Elena thought her life couldn’t get any more complicated after her fiancé disappeared upon learning she was pregnant. But when her boss humiliated her during a team meeting, the truth about the father of her child came to light…
Three months ago, my life shattered. I’m not exaggerating.
At 27, I was engaged to a man I thought I’d spend forever with, and had no idea how quickly dreams could crumble.
The day I told Ethan I was pregnant, I’ll never forget the look on his face.
“Are you serious?” he asked, his voice low and sharp.
I nodded, trying to smile through my nerves.
“We’re going to be parents…”
Instead of the joy I expected, he mumbled something about needing time to think. Then he walked out the door.
And he never came back.
I told no one. Not my family, not my colleagues.
My father was a powerful man, the owner of the company I worked for. My sister, Rebecca, ran a different branch and was married to Adam, my boss.
Everyone had high hopes for me and my future. But the truth about my baby’s father was like a ticking time bomb. I couldn’t risk it. So I left my parents’ house and went away on my own, hoping to keep the truth hidden as long as possible.
My father handed over the business to Rebecca and Adam while he and my mother enjoyed their luxurious travels.
But secrets always surface, don’t they?
And mine surfaced in the worst way.
I was standing in the conference room during a team meeting when Adam, my boss and brother-in-law, decided to make my pregnancy a public spectacle.
“So, Elena,” he said, reclining in his chair with a smug grin. “I hear congratulations are in order. You’re pregnant, right? Finally settling down! I’m happy for you, really.”
A few people nervously chuckled. I felt my face heat up as all eyes in the room turned to me.
“I guess you’ll have to find the father now, right?” he added, slapping the table as if he had cracked the joke of the century.
The laughter quickly faded, but Adam wasn’t finished.
“But even if you don’t want to, you don’t have to worry, right? Single mothers get decent benefits. Maybe I should give you a $1,000 raise? What do you all think?”
An awkward silence filled the room. My chest tightened, and I clenched my fists, fighting back tears.
“The father of this child told me he loved me more than his own life,” I said, my voice trembling. “But as soon as he found out, he ran.”
Adam’s grin widened.
“Ah, men. Typical, right?”
I was seconds away from running out when the office door suddenly swung open.
A young woman entered, holding a child in her arms, tears streaming down her face. She was no older than 22 or 23, but despite the tears and trembling hands, she stood her ground.
Behind her were Rebecca and my father.
My stomach twisted as I recognized the woman.
“Layla?” I whispered.
Layla had been Rebecca’s former assistant. I’d seen her a few times in the office and once at a family dinner. She had always seemed quiet, almost shy. But now, she looked different.
Rebecca crossed her arms, her face unreadable.
“I know why Layla left the job,” she said coldly. “Just like I know why you left mom and dad’s house, Elena.”
My mouth went dry. My heart raced.
“I found your journal, Elena. You packed poorly when you left. You left it on the nightstand.”
A deathly silence filled the room.
Rebecca continued, her barely contained rage evident in her words.
“Adam is the father of your child, isn’t he?”
Whispers rippled through the room. My knees weakened.
But Rebecca wasn’t done.
“And,” she added, pointing at Layla, “Adam is also the father of HER child.”
Layla stepped forward, clutching the baby to her chest.
Adam’s face turned ashen gray.
“Rebecca… I… I can explain!” he stammered.
“No,” Rebecca snapped. “You’ve been lying to me for years. You betrayed me. You destroyed my trust. It’s over between us, Adam. You’re dead to me.”
My father stepped forward, his expression cold and commanding.
“I’ve heard enough,” he said decisively. “Adam, you’re fired. Immediately. Pack your things and leave.”
Adam opened his mouth to protest, but my father raised his hand to silence him.
“And,” he added, “you’ll pay child support for both children. I’ll make sure of it.”
The office quickly emptied, employees whispering about the scandal as they left.
I stayed behind, not knowing what to do, until my father approached me.
“Elena,” he said, his voice softer. “Why didn’t you come to me?”
Tears burned in my eyes as I looked at the floor.
“I didn’t want to ruin Rebecca’s life,” I admitted. “And I was afraid of how you’d look at me if you found out the truth.”
He sighed, shaking his head.
“It’s not your fault, sweetheart,” he said. “Adam manipulated you, just like he did all of us. You’re my daughter, and I will always support you.”
Rebecca stepped closer. Her face was red, but her gaze was firm.
For a moment, I thought she was going to slap me. But instead, she hugged me tightly.
“I’m furious, Elena,” she said, her voice trembling. “But not at you. It’s Adam who ruined our marriage. We’ll get through this together.”
A week later, my phone rang.
“Elena,” my father said. “I need someone I can trust to take Adam’s place. You’ve been with the company for five years, and you know the team better than anyone else. How about becoming the interim director?”
I was speechless.
“Are you sure, Dad?”
“Absolutely. I trust you.”
Of course, I said yes.
It wasn’t easy stepping into Adam’s role, but every day, as I walked into that office, I held my head just a little higher.
And the best part?
My children will grow up knowing that their mother never backed down. And that her family genuinely supported her.
As for Adam? He’s a thing of the past.
And Rebecca? We’re slowly rebuilding our relationship.
Life doesn’t always go according to plan, but sometimes, when the dust settles, you realize you’re stronger than you ever imagined.
