James drove straight to the hotel. He was worried. The roads of Texas stretched before him, but he barely noticed the traffic or the red lights. All he could think about was Emily. Why was she in a hotel? Why didn’t she stay with her parents or friends? Why had she disappeared without a word? The diary told part of the truth, but James felt there was more. At last, he pulled up at the hotel she had mentioned. He rushed to the reception desk and asked for her room number. The receptionist gave it, and he ran to the elevator, his heart pressing against his chest with fear. When he reached her door, he knocked. No answer. He knocked again, louder this time. Still silence. Something was wrong. He turned the handle. To his surprise, the door was unlocked. Slowly, he pushed it open, and the sight before him almost froze his blood. Emily was lying on the floor, motionless. Around her were bottles—empty bottles of alcohol, scattered everywhere. The air was filled with the sour smell of drink. ...
The morning light streamed through the curtains when Lily slowly opened her eyes. She yawned softly, expecting to see Dr. John smiling at her. Instead, she found him sitting at the edge of the bed, his face calm but firm. “Lily,” he began in a steady voice, “I know you are pregnant.” The words landed heavily in the quiet room. Lily blinked several times, as if trying to shake off what she just heard. “That’s not true, John. Why would you say such a thing?” she asked, her voice low but slightly trembling.
John did not raise his voice. “Lily, you can deny it all you want, but I already know. Last night, after you went to the bathroom, I collected your urine without you knowing. I tested it myself. Here is the result.” He reached into the drawer beside him and pulled out the small strip. The faint pink lines stared up at her, clear and undeniable. Lily froze, her lips parting slightly. She had not expected him to have proof. Her hands fell to her lap, and her heart began to beat fast.
After a long pause, Lily let out a slow sigh. “Alright, John. You are right. I am pregnant,” she admitted, her eyes fixed on the floor. “It’s not yours. I got pregnant for my boyfriend. I was afraid because he is poor, so I wanted to make you believe it was yours. That’s why I’ve been trying so hard to get you to sleep with me.” Her voice cracked slightly as she spoke. She could not meet his eyes. John sat very still, absorbing each word in silence.
John finally spoke with a calm voice that carried the weight of disappointment. “So all this time, Lily, it was a lie? You wanted to make me raise another man’s child without my knowledge? Do you know what that means? Marriage is built on truth, not on deceit. There is no way we can go ahead with our wedding as planned. I cannot marry someone who would hide something this important from me.” He shook his head slowly. The sadness in his eyes was deeper than any anger could show.
Lily’s voice grew softer as she tried to explain. “John, you don’t understand. My boyfriend… he is poor. He can barely take care of himself, let alone me or a baby. I didn’t want to live a life of struggle. I thought marrying you would give me and my baby a better future.” Her words came out almost like a plea. She wanted him to understand her reasoning, though she knew deep down it was wrong. Her fingers twisted together nervously as she waited for his reply.
“Lily, let me tell you something you might not have heard before. You should never leave a man simply because he is poor today. Life changes. People grow. A man’s present situation is not always his final one. If he truly loves you and treats you with kindness and respect, that is worth more than all the money in the world. Wealth without love becomes empty quickly. Do not throw away a good heart for the sake of comfort.” He said.
“I’ve already broken his heart, John. I ignored his calls. I never replied to his messages. I made him feel worthless. How can I go back to him now and ask for forgiveness? He will hate me. I wouldn’t even know where to begin.” Her words were heavy with regret. She could see in her mind all the times Mekus had tried to reach her, only for her to push him away. The weight of what she had done was too heavy.
“You start by admitting you were wrong. You go to him with humility. You tell him the truth, without excuses. It will not be easy, but it will be the right thing. Money is not everything, Lily. If this man loved you, and you loved him once, then he deserves at least your honesty. Even if he cannot forgive you right away, you will know you did the right thing. That alone will bring you peace in time.” John said.
“You’re right, John,” she said quietly. “I need to face what I’ve done and try to fix it. I came here thinking I was securing my future, but all I did was destroy the trust of someone who truly cared for me. I will go and see him. I don’t know what will happen, but I’ll go.” She stood up and began to gather her things. The room was quiet except for the soft sound of her packing.
When she finished, she turned to him. “I’m sorry, John,” she said in a low voice. “For everything.” He gave a small nod, but said nothing more. Lily walked slowly to the door, shamefully. As she stepped outside, the cool morning air met her face. She knew she had lost John completely, and perhaps Mekus too. But she also knew she had to try. With a deep breath, she walked away from the house, carrying both the weight of her mistake and the hope of making it right.
Nice episode
ReplyDeleteThank you
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