That evening, Daniel arrived. The color drained from his face when he saw my father beside my bed. “Mr. Carter… I didn’t expect—”

“No,” my father said coldly. “You didn’t expect to be held accountable.”

Daniel tried to explain—said Lena was “emotional,” that everything had been a misunderstanding. But the truth came out anyway. He had promised her a future. He had lied to both of us. And when she realized I was still pregnant with his child, she lost control.

Hospital security filed a report. Charges were pressed. Lena was banned from the hospital and later arrested for assault. The scandal spread quickly, and Daniel’s reputation collapsed with it.

As for me, I filed for divorce the very next morning.

That night, lying in bed and listening to my baby’s heartbeat, I understood something clearly: I had nearly lost everything—but I hadn’t lost myself. And I hadn’t lost my family.

Still, the hardest part lay ahead.

Being protected was one thing.

Rebuilding my life as a single mother was another.