirped excitedly.

Mom! The transfer was a success!

A triumphant smile almost broke through Audrey's pitiful facade. She quickly suppressed it and swore, "Please, just give me one more chance. If Vivian isn't pregnant this time, I'll leave immediately!"

Seeing that my mother-in-law was about to plead her case again, I waved a tired hand. Fine. Let her stay. The dog was pregnant, not me. Audrey would be gone soon enough.

With that settled, I finally felt a sense of relief. As an apology for the family drama, Marcus bought me a new designer handbag. I was in a good mood, so I dragged him to the grocery store.

As we passed the seafood section, a wave of intense nausea hit me, and I threw up right there on the floor.

A kind employee handed me a paper towel. "Oh, honey, looks like you've got a case of morning sickness."

Morning sickness? Impossible.

I rushed to the nearest pharmacy and bought three pregnancy tests. Back home, the three minutes it took for the results to appear felt like an eternity.

The first test: two pink lines.

The second: two pink lines.

The third: still two pink lines.

I felt like I'd been struck by lightning.

Rusty drank the potion. Why was I pregnant?

Marcus burst through the bathroom door. He saw the tests, let out a whoop of joy, and pulled me into a kiss. "Vivian! We're pregnant!"

He spread the news to the whole family. I couldn't even manage a smile. The house was filled with joy as they discussed what to buy, while Rusty wagged his tail and trotted around my feet. I stared at him, watching him jump and play. His belly wasn't swollen at all.

Could it be? The potion didn't work on dogs?

My last sliver of hope crumbled. I wanted to pound on my own stomach. Was I doomed to die at the hands of Audrey and her demonic offspring all over again?

No! Absolutely not!

The room started to spin. Nausea churned in my stomach. I turned to my family and shouted, "We can't keep this baby! We have to get rid of it!"

I grabbed Marcus's sleeve, my voice frantic. "Take me to the hospital, now! We can't keep this child!"

Marcus pulled away, his eyes wide with disbelief. "Vivian! This is the baby we've been waiting for!"

Tears streamed down my face. I was desperate. I grabbed the car keys and made a run for the door. My mother-in-law reacted instantly, wrapping her arms around me with surprising strength. "Vivian! Don't do something foolish! This is a life! This is your baby!"

Seeing the confusion and hurt on their faces, the last thread of my composure snapped. "This baby has to be aborted," I screamed, "or it will kill us all!"

They all stared at me, then at each other.

"Vivian, did you have a nightmare?"

"How can an unborn baby kill an entire family?"

Seeing their disbelief, the fetus gloated inside me.

You want to abort me? Not a chance! My mom has everything planned.

Just then, Audrey rushed in, clutching a crumpled piece of paper. "I found this when I was doing the laundry..." she announced, holding up a medical report. "It says Vivian has an anxiety disorder! She must be having an episode, that's why she wants to get rid of the baby!"

Her words were like gasoline on a fire. My father-in-law's face turned purple with rage, his finger jabbing at my nose. "This is a Collins baby! Who are you to say we should get rid of it?!"

"Henry, don't you dare!" my mother-in-law cried, jumping between us. She turned to me, her voice pleading. "Vivian, we've waited so long for this baby. Whatever you're worried about, I'll fix it, okay?"

Tears blurred my vision. I knew how much this meant to her, how much it meant to me. But the agony of my last death was a fresh wound. I couldn't go through that again.

"Marcus," I said, my voice shaking but firm, "either we terminate this pregnancy, or we get a divorce."

The color drained from his face. He held up a hand to quiet his parents and finally relented. "Okay, Vivian. Whatever you want."

Audrey rushed forward, her face a mask of concern. "She's not in her right mind! If you let her do this, she'll regret it for the rest of her life!"

I slapped her hard across the face. "This is none of your business! You're fired!"

This time, I saw it. The undisguised hatred in her eyes. She looked at me as if I were already dead.

No matter what my mother-in-law said, Marcus personally wrote Audrey's termination letter. She cried a river of tears. My mother-in-law insisted on one last dinner, to part on good terms. Audrey stopped protesting. She was silent through the meal, through the cleanup. As she walked out the door, she looked up at me on the second-floor landing, her eyes burning with resentment.

Somehow, even though I had an appointment for the abortion the next day, a deep sense of unease settled over me.

That night, a commotion woke me up.

My mother-in-law had collapsed in the bathroom from a sudden heart palpitation.

The ambulance rushed her to the hospital. After emergency open-heart surgery, the doctor delivered the grave news. "She has idiopathic malignant arrhythmia. She can't handle any stress, or her heart could fail. She needs 24/7 monitoring."

Looking at my mother-in-law's pale, still face, my heart sank. She'd had a heart condition for years, but it had been stable. Why would it suddenly become so severe?

Just then, two figures burst into the room.

"Mrs. Collins! What happened?!"

It was Audrey and her mother. Their grief seemed so genuine, but alarm bells were screaming in my head. Sure enough, they immediately offered to take over her care. "She can't be left alone! Let me and Audrey stay with her! No one knows how to take care of her better than we do!"

Despite my objections, my father-in-law agreed.

Outside the room, Marcus stood in silence for a long time. Finally, he turned to me, his voice quiet. "Vivian. Let's keep the baby."

I stared at him, incredulous. "We agreed to go tomorrow!"

"My mother is in this state! And you still want to put her through more stress?!" It was the first time he had ever spoken to me with such coldness.

I trembled, and his face crumpled in despair. "Do you really not want to have our child?"

I couldn't speak. A sharp, twisting pain shot through my abdomen. A vicious threat echoed in my head.

You bitch! My mom already took care of the old hag. If you still try to get rid of me, I'll kick you to death from the inside!

It was him. He was doing this.

I looked at Marcus, my voice a desperate plea. "This baby has to go. We can have other children, later..."

My father-in-law suddenly clutched his chest and fell to his knees before me. "Vivian, I'm an old man with liver cancer. I'm begging you. Please, just grant me and your mother this one wish!"

"Enough!" Marcus roared, his eyes red. He scooped me up and carried me out of the hospital.

I was a prisoner in my own home. The bedroom door was locked. Bars were installed on the windows. The balcony door was sealed shut.

And Audrey was back, under the guise of being my caretaker. She doted on me just like in my previous life, while the thing in my belly cursed me day and night.

No matter how much I fought, it was useless. Marcus was torn with guilt and pain, but he just kept repeating the same plea. "Vivian, please. For me. Just have this baby."

I couldn't bear to see him like this. It wasn't his fault, or his parents'. The source of all this evil was Audrey and the thing she had put inside me.

Once I calmed down, I called the most famous private investigator in our social circle. "Money is no object. I need it done fast."

I was certain that if Audrey was using poison, she must have left a trail.

The days that followed felt like a death march. My hope dwindled. I even started to think that killing myself would be better than letting them kill me.

Two months later, I was at my breaking point.

Then, the evidence arrived.