Chapter 1
The Baby He Never Wanted
Chapter One — Two Lines
The rain had been falling for almost an hour.
Amara sat alone on the edge of her bed, staring at the small white stick in her trembling hand.
Two lines.
She blinked several times, hoping her eyes were playing a cruel trick on her.
They weren’t.
Two unmistakable pink lines.
Pregnant.
The word echoed through her mind until it became almost unbearable.
She slowly placed one hand over her stomach.
There was nothing to see yet. Nothing to feel. Just a tiny secret growing inside her.
Her baby.
A smile briefly appeared on her lips before fear swallowed it.
“Daniel...”
She whispered his name.
For the past three years, Daniel had been the person she ran to whenever life became difficult. He was the first person she called when she got good news and the first person she wanted beside her when she was afraid.
She had imagined a future with him.
A small house.
Sunday mornings together.
Children running around the living room.
She had even imagined what their children would look like.
Now, one of those dreams was sitting quietly inside her.
Amara picked up her phone.
She opened Daniel’s chat and typed:
Daniel, I need to tell you something.
She stared at the message for several seconds before deleting it.
She typed again.
Baby, I think I’m pregnant.
Delete.
Again.
Daniel, we’re going to have a baby.
Her heart raced.
She couldn’t bring herself to send it.
Not yet.
She needed to tell him in person.
She wanted to see his face when he found out.
She wanted him to pull her into his arms and tell her everything would be okay.
That was the Daniel she knew.
Or at least, the Daniel she thought she knew.
Her phone suddenly vibrated.
Amara jumped.
A message from Daniel.
Daniel: Are you awake?
She stared at the screen.
Her fingers moved quickly.
Amara: Yes.
The reply came almost immediately.
Daniel: We need to talk.
Her stomach tightened.
She waited.
Another message appeared.
Daniel: It’s important.
Amara’s excitement slowly disappeared.
Something wasn’t right.
She called him.
He didn’t answer.
She called again.
Still nothing.
Then, after nearly five minutes, her phone rang.
Daniel.
Amara answered immediately.
“Hello?”
For a few seconds, there was only silence.
“Daniel?”
“I’m here.”
His voice sounded different.
Cold.
Distant.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“We need to see each other.”
“Okay. When?”
“Tomorrow.”
Amara smiled nervously.
“Actually, I have something important to tell you too.”
Silence.
“What is it?”
She placed her hand over her stomach.
“I’d rather tell you when I see you.”
Another silence.
Then Daniel sighed.
“Amara, whatever it is, please don’t make things complicated.”
Her smile disappeared.
“Complicated?”
“Forget it.”
“No. What do you mean?”
“I’ll see you tomorrow.”
The call ended.
Amara remained frozen, staring at the phone.
Something was wrong.
She could feel it.
She looked down at the pregnancy test again.
For the first time since seeing those two lines, she wasn’t smiling.
She barely slept that night.
The next afternoon, she met Daniel at the small restaurant where they had celebrated their second anniversary.
He was already seated when she arrived.
But something about him had changed.
He didn’t stand to hug her.
He didn’t smile.
He barely looked at her.
Amara slowly sat opposite him.
“Daniel...”
“I think we need to end this.”
Her heart stopped.
She stared at him.
“What?”
“I’ve been thinking about it for a while.”
“Thinking about what?”
“Us.”
She laughed nervously.
“You can’t be serious.”
“I am.”
Amara’s fingers tightened around her handbag.
“But why?”
Daniel looked away.
“I don’t think this relationship is working anymore.”
“Three years, Daniel.”
“I know.”
“You’ve been telling me you love me.”
“I did.”
“Did?”
He finally looked at her.
“I don’t want to fight with you, Amara.”
Tears began forming in her eyes.
She reached into her bag.
Her fingers touched the pregnancy test.
This was not how she had imagined telling him.
Still, she pulled it out.
She placed it on the table between them.
Daniel looked down.
His face changed.
For the first time since she arrived, he looked genuinely shocked.
“What’s that?”
Amara’s voice trembled.
“I’m pregnant.”
Daniel stared at the test.
Then at her.
Then back at the test.
Minutes seemed to pass.
Finally, he leaned back in his chair.
“You’re not keeping it.”
Amara felt as though someone had slapped her.
“What?”
“You heard me.”
“Daniel...”
“You need to get rid of it.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“This is our baby.”
“No.”
His voice was firm.
“This is your problem.”
Amara stared at the man sitting across from her.
The man she had loved.
The man she had trusted.
The man she had imagined growing old with.
And suddenly, she realized she didn’t recognize him anymore.
“Is there someone else?” she whispered.
Daniel said nothing.
That silence was enough.
Amara’s tears finally fell.
She slowly stood.
Daniel reached for her hand.
“Amara, sit down. Let’s talk about this.”
She pulled her hand away.
“No.”
She picked up her bag.
“If you don’t want this baby, that’s your choice.”
Her voice broke.
“But don’t ever ask me to choose between my child and you.”
She turned and walked away.
She didn’t see Daniel’s phone light up on the table.
She didn’t see the name on the screen.
Esther.
And she certainly didn’t hear the message that followed:
Esther: Did you tell her about us?
Amara stepped outside into the rain.
She placed a hand over her stomach.
She was terrified.
She was heartbroken.
But for the first time that day, she knew one thing with absolute certainty.
She would keep her baby.
Even if she had to face the entire world alone.
What Amara didn’t know was that Daniel’s betrayal was only the beginning.
And the biggest secret of all was still waiting to be uncovered.
