The woman Stephen truly loves!

Elena screamed in agony, her cries echoing through the empty streets, when a car screeched to a halt in front of her. The door flew open, and a familiar voice called out, trembling with shock.

“Elena?”

Through tear-blurred eyes, Elena looked up to see her best friend standing there. Relief mixed with anguish, and before she could say anything, she collapsed into Emma’s arms, her body trembling uncontrollably.

“Emma, please,” Elena sobbed, her words broken by her despair. “You have to help me. Stephen… he kicked me out of the house. The hatred in his eyes… I’ve never seen anything like it. I… I don’t know what to do.”

Emma’s heart clenched at the sight of her friend so utterly broken. Gently, she cupped Elena’s tear-streaked face. “Shh, Elena. It’s going to be okay,” she said, her voice soft but steady. “We’ll figure this out together.”

But Elena shook her head, her sobs intensifying. “Nothing will ever be okay again. Stephen… he hates me!”

Emma’s own eyes brimmed with tears as she tried to steady her voice. “Elena, you have to pull yourself together—for the baby. Think of your child. You need to stay strong.”

Elena opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, her body gave out. Her knees buckled, and she slumped into unconsciousness.

Emma gasped, her hands trembling as she gestured to the driver. Together, they carefully lifted Elena into the car. “Drive, now!” Emma commanded, her voice tight with fear. As the car sped toward the hospital, she whispered a prayer, her heart aching not only for her friend but for the fragile life she carried within her.

---

Hours Later

Elena stirred in the hospital bed, her eyelids fluttering open. Her first word, barely above a whisper, was, “Stephen…”

Emma leaned closer, gently placing a hand on Elena’s shoulder. “Elena, please don’t strain yourself,” she said softly. “You need to rest.”

Tears welled up in Elena’s eyes as she turned her head away. “How can I rest, Emma? The man I love more than anything in this world… he destroyed me today. I wanted to give him the greatest joy of our lives, and instead… he crushed me.”

Her sobs filled the quiet room, and Emma’s heart ached as she reached out to comfort her. “I know you’re hurting, Elena, but please, for your baby’s sake, try to calm down. You need your strength.”

Elena’s hands trembled as she clung to Emma’s. Her voice broke as she spoke. “You don’t understand, Emma. Stephen and I… we’ve been trying for a baby for five years. Five years! And now, when I finally have the chance to give him what he’s always wanted, he treats me like I’m nothing.”

Emma’s throat tightened as she listened. She placed a hand over Elena’s and spoke with quiet conviction. “I know Stephen loves you, Elena. This has to be some kind of misunderstanding. He would never truly abandon you—not the real Stephen I know.”

Elena’s tear-filled eyes searched Emma’s face. “You really think he still loves me?”

“I do,” Emma replied with a soft smile. “And once he finds out you’re pregnant, everything will change. All this anger and coldness—it’ll vanish. Just trust me.”

Elena’s breath hitched as hope flickered in her chest. “Then I need to tell him. He has to know I’m pregnant.”

Emma gently squeezed her hand. “Not now, Elena. You’re not in a state to face him. Please, rest tonight. Tomorrow, you can talk to him—when you’re ready.”

---

The Next Day

Standing before the towering gates of Stephen Industries, Elena placed a protective hand over her stomach. She took a deep breath, determination hardening her resolve. “No one will stop me from seeing Stephen,” she murmured to herself.

As she stepped toward the entrance, a voice stopped her in her tracks.

“I knew you’d come.”

Elena froze, her heart pounding. She turned, and her breath caught when her eyes met Lily’s. Stephen’s mother stood there, her expression sharp and triumphant.

“Lily…” Elena whispered, her voice barely audible.

Lily’s lips curled into a cruel smile. “Did you really think you’d reach Stephen without going through me first?” Her tone was mocking, laced with icy disdain.

Squaring her shoulders, Elena met Lily’s gaze with determination. “You can’t keep me away from Stephen.”

Lily let out a bitter laugh. “Oh, my dear, I don’t have to. The woman Stephen truly loves—she’s already done that for me.”

Elena’s knees weakened, her blood running cold. Lily’s words struck her like a lightning bolt, leaving her breathless. The ground seemed to shift beneath her as her world once again spiraled out of control.