Pregnant? How can Jasmine be pregnant with Patrick's child when they were still together two days ago and made love? Oh yes, that's possible, he'd never made love to her without protection. Was she getting involved with Patrick while she was still with him?

"You're an ingrate Jasmine. You're a wicked woman. Only now you remember your future needs to be secured? Andre works hard to pay your tuition fee through the university, he could have saved those large amounts of money, securing his own future.

Andre now lives with a single kidney, he gave you one and he wasn't thinking about his future when he donated his kidney to you. Twice, he'd given your mother his blood in transfusion and paid all your hospital bills, leaving him without savings.

He takes two jobs, sometimes three to meet your needs and that of your life along with his own. His future was left unattended because he was ensuring you are fine. Now you think he doesn't have an identity?

He doesn't have a family and he's a bastard. What about the sacrifices he'd made for you and your family? Being from the orphanage doesn't make him less human than anyone else. Can you pay for the kidney and blood he gave to save your life and that of the members of your family..." Felix reprimanded.

"Shut the fuck! What has he done that someone hasn't done before? Is he the first person who is stupid for love? He is simply being an idiot who is in love with my woman. I don't blame him, an orphan like him, is not expected to be wise but become a captive of love" Patrick squeaked.

Turning to Andre he said "Tell me how much you have spent and I will double it back in refund. But don't trouble my pregnant wife anymore. Guards, throw this imbeciles out of my sight"

Felix pulled Andre along to go. He initially was leaving but suddenly pulled his hand away and ran back to Jasmine. He knelt before her and held her hand "Don't leave me Jasmine. I can't survive without you. I promise to work harder..." he was pleading.

Two hefty men pulled him up by his collar and hit him heavily in his belly and the other hit him hard on his face. His lips got wounded and he spat out blood. Felix ran over and said "Will you take away his fiancée and also kill him?"

The onlookers started murmuring. But the men kept on hitting Andre and he kept stretching his hands to Jasmine. His face was now bruised that eventually Jasmine said "Please stop them Patrick" she can't take it that these men kept hitting and kicking his belly like this.

"Let him go. If you think you can compete with me over anything, you'll be dead. And when next you laid those filthy hands of yours on my wife again, I won't leave you with an intact corpse" Patrick warned and pulled Jasmine with him into the car.

Just as she was going to get into the car, Jasmine glanced back at the man she used to love and cared about, his face was battered and he was bleeding from his lips. She left him because he is not financially stable like Patrick otherwise, Andre was perfect for any woman.

She shrugged and got into the car.

Alice waited all day and there was no sign of Andre. She's worried especially when she remembers that he didn't go with his phone. She called Felix and he told her that he would call her back.

Alice is a retired matron from the orphanage. She'd lost her husband a few years earlier and when she was retiring, she adopted Andre. She liked young Andre, intelligent and good looking. Despite being in the orphanage, he still outshines all the kids in looks and he is good academically.

That's how she became a mother and raised Andre. That was twenty years ago. Andre is twenty six years old now. She was going to call Felix again when her phone chirped. It was Regina, her friend.

"Regina..." Alice started talking when she was interrupted sharply by her friend "Listen to me, Alice. You should call your adoptive son to order. If he tries to interfere with my daughter and son-in-law's marriage again, he won't be spared..."

Alice was not hearing anything else. She glanced at her phone, isn't this Regina, Jasmine's mother? Besides being friends all their lives, her son was engaged to her daughter and they were hoping to get married in February the following year.

Seeing she was sure of the caller ID, she said "Regina, it's me Alice, Andre's mother" she said, letting her know that she was saying the wrong words to her. She probably was going to call someone else and ended up calling her.

"Of course I know who I am talking to, Alice Torello. You should tell your son Andre Torello that thing you picked from the orphanage to leave my daughter alone. Next time, Patrick might kill him" and hung up.

Alice gently brought her phone down from her ears. What the heck is going on? Andre, Jasmine, marriage. What is happening? Did Jasmine...wait who is Patrick? Remembering Felix looks earlier and how he suddenly pulled Andre along with him, a certain reality dawned on Alice.

She gently sank into the sofa, supporting herself by holding her head between her palms. What is happening? A few hours had passed and her son hadn't returned. Did Jasmine get married to someone else and jilted him?

Andre would die if Jasmine leaves him. He loves her too much. Tears cascaded down her cheeks uncontrollably. Regina reminded her that Andre was her adoptive son. Does she need to remind her that?

Where is she going to go now, to find Andre. Why isn't Felix picking his calls? She was still thinking when she heard the noise of Felix's bike. She stepped out quickly and saw Andre stepping down from Felix's bike with a bandaged face.

His body was wounded and his clothes were as if he was beaten up by goons.

"Andre! Son?" Alice called but he just hugged her and sniffled before walking past her into his room. Alice turned herself and watched his retreating back view, how will he take it?

She only glanced back at Felix when Andre disappeared from sight. Her tears ran down her cheeks. She already knew something was wrong, Regina had made her guess; her daughter had been married off to another man.

"I'm sorry Aunt, that I couldn't stop the wedding" Felix said with a reddened eyes. Andre had sacrificed everything for love and relationship. He could slit his throat if that would make Jasmine satisfied and what did she think? She said he was blind to reality all his life.

Alice nodded and sniffled before saying "Thank you for bringing him home to me" he doesn't need to tell her, she knows he must have pulled Andre from that venue with difficulty.

For the rest of that day, Andre didn't step out of his room. He was broken. Why would she do this to him? He was working hard to meet both his immediate family needs and that of Jasmine and her parents. It appeared his hard work was not good enough.

She's his childhood friend. Since he was adopted, Jasmine had been his friend. Her parents were friends to his mother and that automatically made them friends too. But they started dating five years ago and three years ago he promised to marry her.

She knows him as much as his mother. He'd only loved her and they were going to get married early the next year. Patrick is rich, no doubt. She'd told him once that Patrick was asking her out but she loves him alone and that was it, he needed thought she would betray him.

Are women these evil or was it because he was poor, from the orphanage and doesn't have identity? Perhaps all these reasons are summed up to result in her betrayal. He heard his mom banging on his door pleading with him to open the door but he refused.

Alice, sad and unhappy, decided to go to see her friend Regina. She should have told her son to stay away from her daughter instead of using him to meet their needs and keep them alive and dumped him.

She got there and met a group of people partying. The Logan's are so poor that Andre had to sponsor Jasmine's university education. But how could they have gotten so much money to host people like this?

"Celebrating right, Regina?"Alice seethed. Her eyes were spitting fire. Her son was sad and they are happy. What a life. To be happy, someone else's life must be ruined?

"You came at the nick of time, Alice. We're celebrating the happiness of our daughter and how she was lucky enough not to end up in the hands of a nobody like your son. Join us in the joyous occasion..." Regina declared and released the glass of wine in her hands, letting it crash on the floor and sending a splashing stain on Alice.

Ignoring her drama, Alice sniffled and asked "You and I have been friends in the past. We raised our kids together and today, you throw a celebration to my son's loss and ruin? Betrayal and heartbreak? His sadness and abuse meant nothing to you? If he were your son, would you be happy?

If this had happened to Jasmine, how would you feel? I thought Andre is like a son to you and you would consider him for all he'd done for you? He saved your daughter's life, she now lives with his kidney and not once did he give his blood..." Alice was saying when Regina interrupted her.

"Enough! Watch your words when you talk to me henceforth. I am no longer in your class anymore. You should respect me. First, you can't compare yourself with me. I am a mother and I was pregnant with my belly.

You don't know what being a mother is. You're a barren woman all your life and Andre is just a lost good for nothing you picked up to run errands for you. So don't consider me on the same grade level as you.

Secondly, don't you ever compare my high class daughter with your lowlife slum you called a son! How dare you compare the East to the West? Only a senseless woman like you can raise a stupid son like Andre. My daughter can never be in Andre's shoes, don't ever compare them!

If you think your so-called son has done something little for my daughter and my family, name your price. My son in-law is capable. He'll pay back with interest. From this moment, consider our friendship over, I can't condescend so low after a glimpse of this better life to keep company with you.." Regina declared.

Turning to the waiting guests, Regina said "Let's make a toast to a life of wealth and prosperity" she raised her glass and others clicked theirs together

"To health, prosperity and happiness" Alice heard as she gently turned around and left. There's nothing left for Andre in Logan's family. She would return to console her son. Wealth and riches have smiled on Regina and her family and those who were dearest to her in the past have become her enemies.

She left and just before stepping out of sight, she turned back and wished them every single pain they've caused her son. Every tear that Andre drops because of their daughter, will be forever remembered.

For the next two days, Andre didn't step out. His mom had cried, begging him to step out and take something but he wouldn't answer. Felix also came with his girlfriend Lisa and did the same but Andre will not talk to anyone.

On the third day, Andre stepped out, his wounds getting healed but needed to be treated again. Alice saw him and she gasped, it's Christmas eve and he stepped out. May the blessings of this season wash away his pains and replace them with happiness untold.

"Andre my son" Alice chimed and went to hug him. But he was cold, he didn't wrap his arms around her as expected. Alice didn't feel offended, she placed her hands on his shoulder and saw how emaciated he'd become. His eyes were red and hollow and his lips were dry like a malnourished child.

"Why are you doing this to yourself Andre. Jasmine is happy with her marriage to another man. If you keep hurting yourself besides the one she'd inflicted on you, you'll make her feel she owns your breath and she controls your heartbeat" Alice persuaded.

"I loved her mom, but she left me instead," Andre said in a shaking voice. He doesn't understand why she would leave him after so much love they shared, happiness they brought into each other's lives. Was it because of money or his unknown identity?

"Yes, she did and there's nothing we can do about her choice and decision. A phase of your life ended with her. Brace up, you've stepped into another phase now, a better one at that. And I pray for you that this season brings you a whole lot of happiness and blessings..." Alice coaxed more.

She brought him over and gave him his breakfast. Andre couldn't eat. He claimed not to have an appetite for anything. But he needed to step out and take a walk in the snow. Something that might help reduce the burdens that clumped his heart.

"Alright, go well son" Alice said and Andre stepped out cladded in a hood and a canvas. He wore gloves and placed his arms in his jacked pockets. He was gently walking the street and saw people going about, preparing for Christmas.

He could hear the jingles, the homes lights up and the Christmas tree being decorated. But unlike others, his heart was dark and his life felt empty. For many years now, Jasmine and himself always spent Christmas Eve together and it's usually a great time on the 25th of December.

But all seems empty now. No joy, no excitement and nothing intrigues him about the moment. It's like every normal day to him. How he wished this was just a midsummer's night dream that when he wakes up, he'll find it all gone and Jasmine will be by his side again.

As he kept going, he saw a car stuck in the snow. The driver was perhaps an inexperienced driver on that street. He came over and saw him struggling, he glanced at him and without a word, went over to him.

"Do you need help?" He asked, observing the tyres. They've lost traction and the only way to get it out was for it to regain it again. But the car is expensive and sophisticated.

"Yeah, buddy," the driver replied, clasping his hands together. If he hadn't been carrying his boss, it would have been better. But now, his job was not only at stake, but his life will not know peace until everything gets better.

Andre glanced around, there was no shovel or any flat object to use in clearing the snow away. Having no option, he pulled his jacket off and used his hands to clear the snow. He instructed the driver to go in and "gently rock the car back and forth by shifting between the drive and reverse.."

"Yeah" the driver said and was doing that. Andre kept clearing the snow away, moving swiftly from one tyre to the other "gently accelerate but don't keep spinning the wheels" his words were followed by steam and at this time, he was shivering and freezing.

They continued until eventually the car regained traction and moved. The driver wanted to stop because Andre was freezing and he screamed "go faster now buddy" and waved at them. Now his teeth were shattering, his clothes were soaked and covered in snow.

He needed to return home but his feet stiffened. Looks like his blood was getting frozen. The only thing he could do was bring his phone out and called Felix "I'm freezing, on the street" he said and fell down.

"Sorry ma'am" the driver apologized but his boss didn't hear him. She was glancing behind at the man that helped them. He was freezing and yet urged them to leave. What if something bad happened to him?

Her heart started beating fast when she saw that the man couldn't move "Turn around and save that man" his boss ordered. That man might get frozen because of them. How can he suffer such fate because he gave them a helping hand?

The car heater was turned on and yet, she was still hugging herself to remain warm. And the young man, he might die. But she became helpless when the driver said "We would get stuck again ma'am, that's why he said we should go quickly..." he explained.

She sighed helplessly and seeing the rain of snow falling, she hoped the man survived. He appears to be a young man but may the Almighty keep him safe for the sake of the happiness of the season.

A few hours later, Andre opened his eyes on his bed. His joints pained him and he glanced around. Felix was typing on his computer and he observed him for a while without moving or saying a word.

He came to save him. Thank goodness that he went along with his phone this time. He felt weak and was going to call Felix when he beat him to it "what were you thinking, Andre, that you stepped out without a jacket?" He asked without glancing at him.

Andre was shocked. His jacket? Oh goodness, he'd pulled it off to enable him shoved the snow away from the tyre more freely. That must be it, that is the reason why he got frozen in the snow so easily.

"I did, Felix but I pulled it off... he was saying when his mother got in and he paused. She saw Andre awake and her tears cascaded down her cheeks. He survived, he got back to himself again.

"Mom!" Andre called, seeing his mother's tears. What happened to her? Why is she crying? Is it because of him? Obviously it must be.

"You should have asked me, I would have suggested a more convenient way to commit suicide rather than being stucked in the snow. Why didn't you ask me Andre?" Alice helped, her eyes reddened.

"What nonsense are you talking about mom?" Andre scowled.