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.