The silence in the McCurry house was haunting, Anastasia and her mom sat distances away but she could still feel the heat of the moment, the tension. As much as she was scared of her mom’s screams back at the hospital after the discovery, she was more scared of her mother’s silence.

Mrs. McCurry had been staring silently at her for the past thirty minutes and Anastasia suddenly wished that her mother was rather screaming, she knew what that silence meant; her mother was pissed beyond measure, she was disappointed and heartbroken, but did Anastasia feel any better?

She had just discovered or rather confirmed from the lab test that she was a month pregnant, and she knew it could only mean one thing; she was carrying the Billionaire CEO’s baby. Her baby’s daddy was Mr. CEO, the so-called most eligible bachelor of the city. How would she explain it to anyone? What would she tell her curious mother?

Anastasia could stop the tears from rolling down her eyes, she might have found a way to stay silent but there was no stopping the tears; her life had just taken a turn for the worse. After everything that happened to her last month, she thought she had seen the worst that could possibly happen to her, but little did she know that it was just the beginning of her misfortune.

Now she had not only lost her job, she had not only lost her dignity as a woman, her pride and honor, but she was carrying a baby for a man whose full name she didn’t even know, a man she had only seen once in daylight. A man she had no feelings for, nor did she know anything about him.

How would she explain to the world that she didn’t ask for any of this? How would she make them believe that she is not the disappointment her mother thinks her to be, and what about her father who is doing two shifts to put food on the table for an adult like herself and her mother. How would he have to deal with the arrival of another human into the family, the shame of having a pregnant unmarried daughter and the burden of it all?

The more she thought about these things, the more the tears flowed down her eyes. After what seemed like ages, her mother stood up from the cushion and walked up to her.

“Who is responsible for that thing you are carrying?” she asked in a solemn voice, one that terrified Ana regardless. Her mother was calm, and that wasn’t a good thing.

Ana swallowed hard and opened her mouth to speak but no words came out, she couldn’t find the courage to say it, and even if she did, would her mother believe her?

“It is that jobless kid, isn’t it? What is his name, Jake?” Mrs. McCurry queried.

Ana waved her head sideways immediately to signify a negative response to the question. “No Ma,” she replied with her head bowed, unable to look her mother in the eyes.

“What do you mean No? If it wasn’t Jake that got you pregnant, then perhaps I do not know you at all. When did my beautiful daughter become a whore? Why would you open your legs for any man? I know it is that useless kid, why are you trying to protect him at the cost of your own dignity. If you must have sex with him, why didn’t you do it with protection? Was he also too poor to buy a pack of condoms? Couldn’t he keep his stupid penis away till he was ready to marry you?” she fired.

“Mother!” Ana half yelled and then found the courage to look up. “I told you it wasn’t Jake, he isn’t the father of the baby,” she announced.

“What? If Jake isn’t, then who is?” she queried. “Tell me Ann, I really want to know what my daughter has been up to.” Mrs. McCurry insisted and folded her arms with curiosity etched on her face.

“It is complicated, mother.” Ana replied and wiped the tears off her face.

“Then you better simplify it and start talking right away.” She ordered.

Ana sniffed in and looked down to the floor once again, she was quiet while trying to summon the courage to break the news to her mother.

“It… it’s…. His name is…”

“Tell me the Bastard’s name already Ann, if it wasn’t Jake, who would you sell your dignity to?” Mrs. McCurry asked with a look of disgust on her face.

Ana burst into tears, she had never seen her mother talk to her that way before, she had really broken the woman’s heart and pushed her to the walls. From the tone of voice, she could tell her mother was pained by her actions, and who wouldn’t be? Only if they knew the true story.

“It is Stephen Gray, he is the father of my baby.” She finally summoned the courage to announce.

“Who is the bloody Stephen Gray and how did you meet him? Why did you allow him to use you? Why could you not close your legs to him? Did I raise you in this manner? I know you are an adult but you don’t get to do whatever you want while you live under my roof, so why have you done this to me, Ann?” she finally broke down in tears.

“I am sorry, mom… it wasn’t intentional,” Ana pleaded as she fell to her knees and crawled closer to her mom’s legs.

“I said tell me who this Stephen Gray is? Answer my questions, Ann.” The middle aged woman ordered.

“He… he is… He is…” Ana stuttered endlessly.

Mrs. McCurry sighed and shook her head. “I am disappointed in you, Anna. I regret every decision I have taken that displeased me in order to give you a better life. I will leave you to your father, you better be ready to talk when he returns.” She spat and walked away from the sitting room.

Ana lay on the floor and cried. She didn’t know how to tell her mother that she was sexually assaulted by one of the most successful young men in the country. It would cause a lot of drama if she said the truth. How would her mother react to knowing that she was raped and she kept it all to herself? How would her mother react to the fact that she quit her job for this reason and was silent about it the whole time? This would not sit well with her family, and they might choose to start a case against the Gray family which will only cost them more.

Ana has watched too many movies to know that a lawsuit against Stephen Gray would not favor her. These people owned the court and the police department, they had all the power and influence they needed to turn the story around.

Before she realizes it, the headline might read. “Lowlife miscreant tries to force pregnancy on billionaire CEO” she knew for a fact that what is left of her family image would be tarnished and they would suffer a huge blow financially. The law only works for the rich and so it was useless trying to start a fire that would burn them all.

There was a knock on the door and Anastasia quickly rushed to check it. Her mother had not come out ever after abandoning her in the living room and Ana valued the peace of the moment. If she didn’t go to check the door right away, it might attract her mom’s attention and once again she will be forced to endure the torturing look from the woman who had borne her.

Ana opened the door and froze immediately. As much as she was in a hurry to open the door, this was the last person she wanted to see right now. It was Jake; her boyfriend who had been with her for months now. How would she explain to this guy that she was pregnant after she had told him she wasn’t ready for sex.

She had refused to let him touch her because she wasn’t ready and yet he stayed, something very few men can do, and now things cannot look any uglier.

From the look on his face, Anna guessed that he might have found out, or maybe it was something else bothering him and her guilty conscience was judging her, but regardless of why he had that gloomy face, she knew she would still have to tell him.

“Is it true?” Jake asked coldly.

Ana’s heart sunk into her stomach and goose bumps were all over her body, she was terrified with his tone and she could see the anger boiling within him from his eyes. She knew it was useless trying to explain, his mind was made up with whatever version of the information he had received.

“What are you talking about?” she asked softly, holding on to the little piece of hope left in her. Hope, that he was talking of something else, hope, that she was not about to lose the love of her life, hope that all her big dreams were not about to be shattered by the acts of one crazy night.

“Don’t you dare play mind games with me Ann, is it true?” he asked once again. “Are you pregnant?” he finally made it clear.

Ana sighed and looked down, she closed her eyes and fought back the tears that were finding their way back to her eye socket just thirty minutes after the last round.

“How did you know?” she asked softly, even though she knew the answer to that question. Her mother must have called to query him, probably because she doesn’t believe Ana was seeing someone else while dating Jake.

“So it is true?” Jake asked, Anna could feel the anger rising in his voice, he was about to lose it.

“Ye… Yes, but…”

“Enough!” he yelled and raised his hand to signal her to keep quiet. A look of disbelief and contempt on his face, he was disappointed and boiling with anger, and it was all written on his red face.

Anna understood his pain, he had sacrificed his sexual cravings for her only to hear that she was carrying someone else’s baby. Who knows what he thought of her? He probably thinks she was a liar and was never a virgin like she claimed.

Ana knew Jake probably felt used at this moment, he had done so much for her without asking anything in return, and now this was happening. He probably felt betrayed by her actions, but only if he would let her explain.

“I can't believe you would do something like this,” he muttered coldly and took a step backwards. The pain in his voice was very audible, his eyes and face were literally red, he was trying to hold the anger in, the rage!!

“Jake, please hear me out, it is not what you think,” Anna pleaded with an apologetic face and took a step closer to him, but once again he shunned her with his hands, warning her not to get any closer.

“There is nothing you can tell me, Anna. I was a fool, this is the reason why it seems like all guys are bad, because we get used whenever we choose to be nice. I loved you with all my heart, Ann… I did my best to make you happy, I have sacrificed my happiness for you several times, I abstained from sex for the past six to eight months and what do I get in return? Betrayal!! You have betrayed me, Anna. I thought you were different, but you are just like every other whore out there.”

“Jake!!” Anna yelled with a look of disbelief in her eyes, she couldn’t believe he just called her that. How could he say such a thing about her? She had been nothing but loyal to him, she never even gave another boy her number, let alone a listening ear.

“Do not call my name!! Am I lying? Huh? Tell me Ann, aren’t you a disgusting cheating whore? How else do you have that thing in your stomach?” he yelled.

“That is enough!! Get out, right now!! Leave my house and don’t come back!!” Anna screamed at him with a broken heart. She had the urge to slap him really hard across the face right now, but feeling his pain, she chose to hold back.

“Oh, of course I was leaving. The sight of you disgusts me, I regret the past year with you, I regret meeting you. Anna, you are nothing but a shame to womanhood, a slut… you have betrayed me, Anna…. You won't ever be happy, and I hope you suffer for all the pain I have had to go through for you.” he cursed vehemently before wandering off furiously.

Anna turned around and ran into the house in tears immediately; she ran into her room and folded herself by cuddling her knees and crying her eyes out on the bed. All this was happening to her because of Stephen, that so-called Most-eligible bachelor had ruined her life. She had lost everything, her dignity and respect, her job and relationships… would she ever recover from this? Or is this how her life takes a turn for the worse and leads her to being a failed adult? She was still at the early stage of her life and everything was going south already.

Ana was still crying on her bed when she noticed her father come into the room, she didn’t even know that he was back from work; she had not left her room ever since the conversation with Jake.

Anastasia looked up to her father in tears, hoping to see the look of disappointment on his face, the same look she had gotten from her mother and her boyfriend; or ex-boyfriend now as it was most likely that her relationship was over. But Mr. McCurry didn’t have that expression on his face, in fact he wore an empathetic look as he approached her slowly.

“Anna…” he called softly as he got to her.

“Dad… I am sorry,” she burst into tears and bowed her head in shame.

Mr. McCurry sighed and sat beside her on the bed, he looked at her with loving eyes and pulled her into his arms. “It is alright dear, please stop crying or you are going to fall sick.” He said kindly and patted her back.

Ana slowly looked up, surprised by her father’s reaction. “You… you are not mad at me? You are not disappointed like mom? But I have brought shame to the family, haven’t I, dad?” she asked in tears.

“Shhh,” he hushed silently and cleaned her tears with his palms. “No my dear, this is not the end of the road for you, and nothing is spoiled just yet. Don’t take your mom’s words to heart, you know she tends to be overdramatic at times… I know that is a step backward in your life, but it is not necessarily the beginning of your downfall, it is not the end of the path for you, so please stop crying.” He spoke lightly to her.

Anastasia relaxed her head on his body and cried, she felt a sense of peace after those consoling words from her father, she was starting to see a glimpse of hope for her future. Maybe her father is right and this is not necessarily the end of the road for her; she wasn’t the first woman to get pregnant out of wedlock but the complicated part was how she conceived of this baby; the story still remains that she was abused by a young Billionaire CEO who thinks the whole world rotates on his money.

“Now please go and clean up and join me in the dining room shortly, your mother will be serving dinner in thirty minutes. I want you to look lively and without these tear marks on your face, also pack your hair properly. You might find a good husband with another man’s baby, but you won't find one with messy hair.” Mr. McCurry teased.

Anastasia smiled and hugged him tightly. “I love you, Dad… thank you.” she spoke softly while holding back the tears, not like she wasn’t tired of crying already, and moreover her tears were not going to change anything. Her father was right, it would rather make her sick.

Mr. McCurry kissed his daughter on the forehead and then he let go of her. “Alright sweetie, please be at the dining room in thirty minutes.” He instructed.

“Okay Dad.” She replied and sniffed in. He patted her on the head before turning around and walking out of the room.

Anastasia once again hugged her knees but this time without tears, she was lucky to have that man as her father and she knew it. If her mother was the fire in the relationship, her father was the ice and that is why they have been able to stay together for years even with all the hardship they have been through.

Ana quickly got up and went to the bathroom to clean up as instructed, she knew that her father was saving the questioning for dinner and she was ready to give them the answers they needed. At least it would be safer now that her father was at home, he would be able to pacify his wife.

** ** ** **

It was a very long dinner as the family ate very quietly, there was not even the usual exchange of words and gossip from his mother to his father, the couple feasted silently on the mean and it was one of the most awkward if not the most awkward dinner experience the family have had.

Ana made sure to eat slowly and keep her eyes locked on the food to avoid eye contact with either of her parents, she knew her mom was still mad at her but only staying silent out of respect for her father.

The dinner eventually came to an end and the expected discussion began. Her father was the one to break the silence, he began by complimenting his wife’s cooking skills and Mrs. McCurry blushed for a few seconds and then rolled her eyes at him, he needed her to be calm for the conversation they were about to have because he knew she didn’t only have anger issues but she lacked patience as well.

“Alright Anna, I am sure you already know what I am going to ask you and it is important that you tell us the truth, you are my beautiful daughter and regardless of what mistakes you have made, you will always be my daughter, but in order to move ahead and plan our lives, we would need to know the truth of what happened. So tell me Ann, who is the father of your baby? Is it Jake?” he asked softly.

Ana shook her head slowly to signify a negative response.

“Okay, cool… so it isn’t the big head Jake,” her father teased to lighten the moment. “So who is it? Do we know him? I know I have met just a few of your friends but there is no other male that I can think of, so please tell us sweetheart, who was it then?” he asked nicely.

Ana hesitated for a few seconds and she could hear her mom sigh already, she then looked up slowly and muttered the same name she had given to her mother. “Stephen Gray,” she spoke almost in a whisper.

“Stephen Gray?” her father replied. “Okay, which of the Stephen Grays? The plumber? The mechanic? The CEO? The Doctor or the one who works in my department?” he further asked humorously.

Ana couldn’t help but smile widely and then killed it the moment she saw the frown on her mother’s face. “The CEO? He is the son of Jackson Gray, the founder of Gray enterprises as I am told,” she finally uttered a full sentence.

“And how did you meet such a man?” her mother asked immediately.

“Hey… Easy, woman! I am doing the investigation here,” her father replied and feigned an angry face.

“Oh, I thought we were playing good cop, bad cop,” she replied and mimicked his facial expression.

Mr. McCurry chuckled and then turned back to Ana. “Forget about your mom, sweetheart. Now tell me, how did you get to know this handsome Mr. Gray? You work for him?” he queried.

“Hey, I literally asked her that question a minute ago,” Mrs. McCurry argued.

“I know, but I am the one asking the questions here darling, you have had your turn while I was away,” Mr. McCurry replied.

“It was at the hotel,” Ana answered immediately, cutting their argument short in order to not lose the courage she had gathered for this questioning session.

“The hotel? So you work for him then?” Mr. McCurry asked.

“Wait… are you really believing her? I did my research after she mentioned the name, the man she speaks of is not just a billionaire, he is the City’s most eligible bachelor and he is getting married in a few days, so why are you even listening to her lies?” Mrs. McCurry fired.

“That is enough, woman… let me handle this.” Mr. McCurry instructed.

“I am not lying, mom.” Ana said immediately.

“Oh, so you are trying to tell us that you have been seeing a billionaire and we never knew about it? What would someone of that status even want to do with you? an undergraduate that works room service in a hotel, or were you also lying about that job?” Mrs. McCurry queried.

“Mother!!”

“Belinda!!” Mr. McCurry yelled out his wife’s name. “That is enough, let the girl talk before trying to prove that she is lying.” He warned.

“Okay, fine… go ahead and tell us how you made a billionaire fall in love with you and even got you pregnant. Tell us why he chose you to carry his baby over all the women he has been with in the past years,” she requested sarcastically in a sputter of words.

“It is not what happened, he forced himself on me!!” Ana blurted out in frustration.

The room went quiet the moment she said those words, there was shock on her father’s face and disbelief on her mother’s.

“What did you say?” her mother asked coldly.

“Yes, that night I returned very late from work, the day Jake had brought me home in the middle of the night, it was the day I got assaulted by Mr. Stephen Gray. He had lodged in our hotel and I was sent to deliver towels to him, he took advantage of me and that was why I had to quit my job.” She answered as the tears began to roll down her eyes again.

“Oh my God, Ana… is this true?” Mr. McCurry asked for confirmation.

“Ye… Yes Dad,” Anna replied as she broke down in tears. “He was the one to deflower me, you know I would never do anything to tarnish the reputation of this family or ruin my own life. he was the one who showed up at the door the next day and when mom asked, I lied to her that it was a stranger because I didn’t want her to know the truth.”

“Why would you do that? I am calling the police right away!!” Mrs. McCurry yelled.

“No, no, no!!! Mom, this is exactly why I didn’t tell you that I was sexually assaulted, because I knew you would call the police and that is the last thing I want at the moment.”

“What are you talking about? You were raped by that psycho and we cant let him get away with it,” her mother yelled.

“No mom, reporting to the police would be shooting myself in the chest. He is rich and influential, he would turn the story around and paint me as a gold-digger trying to make riches off him. You know how this people think, what evidence do I have that I was raped, it is been over a month already, and even if I did, it doesn’t matter. He would easily turn the tables against me and we would end up at the wrong side of the coin. I am not willing to destroy our family’s image and reputation over this.” Ana responded.

“What more evidence do you need? You are carrying his baby!” she yelled.

“and that puts me in more danger. First he could label me as a cheap girl who threw herself at him and the society would believe him, my dignity or whatever is left of it would be tarnished. And then what if he tries to eliminate me in order to get rid of the baby? His family wouldn’t take it lightly that his seed and first heir was out there in the stomach of some random girl from a middle class family, I have thought it through mom and I know it was the best decision keeping it a secret.” Ana argued

“John, say something!!” Mrs. Belinda McCurry screamed at her husband.

Mr. McCurry who had been silent the whole time sighed and shook his head. “Our daughter is right, it is a lost case. Anna would decide what to do with the baby, whether to keep it or not, and we will support whatever decision she takes. Also, you should apologize to your daughter for the way you have treated her, she has been through a lot in these past few weeks and kept it all to herself as a strong young woman with her family’s interest in heart. I will retire to bed right now, I need to digest this information.” He said in conclusion and then he stood up.

Mr. McCurry walked up to his daughter and kissed her on the forehead as usual. “Goodnight sweetheart, please don’t let this bother you, everything is going to be fine, we will talk more about this tomorrow.” He said softly and Ana nodded, then he left them in the dining room and headed to his bedroom.

“What? You can’t be serious, this is silly!! Fine, if you do not want to sue him, then at least let him know that you are carrying his child, he deserves to know that his actions have produced results and he is to take responsibility for it. You are not going to kill an innocent child under my watch and you won't raise a bastard alone either.” Mrs. McCurry fumed and stormed out of the dining room.

Once again, Ana was left all alone in this mess. She was the one whose life was being impacted the most by this misfortune, so she knew what she must do. Her father was right, she wouldn’t let this misfortune cost her future, she would do what was necessary for her happiness and her future. This was a bridge that she needed to cross, a decision that would shape her entire life and she couldn’t afford to make any mistakes.