A Lie Born in the Hawthorne House

Despair washed over me like a tidal wave. I took a deep breath, my face set with determination.

"Then I'll get an abortion," I stated, my voice devoid of emotion.

"No!" Brynden immediately rejected the idea, his voice laced with anger and accusation. "Don't be so selfish. Jennifer and her child are innocent. Why would you resort to harming a life just to get back at me?"

"But my child and I are innocent too! Have you ever thought about the kind of life he'll face? Being called a bastard? Being trampled on by Jennifer's child?"

"I'll handle it. How many times do I have to say it? Amelia, you always find a way to disappoint me." With that, Brynden slammed the door and stormed out.

The next day, I woke up to find a dozen bodyguards stationed around the apartment.

Brynden called it "protecting a pregnant woman," but it was house arrest. My phone and laptop were gone, and the landline had been disconnected. My connection to the outside world was completely severed.

He was afraid I would get an abortion.

I was trapped, locked in this gilded cage until my belly began to show, until I was past the three-month mark, when an abortion would be riskier.

That day, there was a commotion downstairs. Jennifer and her parents had arrived with a moving company.

The moment Brenda saw me, she shot me a look of disdain. "The nerve of you, still hanging around while carrying a child of questionable origin. Utterly classless."

"Jennifer is just too kind. If it were me, I would have kicked you out long ago," Roger added. He turned to me, his eyes filled with contempt.

"That's enough. Don't waste your breath on a shameless woman like her. Go help Jennifer settle in."

The Vaughn family prided themselves on their righteousness and strict moral standards. But now, the whole family was helping their daughter become another man's mistress. It was laughable.

Meanwhile, movers were carrying luggage upstairs, bag after bag.

Jennifer hovered near me, a triumphant sneer on her face. "So what if you're Brynden's wife? It's just an empty title. You and that bastard in your belly are nothing compared to me. Soon, it will just be me, Brynden, and our child here. We'll be a real family of three."

A red haze of fury descended. I grabbed a glass of water from the table and threw it hard in her face.

But even that wasn't enough. I grabbed her by the hair, yanked hard, and slapped her across the face.

Jennifer shrieked in pain until Brynden rushed in and shoved me away. I stumbled and hit the wall, a dull ache spreading through my abdomen.

Brenda raised her hand and slapped me hard. "Brynden, this madwoman dared to hit Jennifer! If you don't throw her out, I'm taking Jennifer home. And then, the Hawthorne family won't have a legitimate heir!"

Jennifer looked up, flashing me a victorious smile.

However, Brynden didn't do as Brenda demanded. He let go of Jennifer and strode toward me.

"Amelia is my wife. I won't have her leave. Jennifer can live here too, but I don't want to hear that kind of talk again. They are both my children. They are equally important to me," he said.

Brynden didn't abandon me, but he didn't defend me either. He simply stood by and let them humiliate me.

For Jennifer's "peace of mind," Brynden wanted me to compromise.

And so, my sun-drenched master bedroom overlooking Central Park was taken away. I was forcibly moved to a shabby room in the basement.

"It's just a different place to sleep, to avoid conflict. You'll still have your meals on time and be taken care of," Brynden said.

I sat on the narrow bed, looking at the bare walls. In that moment, any love I had left for him died.

I had made my decision. I had to leave this place. I would never let my child be born into such a twisted environment.