CHAPTER 1

“I'm pregnant, Leon. It's exactly what we have been waiting for—”

The burn on my cheeks came before I could register what had just happened.

For several seconds, I froze 

Did he just…

Hit me?

Leon grabbed my jaw and pulled me closer. “Whatever happened that night was an error, Diana.” His voice shook, like he was panicking.

“A big shitty mistake! I would never sleep with someone like you.” 

My heart fell to my stomach.

Someone like me? 

Then he released me, causing me to crash on the floor.

I couldn't believe it.

My fiancé had just slapped me.

“Leon…” 

I was speechless, my eyes fixed on him, like a broken puppy.

Leon was pacing about, his fingers running through his hair.

It was something he did when he was stressed.

But how would my pregnancy…

No… How would our pregnancy stress him?

Suddenly he turned to me, finger pointing in my direction.

“I don't know what you did, Diana or what drug you used. But this is not happening! You will get rid of that thing.”

Pain hit me square in the chest and for a moment, my vision blurred.

My stomach churned and sweat pooled on my palm. The nausea was heavy.

Abortion? Kill my own child?

I stood up, refusing to believe this was the man I had left my life for.

This was the man I gave up my career for.

This was the man I had backed up?

“Leon, what are you talking about? Aren't you meant to be happy?”

He glared at me, and for the first time, my eyes opened.

I could see the disgust swirling in his eyes. He hated me.

In fact, he hated my very existence.

“Happy?” A chortle left his lips, “Kill that thing. I can't have Miranda knowing we did something together.” Leon snapped at me.

“Miranda?” 

The word hung in my throat.

“Your ex?”

The silence that hung in the air was deafening, and Leon turned to me.

“We are back together, and she just arrived in town. I know you want to use a child to hold me down, but you have to do better than that, Diana.”

Leon said, not minding the effect of his words on me.

“We are over, and I want you and that thing out of my house.” Without waiting for a response, he headed for the door and left.

My heart shattered and I crumpled to the floor.

Reality dawned on me and along with it, came the rushing of tears.

“Leon. How could you do this to me?” I bit down on my lips to stop the trembling.

The warning of my father flashed in my head.

He had told me not to go ahead, but I had been stubborn.

Just then, my phone rang with a beep.

It was a notification from an unknown number.

“A picture? Who is this?” Questions appeared in my head, and I wanted to ignore it.

But it came with a message.

[It's too bad you'd never be enough for him.]

And just like that, my defense shattered and I downloaded the image.

It was Miranda in lingerie as she straddled Leon, who buried his face in her chest.

It felt like a knife had gone through my chest.

“How could he!?”

“I made him who he is but yet this is how he repays me?” I yelled out to no one in particular.

I was crying in the dark, choking on my own sobs for a mistake I committed with my hands.

My father was right! Leon was a big mistake.

Now I was carrying an unwanted child.

No. I shook my head, before wiping my tears.

My child would never be unwanted.

I would give the world to him, and be both his mother and father.

And I'd make sure Leon pays with every ounce of his blood for the pain he caused me.

I raise my phone to my ears.

It had been four years since I dialed this number but I had learnt my lesson.

“Hello Father.”

“Diana? Oh my lovely daughter. I missed you so much.”

A sob escaped from my lips before I could even stop it.

Then the call paused.

I knew my father. He could already piece together what had happened.

There was no reason to hide anything from him, but right now, I didn't want to talk about it.

“Dad. I'd like to come home please and then we can talk.” I said into the phone.

“Okay my princess, send me your location and a vehicle will arrive soon.”

I did exactly as he said, and ended the call.

This place had been my home for three years.

Memories filled my head.

I hadn't noticed it sooner.

Leon had rarely appeared in any of those memories after the first year of our relationship.

Was I really just a place holder for him?

Did he plan this all along?

Due to the fact that I cut off my contact with my family, Leon had been the one to provide for the home while I made do with measly jobs, simply because I didn't want to avoid overbearing to him.

But it wasn't exactly so.

I had used my influence to get him to the top of his company.

Unknown to him, I had planted every step in his journey, lifting him up in every step.

Last week, he was made CEO of his current company.

This was because I had called my brother to put in a good word for him.

Everything he got was prepared by me! 

Yet now, he didn't think twice before throwing me under the bus.

The sound of the helicopter's whirring blades filled the air.

“Dad. A helicopter? Really?” I rolled my eyes at my father's dottiness.

But I didn't really care.

I simply wanted to go home and in any way, whatsoever, as soon as possible.

Surprisingly, out of the helicopter, my big brother stepped out and he rushed towards me.

He enveloped me in a big hug, without giving me a breather for myself.

“That bastard is going to pay for whatever he did to you.”

I heard his words and deep down, I agreed with every single part of it.

Leon would pay for everything he did to me.