The Wrong Woman

Sienna smiled and nodded at Florence. After the family doctor checked Sienna and confirmed she was fine, he left.

Although Daniel was away that day, Florence's visit sparked a series of visits from Sienna's sisters-in-law, each arriving one after another with gifts in hand. They congratulated Sienna and exchanged pregnancy tips, advising Sienna on what to watch out for.

Each of them was already a mother, and their combined knowledge of child-rearing was as extensive as any obstetrician's, turning them into walking encyclopedias.

As night fell, Sienna found herself wide awake in bed. She had napped earlier in the day. She lay there, staring out at the night sky from her balcony, her thoughts drifting to Daniel.

Anxiety gnawed at her. She couldn't shake the fear that Daniel might not be happy about the baby. Restlessly, she reached for her phone and opened WhatsApp, about to send Daniel a message.

Yet, she hesitated, reasoning that he was too swamped with work to come home, let alone check his phone.

Feeling disheartened, Sienna was about to close WhatsApp when she spotted some new activity in the usually quiet Morrison family group chat.

Lindsey had created the group, which included all the relatives. Out of politeness, no one had left, even though conversations were typically sparse. Sienna tapped into the chat and discovered that Lindsey, Gary, and Florence were actively discussing something.

Gary: "Now that the kids are all married with kids of their own, I truly feel like my life is complete."

Lindsey: "Gary, does Dan have a child, too?"

Gary: "Yes, and it's wonderful news!"Material © NôvelDrama.Org.

Florence: "Lindsey, Sienna is pregnant. She and Dan are doing well and blissfully happy together."

Lindsey: "No need to worry, Florence. I wouldn't dare upset Dan's wife, given his temper. That's just not something I'm capable of."

Florence: "Sienna respects you. It's all about mutual respect, right?"

Gary: "We're all family here. Let's be mindful of our words and avoid hurting each other. A happy home brings a happy life." Lindsey: "Whatever!"

Lindsey: "Gary, I consulted a fortune teller who said that since you and your sons only have boys, it's destined that Dan's baby will be another boy." Florence: "Lindsey, don't be so certain. Putting too much faith in superstitions isn't wise."

Lindsey: "Florence, don't be such a skeptic. These readings are highly accurate. I'm sure it will be a boy if it's Daniel's child."

Florence: "Lindsey, you need to take that back."

Lindsey: "Why? I'm confident it's going to be another boy in Dan's family."

Lindsey: "Having sons is a good

thing. They can carry on the family name and inheritance. A daughter on the other hand, eventually marries and joins another family. It feels like raising daughters doesn't add the same value."

Lindsey: "Florence, maybe you should suggest to Dan's wife that she prays for a son at church. All the brothers have sons. It would be a pity if she broke that pattern with a daughter."

Only Lindsey spoke in the group.

Sienna set her phone down and closed her eyes, feeling an overwhelming weight pressing down on her chest. It was suffocating.

Did wealthy families prefer sons?

Sienna rolled over in bed, shut her eyes, and felt herself caught in a painful spiral of stress. She was troubled by the thought that Daniel disliked children, while the family elders showed a clear preference for boys.