When I got Pregnant, Hubby & MIL Aggressively Demanded DNA test, Accusing me of Someone Else’s Child

The Seed of Doubt

My name is Cheryl, and I’m 29 years old. I recently went through a divorce. This event wasn’t just a turning point in my life; it also included a fair share of dramatic fallout with my ex-husband Richard and his difficult mother, Doris.

I first crossed paths with Richard during an internship in the final year of my college studies. We dated for four years before he proposed, leading us to the altar. Our married life, however, was filled with continuous ups and downs.

Richard was exceptionally attached to his mother. To the extent that if he didn’t speak to her daily, his mood would sour. Doris had pampered him to the point where he was helpless with even the simplest household tasks.

Doris’s disdain for me was evident right from our first meeting. She would often demean my accomplishments and insult me. She made it clear she thought I was not a suitable match for her son.

Whenever I confronted her about her behavior, her justification was blunt and hurtful. She believed I wasn’t good enough for Richard. What made matters worse was Richard’s inability to stand up for me. Our arguments about this were frequent, but he maintained he could never oppose his mother.

Over time, I learned to disregard her barbs. Eventually, Doris stopped communicating with me altogether. About a year into our marriage, Richard and I decided to try for a baby.

Wanting to devote myself fully to prospective motherhood, I left my job to minimize stress. Unfortunately, despite our efforts, I did not become pregnant for a long time, which visibly strained our relationship.

Struggling with feelings of inadequacy, I decided to return to work to divert my attention from our issues. A few months after resuming work, I started feeling unusually ill.

Initially, I dismissed it as a minor issue, but as my condition worsened, I sought medical advice. After undergoing several tests, the doctor confirmed I was pregnant.

This news filled me with immense joy. I looked forward to sharing it with Richard, hopeful for what this new chapter would bring. I was thrilled, bursting with excitement to share some wonderful news with Richard that evening.

I decided to prepare his favorite meal as a special way to celebrate the moment. When he arrived home, I could hardly contain my joy.

“Hey babe, I have something important to share with you,” I began as we sat down for dinner.

Richard, looking weary, replied, “What is it? I’m really tired tonight. Can you keep it brief?”.

“Of course,” I said, trying to manage my excitement. “You know how I’ve been feeling off and nauseous lately? I thought it was just some bad food, so I went to the doctor”.

His brow furrowed with concern. “Is everything okay?”.

“Yes, better than okay, actually,” I smiled, barely able to keep the news in any longer. “The blood test came back, and it turns out I’m pregnant”.

Richard’s fatigue seemed to melt away instantly.

“What? Oh my God, that’s amazing news!”.

“I know. After all our efforts, it finally happened. I haven’t mentioned this, but I was starting to lose hope”.

“Me too,” he admitted. “I felt really down thinking maybe it wouldn’t happen for us”. “I know it’s not right to tie our worth to this, but it was hard not feeling like I could do the one thing I so dearly wanted”.

“But now here we are. Everything turned out well”. “However, the doctor did mention that it’s a high-risk pregnancy, so we need to be very careful”.

“Don’t worry about a thing,” Richard assured me, his voice full determination. “I’ll take good care of you”. “We should start planning. There’s a baby shower and maybe even a gender reveal to think about”.

I laughed gently, calming his rush of plans. “Let’s just take a moment to enjoy this news between us first”. “We can share it with everyone else a bit later, once we’re past the first trimester and more settled”.

“Right, of course,” he agreed, his excitement still evident. “So, dinner’s ready?”.

“Absolutely,” I replied. The following months were challenging. I battled constant nausea and vomiting, a tough price to pay for the precious life growing inside me.

Thankfully, Richard was incredibly supportive. Getting through those first six months would have been much harder without his help. As my symptoms began to ease, Richard and I started to feel more hopeful and excited about the journey ahead.

Following the joyful news of my pregnancy, Richard and I decided to host a baby shower to celebrate. We invited all our closest friends and family, and inevitably, Doris was among the attendees.

Throughout the party, I did my best to keep my distance from her. But eventually, she managed to corner both Richard and me, forcing a conversation.

“Congratulations on the pregnancy, Cheryl,” Doris said, her tone polite but distant.

“Thank you, Doris,” I replied, maintaining my composure. “It’s been a tough ride, honestly. I’ve been quite sick most mornings, and it’s been hard to even get out of bed”.

“That sounds rough, but I suppose it’s all worth it, especially since it’s been a long journey to get here,” she noted, not without a hint of skepticism.

“It truly is rewarding,” I responded, trying to keep the atmosphere light. “It feels incredible to finally be pregnant”.

Doris then dropped a bombshell. “Really, you better hope that the baby is yours”.

Confused, I asked, “Excuse me, what do you mean?”.

“Well, doesn’t it seem suspicious?” she continued. “You two were trying for over a year, and then suddenly, after Cheryl returns to work, she gets pregnant”. “Are you suggesting something happened with a coworker?”.

Doris’s insinuations were clear. Shocked, I responded, “Are you accusing me of cheating on Richard?”.

“I didn’t say that you did,” she insisted. “But why else would it happen right after you went back to work?”. “Perhaps the stress of not being able to conceive led you to seek relief elsewhere,” Doris continued, her voice dripping with accusation.

Richard chimed in, his mother’s words affecting him. “Cheryl, is there any truth to this?”.

“Richard, are you serious?” I asked, dismayed by his doubt. “Do you really believe what your mother is suggesting over your wife?”.

“It’s a simple question, Cheryl. Just give me a yes or no,” he insisted.

“Fine, Richard, if you need to hear it: no, I did not cheat on you,” I answered, hurt by his lack of trust. “I can’t believe you’d even think that”.

“Kind of,” he muttered, still unsure. Unable to handle the emotional turmoil, I excused myself. “I need some space”.

“Doris, your accusation is out of line,” I stated. “I’ve shown nothing but dedication and love to Richard, and it’s heartbreaking that you’d insinuate otherwise”. I retreated to our bedroom, locking the door behind me.

That night I cried myself to sleep, overwhelmed by the betrayal. It was hard to fathom how quickly Richard’s trust could waver based on his mother’s words.

For the next few days, he didn’t try to speak to me. I was too hurt to initiate conversation. The pain of his doubt lingered, casting a shadow over what should have been a joyful time. Every time I saw Richard, a fresh wave of anger washed over me.

Despite my hurt, I longed to bridge the gap between us, to understand why he doubted me. Eventually, Richard took the first step.

“Hey, can we talk?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” I replied, my response tinged with frustration. “Are you going to accuse me of cheating again?”.

“There’s no need to be sarcastic,” he said, attempting to keep the conversation light. “I’m trying to communicate. If you’re not ready, I can give you more time”.

“Fine, I’m sorry for being sharp. I’d like to talk,” I conceded, my voice softening.

“First of all, how are you feeling physically?” he began tentatively.

“Physically, I feel great,” I replied, my voice heavy with emotion. “Emotionally, though, it feels like I’ve been stabbed in the back”.

“Why do you feel that way?” he asked, though it seemed obvious.

“You can’t be serious,” I responded.

“I just want to understand you better,” he continued, sensing my irritation.

“Okay, here it is,” I started, my frustration evident. “It hurt that you even entertained your mother’s accusations of me cheating”. “I’ve been completely faithful, and you know very well how much your mother dislikes me”.

“She’d do anything to see us apart, and yet you seem to consider her conspiracy”.

“I didn’t believe her,” Richard defended himself.

“But you doubted me, even if just for a moment,” I countered. “That doubt led you to question my fidelity”. “If you truly trusted me, you wouldn’t have needed to ask about it at all”.

“You have to admit my mom did raise a point worth considering,” he tried to explain.

“Do you realize that her accusation also indirectly insulted you, suggesting you couldn’t have fathered a child?” I pointed out.

“No, she did not,” he replied, still in denial.

“I don’t care if you remain in denial, but don’t ever question my loyalty again,” I said firmly. “Here, you can even call my male co-workers to check if there was inappropriate”.

“That’s not necessary,” Richard hastily replied.

“No, it seems necessary, especially since you think I could cheat on you and trick you into raising another man’s child,” I persisted.

“I’m not calling your co-workers, that would be embarrassing for both of us,” he admitted. “What I do want, though, is for us to take a DNA test after the baby is born, just to be sure”.

“Excuse me? I will not do that,” I responded sharply, shocked and hurt by his continued mistrust. This conversation was spiraling into a deeper rift than I had hoped to mend.

“I understand that emotions are running high right now, but let’s put this conversation on hold until after the baby is born”. “For now, I want you to focus on having a stress-free pregnancy”. “Let’s not bring this up again”.

Richard’s words were meant to be reassuring, but they felt like a dismissal. I was too drained to argue. The pregnancy was already taking a toll on me, and I didn’t need additional stress.

During the remaining months of my pregnancy, Richard and I slept in separate rooms. He still took care of my basic needs, but the emotional distance was palpable. To make matters more complicated, Doris started visiting almost every day.

She spent hours with Richard in his office. Their hushed whispers only deepened the sense of betrayal I felt. When the time came, I endured a difficult labor but was rewarded with the birth of a healthy baby girl.

I briefly lost consciousness after delivery. Upon waking and seeing my daughter for the first time, I was struck by how much she resembled Richard. The thought crossed my mind that if Richard insisted on a DNA test now, it might be the last straw for our relationship.