The room was silent, accompanied only by the sound of the second hand on the wall. I stood in front of the large mirror, watching the reflection of my changing body. My stomach was so big, bigger than anything I had ever imagined. Four lives are in here, moving, living, and waiting for their time to come out.
I stroked my belly slowly, my fingers following its curves lovingly. "You're growing up fast," I murmured, more to myself. "Mommy is proud of you. Very proud."
A small movement was felt from within. I smiled faintly. It was one of them-perhaps the most active. I never knew who was moving, but it didn't matter. They were all part of me, part of something bigger.
"Soon we'll be together," I continued, this time in a quieter voice. "Just a little longer. You have to stay strong, okay?"
I winced suddenly. The stabbing pain came without warning, contractions that had been appearing more and more frequently lately. My hands gripped the side of the table to support my body. My breath caught, and cold sweat began to run down my forehead.
"Ouch... slow down, baby... slow down," I whispered as I closed my eyes, trying to catch my breath. I knew these contractions were just a sign that the time was getting closer.
As the pain slowly subsided, I stood up straighter, looking back at the mirror. I looked at my own face-pale, tired, but there was still determination in those eyes. The eyes that Ryan used to praise for looking like the eyes of someone who knew what he wanted.
"Ryan..." his name just slipped from my lips. Just saying his name was enough to make the pain in this body feel small.
He doesn't know. He'll never know how far I've gone, what I've done, and what I've sacrificed to get to this point. But I know, in the end, she will understand. She has to understand.
I stroked my big belly again, more gently this time. "We'll be together again. Me, you, and them. Our little family."
Another movement was felt inside, like an answer to my words. I smiled a little, even though my body felt like it was being crushed from within.
"Be patient a little more, dear. We just need to wait for the right time."
I walked slowly to the bed, sitting up with difficulty while staring at the ceiling of the room. In that silence, there was only me, the fetus inside my womb, and thoughts of the future.
"Ryan..." I whispered again, the sound lost among the ticking seconds of the clock.
"We'll meet soon."
Mysterious Messages
I sat at the small table in the corner of the room, an old laptop on in front of me. The screen light reflects off my face, which looks more tired than the last time I saw my own reflection. My stomach felt heavy, but I had to finish this. Time was running out, and all my plans had to go perfectly.
My hands tremblingly typed in some numbers on the money transfer app. The amount was big, very big. But I knew it would be worth it. No price is too high to make sure everything goes according to plan.
After a few seconds, I sent the money to an anonymous account. I added a short message:
"Good job. Keep it up. Don't let him know what happened."
The message was short but clear enough. I knew they would understand it. They'd done a good job so far, making sure that I stayed out of sight, making sure that Ryan stayed in their control.
I closed the laptop slowly, then leaned back in the chair. Heavy breathing escapes my chest, as if every little action drains all my energy. My hand goes back up to my stomach, stroking it gently, trying to soothe the fetuses that are starting to move actively.
"You must feel cramped in there, huh?" I murmured with a small smile. "Wait a little longer. Soon, we'll get out of this."
It felt like every day my body was getting bigger, more uncomfortable. But I knew this was the price I had to pay. They were part of my plan. They were the key to everything.
I stared at the small calendar on the table, the date circled in thick red ink. The day was fast approaching. The day when everything would change.
"Ryan must be confused right now," I said quietly, more to myself. "He doesn't know what's going on. He doesn't know that I'm watching him. Always watching him."
I chuckled, the sound strange in this quiet room. My hand moved to pick up the cooled teacup, drinking it slowly. Every movement was slow, but I enjoyed this moment-a moment where I could plan everything in peace.
"I know you missed me, Ryan," I continued, looking out the window. The rain falls softly, soaking the glass. "And I'll make sure you never forget me. Never."
I got up slowly, my body felt heavy, but I kept walking towards the small bedside table.
On the table, a family photo was kept in an old frame. I picked it up, staring at the picture that was already dull, but still clearly showed the faces in it. Mine, Ryan's, and the happiness that was once real.
"All this is for us," I whispered as I rubbed the glass of the frame. "For me, for you, and for our family."
I stared back at the now-dead laptop screen. Silently, I knew one thing: The time to meet Ryan was fast approaching.
Family Photos and Shadows of the Past
I stood in front of the large mirror in the corner of the room, looking at my increasingly heavy body. My belly was growing rapidly, much bigger than a normal pregnancy. Every time I looked at it, I felt both proud and depressed. There are four lives in here, four parts of my plan, and they won't wait much longer.
My hand touched my stomach, stroking it gently. I could feel the tiny movement of one of them. "You guys are so strong," I murmured with a small smile. "You must be strong, because we'll be together soon."
I looked over at the small bedside table. On it was a family photo that I had kept for years. I picked up the photo, holding it tightly in my hands, my eyes tracing the faces in it.
"Look at us," I said softly, as if speaking to someone in the photo. My face was smiling there, standing next to Ryan who looked happy. But I knew that smile was fake. I knew the happiness was temporary.
I shifted my gaze to Ryan's face, my fingers touching his reflection in the glass frame. "Ryan, you think you can just leave me? You think you can forget everything that happened between us? You're wrong."
I smiled a small smile, a smile that was more like mockery than happiness. "Samantha doesn't know who you really are. She doesn't know what we've been through. But I do. I know you still miss me, even though you don't want to admit it."
My hand returned to my stomach, rubbing it slowly. I felt their movements again, getting stronger, as if they knew what I was up to.
"She will know. Samantha will know that you are mine. And we will be the perfect family-me, you, and them," I whispered softly.
I looked back at the mirror, seeing the reflection of my drastically changed body. This body wasn't the body Luna used to have that Ryan knew. But I didn't care. All of this was proof of my sacrifice, proof that I would do whatever it took to bring us back together.
Suddenly, another small contraction came. I clutch my stomach, my breath hitching as the stabbing pain spreads throughout my body. But I didn't complain. I knew this was part of the journey.
"It won't be long now," I said, bracing myself. "Soon, it will all be over."
I looked at the family photo once more before placing it back on the table. This time, I made sure that it was facing the direction of the bed, as if I wanted them-the faces in the photo-to be witnesses to everything that was about to happen.
A soft knock sounded on the door. I wasn't surprised. I knew who was there. With slow steps, I walked towards the door, unlocked it, and let the light from the hallway illuminate the room.
"Are you done?" a man's heavy voice asked.
I smiled a little, nodding slowly. "Everything went according to plan. It's just a matter of time."
He handed me a black envelope. I opened the envelope, reading the contents carefully. A cold smile appeared on my face.
"Ryan will find out soon," I said, looking at the man. "Soon his family will be busy."
I closed the door quietly, walking back to the small table. A feeling of satisfaction filled my chest. I knew, before long, I would get what was rightfully mine.