Ellie Thunberg

I already knew the results before I entered the doctor’s office. The handle of the door was cold against my fingers, and for a moment, I lingered there—breathing in and out, as if that would prepare me for what I was about to hear. Then I pushed it open.

“Mrs. Parker,” the doctor greeted, smiling brightly as I stepped in. The cheer in his voice felt like nails on glass to me, and I cringed visibly.

That new name—Mrs. Parker—could have once been a source of joy. It could have been the kind of title that made my heart swell. But in my life now, it was nothing more than a bitter echo. Every time it was spoken, it tasted like ashes.

“Good morning, doctor,” I signed with a terse smile as I took the chair opposite him. “I’m here for the results.”

He watched my hands carefully, nodding. “Yes, Mrs. Parker.”

“Ellie,” I corrected quickly, my fingers sharp in the air. “Please, just call me Ellie.”

He nodded again. “Okay… Ellie.” But as he leaned forward, his expression shifted into something grim, and I felt my heart tighten, the air suddenly heavier in my lungs.

“You are pregnant, yes,” he began, his voice careful. “I’m sure you could already tell. But…” He hesitated, clicking his tongue as though weighing his words. “You are carrying triplets, ma’am.”

My eyes widened, my hand instinctively moving to rub my stomach. Triplets. Three small lives inside me.

“Yes,” he continued, pressing his lips into a firm line. “But due to your slim nature, your body size, and certain details from your medical history, this will be a high-risk pregnancy. The chances for your survival—or the children’s survival—are fifty-fifty.”

The words slammed into me like a blow to the chest. My breath caught, my vision swam for a moment. Fifty-fifty. My life and theirs balanced on the edge of probability.

“How bad is it?” I signed, forcing my trembling hands to stay steady.

“Well,” he said, his voice lowering, “you’ll need bed rest most of the time. You must be constantly monitored, especially as you are now progressing into your second trimester.” He reached for a sheet of paper and a pen. “I’m prescribing medication. Take it exactly as directed. And Ellie—” his eyes caught mine, “—avoid anything that will stress you mentally and emotionally.”

I nodded in silence.

“Thank you,” I signed as I accepted the paper from him.

“You can get the medication at the pharmacy. Down the hall, to the left,” he added.

I nodded again, then hesitated. “What’s your name? You… you seem like a good man.”

He smiled uneasily. “Dr. Dylan. And I’m just doing my job, Ellie. Nothing more.”

I managed a small smile in return, bowing slightly before leaving the room. But as I walked out, my mind spun. The doctor’s warning about avoiding stress… it meant I had to stay away from Thorin at all costs. Maybe even rent an apartment—at least until the babies were born.

Spotting one of my favorite nurses—the one who understood sign language—I approached her desk. I tapped gently to get her attention, and her face lit up.

“Welcome, Mrs. Parker,” she greeted warmly. “Sorry about the delay. The Obstetrician is still on his way. There was a motor accident that held him up.”

I shook my head and signed, I already met with another Obstetrician—Dr. Dylan. He wrote a list of drugs I need from the pharmacy. Can you help me get them?

But instead of nodding, her face darkened. She snatched the paper from my hand with surprising force, leaving me stunned.

“Mrs. Parker… I’m sorry, but there’s no doctor by that name on our staff,” she said slowly, her brows knitting.

Confusion tangled inside me. “What do you mean?” I signed.

And then she gasped. “Oh my God!” She turned to another staff member. “Alert security! We have an impersonator in the building. These drugs—” she held up the prescription, her voice rising, “—they’re abortifacients!”

My stomach dropped. My lungs seized. Blood roared in my ears. My hands fell limply to my sides as the reality crashed over me. Abortion pills. Someone had sent me here to kill my babies.

There was only one person who could have done this. But how had she known I was pregnant? Had she been watching me throw up every morning after breakfast?

When I stepped into the house, Arianna’s smirk greeted me like poison.

“Hey, Ellie. I heard you went to the hospital. How did it go?” Her voice dripped with mock sweetness.

“Hospital?” Thorin’s voice came from the corridor. His brow was furrowed with concern. “Is everything okay with you, Ellie? Are you sick?”

Arianna’s face tightened instantly, the alarm flashing in her eyes before she masked it. “Nah… I spoke with the doctor. She’s fine. She only went there to make some trouble so your attention would be called. I’ve already handled it. Don’t worry about it, babe.”

The realization hit me like ice water. Thorin didn’t know I was carrying his child. Arianna hadn’t told him—and if she did, I already knew what his reaction would be. His words from a month ago still echoed in my mind, cruel and cutting.

I shook my head and walked past them both. I couldn’t stay here. My life—and now my children’s—were in danger. The ultrasound had shown them so clearly, and still, I had spotted faint traces of blood on my underwear. It was a terrible sign for any pregnant woman.

“I heard you got lucky today, Ellie,” Arianna’s voice slithered behind me as she followed me to my room.

I turned to face her, signing sharply: Did you pay that man to make me get rid of my children?

She read my hands, then let out a screech-like laugh.

“Of course, I did. Do you think I’d let you trap Thorin with those useless things in your womb?” Her tone was venom. “They have to go. And if you’re smart, you’ll do the same—and ask for a divorce. Because I will not stop, Ellie. I’ll keep trying until those children are gone. Until you’re begging me to spare your life. Don’t wait until it’s too late.”

Later, as I walked aimlessly down the corridor, my name was called. I turned to see Mrs. Rachel, the head maid, hurrying toward me. She glanced around to make sure no one was watching.

“Did you bring it?” I signed quickly, meeting her halfway.

“Yes. I made sure of everything,” she whispered, clutching my hands. Her eyes were wide with fear. “Only a fire outbreak can erase you from here, Ellie. We’ll make sure the fire burns hot enough that all that’s left is ashes.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Rachel,” I signed back, pulling her into a hug. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Thorin walk past without so much as glancing at me.

And it hit me—this would be the last time I saw him. The thought stung deep, but I reminded myself: I was doing this for my children. For their safety.

I couldn’t raise them in a home poisoned by a bitter father and a jealous mistress. No matter how little I believed I deserved happiness, my children deserved better.