You have until the closing period to tell me if the father of your child is also a student of this school, or else I will send the report of your pregnancy over to Mrs. Anderson. Now get out of my office,” the principal said angrily when I still refused to tell her who the father of my child was.

I quickly dropped to my knees and pleaded with the principal not to send the results of my pregnancy test to Mrs. Anderson, or else I would be in big trouble. How do I explain to her that her son is responsible for my pregnancy?

“That’s fine. You have until the closing period. Do you understand? Now get out of my office.”

I didn’t go back to class. I went to the cafeteria—it was empty since break time was over, so everywhere was quiet. I sat there for over an hour, crying my eyes out. The principal’s words rang in my ears over and over again.

I hardly saw Matt at home anymore. He had given an order to my parents not to allow me out of my room after school hours, or he would tell his parents to throw us out of the house. And I couldn’t contact him anymore, even in school. But it seemed like I didn’t have much choice this time around.

I stood up and cleaned my tears with the back of my hand. I had to tell Matt I was pregnant, but the principal would tell his mom.

After searching the entire school for an hour, I finally found Matt coming out of the boys’ toilet with Annabel, who was still arranging her clothes. I didn’t need a soothsayer to tell me what they had done inside the toilet. But why did it still hurt? It had been two months now.

Matt’s face showed a disgusted reaction when he saw me. He scowled. He was clearly unhappy to see me.

“Weirdo, you really like peeking at people having sex? Or have you made another porn video you want to show us?” Annabel asked, laughing like the bitch she was.

I cleared my throat. “Matt, can I talk to you for a moment? It’s really urgent.”

“What are you doing here? And why do you want to see me? Didn’t I warn you to stay away from me?” Matt yelled at me.

I lowered my head. The tears were threatening to fall, but I held them back. I had never seen him yell at me like that before. He was always so gentle and kind with me. But now everything was different.

“I-I’m sorry. Just five minutes, please. It’s important.”

He whispered something to Annabel’s ear, and she smiled as she walked off, but not without pushing me out of her way.

“Spit it out now. I don’t have all the time in the world to waste here,” he scowled.

“I’m pregnant.”

The anger on his face suddenly disappeared. He looked shocked, but he quickly recovered.

“Congratulations on your pregnancy, but why are you telling me? Tell the baby’s father. I wasn’t there when you people were making the baby,” he said harshly.

“You are the father, Matt. That’s why I came to talk to you. The principal is threatening to send the pregnancy report to your mom if I don’t tell her who the father of the child is until the closing period.”

“What? How could I be the father of the bastard you are carrying in your womb?” Matt exploded. “I was careful that night, so don’t try to pin your pregnancy on me. How do I even know how many men you have slept with after that night?”

“You are questioning my character? You know it was you, Matt. You are the only man I have ever had sex with, and you know it. And we didn’t use protection that night,” I said, raising my voice. It felt like someone had carved my heart out with a sharp knife.

Matt slammed his fist against the toilet door. “Don’t you fucking talk to me like that, or so help me God, the next punch could land on your slutty face.”

I froze. Matt had just threatened to punch me? Why did he hate me so much?

“I’m sorry,” I apologized in a small voice. Tears were flowing down my cheeks now. He looked at me in disgust. My body was trembling as I sobbed.

“We can get a DNA test done if you don’t believe me,” I said in a shaky voice. “I swear it’s your child. I wanted you to know before the principal sends the report to your mom.”

“Shit!” Matt yelled, kicking the toilet door. While I stood there sobbing, a group of boys walked toward us, chatting in a loud voice, but they stopped immediately when they saw Matt and me standing at the door.

Matt held my hand and dragged me out of there forcefully as the boys looked on in shock. He dragged me to the basketball court.

“Did you do this to me on purpose?" Don't you know you were supposed to take the morning after pill?" You know what, get rid of the pregnancy.”

I looked at Matt in shock as tears slipped down my face. How could he even suggest aborting

“Oh please stop with the drama, it’s not like I’m asking you to hang yourself. You are only eighteen, we both are still too young to be a parent. Do you really want us to do this?” He asked with a confident look on his face.

“I know someone who will take care of that thing in your stomach, no one will ever find out, I will handle the principal and the school doctor to make sure they don’t say a word about the pregnancy to my mom.

I looked at him in disbelief. Was he really the same person that confessed his love to me and promised to protect me, the same person who couldn’t stand to see me hurt?”

“Meadow, it’s for the best. You are still young, if you abort the pregnancy, then we can go back to the way we were before, remember we used to be best friends. But you have to get rid of the baby. If my parents find out, they will lose it, and they will definitely fire your parents and chase you and them out of our house. And besides, my parents will never accept their maid's daughter as the mother of my child.

“Think about it Meadow, it’s in your best interest.” He said, grabbing my hands.

His words cut deep making me feel like nothing more than garbage. I quickly pulled my hand away from him,I was so angry at myself for letting it come to this. I should never have let him touch me that night.

I was about to run out of the basketball court when my phone beeped, it was a message from the principal I froze.

Principal: I have sent your pregnancy report to Mrs Anderson and she will be here with your parents anytime soon, so make yourself available in my office. I cannot allow shameful acts like this in my school. It’s my responsibility to report such behaviors to the parents, and make sure irresponsible girls like you face the consequences of their actions.

I almost fell to the ground.” I’m finished.” I muttered.

“Meadow, what’s the problem?” Matt quickly asked. Okay fine if you want to keep the baby, you can. I’m not forcing you to get an abortion done. I will even give you money, but you have to go very far away from me. But the baby will never be an Anderson.

I wasn’t even listening to what he was saying at this point, I knew it was too late. His parents are already aware of the pregnancy and I knew they would never allow me to bear this child. After all, how can a servant’s daughter bear their grandchild, it would be an insult to them. And I was also scared of what will happen to my parents now.

I tuned to look at Matt's face, his sparkling blue eyes that were once full of affection for me, now bear nothing but disgust.

“I need to go.”

“We have not finished this discussion Meadow and you want to go?” He asked angrily. He was frowning in confusion.

“I need to get something from my school bag.”

“Fine, make it quick, I will be here waiting for you, and don’t you dare delay me.”

I nodded as I walked out of the basketball court, my phone trembling in my hand, I wasn’t going to get anything from my bag, I didn’t even know where I was going. I just needed an excuse to get away from Matt. I knew he wasn’t going to let me go easily, not until I promise to abort the baby, or go away.

Most of the students had already gone home, just a few of them were still loitering around the school building. I entered the empty classroom and sat on my desk and broke down in tears. I will never kill my child just because his father doesn’t want him or her. I only have one option left now.

I quickly grabbed my bag and walked out of the classroom, but Matt was already waiting for me at the door. He was glaring at me, and before he could say anything else and sank lower in my eyes I made it easy for him.

“Have you gotten what you came here for?”

I unzipped my bag and brought out my sanitary pads.” Here my period just started, It was a prank.

Relief washed throughout his face, as he suddenly smiled.

“Did your period really come?” He asked again to be sure I was lying to him. Then why did you decide to prank me with such news and cause me so much stress? Damn it.

I will just go home, I only have one pad with me and my flow is heavy. I will need more pads.

Matt nodded as he shoved his hands into his pocket. Before the incident, we used to go home together, but after that night he instructed the driver not to wait for me anymore.

I turned to look at him one more time and ask him one more question.

“You said we could go back the way we were if I aborted the pregnancy, well since I’m not pregnant can we still go back to being best friends?”

I needed to see the kind of person I had trusted, I wanted to see the real Matt.

“In your dreams. Are you insane? You really think that after pulling such a cruel prank on me, I would still want to be friends with you.

“I have got better things to do than being friends with a loser like you. It took me this long to finally get rid of you.”

His words cut me deep like a sharp knife, but I only gave him a broken smile to hide my pains.

I smiled bitterly.” You don’t have to be cruel Matt, I knew it, but I just wanted to hear it from you to be sure. With that I turned and walked away, without waiting for him to insult me more. But I knew the nightmare wasn’t over.

My mom and Matt’s parents were already waiting for me at the door the moment I reached home. I already knew that no matter the lies I had told Matt earlier I knew I would be forced to tell the truth. I could see the look of disappointment in Matt’s parents' faces.

As soon as I walked closer to them, my mom rushed to me and grabbed me by my hair, forcing me to kneel down in front of Matt's parents. My dad didn’t even pause, he ran to me in his driver's uniform, his hand flew across my cheek, striking me so hard, I couldn't even tell where I was standing for a few seconds. My ears were ringing.

“You ungrateful child, how dare you get pregnant at this age? Now tell me who the father of that bastard in your stomach is.” My father shouted angrily.

I kept quiet and that infuriated him the more, he removed his belt from his trouser and twisted it tightly in his hand, and I knew what was coming. He started whipping me mercilessly.

I fell to the ground as he continued whipping me, I used my hand to cover my stomach, while the lashes from t—-

“Enough. Mr Anderson barked. Do you want to kill her? The mistake has already been made.

“That’s right, Stop whipping her. Mrs Anderson added.

My father reluctantly released me, he was breathing heavily, I was still lying on the ground with my hands protecting my stomach. He can whip me all he wants, but I won’t let any harm come to the innocent child in my stomach.

Matt walked in with Annable, they were both holding hands affectionately like true lovers and giggling, the color drained from his face when he saw me lying on the ground, and our parents standing outside angrily.

“Mom, what's happening here?”

“Meadow is pregnant, I got a call from the school principal today and she has refused to say who is responsible for her pregnancy.

“She’s a slut, she sleeps with every guy in school, how will she know who the father of the bastard in her stomach is?” Annabel said laughing, and Matt joined her.

I ignored them and took a deep breath to calm my nerves and swallowed my tears. I stood up from the ground. My body was badly bruised, the corner of my lips was bleeding. I looked at Matt, but he just scowled at me.

“If you are done whipping me, can I go to my room now Dad?”

As soon as the words left my mouth, my mother stepped forward and gave me a slap across my face.

“Enough! Stop hitting her.” Mr Anderson said. Meadow, you can go to your room now, I will speak with your parents later in the day.”

I turned to look at Matt one last time before I walked into the house. I didn’t know what I was expecting from him at that moment. My parents ran after me. My mom was yelling for me to stop, I ignored her as I entered my room and locked the door.

I held the handle of the door tightly to prevent my parents from pushing their way in, the tears were flowing freely now. My parents were still knocking on the door. Then my father said something that drew my attention.

“I have a plan, since she doesn’t want to open the door, let her be. We will forcibly take her to get an abortion tonight, or else the Andersons will throw us out of this house.

He thought I wouldn’t hear them talking from my room. But luckily I heard everything, my body went cold instantly, I felt very weak. My own parents want to abort my child. I knew I can’t wait any longer to put my plan in action or my unborn child would be in danger.

I waited till I heard their footsteps leaving, I gently opened the door to make sure they were really gone. Then I ran back inside. I quickly packed a few of my clothes into a small bag, with the money I had been saving for a while, it wasn’t much, but it will sustain me for a while.

I wanted to use the main door, but I quickly decided against it. Matt or my parents might be there. I climbed out of my window, Matt had taught me how to do that, the first time he took me to a club. But the fond memories now felt like poison to me, I never imagined in my wildest life that he would betray me this way.

Once I was finally outside, I breathed a sigh of relief, but I knew I still wasn’t safe.

“Going somewhere?” A familiar voice asked.

I turned to see Ethan standing before me, he was wearing a hoodie that covered his face.

“Ethan, what are you doing here?” I asked, panicking.

“I knew everything that happened, I heard you and Ethan talking in the basketball court, I knew I shouldn’t have eavesdropped, but I couldn't stand seeing you in tears. Matt is a dick for betraying you and hurting you this way. But I can help you get away from here to where you and your baby will be safe.

I couldn’t believe what was happening, the same Ethan I had rejected multiple times, just because of my blind love for Matt, is the same person that wants to help me now.

“Come on Meadow, your parents will start looking for you. Soon, We don’t have enough time. Let’s go. He stretched out his hand.

He was right, I grabbed his hand as we ran to a car waiting nearby, as soon as we entered the car, the driver zoom off. Ethan brought out a plane ticket and new ID card and gave it to me.

“Here is you ticket to New York, My parents owned a house there, there are servants in the house to attend to you, and you will be well taken care of till you give birth to your baby, and after that you can continue with your education. The new ID will be your new identity.”

Tears stream down my face as I collected the new passport and plan tickets from him, I opened the passport to look at the name: Meadow Enrique? I asked loudly. Enrique is Ethan’s surname.

“Yes. You will be known as Meadow Enrique for now. And if you ever need anything just give me a call. Now your flight is about to leave.

“Thank you so much Ethan, I don’t know how I will ever repay you for your kindness.

“You don’t need to repay me, Meadow, I did it for love. I can go to any length just to prove my love for you. I hope you will give me a chance in the future to show you how much I really love you, but for now, get out of this damn city.” He said smiling.

I smiled back at him and gave him a hug. Before boarding the plane. As the flight took off, I looked out of my window seat, tears filling my eyes.

“It’s okay baby, we are safe now. I will be both mother and father to you now, " I whispered, placing my hands on my stomach.

7 Years Later

I was playing with the big diamond ring on my finger. Ethan had just proposed to me. I couldn't have asked for a better man and a father for my daughter. Ethan kept to his promise. Two years after I left, Ethan moved to New York too to establish his own company. And he kept to his promise of never abandoning me. He took up the role of a father to my daughter, and within five years of his company going public, he had become the richest man in New York. And gradually, I had fallen deeply in love with him.

“The award for the best heart surgeon goes to Meadow Enrique!” The crowd erupted in loud cheers at the announcement.

My six-year-old daughter had run up to the stage with a bouquet of roses, with Ethan following close behind her as I received my award. I deserved the award.I had performed the most dangerous and difficult surgery in the history of medicine.

The next day, my face was plastered on all newspapers and TV channels. My hard work had finally paid off.

I smiled proudly as I stood in my office, watching the replay of yesterday’s award presentation on my phone.

I wasn’t the same Meadow people once knew, the helpless pregnant teen who was betrayed, the Meadow who ran away from the place she once called home. Now I carried an empire on my shoulders. I was now the best surgeon in the country, and it’s all thanks to Ethan and the hospital’s director who believed in me.

The last I heard of my parents was when Ethan first came to visit me. He said my parents were still working for the Andersons. When he wanted to tell me about Matt, I told him not to. I don’t care about him, nor do I care about what was going on in his life.

I wore a black suit with pants and a pair of high-heeled stilettos Ethan had given me on my birthday. My hair was perfectly tied up in a bun. And my makeup was flawless—my stylist and makeup artist were always on standby. My schedule was always packed with constant meetings and never-ending conferences. I had become a role model in the medical profession.

“Doctor Enrique.” My troublesome personal assistant, who had also become my bestfriend, called my attention.

“Yes, Alison, what is it?” I asked, dropping my phone on my desk.

“You won’t like this,” she said, handing me a file. “You have been invited to the city to perform a Thoracic Aortic Dissection Repair on a patient. They are willing to pay ten times your rate.”

“No,” I answered quickly without going through the file. “I’m never going back to that place, and they should look for another doctor. I’m not available.”

“But you are the only one who can perform the surgery,” my assistant argued.

“No, Alison, I’m not going back there. And why do you have a file already prepared for this? You know I would never consent to it, even if they are paying me a hundred times my rate.”

“Meadow, I’m not saying you are wrong for not wanting to go back to the L.A. I know you have a lot of bad memories there. But what about the innocent patient that’s about to die if you don’t perform his surgery? Have you forgotten the oath you took to save lives? You are not going back for those people that offended you, you are going back to save the life of a patient.”

“And I’m doing exactly that—I'm saving lives here too. And besides, my schedule is filled.”

“Your schedule for the next six months has been cleared.”

“What? What do you mean my schedule for the next six months has been cleared?”

“Yes, Meadow, the hospital director has cleared your schedule for the next six months.”

“Why would he do that?” I asked angrily.

“According to the director, the patient that needed the Thoracic Aortic Dissection Repair is his uncle. You really have to do this for him.”

I sat down on my chair, defeated. No doubt the director had played a big role in my success, and he’s one person I could never refuse.

“At least take a look at the file of the patient.”

My fingers froze on the page as I saw the name of the patient: Adam Anderson? The file almost slipped from my hand. My heartbeat thundered in my ears as memories I had buried for seven years clawed their way back to the surface. Matt’s father. The man whose son almost destroyed my life.

“No, I’m sorry, I can’t perform the operation. I will speak to the director myself,” I said loudly as I threw the file on my desk and walked out of my office angrily, with Alison hot on my heels.

The director was on a call when I walked in. He gestured for me to have a seat. I waited for him to finish his call.

“Miss Enrique, I was about to send for you now. There’s a patient that requires your attention in the L.A.”

“Yes, sir, my assistant already told me about that, and I have also gone through the patient’s file. But I’m sorry, sir, I won’t be able to perform the surgery on that patient.”

“Please, Meadow, you are the only one that can perform this surgery, and you know it. You are the best surgeon in the world, and the patient in question is my uncle.”

Faced with the director’s unending pleading, I had no choice but to accept.

“Fine, but I will need to discuss this with my fiancé, and only after that will I make my final decision.”

“Sure, you can, but you need to be in the city tomorrow. The surgery is already scheduled for the day after tomorrow. A private jet will be sent to pick you up tomorrow. Everything you need will be arranged for you, including your accommodations.”

I made a call to Ethan to meet me at home immediately after I left the director’s office. Aurora rushed to hug me immediately I opened the door, her little hands wrapping around my neck tightly.

“I miss you, Mummy.”

“Mummy missed you too, baby,” I said, giving her a kiss on her chubby cheeks as she giggled.

“And me? You didn’t miss me at all?” Ethan asked, coming out of the kitchen. He was wearing an apron.

I smiled at him. “Come here, sweetheart. I miss you too,” I said, kissing him on his lips while my daughter clapped for us.

After dinner, I explained the situation to Ethan. I was expecting him to object, and that would have been a good reason for me not to go back to the city.

“You are a doctor, and saving lives is your duty. I won’t stop you from doing that. Aurora and I will join you in the L.A once I’m done with my project here,” Ethan said, caressing my cheek.

“Also, you will stay in the Enrique Mansion, not some hotel. You will be very comfortable there. And my parents are there to protect you, so I won’t have to worry much about you.”

I took a sharp breath and nodded. What would I have done without you? I love you so much." I said grabbing his arm.