Chapter 1 Unplanned Pregnancy

Julianna had been hiding for several months, but her father tracked her down to force her back home. She hid in the corner of her room as the heavy pounding on the door continued. Julianna remained silent, tears flowing, as her father’s furious voice resounded from the other side. “You single-handedly ruined the Wilson family’s reputation! When I find out who the man is, I won’t spare him!” Albert barked, “Julianna, how long do you think you can hide in there? I’ll give you one minute, and if you don’t come out, I’ll tear down this door!” Julianna was fully aware that her father’s words were not empty threats. He would do precisely as he said. She eventually struggled to get up from the ground. She was four months pregnant and had a slight bump on her belly. Julianna remembered when those four nightmarish months had begun. It was her third anniversary with her boyfriend, Sean. They had decided to get married the next spring, so Julianna surrendered her body to Sean. She was a traditional woman who thought some things should be avoided until a relationship was solid. However, when she woke up the following day, a stranger was lying beside her in bed. Julianna couldn’t remember what the man looked like but vividly recalled a terrifying scar on his back. Julianna was confused about why she was with someone other than Sean. As she stumbled out of the hotel, she received a text from an unknown sender. The message contained several intimate photos of her with the stranger. The man’s face was obscured in all the images, but Julianna’s face was unmistakable. Fear consumed her. She had no idea who was behind this, but she was certain that if those photos were made public, it would be disastrous for both her and Sean. Julianna went into hiding for four months, hoping that things would fade away with time. Unfortunately, the encounter with the stranger left her pregnant. She was scared and did not understand why something so terrible had happened to her. Since her pregnancy had progressed, she could not consider an abortion. Eventually, her father brought her back home. She felt utterly hopeless when faced with his anger and loathing. Her stepmother and stepsister watched her with merciless eyes. Julianna’s grandmother intervened. “That’s enough! She’s your daughter, but you’ve shown no care for her. You don’t have the right to yell at her like this.” It became a significant scandal. The Wilson family, particularly Julianna’s father, was highly esteemed in the area. The scandal was a huge disgrace to the family. Her grandmother, Melissa, was a gentle yet dignified old lady. Melissa’s presence alone brought calm to the chaotic household. Julianna’s stepmother and stepsister lowered their heads in submission. Albert was still enraged, even in the presence of his mother. “Mom, she’s part of the Wilson family, but look what she’s done. These actions are far from what a lady should do.” “Dad, I thought it was Sean. I had no idea it would be a stranger.” Julianna’s voice trembled as she tried to explain again. Albert was not buying it. Brandy, her step-sister, stepped forward anxiously and said, “Dad, Julianna couldn’t have done such a thing. You know that she’s marrying Sean next year. She wouldn’t have acted like this.” “That’s enough. Why does our family need a daughter like her?” Albert then turned to Julianna and said, “I wish you had a fraction of Brandy’s character.” She had always known that her father only had eyes for her stepmother, Judy, and Brandy. Julianna was Albert’s daughter from his first marriage, but her father never paid her much attention. When she started dating Sean from the well-known Bellock family, Albert cared about her a little more. The Bellock family was wealthier than the Wilson family, and the last three years had felt like a dream to her. She had a family and a lover. That life could have continued if it had not been for what happened four months ago. Julianna cried as she looked at her grandmother, hoping Melissa would speak up for her. “We can’t keep the child. The baby will be a disgrace to our family,” Albert said. They had no idea that when Julianna became pregnant, she had no intention of keeping the child, either. However, the doctor had warned her that ending the pregnancy would have severe consequences for her already fragile health, making future attempts to conceive and become a mother even more difficult. “Dad, please let me keep the baby.” “You still want to keep the child? It will only remind us of this disgrace in our family!” Albert was furious. His formerly obedient daughter was arguing with him about keeping a baby who never should have existed! Melissa yelled, “Enough! Since you don’t want the baby, let Julianna stay with me. She will have no relation to the Wilson family when the child is born.” Albert was taken aback. “Mom, how can you say such a thing? Whether or not this child lives, Julianna is still part of our family.” “So, I’ll take her with me. Do you have any objections?” Melissa’s stance was firm, leaving Albert speechless.