When My Husband’s Mistress Was My Own Sister

I couldn't wait to get home. The doctor had discharged me early from the hospital, insisting that my injuries from the car accident were minor. Just some bruises and a slight concussion—nothing that would prevent me from sharing the news that had made my heart soar during those sterile hospital hours.

I was pregnant.

My hand trembled slightly as I clutched the pregnancy test in my purse. Four years of marriage, and finally, Sterling and I would have the family we'd always talked about. The timing wasn't perfect—his work had been consuming him lately, and we'd barely spoken about starting a family—but surely this would change everything.

The house was quiet when I entered, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows through the hallway. I moved silently, wanting to surprise him. Sterling had been working from home today, and I knew he'd be in our bedroom, probably on calls or reviewing contracts.

"I'm home," I called softly, but there was no response.

Our bedroom door was slightly ajar. Strange. Sterling usually closed it when he was working. I pushed it open, my heart pounding with anticipation.

"I have news—"

The words died in my throat.

Sterling was on his knees before Avery—my sister, my blood—fastening the straps of a glittering diamond stiletto around her slender ankle. His fingers moved with a tenderness I'd never seen him show me, not once in our four years together.

"You have such beautiful feet," he murmured, his voice low and intimate. "These shoes deserve to be on you, not collecting dust in my closet."

Avery giggled, wiggling her toes. "You shouldn't waste such expensive gifts on me."

"I'd rather waste them on you than give them to someone who doesn't appreciate them," Sterling replied, his tone carrying a bitterness that made my stomach clench.

I must have made a sound—a gasp, perhaps, or simply the sharp intake of breath that accompanied the shattering of my world—because Sterling's head snapped up. Our eyes met in the mirror above the dresser.

"Evangeline," he said flatly, not bothering to stand. No shame. No guilt. Just cold acknowledgment.

Avery turned slowly, her lips curving into a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Sister dear, you're home early."

My fingers found the pregnancy test in my purse, clutching it like a lifeline. "I—I have something to tell Sterling."

"Do tell," Avery purred, crossing her legs as she lounged on our bed—my bed—in nothing but one of Sterling's shirts.

I held up the test, my hand shaking. "I'm pregnant."

Something flickered across Sterling's face—not joy, not even surprise. Just irritation.

"How inconvenient," he said, finally rising to his feet. He brushed imaginary dust from his knees, his movements deliberate and unhurried. "You know our arrangement, Evangeline."

"Arrangement?" The word felt foreign on my tongue.

"Don't be naive," Avery laughed, her voice like breaking glass. "Did you really think he married you for love? You were always just a placeholder."

Sterling moved to the window, his back to me. "Our families needed this marriage to look legitimate. Your parents were... persuasive."

"They paid you?" I whispered, the room spinning around me.

"Not directly," Sterling replied, examining his manicured nails. "But they made it clear what was expected. A marriage on paper, nothing more."

Avery slid off the bed, moving toward me with predatory grace. "You should know, darling sister, that Mom and Dad orchestrated that lovely assault years ago. Just enough to ruin your reputation, but not enough to actually hurt you. They needed to make sure I would be the one to catch a Richardson's eye."

The pregnancy test slipped from my fingers, clattering to the floor.

"You see," Sterling continued, turning to face me with eyes as cold as winter, "I've always loved Avery. You were just... convenient. A shield to keep our families happy while I waited for the right moment."

"And what moment is that?" I managed to ask, though my voice sounded distant, as if coming from someone else.

"When my grandfather dies," Sterling said simply. "Then I'll divorce you and marry Avery, as we've always planned."

He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "But a child complicates things. Get rid of it, Evangeline. Or I'll make sure your grandmother's nursing home loses its funding."

I stumbled backward, my hand instinctively covering my stomach.

"You have until tomorrow to decide," he added, turning away dismissively.

I didn't wait to hear more. I fled to the guest room, locking the door behind me as tears blurred my vision. Sliding down against the wall, I curled around my middle, protecting the tiny life inside me.

My entire life had been a lie. And now, I had to choose between my child and my grandmother's wellbeing.

Or did I?