The price of betrayal

Crystal sat on the balcony of the grand Blake mansion, her eyes distant as she gazed at the sprawling gardens below. The luxury around her was suffocating, a cruel reminder of how little she belonged.

The whispers of scorn and judgment from Christian's family echoed in her mind. "Three years, and still no child?" Olivia, Christian's mother, had sneered just days ago during a family dinner. "What good is she to this family if she can't even fulfill her most basic duty?"

Her heart ached at the memory. The Blake family had never accepted her, not truly. They saw her as an outsider, an interloper who didn't deserve to carry their legacy. Even the maids gossiped about her when they thought she couldn't hear.

From the hallway below, faint voices drifted up.

"Poor Mrs. Blake," one maid murmured. "She tries so hard, but they treat her like she's invisible."

"That's what happens when you can't give the family an heir," another replied. "They'll never let her forget it."

Crystal clenched her hands into fists, forcing back the tears that threatened to spill. She wouldn't cry. Not now. Not for them.

Her phone buzzed on the side table, cutting through the bitter silence. Grateful for the distraction, she reached for it.

"Hello?" she said, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her.

"Mrs. Blake," the doctor's familiar voice greeted her. "This is Dr. Peterson. The results of the test you took last week are in. Could you come to the hospital at your earliest convenience? It's important."

Crystal's heart skipped a beat. The test-she had almost forgotten about it. For weeks, she had been plagued by nausea and weakness, but she had dismissed it as stress. Could it be something more?

"I'll be there right away," she replied, already rising to her feet.

Within the hour, she arrived at the hospital, her nerves tingling with anticipation. Dr. Peterson greeted her warmly and led her to his office.

"Mrs. Blake," he began, handing her a printout of the results. "Congratulations. You're pregnant-two weeks along."

The words hit her like a wave, sweeping away the pain and doubt that had consumed her for so long. Pregnant. She was going to be a mother. A child-her child and Christian's. Tears of joy filled her eyes as she clutched the report to her chest.

"This is the best news I've heard in years," she whispered, a smile breaking through her usually stoic expression.

Dr. Peterson excused himself to retrieve some additional files, leaving her alone to process the news.

Crystal pulled out her phone, her fingers trembling with excitement as she dialed Christian's number. It rang once, twice, three times then went to voicemail. She tried again, and again, but there was no answer. Undeterred, she typed out a message:

"I have something good to tell you. Please call me back."