Crumbling Courage

As Racheal stepped out of the taxi, her heart pounded in her chest. She stood in front of Victor’s apartment complex, hesitating for a moment.

The building looked the same as it always had, but today it felt different, more imposing. She took a deep breath, clutching her purse tightly as if it would somehow give her the courage she needed. This was it. She needed to do this, for her baby, for herself.

With shaky hands, she made her way inside, climbing the stairs she once knew so well.

Each step felt heavier than the last, memories flooding back of times she and Victor had spent together—times she desperately wanted to forget but couldn’t.

She reached the apartment door and paused, hearing faint laughter from inside. She knocked, her knuckles tapping lightly at first, then louder as her nerves grew.

The door swung open, and there stood Victor, his expression shifting from surprise to something colder when he saw her. Before she could speak, her eyes darted around the room, landing on Evelyn, whose face twisted into a scowl.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Evelyn snapped, her voice laced with hostility. She stood from the couch, her hand resting protectively on her baby bump—a bump that mirrored Racheal’s own.

Racheal’s breath caught in her throat as her gaze fell to Evelyn’s stomach. She was pregnant too. Of course, she was. Racheal felt a pang of jealousy and despair, knowing they were both carrying Victor’s children, but only one of them was wanted here.

Victor stepped forward, blocking Racheal’s view of Evelyn. “Racheal, you shouldn’t have come,” he said flatly, his tone devoid of any warmth or familiarity.

Racheal swallowed hard, trying to find her voice. “I just… I needed to talk to you. About the baby. About us.”

“There is no ‘us,’ Racheal,” Victor said, his words cutting like a knife. “We’re done. I told you that.”

Evelyn’s parents were sitting on the other side of the room, watching the scene unfold with disapproving eyes.

Evelyn’s mother, who had once treated Racheal like a daughter, now looked at her like she was an intruder. Racheal felt their judgment, their silent accusations, and it stung.

Evelyn folded her arms, her eyes narrowing. “You can’t just show up here and think you can mess things up for us. Victor has moved on, and so should you.”

Racheal’s eyes welled with tears, but she blinked them away, trying to keep her composure. “I didn’t come here to mess things up. I just… I thought Victor should know about what’s going on. The doctor said—”

Victor cut her off, his voice rising. “I don’t care what the doctor said, Racheal. This isn’t my problem anymore. You need to take care of your own mess.”

Racheal’s lip trembled as she tried to hold back the flood of emotions. She glanced at Evelyn, who smirked, enjoying every second of Racheal’s humiliation.

“You’ve got some nerve showing up here, playing the victim,” Evelyn said, her voice dripping with contempt. “Victor is with me now. We’re starting our family. You need to let go.”

“You Know what, you're really pathetic, aren’t you, Racheal?” Evelyn sneered, her voice dripping with venom. “Coming here, begging like a stray dog.

“ You think showing up with your sob story will change anything? Newsflash: Victor doesn’t want you. He never did. He was just too nice to tell you that he was using you.”

Racheal felt the sting of Evelyn’s words like a slap to the face, but she clenched her fists, trying to stand her ground. “I’m not here to beg,” she said, her voice trembling. “I just wanted Victor to know—”

“To know what?” Evelyn cut her off, her voice rising as she stepped closer. “Are you desperate? That you can’t handle the fact that he moved on? Look at you. You’re a joke, Racheal. You don’t belong here.”

Evelyn’s mother, who had been watching with cold, calculating eyes, finally spoke up. She rose from her seat, her expression twisted with disdain.

“I never understood what Victor saw in you,” she spat, her tone icy. “You’re nothing but a gold-digging tramp. I warned him about you from the beginning, but he was too blind to see it. Now you come here, parading that bastard child, trying to worm your way back into his life. Disgusting.”

Racheal’s cheeks flushed red with humiliation, but before she could respond, Evelyn’s mother stepped forward, pointing an accusing finger in her face.

“You should be ashamed of yourself, Racheal. Have you no dignity? No self-respect? You’re an embarrassment to yourself and to everyone around you.”

Racheal staggered back, her mind racing with a mix of anger and heartbreak. She hadn’t expected kindness, but this? It was brutal. “I’m not here to cause trouble,” she managed to choke out, her voice breaking.

Evelyn scoffed and shoved Racheal, hard. “Cause trouble? You are the trouble! You’re nothing but a leech, sucking the life out of everyone around you. Do us all a favor and crawl back into whatever hole you came from.”

Racheal stumbled, her foot catching the edge of the carpet. She tried to regain her balance, but Evelyn’s mother pushed her roughly, her hands shoving Racheal back with unexpected force.

“You just don’t know when to quit, do you?” Evelyn’s mother snarled. “Get out of here, you filthy little tramp!”

Racheal’s feet slipped from under her, and before she could react, she went crashing down onto the hard floor, her belly taking the brunt of the fall.

Pain shot through her stomach, sharp and immediate, and she gasped, clutching her bump as she tried to catch her breath. Tears streamed down her cheeks, not just from the pain but from the sheer cruelty of it all.

Victor stood frozen, watching without lifting a finger to help. He just stared, his expression blank, as if she were nothing more than a nuisance—a problem he wished would disappear. Evelyn let out a mocking laugh, her voice shrill and cruel.

“Look at you, on the floor where you belong,” Evelyn taunted, her voice cutting through Racheal’s pain like a knife. “Crawling around like the trash you are. I told you to get out, but you just don’t listen, do you?”

Racheal struggled to push herself up, her entire body trembling. She cradled her belly, fear and panic surging through her. She didn’t know if her baby was okay, but the pain was unbearable. As she tried to stand, Evelyn’s foot shot out, kicking her back down.

“You’re pathetic,” Evelyn said, towering over her. “No one wants you, Racheal. Not Victor, not your baby. You’re just a mistake. A burden.”

Evelyn’s mother crossed her arms, looking down at Racheal as if she were dirt beneath her shoe. “You should have known better than to come here, Racheal. You’re nothing. You’ll always be nothing.”

Racheal finally managed to get to her knees, her entire body aching. She looked up at Victor, silently begging for any sign of concern, but he just turned away, cold and distant. “I told you to leave,” he said, his voice flat. “Don’t make me say it again.”

With every ounce of strength she had left, Racheal pulled herself up, biting back the sobs that threatened to escape. She was humiliated, hurt, and terrified, but she forced herself to hold her head high, even as her vision blurred with tears.

“You’ll regret this, Victor,” she said, her voice hoarse but defiant. “All of you will.”

And with that, she turned and stumbled out of the apartment, clutching her belly and praying that her baby would be okay.

As she limped down the stairs, Evelyn’s laughter echoed in her ears, mocking her, taunting her. But Racheal didn’t look back. She couldn’t afford to. She had to keep moving forward, no matter how broken she felt inside.

As Rachel went back home, she knew Chloe would either laugh at her or say, “I warned you.” The thought made her stomach churn.

Chloe had been right all along, and Rachel hated how her friend’s warnings always seemed to come true. She could already imagine Chloe's smirk, the way she'd toss her hair and lean against the doorframe, arms crossed with that annoyingly knowing look.

Rachel sighed, her grip tightening around the strap of her bag. “I told you so,” she could almost hear Chloe's voice echoing in her mind, playful yet laced with genuine concern.

As much as she dreaded the teasing, Rachel knew Chloe’s words came from a place of love. It was the thought of facing her friend’s mockery that stung the most. Because deep down, Rachel wasn’t ready to admit that she had messed up—again.

*****

Rachel pushed open Chloe’s front door, dragging her feet as she stepped inside. Chloe was sprawled out on the couch, surrounded by snacks and an open laptop, binge-watching her favorite show.

The moment she saw Rachel’s defeated expression, Chloe’s lips curled into a grin, unable to resist the urge to tease her.

“Oh, my God,” Chloe burst into laughter, clapping her hands. “Don’t even say it. I knew it! I told you so, didn’t I?” She leaned back, still chuckling, enjoying her moment of being right. “I warned you, Rachel. But no, you just had to see for yourself.”

Rachel tried to force a smile, but it crumbled under the weight of Chloe’s laughter.

The sting of being wrong, of ignoring Chloe’s advice, hit her all at once. Tears welled in her eyes, and before she could stop herself, she broke down, sobbing uncontrollably. She covered her face, her whole body shaking as she sank onto the nearest chair.

The sound of Rachel’s crying snapped Chloe out of her playful mood. Her laughter died instantly, replaced by concern.

She jumped up, rushing over to her friend. “Oh, no, Rach…” Chloe murmured, guilt washing over her as she saw the tears streaming down Rachel’s cheeks. She hadn’t meant to hurt her like this.

Without hesitation, Chloe pulled Rachel into a tight embrace, holding her close. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered, her voice thick with remorse. “I didn’t mean it like that. I’m just... I’m just worried about you.” Chloe stroked Rachel’s hair, rocking her gently as Rachel sobbed into her shoulder.

Rachel clung to her, letting the tears fall freely. Chloe’s warmth and the soft murmur of her apologies eased some of the pain. Chloe tightened her grip, her voice softening. “I’m here, okay? I’ve got you.”

They stayed like that, wrapped up in each other, until Rachel’s sobs quieted. Chloe held her a little tighter, making sure Rachel knew that no matter what, she would always be there to catch her when she fell. As Racheal hugged her friend she silently vowed that this was the last straw. She would make them pay!