I thought I had mustered enough courage until I reached my doorstep.

As I stood at my doorstep, my hand trembled on the door handle. The thought of facing my mother and shattering her happiness was suffocating.

Her warm, melodious singing drifted from inside, a stark contrast to the heavy weight of my secrets.

I have always been her bright, capable daughter, but now I feel like a failure.

The news I bore would crush her, and I didn't know how to soften the blow. How could I possibly tell her that Mrs. Gomez, her dear friend and my former employer, had fired me due to my relationship with her son?

A relationship I know my mother wouldn't approve of given our current circumstances.

My mind raced with memories of our laughter, our late-night talks, and our unbreakable bond. How could I possibly disappoint her?

My eyes gazed down at the bracelet on my wrist, a symbol of the memories I shared with Daniel. In a fit of anger, I severed the bracelet, and surprisingly, a sense of liberation coursed through me. It was my way of bidding farewell to him… to the memories we shared.

He used to call me his 'little dosage of happiness.' But how could he betray the one he claimed to be his happiness?

I felt a deep anger course through my veins, my olive skin flushing with emotion.

I took a deep breath, the familiar scent of home filling my lungs. How did my life come to this - a tangled web of love, lies, and heartache?

My brown hair fell in loose waves down my back as I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. With another deep breath, I rang the doorbell, and my mother's concerned face appeared within minutes.

"Darla, you're back early... and drenched. What happened?" she asked, her smile faltering as she took in my tear-stained face.

I struggled to speak, my voice trembling like a leaf. "I... I got fired, mom," I finally managed to choke out, and the tears that I have been holding on to finally let loose.

My mother's expression softened, her eyes filling with pity. "Oh, darling... what happened?" she asked, her voice gentle.

"It's a long story," I replied, my voice still shaky.

She forced a reassuring smile. "Let's get you settled in, and then you can tell me all about it."

I managed a faint smile.

“Come in, dear. I baked your favorite.” The aroma of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies enveloped me as she led me inside. After a warm shower and a comforting meal, we settled on the couch, and I recounted my ordeal with the Gomez family.

My mother listened intently, her expression a mix of concern and disappointment. When I finished, she sighed deeply. "So, you're pregnant... with his child?" she asked, her voice laced with a hint of disapproval.

I know what she's probably thinking - 24, pregnant, with no stable job. What have I done with my life? I'm a mess. I wouldn't want to be me right now.

I nodded in response, my hand instinctively protective over my belly.

"And are you planning to keep it?" she asked gently.

"Yes, it's not up for discussion," I replied firmly. "And I won't be telling him either. He might not even care about the baby as much as I do. I know it may sound stupid considering our current situation but I want to keep this baby. I feel like it's going to bring us luck and happiness, something that we have lost for years."

My mother countered, "Darling, I'm not against you keeping the baby, but Daniel deserves to know, regardless of what happened."

I felt a surge of defiance, my eyes locking with hers. "I don't want him to have any claim on my child," I said, my voice firm.

My mother was about to speak when my phone shrilled in the tense silence. I answered, and a small smile crossed my face as I heard Nancy's voice.

But her urgent whisper quickly wiped it away. "Darla, run!" she whispered, her words laced with terror.

I put the call on speakerphone, my heart beginning to race, my mother's eyes locking onto mine.

"What's going on?" I asked, alarm rising.

"You need to get out of there, now! They're coming for you!" she stressed, my heart gnawing. I stood up abruptly, my mother following suit, her eyes wide with concern.

"Who?" I demanded, my voice trembling.

"Amaya and her mother. They found out you're pregnant and will stop at nothing to harm you and your baby. I overheard them planning to attack your family tonight, hiring assassins to kill you all." Nancy's words sent chills down my spine.

This can't be happening! Daniel wouldn't do this to me, would he?

I exchanged a terrified glance with my mother.

"Did Daniel put them up to this?" I asked, my voice surging with anxiety.

"Daniel… Daniel didn't..." Nancy tried to say, but the connection faltered, and her words were lost in static.

"Daniel didn't what?!" I yelled, frustration and fear boiling over.

I ran my hand through my hair, the lushness bringing me a sense of peace… even though it was small.

"Daniel... the baby... run!" were Nancy's final words before the call ended abruptly, leaving me and my mother staring at each other in horror.

"You have to leave now, Darla!" my mother urged, dragging me upstairs. I hadn't even had time to process the situation.

"Mom, wait!" I pleaded, but she wouldn't listen. "This might not be true. What if—" I tried to reason, but she cut me off.

"No! I don't care if it's true or not. I'm taking no chances with you and the baby. Do you understand me?" she said firmly, her eyes resolute.

"Yes, mom," I replied.

We quickly burst into my room, and she grabbed a small black bag from the top of my wardrobe. Her hands shook as she packed clothes hastily, her eyes fixed on me with a fierce determination.

"Where are we going, mom?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, my brows creased in worry.

"The other side of the country," she replied, her voice firm. "I have a friend who can help us escape - Mr. Leo. We'll be safe with him. He owes me a favor, and we just need to reach his ship..."

Is this really happening?

As she spoke, she packed the bag with a speed and efficiency that belied her fear. We hurried downstairs, the bag clutched in her hand like a lifeline. We were almost at the door when a loud bang stopped us in our tracks.

My mother's eyes locked onto mine, her face pale as she signalled for me to be quiet.

"Who's there?" she called out, her voice firm and commanding.

The silence was deafening. We froze, our senses on high alert, waiting for a response. But when none came, my mother's grip on the bag tightened, and she motioned for me to stay put.

“Mom, I -” I tried to speak, but the door was banged loudly again.

"Who's there?!" my mom shouted again.

"Delivery!" the person on the other side yelled back.

I exchanged a wary glance with my mom, and we both knew instinctively that something was off. We hadn't ordered anything, which could only mean one terrifying thing - the assassins had found us.