Branded a Cheater the Moment I Got Pregnant

I am finally pregnant with a child after being married to Anthony Johnson, my husband, who has azoospermia, for five years. Emily Johnson, my 30-year-old unemployed sister-in-law who lives off her family, tears the ultrasound scan apart and angrily accuses me of carrying someone else's baby. She then takes out a notebook packed with detailed records of every time Anthony and I have slept together since we got married. "In the past three months, the only time you slept with Anthony was three weeks ago; other than that, he never laid a finger on you! If you're over a month pregnant, then there's no way that baby belongs to the Johnson family!" I feel incredibly angry at the thought of being eavesdropped on all this time, so I seek out Anthony and demand an explanation. He merely looks at me with a pained expression and says, "You should just produce the evidence if you're innocent, Madison—just like Emily did." I laugh out of sheer exasperation. If they want evidence, then the baby I'm carrying is the best evidence there is. Chapter 1 Leah Smith, my mother-in-law, held the ultrasound scan in her hands as if it were a precious treasure, her eyes welling up with tears. "Y-You're pregnant? You're actually pregnant? Thank the heavens!" Anthony Johnson, my husband, hurried over and pulled me into an embrace, his shoulders trembling uncontrollably. "Thank you so much, Madison…" I was aware that Anthony was crying. In the five years since he was diagnosed with azoospermia, he had never shed a tear in my presence; yet now, he broke down like a child. I couldn't help but be on the verge of tears as well. I reached out and called softly to him. "Anthony…" It was then that Emily Johnson, my sister-in-law, grabbed the ultrasound scan from Leah's grasp and ripped it in two in front of everyone. She then looked at me with a mocking smile, her gaze brimming with contempt. "You shouldn't fall for her lies, Mom. Anthony has azoospermia, so there's no way she's pregnant." Leah was stunned. "T-That ultrasound scan clearly shows that Madison is pregnant, though. Is it possible that the diagnosis was wrong or that Anthony has recovered?" Emily scoffed. "Anthony saw countless doctors back then, with every one of them saying that his chances of fathering a child naturally were practically zero. "How could Madison be pregnant if Anthony doesn't even produce sperm? Madison spends all her time dressing up and going out—there's no telling whose child that really is." Hearing that felt like having a bucket of cold water poured directly over me. Leah stared at me with a complicated look on her face, her lips quivering as if she wanted to say something, but she ultimately remained silent. Anthony released his hold on me, his eyes brimming with suspicion. I had been part of the Johnson family for five years, and even though Emily was lazy and still lived off her family at 30, I never once spoke ill of her. I was baffled as to why she would suddenly accuse me of infidelity and claim that the baby wasn't Anthony's. I was still in the early stages of my pregnancy, and because this baby had been so hard to conceive, I didn't want to let my emotions affect the pregnancy. I took a deep breath before saying calmly, "Anthony is the father of the baby." Emily sneered. "What evidence do you have to back that up?" I looked at her and replied, "I don't need to prove anything to anyone. You, on the other hand, are the one accusing me of infidelity and calling this child a bastard. Where is your evidence to back that up?" Emily scoffed, as though she had been expecting this all along, her smirk deepening. She stood up and walked into her room, returning shortly with a small notebook, which she threw at me. "Go ahead and see for yourself." I leaned over and opened the notebook, revealing page after page filled with cramped handwriting. Chapter 2 I noticed that every page was dated, beginning from the first week of my marriage to Anthony and continuing to the present day. It was unnerving just how detailed the entries were. "On this day, Anthony worked overtime and came home at 11:00 pm. There was no sexual intercourse that night." "On this day, Anthony came home drunk and had sex with Madison for an hour. She's such a slut!" "On this day, Anthony and Madison entered the bedroom at 8:00 pm. Anthony came out half an hour later to hand-wash her underwear." "On this day, Madison wouldn't leave Anthony alone for four days straight. She's such a vixen!" Emily stepped toward me, jabbing her finger hard at the final entry. "Do you see it now? Anthony was away on business for the past three months and only got back two weeks ago. How could you possibly be a month pregnant, Madison? "I was puzzled as to why you were hanging onto him so tightly back then, but I guess it's because you were sleeping around, and fearing you were pregnant with a bastard, you wanted to trick Anthony into raising it." Upon hearing that, Leah slumped to the floor, yelling, "How can that be? What has the Johnson family done to deserve this?" I merely stared at the notebook as their voices blared around me, a chill running down my spine. It wasn't the content that bothered me, but what the notebook represented. Anthony's family home was a house they had built themselves in the countryside. He and I occupied the third floor, while Emily and Leah stayed on the second. In the span of five years—more than a thousand days and nights—Emily had constantly run up from the floor below, eavesdropping on our room, and meticulously documenting everything she heard. I finally snapped and threw the notebook at Emily. "You're sick in the head! Who on earth spends their time snooping on her brother's bedroom activities?" Emily remained completely unfazed, even speaking as if she were in the right. "You're just a woman with some looks who's always going out under the pretense of work, so I had to keep a close eye on you for Anthony's sake. I was right to do so! Haven't I caught you in the act now?" I turned toward Anthony, my heart hammering violently in my chest. I expected him to be furious, to challenge Emily for her intrusive behavior. I thought that if he had questioned Emily about why she had eavesdropped on us, I would have believed he was still worth my devotion. He didn't do that, though. He actually looked away, his gaze instinctively shifting away from mine. I could hear my voice trembling as I asked, "Did you know she had been keeping records of all this, Anthony? Did you know she's been listening in on us?" Anthony stammered as he tried to explain himself. "I-It's not like that, Madison. I didn't know until later, and besides, Emily meant well…" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "What do you mean by that? Is spying on your own brother and his wife in bed what you call good intentions?" "I didn't mean it like that—" Emily puffed out her chest and stepped between Anthony and me. "You should stop changing the subject, Madison—we're talking about the bastard you're carrying in your belly right now. "You see, the records in the notebook have made it clear that you only slept with Anthony three weeks ago, but the ultrasound says you're six weeks along. Who exactly is the father of the child, Madison?" I clenched my fists until my fingernails dug into my palms, the sharp pain helping me hold onto my last shred of composure. I stared directly at Anthony, who was standing behind Emily, and asked, "Do you not believe me too, Anthony? Do you think I've been cheating on you?" Chapter 3 I suddenly recalled something as I questioned Anthony. He had told me he would never be able to give me children and urged me to seriously consider if I wanted a divorce back when he was diagnosed with acquired azoospermia. I had refused back then, shaking my head firmly. "You ought to stop being so silly, Anthony. I married you for who you are; I don't mind not having children." In the past five years, whenever others questioned why we were childless, I claimed it was my choice, shielding him from any embarrassment. I had assumed that after being together for so many years, Anthony would at least tell me that he believed me; after all, medically speaking, "gestational age" is based on the first day of the last period, not the date of conception. In other words, a three-week-old pregnancy would appear as five or six weeks on an ultrasound. Anthony couldn't have been ignorant of that fact as someone who had studied biology at university. He, however, actually uttered a remark that utterly broke my heart. "You should just produce the evidence if you're innocent, Madison—just like Emily did." I chuckled softly—a quiet, brittle sound, like something snapping. "You want evidence? I'll give it to you—we'll do a paternity test!" Anthony immediately panicked. "I-It's still so small, though…" Emily sneered. "You're so naive, Anthony. If she's bold enough to suggest a paternity test, then she's already figured out an escape route. Maybe she'll find some excuse to terminate the pregnancy before it's even born, or maybe she'll rig the results at the hospital. "You can't just let her talk her way out of this, Anthony." I maintained an impassive expression and said, "You can pick the testing facility and appoint the doctor. You can even have your people watch the entire procedure from start to finish. I won't offer a single objection. Is that enough for you?" Emily was taken aback, clearly not expecting me to be so decisive. She looked me over, then retorted, "Who knows what other tricks you might have up your sleeve—" Anthony finally broke his silence. "That's enough! We'll do what Madison suggested. We'll go ahead with the paternity test!" Emily sprang to her feet. "How can you still take her side, Anthony? She has completely humiliated you, yet you're still protecting her! Have you lost your spine?" Leah stood up as well. "That's enough. We'll wait for the results of the paternity test before making any more claims." I didn't pay them any more attention; I walked over to the door and put on my shoes. Anthony called out from behind me. "Where are you going, Madison?" I didn't even look back as I replied, "I'm going to my mother's for a few days, so just let me know once you've settled on a location." "You're running away because you've got a guilty conscience, aren't you, Madison?" Emily yelled mockingly from behind. I kept my hand on the doorknob as I turned to survey the house one final time. Leah was standing in the middle of the room, caught between panic and anger. Anthony looked at me helplessly, as though I were the one making a scene. Emily had her hands on her hips, wearing a triumphant expression. I was suddenly struck by the urge to laugh, thinking that there truly were some things in this world that were more ridiculous than anything scripted for TV. I could hear Emily's voice faintly from within once the door closed behind me. "You have nothing to worry about, Mom. I'm sure that once the paternity results are out, Madison won't have any defense left. We'll make sure she walks away with nothing, and since Anthony's prospects are so good, he'll have no trouble finding someone better..." It was then that the elevator doors slid shut, cutting off all the noise. I looked down at my belly, noting that it was still perfectly flat. Chapter 4 I had thought about getting an abortion the moment Anthony and the others suspected me, but the baby had done nothing wrong. I had waited five years for this child, and it didn't deserve to suffer because of what the grown-ups had done. I received word from the paternity testing agency that non-invasive testing could only be performed once the fetus reached four months. I remained at my parents' place during that time. Mom cooked nutritious meals for me every day, while Dad brought the most comfortable recliner from the living room into my room. Even my little brother Henry did his part, keeping his gaming headset draped around his neck. He claimed he didn't want to disturb my rest with all his gaming. Yet, the man I had waited for all along, the father of the child growing inside me, never showed up. He didn't even send me a single message. It wasn't until I tripped over the doorstep and slammed my knee into the concrete that everything shifted. I cried out in pain, but that was nothing compared to the fear that washed over me when a dull ache radiated from my lower abdomen, followed by the sensation of warm blood dripping down my leg. Mom, Dad, and Henry weren't home, so I quickly took out my phone and called Anthony. "I tripped and fell. My stomach is hurting really badly, Anthony…" Anthony asked hurriedly, "Where are you, Madison? I'll come over right—" Emily's voice cut in from the other end before Anthony could finish speaking. "Isn't that too much of a coincidence, Madison? You actually tripped and fell right before the paternity test? You couldn't possibly be trying to get rid of the baby now, right? "You should keep in mind that we don't even know if that baby is yours yet, Anthony! She wouldn't be pulling these kinds of stunts if she didn't have something to hide!" Anthony remained silent for a few seconds before saying, "You'd better call an ambulance or have your parents take you to the hospital, Madison." It was then that the call disconnected, leaving only the dull beeping in my ear, and my phone screen faded to black, reflecting my pale, expressionless face. It held no anger, no indignation—and not even sorrow anymore. I closed my eyes, thinking to myself that Anthony was the one who drove me to this. Thankfully, Mom and Dad made it back just in time and rushed me to the hospital. I actually refused the suggestion when the doctor told me that the baby was in danger and urged me to stay in the hospital to try to save the pregnancy. It wasn't long before the day of the paternity test arrived. I completed the sampling under the Johnson family's watchful eyes from beginning to end. Anthony asked why my complexion was so pale, but I never even acknowledged him with a glance. I went straight to the hospital after leaving the testing center. The procedure to induce labor was far more painful than I had expected. The doctor noted that the fetus was over 16 weeks old and that the bones had already formed. He even told me that it was a boy. I was crying uncontrollably by the time I left the operating table. It was a week later when the testing center's official digital report confirmed that Anthony was the biological father of the unborn baby. It wasn't long before Anthony called me, sounding absolutely thrilled. "The results are in—the baby is mine, Maddie! The baby is ours! The doctor said my situation made having children impossible, so this unborn baby is truly a blessing! The Johnson family won't be without an heir!" It was exactly as I had learned from my previous consultations—spontaneous recovery of semen quality in patients with non-obstructive azoospermia was exceptionally rare—a phenomenon known in medicine as sporadic spermatogenesis—and it was typically a singular, non-repeatable occurrence. Thus, getting pregnant this time had already been a miracle; there was no telling when—or if—it would ever happen again. That meant that the child I had been carrying would be the only child Anthony would ever have. There would be no second chance if anything were to happen to the unborn baby. Chapter 5 Anthony continued, speaking with urgency. "Mom says she wants to pick you up and bring you home, Maddie, so let us know when you're available, and we'll drive over to pick you up." I stated flatly, "You don't have to bother. I'm busy." Anthony finally grasped that he had been in the wrong after the call ended. He repeatedly visited our home several times with Leah to offer gifts and apologize, but I refused to come out to see them. It wasn't until a month later, after I had recovered, that I stood at the gate of the courtyard of the Johnson residence, dragging a suitcase behind me. Emily mocked me the moment she spotted me. "Oh, look, it's the good daughter-in-law of the Johnson family. You refused to climb down from your high horse and kept up your attitude for a month, and yet here you are, returning to the Johnson family. She projected her voice to ensure that the neighbors could hear her, and sure enough, someone in the neighboring yard peeked over to watch. Anthony bolted out of the house with a look of surprise and delight. "Why didn't you give me a heads-up that you were coming back? I would have come to get you, Maddie." Emily rolled her eyes at Anthony's reaction. "Why bother picking her up? It's not as if Madison doesn't know the way home. I was right about her, Anthony. If you give her the cold shoulder for a few days, she'll come crawling back to us." Leah rushed out of the house and chided her. "That's enough, Emily! It's good that Madison is back! She's even pregnant with my grandson!" I dodged Leah when she reached out to take my hand. "You shouldn't bother with any of that since I'm not here for that. I returned this time to file for a divorce." I handed the divorce agreement to Anthony, who looked as if he had been hollowed out, his complexion turning deathly pale. "M-Maddie…" Leah held my hand tightly and asked anxiously, "What are you talking about, Madison? How could you bring up a divorce when you're already pregnant with Anthony's baby? "I know we were in the wrong about what happened before, but let's talk this out as a family. There's no need to force the situation to this point." She held on so hard that her fingernails nearly bit into my flesh. Emily scoffed. "You can't fall for her act, Mom. Madison is just putting on a show to make us feel sorry for her." She then took two steps forward and continued, "She's been living off us for five years since she married into the Johnson family. She has to return all the money we've spent on her, along with the wedding gifts and jewelry Anthony gave her back then—not a single cent short!" Leah frantically tugged on Emily's sleeve. "Just keep your mouth shut, will you?" Emily brushed off Leah's hand, getting more worked up as she asked, "Why should I hold my tongue? "You're only using divorce as a threat because you're pregnant, aren't you, Madison? You're free to get a divorce, but the baby must be left behind; after all, that's the Johnson family's flesh and blood. You think you can just take the baby away, huh? You're not taking it anywhere!" I smiled faintly and said, "You've got a point." Emily clearly hadn't expected that response. She hesitated for a split second before eyeing me with suspicion. "W-What are you getting at?" I didn't respond to her question. I rolled the suitcase over to the three of them instead, saying, "Your family's belongings—everything—is in here." Emily's eyes brightened immediately. She quickly took the suitcase and said, "You at least have some sense—" Emily's voice came to a sudden halt the moment the suitcase's zipper was pulled open.