You’re pregnant!

Melanie stared at Natalia in disbelief. "You can't be serious. I will never be your maid."

Natalia laughed coldly. "Why? Because you think you're above it? Please. Do not forget where you came from." She stepped even closer, gaze raking over Melanie calculatingly. "Or have you forgotten? Your mother was a simple maid when my father picked her up, wasn't she?"

Anger flooded Melanie at the jab at her late mother. "My mother worked hard as a waitress - it was honest work providing for me. Besides, your father is my father too."

Natalia waved her hand dismissively. "Waitress, maid, potato, potahto, it's all the same."

Melanie turned helplessly to Hardin. "Please, tell me you won't allow this."

Hardin watched her impassively, his hazel eyes showing nothing. "Our marriage is dissolved, Melanie. You have no right to be here anymore."

"How can you be so cold?" she whispered in despair.

“I do not know you to be a troublemaker Melanie,” he looked at her coldly. “You have to leave right now.”

Defeated, Melanie stumbled from the house with her things onto the driveway, barely holding back tears. Driving to the nearest and cheapest motel with blurry vision, she hastily booked a room and collapsed onto the lumpy bed in exhaustion.

A short restless sleep later, she knew what she had to do - confront her father.

It didn't take long to arrive at the house where she grew up. When she was five years old, her mother had developed cancer and had only few weeks to live. So her mother had to bring her to live with her father. But she was never welcomed. Not by her own father, his wife, or their evil daughter, Natalia. She saw hell everyday living with them. The only friend she had was her grandfather who was fond of her. But he had to pass away too, leaving her utterly alone.

Melanie inhaled deeply and strode to the front door, hammering on it insistently.

It opened to reveal Cordelia, her stepmother. The woman's lips coated with bright red lipstick pursed in disapproval at the sight of Melanie. "What do you want? This isn't some motherless babies home. You need to leave, and leave now."

"I need to speak to my father," Melanie said firmly.

Cordelia's eyes flashed as she adjusted a pin in her blonde hair piled at the top of her head. "Well, we are very busy. I think it's best if you leave us in peace." She tried to shut the door but Melanie jammed her foot in the frame.

"Dad!" she called loudly, ignoring Cordelia's attempts to push her out. "Dad, I know you're here. We need to talk!"

Heavy footsteps approached and her father Ben emerged with lines creasing his forehead. His gaze fell on Melanie and his scowl darkened further. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Can we please talk privately?" Melanie pleaded. "I need to understand what's happening."

Ben grunted dismissively. "I heard about your divorce already.Not able to keep a man, eh?"

Melanie moved back in surprise as if slapped. "How can you say that? Especially when you were in on the plan all along with Hardin and Natalia!"

After a tense moment, he grunted but kept glaring at her. "And so what if we did? You decided to be naive anyway."

Melanie stared at him disbelievingly. "You really won't defend your own daughter? I'm sickened to know how low you people will stoop just for money."

"You brought this upon yourself," came Ben's gruff reply. "Now get off my property before there's real trouble."

Melanie shot back. "You all were always against me, jealous of Grandpa's love. That's why you all joined forces to steal everything!"

Cordelia sneered. "You ungrateful brat. After all we did to raise you when your dead mother abandoned you,"

Melanie swallowed hard, feeling hurt at the mention of her mother. "Mark my words, one day I'll be back for all of you. You'll pay for what you've done."

Ben was red faced with anger. "Don't you threaten me, girl! I said get off my property!"

The look in his eyes gave her pause - there was no love or remorse, only cold calculation.

Deflated, she stepped back slowly. "You were never my father," she spat bitterly.

“Good riddance to you, gold digger,” Cordelia said with a huff as Melanie finally made her way to her car and drove out. She let out a shaky breath and just at that moment, she noticed her ring on her finger.

With trembling fingers, she pried it off and held it up to the light.

It was funny how something so seemingly precious could turn sour so quickly. Well, she refused to carry this symbol of his empty promises a minute longer. She turned round the corner and made her way to a pawn shop.

The owner grunted as he inspected it under a magnifying glass. "Good quality gold, nice inscription too. I can give you $3000” for it."

$3000! It was more than she had expected for a simple wedding band. Melanie nodded her assent, just wanting it out of her possession as soon as possible.

The money was passed over with a slip of paper and she pocketed it all gratefully. A weight seemed to lift off her shoulders now that the last tangible tie was severed.

But as Melanie turned to leave, she suddenly felt dizzy. She gasped, grasping weakly at the doorframe, but the world was already fading to black.

When she was concious, the harsh fluorescent lighting and beeping machines welcomed her. She squinted her eyes and asked, "Where am I?"

A friendly doctor smiled down at her. "You're in the hospital, dear. Lucky for you, the pawn shop owner called an ambulance when you collapsed. How are you feeling?"

Melanie could feel her head pounding."Like I got run over.What happened?"

The doctor's eyes creased with a smile. "You're pregnant, congratulations! About three months along from what the tests show."

Pregnant. The word echoed in her brain, shattering all other thoughts. She clutched her stomach in disbelief. A baby- Hardin's baby, was growing inside her very body.

A shocked laugh escaped her lips even as tears welled up. Maybe because this was the first time she was ever pregnant.

Hardin had betrayed her in the most cruel way without remorse yet her heart still yearned for the man she loved. She had always envisioned raising a family with him.

Perhaps their unborn child could bring him back to her, and make everything right? This innocent little being deserved a complete home with both parents.

No. She couldn’t go back to him. He didn’t deserve to know. Or did he?