The Borrowed Womb

My best friend, Jayde Shepard, and I got pregnant at the same time.

She gave me a chubby baby charm, saying shed had it specially blessed for me to help the baby grow strong.

However, just three months in, my belly had already swollen to an unnatural size, like I was about to give birth at any moment.

I went through every test at the hospital, but everything came back normal. With no answers left, I turned to the internet.

An anonymous user replied: "Youre wearing a cursed charm. Shes using your womb to grow her child. Youll suffer the pregnancy, but your babys fate will be stolen."

I thought about how, ever since I got pregnant, she had quietly taken several of my clients.

A chill ran through me.

That night, I took off the charm and hung it around the neck of the pregnant sow in our yard instead.

Chapter 1

The next day at work, Jayde Shepard hurried straight over to me the moment I walked in, her eyes flicking repeatedly toward my neck.

"Colette, why arent you wearing the charm I gave you?"

I answered casually, "I took it off to shower and forgot to put it back on."

To my surprise, Jayde instantly grew alert. "How could you forget something like that? I had that charm specially blessed for you. It helps the baby develop. Look at you, youve been looking better and better lately, and your bellys already so big. That just proves the charm is working. Why wouldnt you wear it?"

Seeing how strongly she reacted, I let out a quiet, inward sneer. 'Youre worried you cant keep using me to carry it anymore, arent you?'

Keeping my face calm, I said, "If the charms really that good, then why hasnt your belly changed at all? Its still completely flat."

As I spoke, I reached out toward her stomach.

Jayde jerked back like shed been shocked, immediately retreating a step. She pulled out the charm hanging around her neck and gave an awkward smile. "See? I wear mine every day too. Maybe my baby just isnt as lucky as yours."

At three months, it was usually too early to tell, but with how slim Jayde was, she didnt look pregnant at all.

I smiled back at her and said softly, "If wearing yours isnt doing much, and I forgot mine today anyway, why dont you let me borrow yours for a day?"

The moment the words left my mouth, her expression changed. Her face tightened, and she said seriously, "I had these charms made based on our birth charts. Theyre different for each person. Wearing mine wouldnt do anything for you."

The anonymous user had told me there were two charms. The one Jayde wore could release the childs life essence, while mine absorbed it.

As long as she destroyed her own charm before the birth, her child would drain my babys fate and return to her womb.

Watching her reaction now, I felt a cold certainty settle in my chest. So it was true. Jayde really was planning to use my body to carry her child.

I gave a light laugh. "I was just kidding. Look how stingy you are. If the charms that good, why would I try to take yours?"

The moment I finished speaking, a sharp pain suddenly twisted through my stomach.

With no other option, I reached out to @HollowBranch again.

@HollowBranch replied, "You just removed the charm, so the life essence has separated from your body. Some reaction is normal. Ill teach you a method to ease the pain temporarily."

I silently repeated the phrase they gave me several times. Sure enough, the pain gradually faded.

When I touched my stomach again, it had noticeably shrunk.

I had just let out a breath of relief when another message came through.

"I ran the numbers for you. The person who gave you that charm is vicious. She didnt just use your birth data to have it made. She sealed a drop of her own blood inside it. Feeding the charm with blood lets that energy seep into your body. Even if you dont wear it sometimes, she can still use your womb to grow her child."

A chill ran down my spine.

@HollowBranch continued, "Ill tell you how to break it."

That night, as soon as I got home, I followed their instructions and cooked a pot of warm ginger oatmeal with brown sugar. I had three full bowls before I finally started to feel better.

Just as I finished eating, my phone rang.

It was Jayde.

"Colette, did you lose the charm I gave you?"

Chapter 2

I frowned slightly. How did she find out so quickly?

Nevertheless, I didnt tell her the truth. Instead, I put on a surprised tone. "No, of course not. Ive been wearing it the whole time."

On the other end of the call, Jaydes voice came out fast and tense. "Thats good. Colette, you absolutely cannot lose that charm. When I had it blessed, I bound it to the baby. If you lose it, the baby could be in danger."

I let out a silent sneer. 'The one in danger is you, isnt it?'

After hanging up, I told @HollowBranch what had happened. They replied immediately.

"Her childs life essence is currently inside the sow. The body is rejecting it, and that reaction is being transmitted back to her. Thats why shes feeling unwell."

I nodded to myself. 'Good. Its about time you felt what this is like.'

The next day, as soon as I got to the office, Sam Morgan, our team lead, walked over. "Colette, you feeling okay today? Theres a client you need to follow up with this afternoon."

Before I could answer, Jayde cut in, "Come on, thats a bit much, dont you think? Colette is already so pregnant. What if something happens while shes out meeting a client? Ill go instead."

I looked at her coldly.

Shed used this exact move to take several of my clients already.

At first, I thought she was helping me. Id even been grateful. But now that I knew the truth, all I felt was a chill.

We had gone to the hospital together for our prenatal checkups and agreed not to tell anyone at work.

However, my stomach had grown so large I couldnt hide it anymore.

Meanwhile, Jayde had managed to conceal her pregnancy perfectly, so lately, shed been the one handling most of my accounts.

This time, I didnt let her. I shoved her aside and said, "Im fine. Jayde, youve already taken on so many of my clients. How could I keep troubling you? Im past the three-month mark now. Its stable. Ill go."

She tried to say something else, but I didnt give her the chance. I grabbed the file from Sam.

After Sam walked away, Jayde looked at me coldly and said, "Did you forget to wear your charm again?"

I froze for a second, then pulled the charm out from under my clothes. "No. Ive got it on."

To avoid suspicion, Id deliberately bought an identical fake and wore it instead.

Jayde nodded thoughtfully. "Good. Just make sure you dont take it off."

Her tone had grown colder, and it sent a wave of discomfort through me.

Not long after, my stomach suddenly seized with violent spasms, swelling again as if someone were inflating a balloon inside me. The pain was so intense I cried out before I could stop myself. In an instant, everyone in the office turned to look at me.

I clutched my stomach, trying to steady myself, but the spasms wouldnt stop. Sweat beaded across my forehead, and my face drained of color.

Jayde stood nearby and said in an exaggerated tone, "Colette, didnt you say everything was stable? Why do you look like youre in so much pain?"

I glared at her, teeth clenched, but the pain was so overwhelming I couldnt speak.

Hearing the commotion, Sam came back and shook his head when he saw me. "If youre really not feeling well, go home. Dont push yourself."

A coworker nearby scoffed. "Wow, the office princess finally slipped up in front of us. Its only three months. Does it really need to be this dramatic?"

"She probably doesnt watch what she eats. Look how big she is. Thats not normal. Serves her right."

"If you cant handle the job, just quit. Dont hog the position. Our team lead was still working right up until she gave birth."

Hearing their words, tears welled up in my eyes. Northbridge Group was publicly listed and known for taking good care of its employees.

Before getting pregnant, Id been the top salesperson for months. I was just about to be promoted to assistant team lead. How could I walk away now?

Jayde put on a fake look of concern. "Its okay, Colette. If youre not feeling well, go home and rest. Northbridge Group wont fire you for being pregnant. Just leave your work to me."

I wanted to refuse, but in my current state, there was no way I could keep working. Sam also urged me to take sick leave, so I had no choice but to agree.

As I was heading out, Jayde leaned in close and whispered in my ear, "Dont forget to keep wearing the charm when you get home. You didnt wear it yesterday, and look what happened today."

Chapter 3

As soon as I got home, I quickly messaged @HollowBranch.

They replied almost immediately. "Did your friend give you anything else today?"

"No," I typed back. "She didnt give me anything."

"Did she touch you at all?"

I thought about it carefully. The only thing shed touched was the fake charm.

I explained everything, and @HollowBranch responded right away. "Check the charm. See if theres anything stuck to it."

I picked it up and examined it closely. After a while, I finally noticed a faint red mark.

"Thats it," @HollowBranch said. "She smeared blood infused with a spell onto it. She mustve realized it was fake, so she came up with another way."

My fists clenched. I hadnt expected her to be this vicious. She wouldnt even give me a single day of peace. Shed already taken too much from me. If this kept going, Id have nothing left.

I asked @HollowBranch for help again. After a long pause, they finally replied, "I do have a way, but I dont know if you can handle it."

"I can," I replied without hesitation.

They explained that while Id hung the charm on the sow, all it did was make the sow carry Jaydes child instead. Now that Jayde had realized something was off, she would definitely try other ways to come after me.

If I wanted to change the situation, there was only one way: to swap the functions of the two charms.

However, since Jayde had used her own blood to cast the spell, breaking it would require something steeped in extremely heavy yin energy.

"Put simply," @HollowBranch wrote, "you need to let something possess you."

I hesitated for a moment, then typed back: "Okay."

Following their instructions, I bought a large number of white candles and arranged them into a strange pattern in my home.

Soon, midnight arrived. I lit each candle one by one, then stood in the center and pierced the skin between my brows.

I let the blood drip onto a sheet of yellow paper. Following the instructions, I drew a strange symbol on it, then held it over the flame and burned it.

Just then, my phone lit up. It was a message from Jayde.

"Good thing you didnt come today. The client went crazy and insisted on a second round. I already finished a whole bottle, and Im still here singing with them."

There was even a photo from a karaoke room attached.

I let out a cold laugh. 'Pregnant and still drinking an entire bottle? Counting on me to carry your child, arent you?'

I set my phone aside, mixed the burned ashes into water, and drank it down in one gulp while gritting my teeth. An overwhelming stench surged up my throat instantly, making me gag uncontrollably.

Before I could recover, I suddenly saw one of the candle flames flicker despite there being no wind. Then all the flames began to move, swaying in a strange, rhythmic pattern.

A sudden chill flooded my entire body, seeping out from deep within my bones. I started trembling uncontrollably.

Shivering, I tried to move, but my body no longer felt like it belonged to me. I couldnt move at all. My scalp prickled as if Id fallen into an icy abyss, and I gradually lost all sensation.

Just as I hesitated over whether to continue, my phone lit up again.

"Colette, the contracts signed! A $2-million deal! Ill treat you to coffee when you get back."

$2 million.

My teeth chatteredwhether from the cold or the rage, I couldnt tell.

I didnt hesitate anymore. I began reciting the incantation @HollowBranch had given me.

The moment I finished, that icy force surged straight to the top of my head, like it was about to split my skull open.

Before I could react, it rushed down to the soles of my feet. My feet went numb with cold, and a thin layer of frost formed across the floor.

My hands lifted on their own, moving through the air as if tracing something unseen. Then they pressed against my stomach, my lips murmuring words I didnt consciously speak.

I had no idea how long it lasted. Just when I thought I might die, suddenly, every candle in front of me went out at once.

The cold vanished instantly. Control of my body returned.

I quickly reached for my stomach. It had deflated like a punctured balloon, the heavy pressure gone completely.

I let out a long breath, relief washing over me. I hadnt felt this light in a long time.

Just as I was about to rest, my phone rang.

Jaydes panicked voice came through.

"Colette, are you not wearing the charm? Why did my stomach suddenly get so big? It hurts! Theres so much blood!"