Chapter 5 - Never Come Back

Isabella greeted me as if she had been waiting for me. There was a strange smirk on her lips. It felt like she was judging me by the way she looked at me.

"So, you came," she smirked and looked at me from head to toe. "Such a cunning whore."

Before I could even react to what she said, Dad suddenly appeared behind her, accompanied by Mama Victoria.

I immediately noticed the sharp gaze from Dad, as if he could harm me at any moment, while Mama Victoria just looked at me coldly. It was her usual expression toward me.

"Dad—"

I couldn't continue what I was about to say as Dad threw something at me. It hit my eye and fell to the floor.

"How long do you plan to hide that shame from us, Celeste Koa?!" His voice thundered, full of threats and anger.

Still recovering from whatever hit my eye, which, if it was a sharp object, surely left me blinded, he threw something else at my words.

"What—"

"You're pregnant?! How, when you haven't introduced any boyfriend to us yet? What is this? Did you just get pregnant? Who's the father? Do you even know the father of that… of that child?!" He yelled in such a disgusted tone.

I was taken aback. My whole body went cold. As my gaze landed on that thing on the floor, I felt myself weaken completely. It was my pregnancy test. How did they get it? It was in my condo!

I quickly composed myself, picked up the object, and faced Dad. "Dad, please, let me explain first."

"What else do you have to explain to us, huh? How you got pregnant by some guy? When did you start defying me, Celeste?! When did you start tarnishing the name of this family?" He yelled at me. He was furious, and I could see his lips trembling with anger.

I felt a knot in my stomach. I couldn't find the right words in my mind. All I knew was that I needed to explain what happened. But how?

"D-dad, it's not like that. It was an accident—"

"What? You accidentally got pregnant by someone?! Aren't you disgusted by what you're saying? Aren't you ashamed?! What will people say when they find out about this? How will you explain everything?!" He continued to shoot those words at me.

I bit my lower lip. God, help me.

"I'm sure he's from the bar. She's been going out with her friends after work quite often lately," Isabella commented as if she knew what was going on.

Anger surged in my heart, along with disappointment and pain toward Dad.

"What? You go to bars, Celeste? Your Dad clearly told you not to go to those places because someone from the media might see you. Did you not listen?" Mama Victoria immediately retorted, causing me to sink further.

"I-I only went there once…" I almost whispered.

"But you still went. I was right, wasn't I? That's where you met the guy who got you pregnant. What a shame," Isabella said, looking at me with disgust.

And to my surprise, when I looked at Dad, he had the same look in his eyes. My lips parted, trembling with frustration and pain.

"D-dad, please let me explain first, please. I didn't mean for this to happen. I will tell you everything. I just needed to find the right time."

But the expected moment of him listening to me was abruptly cut short by a powerful slap he delivered to me.

My head almost flew from the impact. My whole body went numb, especially the cheek he struck. I couldn't hear anything for a few minutes.

"You really have no shame, not even for yourself! You're such a coquette!" He roared.

My entire body trembled. My heart sank completely. Tears started streaming down uncontrollably. I didn't want to hear this. Please. I wished my hearing remained blocked due to the slap.

"I can't believe I'm harboring such a shameless and disrespectful woman in my own house! I thought you were decent, Celeste! You promised me you wouldn't disappoint me, but what is this?! You keep burdening me with problems, you ungrateful brat!"

Before I could recover, here it goes again.

I felt myself slowly sinking, unable to resurface. I couldn't even stay afloat. As I looked at him, I realized even more that I would never gain his sympathy. That this was how he always saw me.

"Isabella is far better than you! You can't even fulfill the basic duty of being a good daughter! Get rid of that child!"

I was stunned as if I jolted awake. "W-what? Dad, no…"

"And what do you want? To keep it? I will never accept that child in my house! That child will never carry the Yuchengco name!"

It felt like a cold bucket of water was poured over me. My shoulders kept rising and falling as I tried to hold back tears, so I could convey what I wanted to say to them, to him, properly.

And eventually, I stopped crying. All I could hear were heavy sighs. It felt like I was drowning. Like I was so weak. Why is he doing this to me?

"B-but, Dad, this is your grandchild…"

"I have no grandchild born out of shame, Celeste! The father of that child isn't even your boyfriend! A bastard!"

"But Dad, this is my child! How could you... How could you... Oh, God…" My heart completely surrendered as I saw the firm expression on his face.

"Armando, if she doesn't want to abort the baby, it's better to just kick Celeste out." Mama Victoria suggested.

My eyes widened at that. I immediately looked at Dad who continued to stare at me. No. No. He can't do this to me. I'm his daughter!

"She's carrying the Yuchengco name. What will our patrons say when they find out she got pregnant by just anyone? My god!" She added, looking at me sharply.

"You are such a disgrace!"

"D-Dad, you can't do this to me... Please…" I pleaded with him.

But he remained firm as if it was already on his mind. As if he had made his decision before I could even explain to him.

During our intense stare, Dad's gaze suddenly turned cold toward me. All I could see was the hatred as if he didn't see me as his own child.

"Leave my house now, Celeste." He declared coldly.

I was completely defeated. I felt like a cigarette butt being stepped on repeatedly until completely extinguished. No. He can't do this to me.

"From now on, never set foot in this house or the YCC again. You are no longer my daughter. You will never taste the privilege of being a Yuchengco. Leave and never come back here." He ordered me sternly and turned away.

I even reached out my hand to try to reach him, but Isabella tapped it away and gave me a disdainful look before they followed Dad. I overheard him instructing the maids to gather all my belongings and give them to me, which only made me lose all hope.

Oh, what a perfect daughter you are, Celeste Koa.