Chapter 1

After my breakup, I had a one-night stand with a stranger—his presence was terrifying. I couldn’t bear the thought of carrying the child of a monster. But then, everything changed when I uncovered an astonishing truth.

The sterile smell of antiseptic filled the air as I sat in the cold, white-walled office. My hands were clenched tightly on my lap, nails digging into my palms. The doctor walked in, her face soft, her smile almost too kind for what she was about to say.

“Congratulations, Leila,” she began, her voice gentle. “You’re pregnant.”

The words hit me like a thunderclap. My chest tightened, and the room felt suddenly smaller. Pregnant? No. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Not now. Not like this.

The memory came crashing down like a tidal wave, sweeping the air from my lungs. George. He broke up with me.

“It’s not you, Leila. It’s me. I just… I can’t do this anymore.”

I could still see the cold resolve in his eyes, the finality in his tone.

I grabbed my coat and stumbled out of my apartment, desperate for an escape. The streets blurred as I made my way to the nearest bar, my head spinning with anger and heartbreak.

Inside, the dim lights cast shadows over the faces of strangers. I slid onto a barstool, slamming my purse down.

“Whiskey. Straight,” I said, my voice trembling. The bartender raised an eyebrow but poured the drink without a word.

I’m an orphan—no parents, no siblings, nothing. The one person I ever loved, truly loved, was George. But now... now I have no one.

I downed the first glass, then another. Each burn in my throat felt like it might numb the ache in my chest.

A man sitting nearby leaned over. “Rough night?” he asked, his voice smooth but tinged with curiosity.

“Mind your own business,” I snapped, waving at the bartender for another drink.

But he didn’t take the hint. “Sometimes it helps to talk about it.”

I turned to him, my eyes blazing. “What do you know about it? Have you ever had your heart ripped out and stomped on?”

He chuckled softly, holding up his hands in surrender. “Fair point. Just thought you could use some company.”

I didn’t answer. I just kept drinking, sinking deeper into the haze.

The next thing I knew, I was waking up in a strange bed. The light filtering through the curtains was blinding, and my head pounded like a drum. Panic shot through me as I looked around. A hotel room.

“What the hell…”