Raising a Wolf in the Henhouse - Part 1

The cold wind howled, and the heart-wrenching cries of a newborn echoed in my ears.

Suddenly, I remembered — today was the day my beloved husband placed his illegitimate child on the path I took to and from work.

He knew I couldn’t bear to leave the child behind. Once I brought the baby home, he could conveniently propose adopting it, making it legally ours.

In my previous life, he succeeded.

But now, without a moment's hesitation, I turned and walked away.

When I later learned that the child had developed pneumonia from being left out in the cold for too long, followed by a relentless fever that might leave him disabled, I laughed through my tears.

What I hadn’t anticipated was that the “ungrateful wolf” son from my past life had also been reborn into this child’s body, about to experience the life he truly deserved.

1.

In my previous life, after adopting this child, I raised him as if he were my own son, pouring all my heart and effort into caring for him.

For him, I even gave up my career, became a housewife, and sacrificed my entire inheritance from my parents to buy a house and help him marry in a big city. Yet, in the end, I died freezing in a leaky house in the countryside, licking dirty water off the ground to ease my thirst before passing away.

Meanwhile, my "dutiful" son was living in the house I had bought, being filial to his biological mother — the true lover of my husband.

On that day, I closed my eyes and passed away in resentment.

So cold, so thirsty.

2.

The day my son was about to get married.

Marriage required buying a house, buying a car, and he had already decided to settle in the big city.

The current housing prices in big cities are sky-high. Moreover, my son, having been spoiled since childhood, and his future wife, who was very demanding, had chosen a duplex in the city center. They didn't want to take out a mortgage, and the total price reached eight figures.

When my son stood awkwardly and bowed his head before me, his pleading eyes looking at me, my heart softened. From childhood to now, this was the first time he had ever asked me for anything.

"Mom, if I borrow money to buy a house, how can I hold my head up in front of Farah? Besides, if I can pay it all at once, why should I borrow? Our family isn’t lacking money, right? I’m your only son. How could you bear to see me embarrassed?"

He’s always been a proud person, ever since he was little.

So I didn't say that the money wasn't from our family’s finances but was instead the inheritance left to me by my parents — who, before passing away, had specifically drafted a will to leave all their assets to me, unrelated to my husband’s family.

Because of this matter, Bhuvan, my husband, had personally argued with me, saying that this reflected my parents' distrust of him. It wasn’t until we adopted Nikhil that our relationship eased.

Even so, Bhuvan never contributed financially to the household. I was never allowed to ask about it, even accidentally, without him erupting in anger.

All family expenses were covered by me, including living costs, tuition, and extracurricular fees for Nikhil from childhood to adulthood.

I’ve never compared or complained about this because they were the people I loved and the family I chose.

3.

In the end, I had no choice but to sell the old villa my parents left me and my beloved jewelry, transferring the money voluntarily to my son, Nikhil, so he could fulfill his wish of buying the duplex apartment he wanted.

But after buying the house, decorating it became another issue.

Facing my son’s pleading eyes, I clenched my teeth and, despite having never asked anyone for help in my life, humbled myself to borrow money from relatives.

“Borrow money? How many years have you not worked? Even if you borrow it, can you pay it back?” My longtime friend, whom I hadn’t contacted in ages, asked coldly.

Flushing with embarrassment, I stammered: “Bhuvan said he’d pay it back... Besides, Nikhil is about to get married. I’ll be free soon; at most, I’ll just find a job.”

Her eyes were filled with doubt, but in the end, she lent me the money.

I nervously thanked her, brought the money to the new house to find my son, but instead, I met a strange woman there.

Farah, my future daughter-in-law, who was usually a bit distant with me, was now cheerfully chatting with the woman, calling her “Mom.”

Mom?

I’d already met my future mother-in-law. It wasn’t this woman.

Suspicion filled my heart.

The woman gently patted Farah’s hand and smiled warmly: “Good, good, good. This daughter-in-law of mine is just like my own daughter. If Nikhil ever bullies you in the future, I’ll make sure to stand up for you.”

Nikhil came out of the room, using a coddling tone I had never heard before: “Mom, who really is your son?”

Looking at this scene, I suddenly realized how similar this woman looked to Nikhil. My entire body turned cold.

4.

That day, I screamed like a madwoman, questioning them.

My husband rushed over but shielded that woman behind him, looking at me with disgust and wariness.

Even my son, for whom I had poured all my heart and soul, stood on the opposite side, holding that woman’s hand.

In the struggle, someone shoved me hard, causing me to fall down the stairs, with blood pouring everywhere.

My head was fractured, and my leg was broken.

The so-called good husband and my obedient son didn’t even call for an ambulance.

Bhuvan ignored my pain as I curled up on the floor. His first action was to pick up my phone. Suddenly, something came to his mind. Skillfully using Nikhil’s birthdate, he unlocked it, then joyfully turned to his son and said:

“Aditi actually managed to get the money. I'll add a bit more for you two, so you can decorate the house beautifully!”

Nikhil hesitated and glanced at me: “But she...”

In front of that woman, he couldn’t even bring himself to call me “Mom.”

Bhuvan turned back, kicked me in the leg, and amidst my cries of pain, his face lit up as he said without hesitation: “I always meant to make things clear with Aditi anyway. Your mom and I are the real couple; we should have reunited long ago! As for Aditi... She’s turned into this now; just send her back to the countryside. She can’t contribute anything anymore, and no one knows her here!”

Everything in front of me felt absurd, like hell itself.

The gentle husband I once knew now spoke words that made me tremble.

In my stunned disbelief, Nikhil hesitated only for a moment.

The woman behind him lightly patted his hand and softly called, “Nikhil?” My son immediately nodded in agreement with Bhuvan’s decision.

He turned away, not looking at me again.

5.