Chapter 1
I was six months pregnant when my boyfriend, Angelo Greer, agreed to accompany me back to my hometown to celebrate the New Year. But just as we entered the highway, his phone rang. On the other end, his assistant’s voice sounded flustered. “Mr. Greer, my mother said that if I don’t bring a boyfriend home for the New Year this time, she’ll set me up on a blind date. Can you come back and pretend to be my boyfriend… just for a while?” Angelo slammed on the brakes, his expression suddenly tense. “Get out of the car. I need to go back and help Dora.” Hearing this, anger surged through me. “You’re seriously leaving me, a pregnant woman, stranded on the highway because of that?” I demanded, my voice shaking. “Do you have any idea how dangerous this is?” But Angelo frowned, a flicker of impatience flashing across his face. Without a word, he stepped out of the car, walked to my side, and yanked the door open. He grabbed my arm and pulled me out. “There are plenty of cars passing by. Just flag one down,” he said coldly. “Dora has no one else. I have to help her.” With that, he left me standing on the side of the highway as he drove off. Despair washed over me as I stared at his retreating car. Heartbroken, I made a decision. I turned and walked back along the shoulder of the highway, tears blurring my vision, and called the hospital to schedule an induced abortion. When the doctor heard my request, there was a moment of silence, followed by surprise in her voice. “Are you sure? Inducing labor at this stage will be very harmful to your body. Just last week, you seemed so excited about the baby during your prenatal check-up.” I forced my voice to remain calm. “The child’s father is dead.” The doctor paused, her tone softening. “I’m so sorry to hear that. I’ll schedule the procedure for tomorrow afternoon. Please come to the hospital in the morning for preparations.” “Thank you,” I replied quietly before ending the call. The blaring of horns snapped me back to my surroundings. Cars rushed past me, their drivers glaring as I walked close to the edge of the highway. Just then, Angelo called. For a moment, I thought he had realized how cruel he had been. But his commanding tone quickly shattered that illusion. “Where are you? Bring your diamond ring to Dora. She needs it. The stores have nothing suitable, and yours will do perfectly.” I let out a bitter laugh, my voice laced with sarcasm. “Did you forget? You left me stranded on the highway.” He hesitated for a second before snapping impatiently, “The highway’s full of cars. You could’ve just paid someone to deliver it. Stop making excuses. Don’t forget I bought that diamond ring. Now hurry up and bring it over. Don’t waste time.” I stood there, stunned. How many times had Angelo borrowed something from me for Dora Pearson? At first, it was small things—a dress for a party, earrings to match her outfit. Embarrassed to say no, I had let him take them. But over time, their demands grew bolder. Once, they even tried to borrow the planning proposal I had spent weeks perfecting. When I refused, Angelo accused me of being petty. “Dora’s just starting out,” he said. “She’s not as capable as you. Can’t you share your resources? It’s not a big deal.” He’d taken credit for my work and handed it to Dora, even throwing a grand celebration for her achievements. And now, they wanted to take my fiancé and the diamond ring he had given me when he proposed. Dora never returned anything she borrowed. I doubted she’d return these either. Before I could respond, I heard Dora’s soft, disappointed voice in the background. “Mr. Greer, if my sister doesn’t want to lend it to me, it’s fine. I can do without the ring.” Angelo’s impatience melted away instantly. Completely ignoring the fact that I was still in the line, he began speaking to her in a gentle, comforting tone.