Inheritance of Lies

“I’m got low sperm count,” Kevin told me, the desperation in his eyes almost convincing. “For the sake of the family name, I need you to agree to IVF.”

After a year of hell, and a near-fatal hemorrhage during delivery, I finally birthed twins, a boy and a girl.

Forty years later, on his deathbed, Kevin dropped a bombshell. Those kids, the ones I’d busted my ass raising, weren’t mine. They were his and his high school sweetheart, Chloe’s.

“Her family wasn’t good enough for mine, and she couldn’t have kids,” he wheezed. “I owed her this. You, you’ve been luckier than her, don’t make a fuss.”

Turns out, there was no low sperm count, just a calculated scheme to have a kid by another woman.

That kind of luck I can do without!

I was heartbroken. And my kids? They were all huddled around Chloe, calling her "Mom," barely giving me a second glance.

They were a real family.

In the depths of despair, I found a glimmer of hope. I was reborn...

1.

Old man Kevin, all that handsomeness gone, looked repulsive, especially after spilling his secret.

"Tara," he croaked, his eyes fixed on Chloe. “I’m just hoping she can be with her two kids, out in the open. Don’t be hard on her. If it wasn’t for your mom being into you, I wouldn't have bothered marrying you."

A chill ran down my spine.

Chloe was stroking the kids' hair, tears welling up in her eyes. My carefully nurtured heirs were calling her "Mom," as if I was just some rando.

Looks like they knew everything.

Back then, Kevin, the only son, told us he had fertility problems. He was desperate for his own kids. That's why I endured the pain of IVF, to give him twins.

Everyone fawned over the babies, ignoring my post-birth hemorrhage. It was so bad, it left me with a ton of health problems.

Now, they were all standing by Chloe.

Chloe caught my eye, putting on a sorrowful voice. “Tara, please, let me be with him for his final journey? I don't want the ‘Mrs.’ title, just him.” Her words were a real tearjerker.

If Kevin's mom wasn't six feet under, Chloe wouldn't have dared show her face around here.

Seeing I was silent, my son, Kevin Jr., stepped forward. "Mom, you gotta respect Dad’s wishes, Mom’s been through so much hardship."

My daughter, Penny, held Chloe's hand. “Once Dad’s gone, she’ll have nobody. It’s not like it’s a big deal, don’t be petty.”

My own son called me ‘Mom,’ like he was calling a distant step-mother!

I swallowed the metallic taste in my mouth and bolted from the room.

That's right, all I ever got out of this deal was being 'Mrs. Kevin."

2.

My folks set me up with Kevin. The Taylors and the Hills had always been close. I fell hard for him, happily going along with my parent’s plans.

But, Kevin was already hung up on someone else.

Chloe was from the wrong side of the tracks; not a big deal to Kevin’s family. Until she took company funds to help her brother pay for his wedding.

Kevin's mom was furious. Though they didn't press charges, Chloe was banned from marrying into...