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564words2026-01-26 09:10

My sister-in-law,Rachel,got pregnant in June.
She declared her child would be a prodigy,destined for extraordinary success, and that the baby should be born under the auspicious sign of Leo, not a so - called "inferior" sign like Virgo.
She heard t hatspicy food could induce early labor,so she ate jalapeños with every meal,drenched her food in hot sauce,and even drank spicy mixtures and dubious home remedies.

When I saw her face break out in sores,I kindly warned her and gathered the family to persuade her to return to a normal diet.She finally relented,and my nephew was born healthy.
But as he grew older,he struggled in school,dropped out early,became lazy,lived off his parents,and remained unmarried.Rachel blamed me,telling everyone I stopped her from eating spicy food to ensure a Leo birth,ruining his destiny and dooming him to failure.
Years later,at a class reunion,my nephew,Eric,saw his Leo-born classmates achieving great success.Convinced that I had deliberately sabotaged his future, he got drunk, ran me over with a vehicle, leaving me critically injured.
Then,my family covered up for him,dumping my broken body in a river to drown,claiming I’d jumped due to depression.
When I opened my eyes again,I was back on the very day Rachel had announced her pregnancy.
If she wants a“Leo baby”so badly,let her have it.

We'll just see what kind of a person she actually gives birth to.
…
“Sarah,why are you so silent?I’m carrying the Mitchell family’s heir.Aren’t you excited?”
Rachel’s voice dripped with sarcasm.

I snapped out of my daze.
My mom pulled my arm.“Sarah,Rachel’s the hero of this family now.When she talks,ou'd better listen respectfully!”
I surveyed the room—my family,the calendar on the wall.I realized I’d been reborn.
Rachel sat on the couch,rubbing her flat belly,her plump face smug.“My boss is pregnant too.She says kids born in a Leo year are destined for greatness—rich,powerful,money pouring in!”
My brother,Steven,nodded dumbly.“Absolutely,for sure.”
Mom beamed,but her smile faded.“How far along are you?When’s the due date?”
“Just one month.I’m due in March next year,”Rachel said,pointing to two giant bags of hot peppers on the table.“I heard spicy food can bring on labor early.Don’t worry,Mom,I’ll deliver a Leo baby for the Mitchells!”
“My kid won’t be a Virgo.Virgo kids are cold,lazy,and amount to nothing.”
Mom’s face fell.
She was an uneducated woman from a small town,but having raised two kids,she knew full-term births were best.
“The baby's health should be our top priority, right?I heard preemies are hard to raise…”Mom ventured cautiously.
Rachel’s eyes flashed with anger.“Mom,are you cursing your own grandson?”
In my past life,this sparked a huge fight.Rachel threatened to go back to her parents’house to give birth,and Mom caved,agreeing to the early labor plan.
I saw Rachel’s face erupt in sores from her excessive consumption of spicy food and dubious home remedies.So I researched,rallied the family,and,with a doctor’s backing,convinced her to eat normally.She had a healthy boy.
After graducating from college,I built a successful career.Since Mom always played the poor card,I was generous with Steven and Rachel’s family for over twenty years.
I covered all of Eric’s expenses—school fees,tutoring,clothes,food,even housing.I sent Mom substantial monthly allowances,which she cevretly diverted to them.
But what did I get in return?
Steven and Rachel raised a spoiled,good-for-nothing son who blamed me for his failures,claiming that I had robbed him of a Leo birth and cursed his destiny.
In the end,Eric and my family killed me.
I burned with hatred.