Elena thought her life couldn’t get any more complicated after her fiancé disappeared upon learning she was pregnant. But when her boss humiliated her in a team meeting, the truth about her child’s father came to light…

---

Three months ago, my life fell apart. I’m not exaggerating.

I was 27 years old, engaged to a man I thought I would spend forever with, and had no idea how quickly dreams could shatter.

The day I told Ethan I was pregnant, I will never forget the frozen expression on his face.

“Are you serious?” he asked, his voice low and sharp.

I nodded, trying to smile despite my nerves.

“We’re going to be parents…”

Instead of the joy I expected, he mumbled something about needing time to think. And then he walked out the door.

And never came back.

I didn’t tell anyone. Not my family, not my coworkers.

My father was a powerful man, the owner of the company where I worked. My sister, Rebecca, ran another branch and was married to Adam—my boss.

Everyone had high expectations for me and my future. But the truth about my baby’s father felt like a ticking time bomb. I couldn’t risk it. So, I left my parents’ house and moved out on my own, hoping to keep the truth hidden for as long as possible.

My father had handed control of the business over to Rebecca and Adam while he and my mother enjoyed their lavish travels.

But secrets always come out, don’t they?

And mine was revealed in the worst possible way.

---

I was standing in the middle of the conference room during a team meeting when Adam, my boss and brother-in-law, decided to turn my pregnancy into a public spectacle.

“So, Elena,” he said, leaning back in his chair with a smug grin. “I hear congratulations are in order. You’re pregnant, huh? Finally settling down! Good for you, good for you.”

A few people chuckled nervously. I felt the heat rise to my face as every eye in the room turned toward me.

“I guess now you’ll have to find the father, huh?” he added, slapping the table as if he had just made the joke of the century.

The laughter quickly died down, but Adam wasn’t finished.

“But even if you don’t want to, you don’t need to worry, right? Single mothers get decent benefits. Maybe I should give you a $1,000-a-year raise! What do you all think?”

The room fell into an awkward silence. My chest tightened, and I clenched my fists, fighting back tears.

“The father of this baby told me he loved me more than his own life,” I said, my voice trembling. “But the moment he found out, he ran.”

Adam’s grin widened.

“Ah, men. Typical, right?”

I was seconds away from storming out when, suddenly, the office doors swung open.

A young woman walked in, holding a baby in her arms, tears streaming down her face. She couldn’t have been older than twenty-two or twenty-three, but despite the tears and trembling hands, she stood her ground.

Behind her, Rebecca and my father followed.

---

My stomach twisted as I recognized the woman.

“Lila?” I whispered.

Lila was Rebecca’s former assistant. I had seen her a few times at the office and once at a family dinner. She had always seemed quiet, almost shy. But now, she looked different.

Rebecca crossed her arms, her expression unreadable.

“I know why Lila left her job. Just like I know why you left Mom and Dad’s house, Elena.” She said coldly. “Did you think I wouldn’t find out? That I would believe this story about Ethan?”

My mouth went dry. My heart pounded.

“I found your journal, Elena. You didn’t pack properly when you left. You left it sitting on your nightstand.”

A deadly silence settled over the room.

Rebecca continued, her words laced with barely restrained fury.

“Adam is the father of your baby, isn’t he?”

A wave of whispers rippled through the room. My knees felt weak.

But Rebecca wasn’t done yet.

“And,” she added, pointing at Lila, “Adam is also the father of HER baby.”

Lila stepped forward, clutching her baby closer to her chest.

Adam’s face turned an ashen gray.

“Rebecca… I… I can explain!” he stammered.

“No,” Rebecca snapped. “You lied to me for years. You betrayed me. You destroyed my trust. We’re done, Adam. You are dead to me.”

My father stepped forward then, his expression cold and commanding.

“I’ve heard enough,” he said flatly. “Adam, you’re fired. Effective immediately. Pack your things and get out.”

Adam opened his mouth to protest, but my father raised a hand to silence him.

“And,” he added, “you will pay child support for both of these children. I will make sure of it.”

The office emptied quickly, employees murmuring about the scandal as they left.

I remained behind, unsure of what to do, until my father approached me.

“Elena,” he said, his voice softer now. “Why didn’t you come to me?”

Tears burned in my eyes as I looked at the floor.

“I didn’t want to ruin Rebecca’s life,” I admitted. “And I was afraid of how you would look at me if you knew the truth.”

He sighed, shaking his head.

“This is not your fault, sweetheart,” he said. “Adam manipulated you, just like he manipulated all of us. You are my daughter, and I will always stand by you.”

Rebecca stepped closer then. Her face was red, but her eyes were firm.

For a moment, I thought she was going to slap me. But instead, she pulled me into a hug.

“I’m furious, Elena,” she said, her voice shaking. “But not at you. It was Adam who destroyed our marriage. We’ll get through this together.”

---

A week later, my phone rang.

“Elena,” my father said. “I need someone I can trust to take Adam’s place. You’ve been with the company for five years and know the team better than anyone. Do you want to step in as interim director?”

I was speechless.

“Are you sure, Dad?”

“Completely. I trust you.”

The answer, of course, was yes.

It wasn’t easy stepping into Adam’s shoes, but every day I walked into that office, I held my head a little higher.

And the best part?

My child will grow up knowing that their mother never backed down. And that their family truly supported her.

As for Adam? He’s history.

And Rebecca? We’re slowly rebuilding our relationship.

Life doesn’t always go as planned, but sometimes, when the dust settles, you realize you’re stronger than you ever imagined.