The Billionaire's Enigma

Lena's Pov

"You are what?" my father asked, not sure of what he heard.

"I am ...."

I started to say before I was interrupted by a stinging slap that landed across my face. I stumbled backward, rubbing my cheek as tears welled in my eyes from the pain.

"Lena, what in the name of God have I done to deserve this, what!?" my father asked, half yelling and I could feel the anger boiling up inside him.

"Why did you score me like this, why!?"

"Answer me," he yelled in anger, making me flinch in fear.

I stood frozen to the spot, not daring to look up. I wished the ground would open up and swallow me whole this instant. I felt immense shame and couldn't find a word to respond to my father, who was demanding for one at the moment.

"Can't you hear your father? Answer the goddamn question!" my stepmother chimed in from where she was seated.

"I... I..." I stammered between my tears, not knowing what to say.

"Ever since your mother died, haven't I tried my best to make sure you are happy and comfortable? Is this what I get after all this?!" my father asked, with a mixture of pain in his voice.

"No, Daddy, you haven't," my mouth protested against my wish. I don't know where the courage came from, but I spoke, not caring about my present state.

"No, I haven't?" he asked, quiet surprise.

"Yes, Daddy, you haven't," I began, affirming my words.

"Ever since my mother died and you married this woman, you've neglected me. It got worse when she gave birth to a son. You no longer cared for me nor gave me the attention or love a father is supposed to give his daughter."

"Wow, really?" he asked.

"Yes, and that was what drove me to look for it elsewhere. I found it, and it led to this," I said, staring at his face, pointing down to my stomach and wiping my tears with the back of my left hand.

Before I could catch my breath or register what was happening around me, a slap from my stepmother landed across my face.

The pain I felt and the sound of it knocked me straight to the ground. I gazed up at her enraged face, rubbing my cheek as the tears flowed freely down my face.

"How dare you speak to your father in that tone? How disrespectful!" she poured out angrily, ready to pounce on me if I said anything bad again.

"Now you blame your father for your mistake?" she asked, pretending to be a senseable person.

I stood up from the ground and wiped my tears instantly. I stared at her, wondering what gave her the right to slap me in the first place.

"And was I talking to you?!" I asked her in annoyance, raising my voice a bit.

"What did you just say to me?" she asked as she came closer to me.

I stood still, not moving an inch from where I was, and repeated what I had said earlier, of course questioning her authority.

"Why are you acting all concerned all of a sudden? Why!?" I asked, gazing at her with a disgusted expression, refusing to back down.

"You and I know that what I am saying is the truth. You've estranged me from my father and reduced me to a maid in my own father's home, you wicked soul. You are the cause of all this!" I declared, standing my ground and leaving her speechless.

"You have no ......"

My father intervened, interrupting my outburst. "Enough, Lena!" he reprimanded. "Go pack your things and leave. I can't tolerate your behaviour, let alone the child you're carrying," he said, facing away from me.

"Daddy, you ....."

Before I could complete my response, my father reiterated his decision. "You heard me, Lena. I won't repeat myself, and don't ever step your feet in this premises again," he stated as he walked away, ignoring my pleas.

I tried to follow him, but my stepmother held me back, taunting me, "You heard him, right?" with a sinister smirk.

"You must be very happy now, are you not?" I asked her, staring straight into her eyes, fighting back my tears.

"Why should I be when you are still breathing real good?" she replied, narrowing her eyes at me.

"Furthermore, you shouldn't be worried about my present emotions but should be concerned about where you are going to lay your head tonight and beyond," she finished, smirking devilishly at me.

She was right, though. I shouldn't be worried about her or her emotions at the moment, and begging my father to allow me to stay one more time is an absolute waste of time. I stared at her for some time before finally giving her a reply.

"You will regret all of this," I said before going to pack my things and leave in tears and confusion.

I stood at a corner in the empty street, calling my best friend for the seventh time, but she still did not pick up.

After some time, I finally decided to call my boyfriend-Gideon, who didn't pick up either. After contemplating and concluding for a while, I decided to go to my boyfriend's place because it was past nine already at night, and the cold out here is killing me.

With the last money I had, I took a cab off to his place. As the cab got closer to my destination, I began to panic, lost in my own thoughts.

"How am I going to explain to Gideon that I am two months pregnant ? How will he take the news? What if he denys it, how will I go from there? My life is in a mess already. What if he is not even at home? What if he chases me out like my father..oh lord please ........"

"Ma'am, we are here," the cab man announced, drawing me out from my thoughts.