Chapter 3

My face must have shown utter surprise when I saw Maya, my stepmother. I wondered if she was genuinely concerned about me. Or had she been waiting for me?

The last time I had seen Maya and my father was two years ago. They had stopped me from visiting, and I really never understood why.

I had always believed it was Maya who had turned Dad against me. Now, seeing her with a hint of concern made me feel hopeful that maybe I could finally share everything that had happened.

"Mother, I—" my voice trembled,but i was cut short by Maya’s sudden outburst of laughter. I looked at her, bewildered, trying to understand what was so funny.

Maya’s eyes flashed with something I couldn’t quite place—was it anger or just cold disdain? She crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe.

“Don’t pretend, Selene. I’m actually glad to see you so pathetic and miserable,” she said with a smirk. “Now Jess can recover all that she lost while you were with him.” Her words left me blinking in disbelief, my face pale and stunned.

The realization hit me hard: her hatred for me had only grown over the years. Why did I ever feel she was ever going to love me? Jess was her daughter, after all.

I felt a deep ache and tears pooled in the corner of my eyes, knowing that no one liked me—not even my father. The only person who had ever cared for me had divorced me, and now I was standing here, miserable, with a child growing inside me.

“What’s going on, Maya?” A husky voice echoed through the room, and I turned to see my father slowly entering. A rush of emotions surged through me, and I almost burst into tears. I had missed him so much!

“Father!” I shouted, rushing toward him with excitement. But before I could reach him, a sharp pain erupted in my scalp. Maya had grabbed my hair with a brutal grip, yanking me back so hard I thought my scalp might tear. I was thrown out of the house, landing in a heap outside.

Wincing in pain, I looked up at my father, hoping he’d stop Maya or at least scold her for her cruelty. Instead, his face was etched with pure disgust.

“Fa-ther,” I called out, my breath ragged, but his response cut me deeply,

“You really have the audacity to come back here? After cruelly keeping Jess away from her husband for three years?”

My mind went numb at his words. The world seemed to close in on me. I knew my father didnt like me, but I never imagined he’d ever believe I was also responsible for Jess’ disappearance.

“I didn’t do it, Father! She left on her own!” I cried, clutching the hem of my garment and stamping my feet. “Why do you hate me so much? Why?”

He simply laughed at my words, slipping his hands into his pockets. “Get the hell out of here, Selene,” he said coldly before turning away.

Tears burned in my eyes, but I fought to hold them back.

I glared at Maya as she moved toward the door. “Jess told and showed us everything, bitch.” she spat, slamming the door shut behind her.

Jess. That asshole had filled their heads with lies. I wondered what awful things she had even told Maximus. The tears I had been holding back finally streamed down my cheeks as I pounded on the door, desperate for someone to hear me.

“I have nowhere to go, Father! Jess left on her own!!” I yelled so loudly until my voice was hoarse and the veins in my neck bulged, but there was no response. It felt as though the entire world was against me. I couldn’t believe I was the same Selene who had dreamed of becoming a doctor just three years ago. Now, I felt utterly lost.

I stood outside, the cold air stinging my face as I struggled to comprehend the rejection. My thoughts were a tangled mess, and I wandered aimlessly down the street, not noticing the blaring horn until it was almost too late.

The vehicle sped toward me, and the next thing I knew, I was on the ground, my vision dimming as darkness closed in.

*************

Light seeped through the curtains, and my eyes flew open. I looked around, confused and disoriented, trying to figure out where I was. The sharp smell of antiseptic filled my nose, and I realized I was in a hospital. What had happened to me?

“My baby.”

Panic set in as I quickly moved my hands to my belly, hoping nothing had happened to my baby. My heart raced with fear until I noticed a woman sitting beside me, a wide smile on her lips.

“Wh-who are you?” I stuttered, but she simply picked up her phone and began texting someone, which made me even more anxious.

“Don’t be scared,I’m Angela. I rescued you after you were hit by a reckless driver.” She gave me a reassuring smile,gently squeezing my hands into hers. “Are you feeling a bit better now?”

I stared in shock, tears welling up in my eyes. I never imagined that someone I didn’t know would come to my aid and help me.

“Thank you so much, Angela,” I choked out, struggling to hold back my sobs. Little did I know, meeting Angela would change my life in ways I never expected. If someone had told me that meeting a stranger could become one of the best moments of my life, I’d have said it was impossible.

Angela who was in her early fifties, ended up showing me more care and love than anyone ever had, despite her own pain. Sadly, she had lost her daughter and husband just a few years earlier.

Angela was incredibly wealthy, with several successful businesses to her name. But more surprising was how she did something no one else had ever done: she gave me the life I deserved and made me feel loved like a princess. Hell, Not even my ex-husband had ever done that for me.