7. Fake Kindness

I didn't know how I ended up in such an unfamiliar house. The table, chairs, wardrobe, everything was unfamiliar. The only thing I recognized was Mr. Harry. The kind-hearted man who tried to remain calm despite hearing about my embarrassing situation firsthand was now explaining something to a beautiful woman wearing a pink dress. 

"So, is this girl pregnant?" the woman asked Mr. Harry while glancing at me with a flat gaze. Mr. Harry simply nodded and sighed. 

"You don’t mind if she stays here, right?" Mr. Harry asked again. "Her family can't be contacted. I'm afraid something might happen if she's left alone." 

The woman seemed slightly reluctant, looking at me suspiciously. "She's not pregnant with your child, right?" she asked, turning to Mr. Harry. 

Oh, she must be his wife. 

"Sophie, Honey! If she were my mistress, why would I bring her to you? Inviting trouble? Playing with fire?" Mr. Harry's eyes showed a hint of offense as he stared at his wife. 

The woman named Sophie then laughed. "Well, you never know." After exchanging a few more words, they both approached me. 

Mr. Harry's wife was just as friendly as her husband was. Her smile was sincere and genuine as if she truly believed everything Mr. Harry said without any doubt. 

"Sha, let me introduce you. This is Sophie, my wife!" Mr. Harry tried to act as if nothing had happened earlier. 

I nodded awkwardly. "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Harry!" 

"Call me Sophie! I don't want to feel old by being called Mrs. Harry." Mrs. Harry's response made me feel a little embarrassed. "It's okay for you to stay here for now. It's not good to be pregnant alone. It must be difficult," Mrs. Harry said very kindly. 

They say soulmates are similar, don't they? Sophie's face looked different from Mr. Harry's, but their behavior was equally super kind. 

"I don't want to trouble you," I honestly replied. While it would be nice to have someone's company, it wasn't a stranger's companionship I desired. 

"Sasha, where do you plan to go?" Mr. Harry asked again. “You have nowhere to go.”

I didn't know what to say. I could only bow my head because I had no other destination. Who? Mom? Dad? 

"Let it be! Besides, you're still in college. There's still a lot for you to do, right? Just stay here," persuaded Mr. Harry's wife as she gently pat my shoulders. 

"Besides, I don't have any companions at home. So that I won't feel lonely." She seemed genuine. Completely unaffected by my presence. 

In the end, I decided to accept their offer. I nodded, stroking a little life in my womb gently.

***

It had been a week since I moved into Mr. Harry's house. For the time being, I didn't want to go to campus because the situation there would surely be unpleasant. 

Even though Mr. Harry said that Tara's issue had been reported to the Dean and that the girl had even been granted detention, I knew …. Tara wouldn't hesitate to do it again because her father's money would always be ready to save her from any threats imposed by the university. 

"You can miss your classes!" said Mr. Harry. I looked down. 

"I want to quit college, sir." 

"Goodness!" muttered Mr. Harry. "Are you giving up on your dream because of a one-time mistake?" 

I shook my head. "My dream was not to study economics, sir. I used to dream of becoming a doctor." 

Mr. Harry's eyes widened briefly. I chuckled bitterly. No one would have guessed that I had once aspired to be a doctor, given the current circumstances with a baby in my womb. 

"My mother forced me to take management as a second choice," I explained again, hoping that he would understand. Mr. Harry nodded slowly. 

Mrs. Harry tried to mediate. "The most important thing is for Sasha to give birth first. We can think about the future afterward. You can take the entrance exam again next year."

I simply nodded, agreeing with Mrs. Harry's words. Not because I still had the enthusiasm to pursue a shattered future. I just wanted Mr. Harry to stop asking me to go to college. 

"Alright then! Take care of yourselves at home, okay!" 

That's how it went. The following days were filled with aimlessness as I mourned my shattered dreams and accompanied Mrs. Harry, who turned out to be the owner of a quite successful online skincare store. 

During the day, two employees would come to the house. Of course, their presence made the house lively and extremely bustling. 

Mrs. Harry's definition of loneliness was quite strange. She wasn't lonely at all because those two employees knew exactly how to make her laugh. However, sometimes it wasn't just that. The employees also liked to gossip. 

"Sophie, is it true that the girl has no relationship whatsoever with your husband?" asked one of the employees. She must not have realized that I was unintentionally eavesdropping from behind the wall, hearing them gossiping away.

"I'm afraid you'll end up taking care of Mas Harry's child and his mistress," whispered the other employee. 

"Ssshh! Don't talk about my husband like that. Do you want me to fire you?" Mrs. Harry reprimanded, her voice not raised. "Harry is very kind. He still wants to be with me even though we've been married for six years without a child." 

The employees then apologized. "Oh, have you seen a doctor? Maybe it's your husband who's infertile?" the employee asked again. 

"Well, if my husband is infertile, then why are you making a fuss about the girl?" Mrs. Harry replied irritably. 

"It's just that we find it endearing. You're so kind, taking care of someone else's pregnant daughter. And it's even a child conceived out of wedlock." 

There was a moment of silence. My heart felt like it was being stabbed. I also wanted to know Mrs. Harry's reasons. Shortly after, the employee spoke again. 

"Being pregnant is difficult. Regardless of how it happened. I just want to show support, without considering her background. You don't know how many abortions are done because of the lack of support from those around them. I can't bear it. I myself have been wanting to get pregnant, but God hasn't granted me that." 

"Well, it's her own fault! Didn't she know that having unprotected sex would carry the risk of pregnancy?" 

Mrs. Harry sighed. 

"That's a different matter." The employees nodded in agreement before Mrs. Harry asked them to return to work. However, because they were stubborn, one of them spoke up again. 

"Maybe, your husband intends to adopt the girl’s child?" 

Hearing that, my heart felt like it was about to break. Adoption? My baby? Would Mr. Harry take my baby? 

My body trembled. I should go back to the room and rest. Unfortunately, I accidentally bumped into a vase on the table beside me. 

Crash! 

The sound of breaking objects echoed. It reminded me of shattered bottles and glasses from my first night with Uncle Vincent. My body felt weightless and fell to the floor. 

"Sasha!" I heard Mrs. Harry's voice as she rushed towards me. Even though she may not have any ill intentions at the moment, it felt like a huge demon was approaching me as Mrs. Harry's hand reached out to me. 

"Stay away from me, you hypocrite!" I shouted without realizing it. "Don’t touch me!"