Chapter 1

ALTHEA~

“Are you pregnant, Althea?” my mom yelled worriedly after she saw me vomiting in the bathroom.

Ever since what happened between Mikhael and me—my current boyfriend whom I only met on a blind date—I’d been experiencing morning sickness. I’d feel dizzy, nauseous, exhausted, and sometimes even faint.

Did that passionate night lead to this? It’s good news for me, but I’m not sure how Mikhael would feel. That night was just a beautiful memory and a moment of madness for us. I never expected it to lead to this. I can still clearly remember every scene and every whispered "I love you" in my ear. That night is just a beautiful mistake, and I’ll never regret it.

“Answer me! You're in big trouble if you don’t!” my mom repeated in a high-pitched voice. Her nostrils were flaring with anger.

My mother is a single parent. My father left us when I was just five years old. Rumor has it he’s a rich CEO, but he never fought for us. So here we are—my mom working alone, sacrificing everything, sweat and blood, so I could finish my business management degree. And now I’m about to ruin it because of my foolishness. We had just finished our graduation ceremony, and I was supposed to start working next month. My plan was to work for my father’s company to get revenge. I was going to make him feel like he was part of the reason we were abandoned.

If I really am pregnant, all of our dreams will collapse. I barely even know my boyfriend. And in today’s world, one-night stands seem like just a game. I’m hoping he’ll take responsibility. I’m sure he loves me too.

“Ma, maybe it’s just indigestion,” I tried to reason, placing a hand over my mouth as the nausea hit me again. I couldn’t stop the churning in my stomach.

“I see you puking at the same time every day! Do you think I’m stupid? Tell me, who’s the father?” Her eyes were blazing.

I don’t think I could answer her. I ran back into the bathroom and threw up everything I ate last night.

My mom followed me into the bathroom. Instead of hitting me, she gently rubbed my back. What mother wouldn’t be angry if her daughter got into trouble? But she could feel my condition. My chest tightened because she always hoped I wouldn’t follow in her footsteps. Yet whether we liked it or not, fate had brought me here, just like her. Afterward, she sat me at the dining table and gave me a glass of water.

“I need to take a pregnancy test to confirm if I’m really pregnant,” I whispered after drinking the water, rubbing my belly.

Mom gently squeezed my hand resting on the table. “I’m deeply hurt, child, now that I know you’re pregnant. I tried hard not to let you be like me, but we’re weak when it comes to love. Who’s the father?”

I took a deep breath. Mikhael Bryce Handerson and I had only been together for two weeks. I don’t even know his family background. All I know is he’s a famous varsity basketball player everyone admires. We went on a blind date and were partnered together. After three dates, we became a couple. I had known of Mikhael before—he was popular. I was just an ordinary college student who had a crush on him. I never expected him to fall for me.

I forgot to introduce him to Mom before anything happened between us.

“Mikhael Bryce Handerson, the famous basketball player from the university,” I confessed.

Her jaw clenched, and her expression darkened. There was fear and anger in her eyes. Mom clenched her fists tightly.

“A Handerson did this to you? Why that family of all people?” her voice was hoarse.

I didn’t know anything about the Handersons. But based on her reaction, she clearly had a connection to them—some haunting memory. I could see the disgust in her face when I mentioned that surname.

“Why, Ma? Do you know the Handersons?” I asked.

She sighed, then stood up. She cleared my glass before looking back at me. A shadow hung around her eyes. “They ruined my life, child. And now it hurts because you’ve fallen victim to them too.”

“But I love Mikhael. I don’t care about his family’s history,” I insisted.

Tears glistened in her eyes. “I hope he’s different from your father,” she said before heading to the kitchen to prepare food for sale.

I smiled while looking at the two red lines on the pregnancy test in my hand. I really was pregnant, and I couldn’t wait to tell Mikhael. I grabbed my phone to call him. I saw three missed calls—he’d been looking for me. He was probably worried since we hadn’t seen each other in almost a week after that night. It was a sweet memory I would keep like a pearl in my heart. Mikhael was my first boyfriend, so I’d never forget it.

I was about to call him but changed my mind. Better to tell him in person. I was sure Mikhael would be happy to hear the news. He was going to be a father.

I decided to go to his condo. He was usually there, and sometimes I helped clean up. I had a duplicate key, so I could freely come and go.

I was singing as I walked down the hallway toward his unit when I heard a woman’s voice echoing—soft, high-pitched, beautiful even by tone alone. It was coming from Mikhael’s hallway. I turned the corner, planning to surprise him. But when I looked up, I saw a slender, flawless woman speaking seriously to Mikhael in a firm tone.

I hid behind a wall to observe them.

“Mikhael, please don’t leave me. I’m begging you,” the woman pleaded.

“Enough, Milena! I don’t want to hear anything more from you!” Mikhael shouted angrily.

She clung to his arms. My heart clenched at the sight. I wanted to storm in and pull her away from my man.

“What did that girl feed you to make you act like this? You promised to marry me, Mikhael!”

I was stunned by what I heard. It felt like my heart was being torn apart. I wished it weren’t true.

“I said enough!” Mikhael tried to push her away. His face was filled with irritation. He looked like he was ready to drag her out.

“You said you love me, right? I’m your first love, and you promised to marry me,” the woman cried.

It was like cold water was poured all over me. My chest tightened. I never imagined that the man I loved already had a girlfriend. And now, I was the reason they might break up? What is this—was I just a rebound?

“I do, but—”

“Please tell me you still love me. I’ll do anything to make this relationship work,” she begged, clinging to his chest.

“I can’t—”

Before he could finish, the woman suddenly kissed him. And without resistance, Mikhael returned the kiss. He even hugged her tightly.

In that one second, my heart shattered.

I felt tears sting the corners of my eyes. I couldn’t breathe. I chose to turn away from them. With clenched fists, I left the condominium in tears.

I never expected he would lie to me. He played me for two weeks. I was wrong to give myself to him.

It felt like I had fallen into a deep pit. There was nothing I could do about what happened. So I decided to go abroad—my Uncle Gio had long offered to take me to Belgium. Perfect timing, given my situation. I’d go there to forget and raise my child on my own.

I chose to let go. After all, it was my fault for falling for his lies.

Tearfully, I hugged my mom as I said goodbye. We were at the airport that afternoon, though my flight wasn’t until midnight.

She didn’t want me to leave at first, but she agreed when I told her the whole truth.

At first, she scolded me, but then she pitied me because she had gone through the same thing before. She was also very grateful to Uncle Gio for the offer—it was a big help for my future.

“I’ll miss you, my child,” she said, kissing my cheek. I tried to look strong and unaffected by my sad situation.

“I’ll miss you too, Ma. I’ll update you every day through social media,” I replied calmly, though my voice trembled.

“Take care of yourself there, and also my grandchild. If I ever get the chance to go there, I’ll definitely follow you,” she said, her tears still falling.

I knew there was no certainty—whether she’d really be able to come or when I could return—but hearing her words warmed my heart. I could see the sadness in her eyes, the heartbreak of letting her only daughter leave for an unfamiliar country. But beneath that sorrow was love and support, unconditional and unwavering.

“I will, Ma. Thank you for everything,” I said, tightening my hug one last time.

The boarding announcement echoed through the airport speakers. It was time.

I picked up my luggage and turned to wave at her, forcing a smile. She waved back with both hands, still crying, still whispering prayers under her breath. That image would be burned into my memory forever.

As I walked toward the gate, each step felt heavier than the last. I wasn’t just leaving the country—I was leaving behind my first love, my broken heart, and the life I thought I was going to live. But in exchange, I was embracing a new future. One that revolved around the child growing inside me.

A future built not on lies or betrayal, but on strength. My strength.

And maybe someday, I’ll look back at all this and realize... this wasn't the end.

This was just the beginning.