**LIA** "What are you doing here?" Drex's voice was tinged with confusion as he peered through the bed covers, quickly realizing the situation. Panic etched across his face as he looked back at me. "I'm pretty sure I slept on the couch! So what am I doing here?! Did you bring me here?" I shouted, wrapping the bed cover around myself, desperately hoping he hadn't seen anything. "Why are we naked?" Both of us questioned in unison. "My gosh! What did we do?" I stood up, clutching the entire bed cover around me, accidentally leaving Drex exposed. My eyes widened involuntarily, not knowing where to look. "Ahh!" he yelped, promptly grabbing his boxers to shield his modesty. I felt my face flush with embarrassment and turned away, averting my gaze. "Well, don't look at me!" he yelled again. "We'll need to talk about what happened, but after we get dressed," I mumbled, my face still burning with embarrassment. "I'm sorry I stared!" I called back to him as I retreated from the room. Wh
**LIA** Finally, I arrived back home that afternoon, but not before making a detour to Jessica's apartment and a pharmacy. I stood in front of my house, ready to knock. A mixture of excitement and apprehension welled up within me. I faked a smile and took a deep breath. While I was undeniably happy to be home, the situation I was in cast a shadow over my return. With newfound resolve, I finally knocked on the door. "It's opened!" Lena, my sister, called from inside. "Come on, Selena, go and check who's at the door," my mom's voice followed. It had been so long. Yes, we had FaceTimed, chatted, and had countless phone calls, but nothing compared to the real thing. I was almost in tears, given my situation and how much I had missed her. "Ugh! Mum, you're stressing me out!" Lena's exasperated voice echoed through the house. "Come on, get up, you lazy ass! Be useful to me for once!" my mom's response was filled with irritation. I was close to laughter. The dynamics between them hadn't
*ONE YEAR LATER* **DREX** The room buzzed with excitement as everyone chanted, "Cut the cake!" Yes, that's right, it was my birthday, and today was also the day of my engagement ceremony to the love of my life, Jessica. She was the woman I had once tried to surprise on her birthday, but that attempt had gone horribly wrong due to a situation with... someone else. After successfully cutting the cake, a strange, unfamiliar voice suddenly pierced the celebratory atmosphere. "Hold it right there!" The voice belonged to a young woman holding a baby wrapped in a white flannel. Her arrival drew collective gasps of surprise and attention. She pointed directly at me. "You," she exclaimed. I was bewildered by the sudden intrusion. "Me?" I asked, my confusion evident. "Why are you here, and who are you? I don't remember inviting this person," my father said, positioning himself between me and the woman, trying to shield me from her view. "This is your grandchild!" she declared, causing a
**LIA** I arrived home, expecting to find my baby peacefully sleeping or my sister looking after her. However, I was met with a surprising sight: my sister was busy applying makeup. I scanned the room in search of my child, but she was nowhere in sight. "where is Angel?" I asked. My sister nonchalantly continued her makeup application. "I solved your problem for you," she replied. "What... what problem?" My confusion was evident in my voice. My sister set down her makeup and approached me. She placed her hand on my shoulder and said, "I'm sorry I acted without your knowledge, but it was necessary. It's for the best. Now you're free to continue with your life." I moved back a little, distancing myself from her touch. "Could you please clarify? I need it in plain language. 'Live my life' and 'I'm free' doesn't make sense to me," I insisted, growing increasingly frustrated. "I took Angel to a better place," she explained. "What are you saying?!" I raised my voice. "I took her to
**LIA** Drex and I stood anxiously behind the imposing dining hall doors. His father's words weren't to be taken lightly. Even Lena was inside that room! I couldn't help but wonder, why me? We exchanged frustrated glances as we waited for the outcome of this family discussion. My patience was wearing thin, and I couldn't stand the thought of talking to him, this so-called father-to-my-child who had run from his responsibilities like a coward. I glared at Drex, unable to contain my agitation. "Got anything to say to me?" My impatience slipped through my voice. His response was terse, "No." "Then quit staring!" I snapped, not bothering to hide my irritation. Drex muttered, "It's not like you didn't stare back." I scoffed, "Well, unlike someone, I didn't run away from the stare, I stared back." As the seconds ticked by, I couldn't help but seethe at the whole situation. I was eager for the door to open, revealing the fate of my dear Angel. Drex's voice cut through the tense air,
**LIA** "What?!" Drex and I exclaimed in disbelief. The news left me shocked but, honestly, not entirely surprised. I knew that Drex hadn't exactly been thrilled about the prospect of fatherhood from the very beginning, even before Angel was conceived. "Yes," Drex's dad affirmed. In a desperate attempt to hasten the process, I quickly responded, "Okay, fine. Can I have my daughter now?" I wanted to appear smart and eager, but I could see that Drex's dad was already one step ahead. "Not so fast, my dear daughter-in-law," he smirked. I couldn't help but acknowledge that his wit was quite impressive. "You will only see your daughter after your marriage, and the more you delay, the longer you'll be separated from little Delia," he added with a smug smile. He had already named her? This family seemed to make decisions without much consideration for anyone else's opinion, including mine. Turning to my mum for assistance, I questioned, "Why do I have to go through with this when your so
**LIA** *KNOCK! KNOCK!* The sound of a soft but persistent knock echoed through my room, followed by Lena's voice gently calling my name. "Lena, don't come in!" I shouted, my voice muffled by the tears that soaked my pillow. I just needed to be alone with my thoughts, to process the whirlwind of emotions that had engulfed my life. However, Lena disregarded my plea and entered the room with a quiet determination. "Hey," she said softly, approaching cautiously as if stepping on eggshells. She was trying to be the supportive cousin she had always been. I couldn't contain my frustration. "I told you not to come in!" I yelled and threw my pillow in her direction. "Lia, I'm really sorry," Lena said, settling beside me. "I thought I was doing what's best for you. What would you do when Angel asks for her dad in the future?" "That's my problem, not yours!" I retorted, pushing her away emotionally. I wanted to be alone in my misery. "Listen, I'm only trying to look out for you," Lena sa
**LIA** "Wait, Lia, are you serious?" Lena inquired, her eyes wide with disbelief, while my mother regarded me curiously, concern etched across her face. I nodded, taking a deep breath. "Yes, I've given it a lot of thought. Angel deserves to know both her parents. Drex and I have discussed this, and we've come to an agreement. I'm doing this for my daughter." I moved closer to my mother, taking her hand and placing it on my lap while holding it firmly. Her expression was filled with worry. "Darling, don't worry. I'll support any decision you make," my mother reassured me, her touch tender as she held my face in her palm. She looked at me with love, then wrapped her arms around me, pulling me close. Lena, observing our exchange with a smile, decided to break the silence. "So when is the wedding?" she asked cheerfully. "Selena!" My mother scolded her, clearly thinking that she should be more sensitive to the gravity of the situation. I, however, responded, "Mum, it's fine. I'm real