Chapter 1

KIERA’S P.O.V

THREE SILENT KNOCKS awoke my attention in the living room, jolting me back to reality. I raced up to open the door and see who had come to see me in the middle of the night.

"Yeeny?" I was taken aback by my friend's presence. What brings her here at this hour?

"Can I… c-can I stay?"

"S-sure!" I opened the door, perplexed. I let in my friend, and I just saw her again. I observed her stomach was bulging and she was difficult in her current state, so I escorted her to the sofa.

"T-thank you," she exhaled quickly.

I grinned and nodded. "How are you doing?" I quickly inquired as soon as I sat down.

I observed the sadness on her face and the tears that looked to be on their way to fall at any minute. "Here... I'm pregnant, and—"

Anxiously, I approached her and inquired as to what was causing her tears to spring up. Based on what I could see, she appeared to be having difficulty continuing, and with each drop of her tears, I could feel Yeeny's sorrow and wiped away the ample tears that had preceded the dripping.

"Kiera, can I really stay here?"

"Of course. Yeeny, you know you're always welcome in this house." I gave her a smile. I made her feel as if she could rely on me.

Yeeny and I have been buddies since we were children. We both grew up in orphanages, and after making the correct option and finishing our studies, we both ventured out into the turbulent realities of Manila.

"T-thank you again, Kiera," she murmured, her voice growling. "Please accept my apologies for arriving unannounced.".

“No Yeeny, don’t say that. I understand if we don’t see each other much anymore. You have a spouse-"

"I'm not married."

My lips trembled as a result of what my friend said. I assumed she was married and couldn't pay me a visit. I wanted to ask her, but I was waiting for her to say something.

"He didn't marry me," she admitted, her eyes welling up with sorrow.

I became perplexed at the time. As her best friend, I had conflicting emotions. Anger and pity. "Why did you agree? Who in their right mind would want to be that?"

"He has a lot of money. Their family is extremely affluent and—

"And we're just poor, so you agreed to get that man pregnant and then left you?" 'I can't help but yell. I'm filled with rage right now, and I want to slap the scumbag who got her pregnant. His face is very full!

"Her family weren't fond of me. When they discovered I was pregnant with their son, they were furious at me. They claimed that I was only interested in their family's money. ”

"What?" I exclaimed, standing up and rubbing my brow. It broke my heart to learn that this was what happened to my friend, who I regarded to be nearly a sister, had gone through. "What, he didn't even fight you?!?"

She wept and bowed her head. "Yeah...."

"That beast!" I said, taking her hand in mine. My friend's fate cannot be this! I am not going to let that happen. "All right, Yeen, let's go! Let us visit that man's family. They don't have the right to treat you this way! ”

Animals! I'd like to get rid of the man who made her pregnant. They can't do this to my friend!

"They're already in America, Kiera," she hurriedly grabbed my hand and pleaded to look at her.

I gazed at her, taken aback. Now I pity my friend. I sat down next to her again, then sighed. She didn't tell me about her current predicament when we last spoke. I don't blame her for concealing it from me either. We started looking for jobs as soon as we arrived in Manila, and after a while, we were transferred to the branches, where we rarely saw each other. She has also gotten more secretive with me, and the stories she shares are highly selective.

"Can you tell me what I can do to help you?"

"Take good care of my son, Kiera; I don't think I'll last long."

What she said made the corner of my eye warm, and it shook me "What exactly are you talking about? Don't say that," I slapped her palm jokingly. "Come to the kitchen, and I'll make you some milk," I said as I assisted her to her feet. I realize she is already dealing with her illness.

She gazed at me before drinking the milk I offered her. "You're a true friend, Kiera," she said as she drank it with a bitter smile on her lips.