Hours passed, Julia found herself in their humble home. Earlier, after calling her mother, they decided to meet up instead.
As soon as she opened their main door, a wave of warmth crashed over her. "Surprise!" her mother exclaimed, wrapping her in a cheerful hug, while Jonas beamed, pulling her close too.
"I cooked your favorite dishes!" her mother beamed, gesturing to the table filled with food. "We must celebrate this new chapter of your life! It seems like just yesterday you got married, and now a baby is on the way," the old woman said, gently patting Julia's flat stomach.
Tears stung her eyes, and she took a shaky breath, feeling overwhelmed. "Mom, you really don't have to do all this," she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. "You don't need to cook for me…"
"Nonsense! It's been so long since we've been together," her mother insisted, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "We are very happy that you're having a baby! I know you will be an amazing mother," she said confidently, causing Julia to hesitate.
Her? A good mother? The thought twisted in Julia's mind. She had always dreamed of being a good wife and mother, but this—the reality—felt so heavy. What should be joy was drowned in a sea of sadness.
Martha's eyes narrowed in concern. "Julia, are you alright? Is it the pregnancy?" she asked gently. "Let me help you. Come and sit on the couch for a bit," she urged, guiding her carefully.
Julia glanced at her brother, a plea in her gaze. "Jonas, can you help me to the couch?" she asked softly. Together, they carefully walked her to the sofa, support wrapped around her like a shield.
Weakened, the room spun around her. Breathing felt like a chore, and a weight settled on her chest. She knew it was from the burdens she carried, pressing down hard on her heart.
Gratitude flickered inside her for her mother's care, yet joy eluded her grasp like smoke slipping through her fingers. A cloud of darkness hung heavily in the air, overshadowing hope.
Turning to her younger brother, she mustered a small smile. "Jonas, can you go to your room for a little while? I need to talk to Mom alone," she asked, her voice were longing for privacy.
Nodding, Jonas stepped away quietly, leaving the two women together. Martha studied Julia intently. "Do you have a serious problem, sweetie?" she asked, sitting down on the sofa across from Julia.
Her mother's gentle question wrapped around her like a soft blanket. These were the soothing words she longed to hear from her husband or even her mother-in-law, but those words were absent. Tears streamed down her cheeks as if they had a mind of their own. She rubbed her eyes with her hands, trying to stop them, but they kept flowing, unstoppable.
Her mother's arms enveloped her tightly, a warm cocoon that promised safety. If only she could remain a child forever—innocent and carefree. If only the burdens of adulthood would lift. If only she could escape the sharp pain that lingered now.
Resting her heavy head on her mother's shoulder, she sobbed uncontrollably. "Mom… it hurts… it hurts so much!" she moaned, her heart aching with each word.
Martha felt lost, her heart breaking for her daughter. Confusion clouded her thoughts as she tried to understand the source of Julia's pain. "What happened, Julia? Please, tell me. Did you have a fight with your husband?"
The mention of her husband triggered fresh tears, her cries growing louder. "Mom… so many things happened in my life… and I don't know what to do anymore. I don't know what to think," she said, despair echoed in her voice.
Her mother nodded, empathy shining in her eyes. "Okay. Just tell me. I'm here to listen and offer help. Don't hesitate; open your heart to me," she encouraged warmly, ready to support her.
Julia hesitated and pulled away from the warm embrace, meeting her mother's gaze head-on. Anxiety bubbled within her as she braced for judgment. "Mom… I'm pregnant," she finally confessed, her heart racing.
Her mother's expression softened into a smile. "I know; you told me on the call that you're pregnant, right? Are you nervous about being a first-time mom?" she asked gently, her voice filled with understanding.
Julia shook her head slowly, feeling the weight of her worries. Her mother frowned, sensing something deeper. "Then what?" she probed, her eyes searching for answers.
Julia inhaled deeply, her heart racing. "V-Victor is not the father of my child," she stammered, her voice trembling.
Her mother's mouth fell open, eyes wide with disbelief. "W-Who?! W-Who is the father of your child...? A-Are you cheating on your husband?" she demanded, anger bubbling to the surface.
Julia quickly shook her head, panic rising in her chest. "Not in the way you think, Mom. I never cheated on my husband. I could never do that to him," she insisted firmly.
"W-What happened...? Is your husband infertile? Or did you undergo some kind of artificial insemination?" Her mother's eyes grew wider, her face a mask of shock as she stared at Julia.
If it weren't so serious, Julia might have laughed at her mother's expression, as if she were about to faint. "Mom… no. Both Victor and I are fine," she said, shaking her head to reassure her.
"How did you get pregnant then if he's not the father?! Explain to me, because my mind is racing," her mother pressed, frustration lacing her words.
Julia let out a defeated sigh, shoulders slumping. "Victor and I haven't consummated our marriage yet. Nothing has happened, Mom. The night of our wedding, our honeymoon, turned into chaos. Victor left me for his job. He said it was an emergency,"
Martha shook her head in disbelief, trying to process what Julia said. "It's been weeks since you married Victor. It should be a month by now! Nothing has happened between you? Impossible!"
Julia averted her gaze, shame washing over her. She knew her husband was disgusted by her, unable to even touch her. "Nothing, Mom. I'm telling the truth. And that night, after Victor left, his mom called me,"
A smirk crossed her mother's lips. "Ah, that mean mother-in-law of yours," she said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
Julia brushed off the comment and pressed on. "She needed my help, so I went to Saint Claire. The bus I was on was ambushed by syndicates; I was the target. A man helped me, and we were caught in a tough spot. They forced us to choose whether to assault me… or the man who helped me. I chose him. And then everything changed,"
Martha pressed her hands over her mouth, shock freezing her in place. Her eyes widened as disbelief washed over her. "And… you didn't even tell us what happened to you? Didn't your husband say anything?"
"Victor is really angry with me, Mom," Julia confessed, her voice trembling. "He can't accept my decision. He told me that I should have just chosen to die," she added, heartbreak evident in her tone.
"I understand Victor's frustrations. It's painful for him," Martha said softly, her brow furrowed. "But you're a victim too, and he shouldn't have told you that you should have just chosen to die, that's too… cruel," she reminded gently.
A heavy silence settled around them, thick and suffocating. Julia's thoughts scattered like leaves in the wind, her mind spinning in confusion.
"Is that why… you're not happy that you're pregnant?" her mother asked, her voice soft as she searched Julia's eyes for answers.
Julia nodded slowly, a tear escaping. "Are you angry with your baby? Are you angry… at… your baby's father?" Her mother asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Deep down, she knew she wasn't. Why would she be angry at a defenseless baby and the man who had risked everything to help her? Even if it had fallen short against the monsters they faced.
Shaking her head, she leaned back against the soft sofa, staring at the ceiling. "No, Mom. I'm not angry with my baby. I'm not angry with my baby's… father. If it weren't for him… I might be dead by now. Maybe… maybe… I wouldn't be talking to you right now," she said, a flicker of warmth igniting her gaze.
Martha nodded and wrapped her arms around her daughter once more, squeezing tightly. "That's good to hear. You're all just victims of what happened. Your husband is so wealthy; he should find a way to uncover the mastermind of this incident. He should use his money to make those demons rot in prison," she encouraged fiercely.
A bitter smile crept onto her lips, the truth stinging her heart. "That's unlikely to happen. Victor is very angry with me. He thinks I cheated on him. He won't help me," she said, the weight of defeat heavy in her voice.
"Did he hurt you?" her mother asked, her eyes narrowing as she examined Julia closely, searching for signs of deeper hurt.
Julia's lips parted, but no words came. Confusion clouded her thoughts. "Your husband hurt you," her mother spat, anger tightening her voice. "We didn't raise you to be hurt by anyone, especially your husband! He should be the one protecting you!"
"But, like you said earlier, Mom, you understand how Victor feels," Julia replied, her voice trembling. "So I am trying my best to understand him. It's hard to accept what happened to me. I love Victor so much! We are married. I won't give up until he forgives me," she continued, though doubt flickered in her eyes.
Her mother shook her head slowly, disappointment etched on her face. "How far does your love for Victor go, Julia? Until you have nothing left? Until you lose all self-respect? If he hurts you, he doesn't love you anymore. If he can't accept what happened, there's no reason to stay. Don't force yourself, Julia. Respect his feelings and respect yourself more," she urged gently.
No. They were married. They had promised forever. She loved him deeply, and she would do anything to earn his forgiveness, even if it broke her heart.
"I don't know how much I can endure, Mom," she admitted, her voice small. "But for now, I want to make it up to my husband. I want to show him how much I love him. I want to prove that I deserve his forgiveness," she insisted, determination creeping back into her voice.
Martha stared at Julia, shaking her head in disbelief. Her eyes suddenly hardened. "I'm sure Victor doesn't know about your pregnancy yet. When he finds out, he might hurt you in anger. Victor will never accept your child and certainly not with another man, especially not with his mean family," she warned sharply.
Julia swallowed hard, fear tightening her throat. With her mother beside her, the urge to share her thoughts grew stronger, pressing against her.
She wasn't a bad person; being a bad mother was never her dream. But deep down, she felt it might be best for everyone if she didn't continue with this pregnancy, thoughts swirling painfully.
"Mom… what if… I don't continue with this pregnancy?" Her voice trembled. "I mean… Victor definitely won't love my child. And I'm unlikely to give my baby a complete family too. A child doesn't deserve to live in chaos… especially if the love they'll receive isn't complete—"
Julia's words caught in her throat as a sharp slap rang out against her cheek. The force of it sent her reeling, nearly toppling back onto the couch.
Martha jumped to her feet, fury radiating from her. It was the first time she had seen her mother this enraged. "What kind of woman are you, Julia? Have you lost your mind enough to want to kill your own child? Yes, you didn't want this, but it's a sin to kill a child; it's your own flesh and blood! How can you even think that? Is your heartless husband's opinion more valuable than your child?"
Tears streamed down Julia's face as she pressed her hand against her aching cheek. "You say that because you don't feel what I'm feeling right now! This is my body! You make it sound like I have to choose my child over my husband. Isn't it supposed to always be your spouse that you choose? You chose your spouse as your partner, and the child is born from your love. A spouse should be your first priority. Why do I seem so terrible to you, huh?" she cried, her voice breaking.
Martha felt her anger rising at Julia's words. She understood her daughter was scared and hurt, but dragging the innocent child into this wasn't right. "You're right. When you entered marriage, your spouse should always be your first priority. Even I would choose your father over you and Jonas. But that only counts for spouses who love, respect, and care for you. Only for worthy spouses. But if my husband is like your husband, narrow-minded and cruel, your priority should be your child's well-being. Remember, you entered this world without Victor. You can live without him!"
Julia wept uncontrollably. She didn't want to lose her child, but the pain of her situation weighed heavily on her heart. She was terrified she couldn't give her child all the love it needed. Would she be a good mother without a father figure? Why did no one understand her?
"But Mom—"
A second slap struck her cheek hard. "I didn't raise you to be a murderer!"
She just lay back on the couch, her chest and throat tight with anger. Martha was also in tears at her daughter's condition. She lifted Julia and hugged her tightly.
"I love you so much, Julia. That's why I don't want to see you hurting. I understand that what happened to you is so painful… but… don't kill your child. If you really can't take care of your baby… just give birth, at least give birth. I will take care of finding your baby a good family; just don't deny your child the chance to live, please."
Her mother's plea and her deep love for Victor were battling in her mind and heart. What was she really supposed to do?