Love, Lies, And Hidden Truths

The bright daylight was fading into thick darkness, and Jeri's dreams were becoming increasingly blurry with each passing second.

She could see death staring right into her eyes as the pain in her abdomen intensified as she lay on the hospital bed.

Perhaps this would be her last day on Earth. Who knows?

'No! I didn't bargain for this,' grappling the sheets tightly, Jeri cursed inwardly amidst the torment as tears continued welling down her eyes and soaked the bed. ' Even cramps do not hurt this much.'

Jeri could not shake the sensation that something was gravely wrong. It felt like her insides were being torn apart.

She tried to call for help, but her voice was thin and barely audible.

"What a joyful moment to sit and watch my enemy cry in agony before me."

A chilly expression graced the face of Jeri's stepmother, who was sitting in a chair next to the sick bed. She made no attempt to assist the 21-year-old pale pregnant woman who was in anguish.

Well, she can't be blamed because her barren life never permitted her to experience such a thing, even though she wanted to. She had no idea how painful it was when a pregnant woman was on the verge of giving birth.

While the woman sat quietly, glaring at Jeri, a slim, tall lady suddenly entered the room with a stern expression like that of Jeri's stepmom, and walked up to where the two women were positioned.

"Mom, do not tell me you have been here for hours just to look after this bitch!" Jeri's stepsister, Aysel, who was adopted by her stepmother to alleviate her barren existence, frowns at her mother.

"Do I appear concerned about her condition, huh?" Margaret, Jeri's stepmother, smirked and pressed on. "I'm only here to witness her death; nothing else. She has been a threat to me since the day I married my husband. Now karma has caught up with her for making me feel restless in my husband's home."

"If not an idiot, who will be pregnant and have no idea who impregnated her?" Aysel yelled, grimacing at Jeri.

"My only wish is that this bitch does not survive the surgery. She had been a threat to my entire life," the 19-year-old Aysel continued without minding Jeri's presence.

"Obviously," her mother replied, nodding.

Ever since Jeri's flamboyant stepmother, Margaret wed her father, Jeri's life has been filled with misery.

At the age of three, her parents went through a divorce. When that happened, her cunning stepmother seized an enormous opportunity to remarry her father.

Based on her quick decision to remarry him, it was obvious that Margaret had been hoping for the couple's divorce so she could claim the widower.

Little Jeri started to wonder about her mother's abrupt disappearance as time went on, but her father was always able to make her forget about her mother.

Upon reaching adulthood, she tried to find out the reason for her mother's divorce, but her father claimed it was a secret he would rather keep from anyone, including her.

She did everything she could to find her mother and persuade her to return to her husband, but it was all futile.

Jeri was forced to accept reality and hope to meet her mother by chance one day.

In contrast, her stepmother was barren, and as a result, she accused Jeri of being a witch and the source of her infertility.

Margaret's hatred for Jeri grew stronger after being confirmed that she would remain barren forever.

To ease her barren existence, she eventually adopted a girl child. And that was the genesis of Jeri's distress when the child was adopted.

Aysel covered the space between her and Jeri and pointed her index finger at her.

"If it had not been for you, I would have already been wearing an engagement ring. You continued to attract the attention of every wealthy young man who set eyes on you, but always declined their marriage proposals.

"You have been seeing things differently from what I saw every day with these so-called men. Those who frequently cross my path are either playboys who come to take advantage of me and leave, or they come from a low-income background.

"Tell me, Jeri, why shouldn't I hate you when you get all the attention from rich men while I get none? Am I not worthy of being loved by a wealthy man like you? Or are you prettier than I am, huh?"

As tears streamed down her eyes, Jeri mumbled," How is that supposed to be my fault, Aysel?"

"It does not matter whether you are to blame or not. All I pray for right now is your death, nothing else," she snapped with a deadly glare.

Jeri was nothing more than a maid to her stepmother, a punching bag, and a toy for her stepsister.

Given how dangerous it was to be out on the streets, Jeri could not imagine fleeing her home.

Everything became worse the day Jeri found out she was pregnant. Sadly, she had no idea who had gotten her pregnant, nor did she remember having any extramarital affairs with any man.

Jeri was not a prostitute, as they claimed after finding out that she was pregnant and had no clue who impregnated her.

She was well aware that someone had set her up, which resulted in her current situation. But who was that person? That was what she couldn't tell even though she was suspecting her stepmom and stepsister who also appeared surprised when they heard that she was pregnant.

Jeri was slowly dying in agony at the hospital as her cruel stepsister and mother berated her.

She froze for a few seconds when she felt an unexpected rush of warm liquid between her legs.

Gazing downward, she wondered if her child had escaped her womb, as she wondered what could have happened to her.

She was shocked to discover that her sheets were covered in blood, but there was no indication of a child between her legs.

When her stepmother realized that, she at last sprang up and hurried to call for a doctor, acting as if she really cared.

However, before Margaret could reach the door, Jeri's eyes had lost their ability to see light, and darkness reigned over her.

A few minutes later, a doctor, who will deliver the infant, a labor nurse, who will coach the pushing while monitoring the baby's progress, and one more nurse entered the room.

One of the nurses held a delivery tray containing gloves, scissors, artery forceps, cord clamp, sponge-holding forceps, a urinary catheter, a bowl for antiseptic lotion, a gauze piece, and some other surgical equipment.

When they approached Jeri, who was lifeless on the bed, the doctor turned to Margaret and announced. "Sorry, madam. Please excuse us while we perform her operation, okay?"

Dr. Eric spoke calmly but eagerly, hoping to save both Jeri and the baby.

Margaret chuckled and said nothing, instead taking her daughter's hand and exiting the room, leaving the medical staff to their duties.

As they walked away, their only wish was that Jeri and her innocent child would not survive the surgery.

As soon as they found themselves in the hallway, they spotted an average height man who was coming their direction.

"Where is she? Where is my daughter?"! The young man in his mid-forties inquired repeatedly as he gestured towards the two women standing at a distance, their gazes fixed on him as he approached.

His expression was filled with grief, causing Aysel and her mother to tremble.

"Where is Jeri?" Mr. Hemsworth asked, hoarsely, for the final time.

His wife, Margaret, who was standing with a cold expression, lowered her gaze and stammered, "She...she is in the operation room."

"The operation room, you said?" he frowned." Why? And how is that possible?"

"Well, if you ask me, I would say he is in the best position to answer your question," Aysel cut in, pointing to a harried doctor who stomped out of the operating room.

Mr. Hemsworth, Margaret, and Aysel could tell something was seriously wrong because there was no trace of happiness in the doctor's face.

They stood still, their brows furrowed, anticipating the news Dr. Eric would bring them.

"How is my daughter's health?" Mr. Hemsworth quickly inquired before Dr. Eric could reach where they were standing.

"And... who are you?"

"He is my husband, Jeri's father," Margaret cut in as she stood behind her husband, and Mr. Hemsworth nodded in agreement.

"Well," Dr. Eric sighed. "The baby is fine."

Mr. Hemsworth felt a wave of relief as soon as Dr. Eric's words echoed in his ears. Unfortunately, the news disappointed both his wife and adopted daughter. They expected sad news about Jeri, not this.

"But the young woman is in trouble, and it's critical," he explained gravely, shattering Mr. Hemsworth's hope. "Your daughter has a postpartum hemorrhage. Her survival depends on a blood transfusion. However, the blood bank is empty and there are no donors available. We might lose her if she does not receive the blood transfusion within the next few hours."

"What!" Jeri's father let out a gasp as his expression changed. He was finding it challenging to believe his ears. " What are you talking about, doctor?"

On the contrary, his wife and adopted daughter were overjoyed, hoping that no one would intervene to save Jeri's life. They now saw Jeri's hospitalization as proof that God had granted their request for Jeri's demise.

"I apologize, sir. It is not our fault she is in this situation. What we should be discussing right now is how to get the blood. Any further explanation will be provided to you later."

Without showing any signs of humor, Mr. Hemsworth declared, "I will donate my blood!"

Margaret and Aysel were disappointed the moment his words rang in their ears. The fact that Mr. Hemsworth had to give his blood to save Jeri shows them just how much he loves her.

Dr. Eric nodded and announced,"

Please follow me, sir. We need to do this as swiftly as we can if we truly want to save her life."

After the two men vanished from the hallway, the two women stood there, stunned, unsure what would happen next.

After donating his blood, Mr. Hemsworth returned to the corridor, where his wife and adopted daughter were.

However, he had barely returned to the corridor when Dr. Eric arrived with the blood test results.

"Sir," Dr. Eric called out.

"Is she doing okay now?" Mr. Hemsworth eagerly inquired, anticipating good news.

"No," Dr. Eric shook his head, keeping a sad expression. "I am sorry to inform you that your blood type does not match that of your daughter. This shows that you're not her biological father."

"Huh?" Mr. Hemsworth's eyes widened in astonishment. " You're kidding, right?"

"No, sir. I'm not. Here's the blood test result," Dr. Eric responded, holding out a piece of paper for Mr. Hemsworth to take.

Even though he was having trouble believing what Dr. Eric was saying, he could still see the sincerity in the doctor's gaze.

He never believed that his ex-wife would cheat on him to the extent of getting pregnant with another man when he's still alive.

Sad...!

When Dr. Eric realized how difficult it was for Mr. Hemsworth to accept the sad news, he pressed on and explained. "Well, this should not come as a surprise, in my opinion. A man can believe he is the father of a child when he is not, and this could happen for various reasons. And most of this likely happened to the first child of the family. You can, however, save her life by inviting her mother over to help donate her blood, as I have learned that you are both divorced."

When Mr. Hemsworth heard this, his entire world crumbled. He felt betrayed and heartbroken, and he hated Jeri instantly, despite her innocence.

Upon realizing how he was slowly growing hatreds towards Jeri, Aysel and her mother were overjoyed. At last, their wish has been granted for the last time.

Of course, they knew so well that Jeri doesn't have anyone who would help her in that situation except for her father who just found out the truth about his position in Jeri's life.

Will Mr. Hemsworth proceeds to help Jeri despite discovering that she is not his biological child, or will he abandon her in the hospital?

"I need to speak with my daughter," Mr. Hemsworth told Dr. Eric, clenching his fist furiously.

The doctor nodded, turning around, and leading them into the operating room without giving a second thought.

They found themselves staring at Jeri, who was lying in a pool of her blood on the sick bed.

When Mr. Hemsworth's gaze fell on Jeri, whom he had been claiming for years as his biological daughter when she was not, he cursed the day he married his ex-wife.

"Sir, she is gradually dying. We must act quickly to prevent her death, which would not only be tragic for the family but also for her defenseless newborn child." The father of the patient was notified by one of the nurses who was with Jeri.

Suppressing his tears, Mr. Hemsworth dragged his legs to the sick bed where Jeri was lying, his anger boiling inside of him.

As her father approached her, she assumed her father was sad because of her condition, unaware that it was something more heartbreaking than what she was going through.

Jeri could not hold back her tears, so she let them flow down her cheeks and onto the bed.

When Mr. Hemsworth arrived at the sick bed, his attention was drawn to a small, adorable baby boy lying in a crib beside the bed, wrapped in a towel. The innocent baby slept soundly, unaware of the pain his existence had caused his mother.

Mr. Hemsworth stared at the baby who was supposed to be his first grandchild while he pondered a few things.

Aysel and her mother also arrived and cast jealous glances at the infant.

After being satisfied, he averted his gaze away from the infant to his mother. He faked a smile and took Jeri's hands.

"I'm glad that you're here to save me, Father," Jeri mumbled amidst tears.

"Jeri," he called out, his voice breaking. " I know you're going through pain presently, and this is the time you need me the most, but I have failed you. I can't help you, Jeri."

Immediately his words rang in her ears, her eyes widened in shock. No! Her father is kidding, right? Perhaps it was a prank.

"What...what do you mean?" she inquired, her voice trembling. " I don't understand what you're talking about, father. You mean you would rather stand and watch your only beloved daughter die, huh? Why do you want to do this to me now, father?"

"I'm not your biological father, Jeri," he snapped with a pale face.

The half dead lady was dumbfounded for a while as she tried to digest her father's words.

"You're not my father?" Jeri asked, her voice hollow. " If you're not my father, then who?"

Her father hesitated, his face pained. " I don't know. The only person who can answer this question is your mother and not me."

All Jeri could think about was the fact that the man she had called her father her whole life wasn't really her father at all.

Mr. Hemsworth chuckled, let go of Jeri's hand, and stood up from the bed. Although Jeri grasped his hands tightly so that he wouldn't leave her, he forcefully took his hand off her grip.

With anger written all over his face, he let out."Occasionally, I feel what I did to your mom wasn't right. But now that I have found out the truth, then I have no regrets for divorcing her. At least, I was right."

Judging from her father's words, Jeri could clearly see that her father was eager to disown her because he felt cheated and betrayed by his ex-wife.

"No, father. Don't do this to me, please. You're my only hope. Who should I run to if you leave me?" Jeri wept bitterly as she extended her hand, trying to reach her father, but he stepped back and created a great distance away from her.

"Indeed, God gave a child to the wrong person." Margaret hissed and rolled her eyes. " The only person I sympathize with right now is the little, innocent infant who has no clue how shameless his mother is."

While all these were going on, the medical personnel felt it was a family issue, and an outsider wasn't supposed to involve himself when he wasn't invited, so they played mute.

"I know this will be painful to you, but it isn't my fault that things turn out to be what they're now," her father finally began to speak after playing mute for a while. " With pain in my heart, I bid you farewell until we meet again, Jeri."

Mr. Hemsworth expressed his opinion and then strode out of the room, leaving poor Jeri broken-hearted and not waiting for her to say another word.

The doctors were taken aback by this and unsure of what action to take. They were unable to approach Mr. Hemsworth. No! Not after seeing how furious he was.

Jeri, on the flip side, was left devastated, as tears streamed down her cheeks. She would not have believed it if someone had ever told her that the man she was claiming to be her father was not really her dad.

"Before I leave, I would like you to consider this warning," Margaret conversed with Jeri after her husband was out of sight. " Never should you attempt to approach my husband for help. We no longer have anything to do with you, Jeri. You are nothing more than trash and a prostitute who was abandoned by her mother. You're such a disgrace to humanity!"

"Look, woman, I have no idea what has been going on in your family, nor do I want to know, but to be honest with you, this is unfair. She is already in pain, and you are supposed to give her hope rather than cause her more pain," Dr. Eric told Margaret, sympathizing with poor Jeri, who was on the verge of death.

Rather than responding to Dr. Eric, Margaret hissed, took her adopted daughter's hand, and exited the hospital, leaving Jeri all to herself.

Dr. Eric chuckled with his hands akimbo, unsure about what to do.

Minutes later, Dr. Eric exited the room without saying anything to his colleagues, or to Jeri.

Just then, the hospital administrator entered the room, clutching a book to her chest. She approached Jeri and, without wasting a moment, announced to the half-dead patient.

"Ma'am, your hospital bills are unpaid, and you do not have health insurance to continue your treatment. Therefore, we must ask you to leave your room within the next hour," the emotionless administrator stated.

Jeri tried to appeal to the hospital for a payment plan, but they were unsympathetic.

"Oh heaven, why do you have to make things difficult for me? What did I do wrong to deserve this?"Jeri let out a cry when she realized there was no more hope for survival

The administrator handed her a manila envelope containing her discharge papers and asked her to sign them. Jeri signed the forms with shaky hands, sobbing bitterly throughout.

"Ma'am, you should at least consider my condition and allow me to stay here for a few days until I can regain my strength. I do not have anywhere to go right now." Jeri laments.

"You should have considered this before you became pregnant," the administrator responded coldly, glaring at Jeri.

Jeri felt embarrassed by the woman's words. If she had known how the pregnancy came about, she wouldn't have made such a statement.

When Jeri finally signed the form, the nurses helped her get off the bed, and cleaned her up.

Jeri dragged her legs as she walks out of the hospital, wondering how she and her child would survive. She ignored her pain, even though it was still present. Her top priority was to get her child to a safe location.

As fate has it, she was greeted with an uncertain future shortly after leaving the hospital, leaving her and her newborn out in the cold on a dark and stormy night.

Her baby was sleeping soundly in her arms, nestled beneath the small blanket she had brought with her to the hospital.

The sky opened, alerting Jeri to the impending rain as she dragged her legs through the streets searching for a place to rest and relieve her agonizing suffering.

A raging downpour started before Jeri could raise her gaze to survey the sky, leaving her helpless in the dark.

Who will come to her aid?