Chapter 1 – Pregnancy

Sophia POV

"Congratulations, Mrs Matteo," the doctor said with a gentle smile.

"You're two months gone."

The joy I felt when he announced the pregnancy was immeasurable, but the joy didn't last long when the doctor's voice came again. The look on his face this time held nothing but concern.

"Make sure you don't strain yourself too much Sophia. You need to be careful this time around so you won't fall down the stairs again." He hesitated before he continued. "Your womb is already weak, if you have another miscarriage, your chances of becoming a mother will be two out of hundred."

Then he handed me the result. My finger trembled as I collected it, I thanked him and left the hospital. Adjusting my facemask and face cap to hide my bruised face.

I flagged down a cab and settled for the back seat, my whole body shook from the emotions I was trying so hard to keep in check, and the first tears made its way down my cheek.

I was born into an abusive home where I watched my dad constantly hit my mother. I vowed never to have anything to do with men, but Matteo changed that mentality of mine, when I was a teenager he was the shoulder I lean on, he made me believe not all men will behave like my father.

Fate tore us apart when I was fifteen, and our paths crossed again after ten years. He was still the perfect soul I remembered he was. He proposed and we got married two years ago. Our wedding was the best thing that has ever happened to me, but little did I know that day would be the beginning of my misery.

Matteo beats me at every chance he gets, always reminding me of the family I came from and how he only married me out of pity.

I've lost three pregnancies in the space of two years because of his constant beating.

He kept accusing me of cheating, even though I've never looked at another man. He was the first and the only man I'd ever know, and somehow that still wasn't enough for him.

If he found out I'm pregnant again, he wouldn't hesitate to beat me until I lose it. A cold fear crawled up my spine at the thought. I couldn't afford to lose this baby, not after everything the doctor had just said.

My finger shook as I opened my bag, I pulled out the drugs and swallowed them all in one gulp, not caring about the bitter taste.

Then I took out my phone, my thumb hovered over the screen for a second before I typed out a message to the only number I could trust.

Getting home, I stood in front of the house, bracing myself up for whatever was going to happen today.

I punched my pin and pushed the door open—A loud "Surprise!!" Exploded in my ears.

I jerked so hard my heart slammed against my chest. My bag slipped from my hands and hit the floor, spilling every content across the tiles.

A figure jumped forward and wrapped me in a hug.

"Alessia," I breathed, still shaking.

"Big sis!" She squealed happily, grinning from ear to ear. "I missed you Sophia!"

"I missed you too," I said, but my voice came out tangled with mixed feelings.

The last time I saw my sister was on my wedding day. She worked far away from New York, buried in a job that barely gave her time to breathe. We only talk once every three or six months.

"When did you get back?" I asked, gently pulling out of the hug and quickly turning away so she wouldn't see my bruised face.

"I got back today, I've been transferred back to New York, " she was saying until her eyes landed straight to the test result.

She bent to pick it up. "No—don't!" I yanked her back by the wrist, but it was too late she already saw what was in the result.

"You're pregnant?" She asked, with a smile on her face.

"You need to leave now Alessia," I dragged her towards the door.

She snatched her hand from mine with anger flashing across her face.

"Why are you chasing me out?" She demanded.

I had no answer. My tongue felt glued to my mouth.

Her frustration spiked, she reached up and angrily removed my face cap.

She froze with eyes wide open. "Who the hell did this to you?" She shouted, pointing at my face.

"It's nothing, I'm fine. You need to leave now, I'll call you, we'll meet up this weekend, I said trying hard not to meet her gaze.

"Don't tell me Matteo did this to you?" She said as she walked deeper into the living room.

"Alessia! Alessia! Wait!" I dragged her back, turning her to face me.

When did he start hitting you? And why didn't you tell me! She screamed, raking her hands through her hair in frustration.

"He'll be back soon. You need to leave now," I said, holding her hands, as my voice shook.

"I'm not leaving you like this, we need to get you to the hospital,"

"I... tripped from the stairs....Mattoe never did this..." I stuttered, my voice barely above a whisper.

"I'll help you file a police case," she said, but I cut her off angrily.

"No! He didn't do it! I fell!" I screamed, which made her flinch in fear.

"How can you sustain all this cut and injuries from a fall?" She asked, inspecting my body. "You're lying Sophia. I know what beating looks like when I see one. We thought dad would stop beating mom, but he never did, until he killed her. Once they start beating you, they don't stop." She said in tears. "It's not too late, Sophia. If you don't do something now, Matteo will kill you. I'm not going to watch you end up like Mom."

I sank to the floor weakly, slowly I removed my facemask with bitter laugh and tears forming on my face.

"Do you think I've not tried anything? Do you think I want to die in his hands?" I whispered. "I've tried confronting him, tried running away, I tried reporting him, but I failed at all of it. I always end up right back in this house.

"Do you know his mother fights against domestic violence, his junior sister is a lawyer, yet they know he has been beating me ever since we got married, but they said nothing about it.

I reached for Alessia's hand, gripping it like it was the only thing keeping me alive.

"Each day all I want is not to get hit. Just one night without being beaten is all I wanted, Alessia." My body shook violently as the words left my mouth.

"I cannot take another day of this, I don't want to die by his hand," I sobbed, with my voice breaking.

"I never know you've been going through all this," Alessia whispered, with tears streaming down her face as she pulled me into her arms. "I'm sorry for not being a good sister Sophia."

She pulled back and wiped her face, her expression hardened into something fierce and deadly. "You're not going to die, if anyone deserves to die, it's Matteo."

She was about to say more when—Beep, the sound of someone punching the pin on the door echoed in the room.

My eyes widened in terror, and my blood froze, I knew it was Matteo.