Secrets, Anger, and Disappearances

The air in the house had been tense for days. Grace had been feeling off—nausea in the mornings, dizziness, and an unusual fatigue that she kept brushing off. She had bigger problems to deal with.

She had just lost her job.

Her boss had called her in that afternoon, his expression unreadable. "Grace, I'm sorry, but we have to let you go."

Grace blinked in shock. "What? Why?"

"Your performance has been… lacking lately. You seem distracted. Plus, you've been missing a lot of work."

Grace clenched her fists. "I had valid reasons."

"I know, but business is business. I'm sorry."

Just like that, she was unemployed.

She walked home in a daze, trying to figure out what to do next. As soon as she stepped into the house, she saw her mother, Juan, watching her closely.

"You're home early," Juan said, eyeing her daughter up and down.

"I got fired," Grace muttered, dropping her bag on the floor.

Juan didn't respond immediately. Instead, she frowned, stepping closer. "Grace, have you been feeling sick lately?"

Grace stiffened. "Why are you asking?"

Juan folded her arms. "Because I've been watching you. The dizziness, the mood swings, the way you hold your stomach sometimes… Grace, I think you might be pregnant."

The words hit Grace like a punch. Her heart pounded. "No… That's not possible."

Juan didn't argue. She simply gave her daughter a knowing look.

"When was the last time you…?"

Grace swallowed hard. She tried to remember, but panic clouded her thoughts. She grabbed her phone and quickly sent a message to her boyfriend, Xu Kai.

Grace: We need to talk. Now.

When Joseph and Lisa returned home that evening, they could tell something was wrong. Their mother was sitting stiffly on the couch, arms crossed, while Grace stood frozen, looking pale.

Lisa frowned. "What's going on?"

Juan turned to her son. "Felix isn't home yet?"

Joseph shook his head. "Not yet."

Just then, the front door slammed open. Felix stepped inside, looking irritated as always. But when he saw Grace, his expression darkened.

Juan hesitated before speaking. "Felix, I need you to stay calm."

"Why?" he asked coldly.

Juan took a deep breath. "Grace might be pregnant."

Silence.

Then—

"WHAT?!"

Felix's voice boomed through the house, making Lisa and Joseph flinch.

Grace took a step back. "I… I don't know yet, but—"

"Are you stupid, Grace?!" Felix exploded. His usual cold demeanor shattered into raw anger. "How could you let this happen? You're barely home, and when you are, you're always on the phone with that idiot Xu Kai. And now this?!"

Tears welled up in Grace's eyes. "Felix, please—"

"Don't 'please' me! You have no job, no plan, and now you're possibly carrying that loser's child?!"

Lisa had never seen Felix this furious before. Even Juan and Joseph were stunned into silence.

Grace sniffled, wiping her tears. "I didn't plan for this!"

"Of course, you didn't. You never think, do you?" Felix scoffed, shaking his head in disgust.

Grace couldn't take it anymore. Sobbing, she ran to her room and slammed the door shut.

Felix didn't say another word. He just grabbed his jacket and stormed out of the house.

He didn't come back that night. Or the next day. Or the day after that.

By the third day, Juan was pacing the living room, worry clear in her eyes.

"Where is he?" she muttered. "He's never disappeared like this before."

Joseph sat on the couch, his arms crossed. "He'll come back. He's just angry."

Lisa, however, wasn't so sure. Felix was stubborn. He could stay away for weeks if he wanted to.

"Should we call the police?" Lisa asked.

Juan shook her head. "No. He's not missing. He's just… avoiding us."

Grace hadn't left her room since that night. She hadn't even spoken to Xu Kai. She didn't need to—she already knew what his reaction would be.

Joseph sighed. "Should we call him?"

Lisa hesitated before pulling out her phone.

She had a bad feeling about this.