Love in Disguise Episode 1

Love in Disguise Episode 3

As the weeks passed, Samantha’s resolve hardened like iron beneath her skin. She wasn’t going to let Helen’s manipulations dictate her life any longer. No one, not even Derek’s overbearing mother, could take away what was most precious to her now—her child. With her hand resting protectively on her growing belly, she promised herself and the little life inside her that they would build a future free of doubt and fear.

It was strange, almost, how the end of her marriage became the beginning of a new version of Samantha. The quiet girl who had once relied so much on Derek’s love and protection was no longer content to live in someone else’s shadow. She had been forged in the fire of heartbreak, betrayal, and grief, but what emerged was someone stronger and more determined than she had ever imagined.

Samantha wasn’t wealthy, and she wasn’t about to rely on anyone else for support—not her uncles, who had already taken everything from her, and certainly not Helen, who had been more of an enemy than family. But Samantha knew how to work, and more importantly, she knew how to survive.

In the mornings, she began waking up early, setting her alarm at dawn to begin her day. At first, it was hard—her body was adjusting to the pregnancy, and fatigue often weighed her down. But she refused to let it slow her. She took freelance art commissions, turning their small apartment into her studio. Slowly but surely, her work gained recognition online, and her income grew. With every piece she completed, she felt a sense of accomplishment that strengthened her spirit. She was building something of her own—no one could take this from her.By midday, Samantha was at the library, where she took online business courses. If she was going to raise her daughter right, she wanted to provide more than just art. She wanted stability, security, and independence. The online courses taught her everything from managing finances to running a small business, knowledge that would serve her well once her daughter arrived.

She often thought about the little girl growing inside her—her daughter, her reason for all this effort. Samantha would sit at her small dining table, sketching out her ideas while her mind wandered to the future. She envisioned herself teaching her daughter how to draw, how to be creative, and how to be brave in a world that wasn’t always kind. The thought of watching her daughter grow, of seeing her eyes light up with wonder at the beauty of the world, filled Samantha with an almost fierce joy.

The name she chose for her daughter came to her one night as she sat on the porch of her apartment, the quiet hum of the town around her. "Lily," she whispered into the cool evening air. It was perfect—delicate and strong, just like the life growing inside her.

Months passed, and Samantha’s hard work began to pay off. She had taken control of her life in ways she never thought possible. The commissions were coming in steadily, and she had saved up enough money to move to a small, cozy house on the edge of town. It wasn’t anything extravagant, but it was hers—a home she had built for herself and her daughter. The nursery, painted in soft shades of lavender and white, was nearly finished. A crib stood in the corner, next to a rocking chair where Samantha could imagine spending long nights soothing her newborn.But as Samantha’s strength grew, so did the whispers around town. Helen hadn’t given up her attempts to meddle. Word had spread that Derek’s mother was still bitter about the baby, and rumors circulated that she was considering legal action to gain some form of custody or visitation rights once Lily was born. Samantha heard the murmurs at the grocery store, saw the sidelong glances when she walked down the street. It didn’t matter to her what people thought—she had long since stopped caring about anyone’s opinions but her own.

Still, the threat of Helen hung over her like a dark cloud. She had seen what Helen was capable of, how she had slowly eroded Derek’s love for her, and she wasn’t naïve enough to believe that Helen wouldn’t try something now that a grandchild was involved.

Determined to protect Lily from the toxic influence of Derek’s mother, Samantha made sure her legal situation was rock-solid. She consulted with her lawyer, establishing her rights as the sole custodian of her unborn child. She didn’t want to cut Derek out of Lily’s life entirely if he chose to step up, but Helen was another matter. Samantha had seen enough to know that Lily’s life would be better without Helen’s manipulations.

As the due date approached, Samantha’s anticipation grew, as did her belly. The nights were long and sometimes lonely, but there was comfort in knowing she had created a life of her own. The feeling of Lily kicking inside her was enough to banish the lingering fears about what the future might hold.

One evening, as Samantha sat in Lily’s room, folding tiny onesies and organizing baby clothes, the doorbell rang. She frowned, glancing at the clock—it was nearly 8 PM, too late for casual visitors. When she opened the door, her breath caught in her throat.

It was Derek.

He stood there, looking both familiar and foreign. He seemed thinner, more tired than she remembered, his eyes weary and downcast. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The air between them was thick with everything that had been left unsaid since he had walked out.

"Samantha," he began, his voice uncertain, "I… I just wanted to see how you’re doing. How the baby’s doing."

She stood there for a moment, her hand instinctively resting on her belly. Lily kicked, almost as if sensing her father’s presence. "We’re fine," Samantha said, her voice cool but not unkind. "Lily and I are doing just fine."

Derek’s eyes softened at the mention of the baby’s name. "Lily?" he repeated, as if savoring the name for the first time. "That’s beautiful."

Samantha nodded but didn’t invite him inside. She wasn’t sure she was ready for that. She didn’t know what Derek expected from her after all this time—did he think he could just show up and they’d fall back into their old roles, as if nothing had happened?

"I’m sorry, Sam," Derek said quietly, his voice breaking the silence. "I know I hurt you. I know I wasn’t there when you needed me the most. But I… I don’t want to be the kind of father who isn’t around. I don’t want to repeat the mistakes I made with you."

His words hung in the air between them, heavy and raw. Samantha wanted to believe him, but the wounds were still fresh. She had built herself up again after he left, and now he was standing on her doorstep, asking for another chance—not for her, but for Lily. Could she trust him? Could she let him into their lives without the risk of Helen’s influence creeping back in?

"I don’t know if I can trust you, Derek," Samantha said softly, her hand gently rubbing her belly as she spoke. "I’m not the same person I was when you left. I’ve worked too hard to build something for Lily, to make sure she has the best life I can give her. If you want to be part of her life, you’re going to have to prove it. And your mother… she’s not welcome. Not now. Not ever."

Derek nodded, his face shadowed with regret. "I understand," he said. "I know I have to earn your trust again. And I will. I promise, Sam."

Samantha didn’t say anything for a long moment, her heart warring between the love she had once had for Derek and the fierce independence she had fought so hard to gain. Finally, she nodded, a small but significant gesture of tentative acceptance.

"We’ll see," she said, her voice steady but cautious. "But Lily comes first. Always."

With that, Derek nodded and turned to leave, glancing back only once before disappearing into the night.

As Samantha closed the door, she leaned against it, feeling the weight of what had just transpired. She wasn’t sure what the future held with Derek or if he would truly be able to change. But one thing was certain: Lily was coming soon, and Samantha was ready to give her the world—no matter what.

In the weeks that followed, Samantha focused on her final preparations for Lily’s arrival. She poured all her energy into building a warm, loving home, filling the nursery with handmade toys, art, and everything she had dreamed of giving her daughter. Every day, she grew stronger, more confident in the life she was creating for them both.

And when the time came, after hours of labor and exhaustion, Lily was born—her tiny cry filling the room as she was placed in Samantha’s arms. In that moment, as Samantha looked down at her daughter’s delicate features, her tiny fingers curling around Samantha’s own, everything else fell away. The pain of the past, the heartache, the fear—they were all eclipsed by the overwhelming love she felt for this little girl.

She held Lily close, tears of joy streaming down her face as she whispered, "I promise you, Lily. I’ll give you everything. We’ll be just fine, my love. Just fine."

And for the first time in a long while, Samantha believed it. She was no longer defined by what had been taken from her—her parents, her marriage, her inheritance. She was defined by the future she had fought for, the life she had built, and the love she had for her daughter.

Nothing, not even Helen, could take that away.