Unwanted Baby

"Oh my God, Vanessa! You're pregnant?"

The shout came from a woman who had just opened a bathroom stall, where another woman was inside changing her clothes.

The woman in the stall jolted in shock when her friend suddenly swung the door open without warning.

"Angel!" she reflexively screamed in surprise, quickly covering her stomach that had been exposed after she had just taken off her clothes to change into another outfit.

"Be honest with me! Are you pregnant, Vanessa? Have you been hiding your pregnancy this whole time?" The questions came from the woman called Angel. She asked with an intimidating, pressuring stare, forcing the other woman to answer.

The woman standing in front of Angel-Vanessa-was flustered. "Angel," she whispered softly, her voice trembling, her eyes filled with tears, as if she wasn't denying Angel's question.

"It's true? You're pregnant? No wonder you've been wearing oversized clothes all this time-so this is the reason?" Angel continued with pointed questions that stabbed straight at Vanessa.

"Who is the father of the baby you're carrying, Vanessa? Who got you pregnant? I never imagined that you-the one I always thought was innocent-would end up sleeping with a man without a proper relationship recognized by religion," Angel kept going, rambling non-stop and not giving Vanessa the slightest chance to explain. Her eyes showed disappointment, and she even looked at Vanessa with a hint of disgust.

"I'm disappointed in you, Vanessa." After saying that, Angel walked out and moved to another bathroom stall to change into her work uniform.

Vanessa stood frozen, tears already falling from the corners of her eyes. She was hurt, her mind replaying her friend's harsh words.

"No matter how hard I try to hide my pregnancy, it was bound to come out eventually," Vanessa cried silently in her heart inside the stall. She could hear voices outside-several other female coworkers talking-and she heard her name mentioned among them.

As Vanessa stepped out of the bathroom stall, the voices gossiping about her echoed back and forth without any hesitation, even though they clearly saw she was standing right there.

"I never thought she'd end up pregnant out of wedlock."

"Yeah, I always thought she was such an innocent woman."

"I'm her friend and even I didn't expect this-let alone any of you."

"I'm sure the guy who got her pregnant isn't taking responsibility. That's why she's still working here and hiding her pregnancy."

"What if the boss finds out? She'll probably get fired soon."

*'What if I get fired, dear God?'* Vanessa thought anxiously after hearing the last comment from one of her coworkers. She was terrified that if it really happened, she'd struggle all over again to find another job.

"Haha, I thought she was innocent. Turns out she's no different from the sluts around here."

Vanessa lowered her head and walked past the group of women-her coworkers-without daring to utter a word. Even her closest friend at work joined in insulting her.

Yet among Vanessa's coworkers, some had slept with other men while working-since their job was at a nightclub as waitresses, just waitresses and nothing more. But it wasn't uncommon for some to willingly entertain men for extra money.

Because the nightclub strictly prohibited employees from being pregnant, Vanessa hid her pregnancy out of fear of being fired.

*'Oh God, how did things become like this?'* Vanessa's steps halted in the kitchen area, her face soaked in tears.

She had never imagined the consequences of her pregnancy being exposed would be this severe. Vanessa didn't think she could endure the mockery she would receive today and in the days to come from the very friends who had once been close to her.

"God, please... I just hope this ends soon," Vanessa muttered as she wiped her tears harshly, knowing she had to start her shift soon.

****

Later that afternoon, Vanessa walked into the office of a well-known company in New York City. She made her way to the receptionist while holding a small slip of paper, like a business card.

"Excuse me, may I see Mr. Alberto Vincent?" Vanessa said the name while keeping her eyes fixed on the paper in her hand, as if she were reading from it.

"Do you have an appointment with Mr. Albert?" the receptionist asked. Vanessa shook her head.

"But I have something very important to tell Mr. Albert," Vanessa replied, trying to look pitiful so the woman in front of her would quickly lead her to Albert's office.

In short, Vanessa tried persuading the receptionist with various excuses.

'I have to meet him and make him take responsibility!' Vanessa told herself with firm determination.

"All right, I'll take you to Mr. Albert's office if you truly have something important to discuss with him."

Vanessa immediately smiled brightly. Soon, she would meet the man she believed to be the biological father of the baby she was carrying.

A short while later, Vanessa arrived in front of the private office belonging to the owner of the company, Alberto Vincent-the man suspected of impregnating her.

After four long months, Vanessa had finally gathered the courage to approach the man who had unintentionally assaulted her at the nightclub where she worked.

"Excuse me, I'll leave you here."

Vanessa nodded and smiled at the receptionist who had escorted her. "Thank you, Miss."

She let out a slow breath after the receptionist walked away. She was ready to demand responsibility from the man who had gotten her pregnant, but Vanessa felt overwhelmingly nervous.

*'Calm down, Vanessa. This is for the baby inside you,'* she reminded herself, trying to gather the courage to face the CEO of a well-known company.

Her hand lifted to knock on the office door-hesitant, but she did it anyway.

*'I hope this is the right decision,'* she prayed. After four months of holding herself back from searching for the man who got her pregnant, she was only doing this now because she could no longer endure the insults she faced at work.

Vanessa had learned his identity from a business card she found on the bed when she woke up in one of the nightclub rooms. Alberto Vincent-only then did she discover he was wealthy and the CEO of his own company.

"Come in!"

Vanessa heard the man's voice from inside. She inhaled deeply once more before turning the door handle and stepping into the room.

Her emotions swirled chaotically when she saw what was immediately presented to her upon opening the CEO's office door-especially when she heard the voice of a small child and an adult woman inside.

"Mommy, Daddy is mean!"

The words came from a little boy standing between a man and a woman.

"Albert! Let him hug me!" the woman insisted as the little boy clung tightly to her.

"Haha, I was just kidding, honey."

And that last line came from the adult man - Albert.

"Look, go greet your guest first, Albert," the woman said, still holding the little boy who stood between her and Albert. She had noticed Vanessa's presence.

Hearing the entire exchange, Vanessa froze.

*Mommy? Daddy? Looks like I was wrong... so he already has a family,* she thought with a bitter laugh inside.

*You're such a fool, Vanessa! I should just leave now,* she scolded herself, immediately changing her plan.

"Ahem, please, have a seat. Go ahead and introduce yourself and explain why you wanted to see me," Albert said in a firm and authoritative voice. The man acted as if he didn't recognize Vanessa at all.

Feeling awkward, Vanessa glanced at the woman she assumed was Albert's wife and the little boy she assumed was his child. "I'm sorry, sir, but I think I've changed my mind about why I came here. Um... I'll excuse myself now," she said, sounding nervous for no clear reason.

After saying that, Vanessa bowed slightly and hurried out of the CEO's office. Her sudden departure left both Albert and the woman - his wife, Bianca - full of questions.

"Who was she, Albert? That was really strange," Bianca said, her eyebrows knitting together in confusion.

Albert shrugged, his expression just as puzzled as hers. "I have no idea, honey. It was the first time I've ever seen her," he replied. Whether he was telling the truth or simply pretending not to know Vanessa, no one could tell.

Meanwhile, outside the building, Vanessa harshly wiped away her tears. "He looked at me like I was a stranger... Was he pretending, or did he really forget about me?" she whispered, her voice trembling as fresh tears streamed down her cheeks.

****

"Vanessa!"

Vanessa had just stepped out of a taxi in front of her house when someone called her name, startling her.

"Bella," she whispered after recognizing the voice.

"Vanessa! I want an explanation from you. I really hope what Angel told me was just a misunderstanding," said Bella as she hurried toward Vanessa - even though Vanessa was still standing right outside her front gate.

Vanessa's hands tightened on the sides of her own pants, and she briefly looked away. "What is it, Bella? About my pregnancy?" she asked weakly. She had already accepted the possibility that her best friend would soon distance herself, just like everyone else.

"Yes. Tell me everything Angel said was just a misunderstanding, Vanessa!" Bella demanded as she gripped both of Vanessa's shoulders.

Vanessa gave a bitter smile, her eyes filled with sadness as she prepared to tell the truth she could no longer hide. "It's all true, Bella. What Angel told you is true. I'm pregnant out of wedlock, and everything-"

"So it's true? All of it is true? I never thought you would do something like this, Vanessa." Before Vanessa could finish, Bella cut her off, disappointment heavy in her voice.

Bella's eyes made it clear-she was deeply disappointed in her friend.

"Bella, I can explain everything. Not everything Angel said is true," Vanessa insisted, thinking that Angel might have exaggerated what she told Bella.

"I'm disappointed in you, Vanessa!" Without giving Vanessa a chance to explain, Bella walked away.

Vanessa let out a rough sigh as she watched Bella head toward her house - which stood right next to Vanessa's. They really had been neighbors and best friends since childhood.

"And yes... in the end, my fear came true," Vanessa whispered, her eyes already welling up again despite the fact she had silently cried the whole taxi ride home.

She slowly walked into her house, her face once again wet with tears. Her body felt weak, worn down by the weight she was carrying.

"I'm sorry, baby..." Vanessa whispered softly as her hand caressed her slightly rounded belly.

She sat down on the old chair in her living room. Quiet and empty - that was the atmosphere of the house, as Vanessa was its only occupant.

"I'm sorry Mommy couldn't make your daddy acknowledge you," she murmured again, still stroking her belly gently.

There was a reason why Vanessa chose to keep her baby even without acknowledgment from the biological father. She couldn't bring herself to end the pregnancy, even though she was furious at herself for being so careless that night - careless enough to be assaulted by a man she didn't even know.

****

In a modest little house, a woman was having dinner alone with a variety of delicious dishes spread across the table.

"So full," the woman murmured, finishing her dinner with a smile decorating her face. She looked genuinely happy, as if her mood was especially bright that night.

Without bothering to clean up the food on the table, the woman walked away from the dining room just like that.

"Haha, soon that slut will finally get fired, and I'm so satisfied seeing everyone at work trash her," the woman said with a smug laugh as she stepped onto her bedroom balcony.

She took out a pack of cigarettes, lit one, and inhaled calmly and leisurely. Yet the sly smile on her face never faded.

"Feel the suffering, Vanessa. I'm sick of that fake innocent face of yours. In the end, you'll turn into a slut just like the others," she continued before another round of laughter filled the balcony.

- (paragraph repeated in original, condensed here but meaning kept the same) -

Drrrtt.

Her laughter stopped the moment she heard her phone buzzing on the table in front of her.

A bright smile spread across her face when she saw the caller ID. "Time for my side job. I can't wait to shop to my heart's content after this," she muttered before answering the call.

"Hello, Mr. Gerald, how are you?"

"Tonight? Of course I can, sir. I'll head over right away," she said before ending the call.

She stubbed out the half-burned cigarette, smirked at her phone, then left the balcony.

"Because you broke the rules I set, I'm forced to fire you, Vanessa, even though your performance has been very good in my eyes," said the man now standing in front of Vanessa, his voice firm.

Vanessa could only lower her head in defeat as she listened to what her boss said. She even held back her tears so they wouldn't fall in front of the person she respected as her boss.

"Can't I work here for just a few more months, sir?" Even though Vanessa was hesitant, she still tried asking for a little more time before being fired.

"Sorry, absolutely not, Vanessa! Once you break the rules, you have to be fired immediately! If I had known you were pregnant from the beginning, I probably would've fired you back then," her boss replied firmly again.

Hearing that, Vanessa stared down sadly, her shoulders slumping. She tried her hardest not to cry before leaving.

"This is your last paycheck." Vanessa's boss handed her an envelope containing her final salary from the nightclub.

"Thank you, sir," Vanessa replied, completely resigned as she accepted the paycheck unwillingly.

"If that's all, I'll excuse myself," she added, unable to hold back her tears much longer.

Without realizing it, Vanessa had been overheard by several people nearby. She didn't notice any of them until she had already walked out of the club.

"Haha, didn't I tell you yesterday? That slut was definitely going to get fired, and now she really is."

"Finally, no more pretending to be innocent."

The short conversation came from two women who had been eavesdropping on the boss's conversation with Vanessa. They stayed hidden until she left.

On the other hand, Vanessa had just left the club on foot. She suddenly didn't feel like taking a taxi or any other public transportation after calculating how much money she had left in her bank account.

'What if I have trouble finding a job in my condition? Sooner or later my stomach will get bigger, and it'll be obvious that I'm pregnant,' Vanessa thought while lowering her head and gently rubbing her belly, which was already slightly showing even though she was wearing an oversized outfit.

'Please let me find a job soon, God,' she prayed silently, hoping good news would finally come her way.

Srrrip-

"Ahh!" Vanessa screamed reflexively when she realized someone from behind had suddenly yanked her sling bag off her with force.

Just moments ago she had been hoping for good news to come her way, but instead she was facing yet another problem-or rather, she already *had* a new problem.

"Thief! Hey! My bag! Help!" Vanessa shouted frantically, her mind blank. All she could think about was getting her sling bag back, especially since her final paycheck was inside it.

She immediately started running, though her speed was nothing compared to the masked man who had harshly stolen her bag.

"Help! Somebody help me! That man stole my bag!" Vanessa cried out, still trying to find someone who could help her get her sling bag back.

Unfortunately, luck wasn't on her side. The area around her was quiet, with only a few people around-and those few people didn't care at all about the trouble she was going through.

Vanessa felt like breaking down as the thief disappeared from sight, while she herself was growing too weak to keep running. Her stomach suddenly hurt, forcing her to stop at the side of the road, sweat pouring down her face, her eyes filled with tears ready to fall.

"My last paycheck..." Vanessa whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Are you all right, miss?" A man approached her after seeing her standing there with her head down.

Vanessa quickly looked up as if she had found a tiny glimmer of hope. "Sir, please help me," she said, straightening herself and pointing toward the direction the thief had run.

The man frowned, not understanding what she meant. "Help with what, miss?"

"Please chase the person who stole my bag and ran off that way," Vanessa replied with a hopeful expression. She still wished she could get her bag back even though it was nearly impossible-the thief who stole her sling bag was long gone.

"Which way did he go, miss? Is he already far?"

Vanessa pointed again in the direction the thief had escaped. "That way, sir. I think he's already pretty far," she answered, making the man in front of her let out a quiet sigh.

"I'm sorry, if he's already gone far, I can't help you. I'm actually in a rush for a work meeting. I truly apologize-excuse me." After saying that, the man politely walked away.

Vanessa broke down in tears right there. Her hope vanished, and her last paycheck was gone-taken by a thief. And her savings were barely enough to keep her going.

One by one, problems kept showing up in Vanessa's life ever since her pregnancy was discovered.

****

Vanessa had just woken up. Earlier that afternoon after returning home, she had cried her heart out until she cried herself to sleep without realizing it. Now she had woken up at night.

"Ughh... I have to be strong for the baby. No matter what, the baby is the only one I have now," she muttered as she got up from her bed, gently rubbing her belly.

Reality had slapped her hard-she truly was all alone now, with only the baby inside her. All her friends had abandoned her. In moments like this, Vanessa always remembered her parents, whom she loved dearly, and how they were no longer around.

"Ugh! Why can't these stupid tears stop!" Vanessa grumbled in frustration, wiping her tears roughly as she reached the kitchen.

Once again she clicked her tongue in annoyance when she saw the fridge completely empty-no food at all.

"Oh God... what kind of trial is this now..." she muttered helplessly, leaning her body against the fridge.

She had no choice but to buy some groceries with whatever little money she had left at the nearby convenience store.

A short while later, she had picked out a few cheap food items and was waiting to pay at the cashier. 'Patience... you have to be patient, Vanessa,' she told herself when she saw how long the line was. She was starving.

Thud!

"Ahhh," Vanessa winced when she suddenly fell to the floor after losing her balance-someone behind her had bumped into her, whether intentionally or not.

She grimaced in pain as she felt her stomach cramp.

"What are you doing? Can't you see she's pregnant?"

Vanessa heard a man's firm voice scolding the person behind her. She didn't see him-her focus was only on the painful cramp in her stomach.

Moments later, the man who had scolded the other person offered her his hand.

"Let me help you stand, miss."

Vanessa looked up at him, her eyes widening slightly, her small mouth parting a little when she saw his face.