Sara’s mother-in-law woke before dawn, her heart fluttering with a dark excitement. She rose quietly from her bed, already imagining what she expected to see: Sara’s lifeless body sprawled somewhere in the living room, cold and rotting after a night of desperate struggle. The thought filled her with cruel satisfaction.

But when she stepped into the hallway and glanced toward the living room, her breath caught.

Sara was not there.

No body. No blood. No sign of death.

Her pulse quickened as panic crept in. She moved from room to room, her slippers slapping softly against the floor. Then she heard a familiar voice behind her.

“Mama, good morning.”

She froze.

Seun.

Her son stood there, freshly showered, travel bag by the wall, looking tired but calm. Her heart slammed violently against her chest. My son? What is my son doing here? She had not expected him back for another five days.

He stepped forward and hugged her. “I came back last night,” he said gently. “I found Sara unconscious.”

Her blood ran cold.

So he had saved her.

No… this can’t be happening, she thought, clenching her teeth in rage. Why is that stupid woman not dead yet?

Outwardly, she forced a smile. “You’re back so soon,” she said, trying to steady her voice.

Seun nodded. “It was raining badly. I came in late and found Sara on the floor. She was coughing blood… she looked like she was dying.”

The memory shook him. He had rushed her to the bedroom and called a family doctor instead of driving to the hospital through the violent storm. Sara had slipped into a coma before she could speak a word.

When the doctor arrived and examined her, his face darkened. “She’s been poisoned,” he said gravely.

Seun felt the ground shift beneath his feet.

“Mama,” he asked anxiously, turning to his mother, “how could my wife have been poisoned?”

She did not hesitate. “Probably from work,” she replied smoothly. “You know your wife has jealous friends.”

Seun’s fists tightened. “Whoever tried to kill my pregnant wife will answer to the law,” he said firmly. “I swear it.”

Her smile twitched. “Take it easy, my son.”

After the doctor left, Seun sighed. “Mama, please prepare something fresh for Sara to eat. The doctor said food will help her regain strength. She should wake up soon.”

“Of course,” she replied, already turning toward the kitchen.

The moment she was alone, her face twisted with hatred. She reached for the hidden bottle of poison and poured it into the pot, stirring slowly.

“As soon as she eats this, she will surely die,” she muttered. “That useless child too. I will not let her live to see daylight. If she speaks, my son will never forgive me.”

When Sara finally woke, her body felt weak and hollow, but relief washed over her when she saw Seun beside her. She wanted to tell him everything—about the poison, about his mother—but the doctor had warned her not to strain herself.

Seun lifted a bowl of soup and gently fed her. Trusting him, Sara swallowed a few spoonfuls.

Suddenly, sharp pain exploded in her chest.

She gasped. Blood trickled from her nose as the pain intensified. Her hands trembled.

“She… poisoned me…” she tried to say, her voice breaking into a hoarse whisper.

Seun leaned closer, confused. “What did you say?”

“She… tried to kill me…” Sara rasped, raising a shaking finger toward the door.

Outside, her mother-in-law stood listening—laughing softly, wickedly—waiting for Sara to die before her eyes.

The poison had weakened Sara’s body, and she was bleeding during her pregnancy. Her husband panicked and did not know what to do.

“Sara, what’s happening to you? Don’t die on me, honey…” he said in a shaky voice, crying.

“I don’t want to die too… my baby… it hurts…” Sara wept.

Sara’s mother-in-law stepped into the room and interrupted them. “Son, why don’t you go look for a cab so we can take your wife to the hospital right away. I’ll stay with her and make sure she’s alright.”

“Alright, Mama,” Seun said, jumping to his feet.

“No, no, please don’t leave me…” Sara pleaded, but Seun could not hear her clearly; it sounded as though she was mumbling.

The pain gripped her stomach as if a knife were tearing through her flesh. She rolled on the bed, screaming in excruciating pain. Seun could not bear to watch his wife suffer.

“I’ll be back,” Seun said, dashing out of the room to look for an ambulance.

“Now, it’s time to die,” Sara’s mother-in-law said firmly as she marched toward Sara.

“No… please stay away from me… you poisoned me, and I might have a miscarriage because of it. Just leave me alone,” Sara begged through tears.

“No, I don’t want you as my daughter-in-law. You have to die, and I don’t want that baby to live either.”

Sara tried to scream her husband’s name, but he was too far away to hear her. She felt trapped and completely alone with her mother-in-law.

Summoning all her strength, Sara crawled out of the bed and tried to leave the bedroom. Her mother-in-law shoved her aside and forced her to finish the remaining bowl of poisoned soup.

After that, Sara struggled to breathe. She could not move her body. She became motionless on the floor.

Her mother-in-law thought she had finally killed her—and she was completely shocked by what happened next.