His Redeemed Love

Chapter 3:Pregnant?

Kaya’s POV

Shocked would be an understatement. Frey was dumbstruck.

“Kaya? You’re pregnant? How?”

The situation wasn’t one where I should laugh, but Frey’s reaction was hilarious.

“How? How does one get pregnant, Frey?” I laughed, a bitter edge to my voice despite the absurdity of her question.

“Pregnant? Who’s pregnant?” came a loud shriek from the door. It was my mom.

I took a deep breath. This was going to be bad.

“Mom, I’m pregnant,” I replied as calmly as I could, bracing myself for the storm I knew was coming.

SLAP.

Without any preamble, my mom slapped me. The sting of her hand on my cheek echoed through my entire being. I touched my burning cheek, staring at her, seeing the fury in her eyes. It was as if I had committed a crime, as if my very existence was a burden she could barely tolerate.

“Kaya, how dare you get pregnant? A broken marriage, and now you’ve even knocked yourself up?”

Her voice dripped with venom, her eyes wild with anger. She looked like she wanted to kill me. And yet, I stood there, unmoving, unyielding. You might wonder why I wasn’t reacting, but I was used to her behavior. This was not the first time she’d lashed out at me, and it likely wouldn’t be the last. I wouldn’t be surprised even if she kicked me out.

“You have embarrassed me and this family enough. I want you to abort the baby and marry Roger Gravis, the sole heir of Gravis Estates,” she ordered me with a tone that brooked no argument.

Her words hung in the air, heavy and suffocating. My heart raced, a mix of fear and defiance swelling within me.

“No, Mom, I don’t want to marry anyone, and I won’t kill my baby.” My voice was steady, but inside, I was trembling. I stood up for myself and my baby. I knew this was going to backfire, but I didn’t care. I wanted my baby; it was the only thing left behind by Tristan. Whatever happened wasn’t the baby’s fault.

My mother’s face twisted with rage, her eyes narrowing into slits of contempt.

“If you don’t, I will disown you. I cannot bear someone tarnishing the noble name of the Hartwells like this. The choice is yours, Kaya,” she spat out, her words as sharp as knives. She sat down on the bed behind me, her posture radiating arrogance and a chilling indifference.

I turned towards her, watching her arrogant posture, her anger, her hate. How could a mother be capable of doing something like this? How could a mother be so cold-hearted? Memories of my childhood flashed before me—moments when I had sought her love, her approval, only to be met with indifference or outright disdain. Now that I was going to be a mom, I couldn’t understand my own mother’s behavior even more. I loved the baby in my womb more than anything in this world. How was my own mom like this?

A wave of sadness washed over me as I caressed my still-flat belly. I was three weeks pregnant. I had wanted to tell Tristan this news first on our wedding night. The news that was supposed to bring joy and excitement now brought dread and sadness. I didn’t blame the baby; I blamed the circumstances and the baby’s father.

I looked at Frey and saw her giving me a nod, her eyes filled with unspoken support. My mom never liked my friend or anyone who was good to me, as a matter of fact. So Frey kept quiet, supporting me silently, but her presence was a lifeline in this storm.

I looked at my mom, who was so sure that I would give in to her as I always did, and she would win this once again like every other time. But this was my baby’s life we were talking about. I made up my mind.

“Mom, I’ve always listened and followed your commands. But this time, I won’t. I will never give up on my baby. You want to kick me out of this house? Fine. I am leaving.”

I saw the color drain from my mom’s face, her eyes widening with shock. For a moment, I thought she was going to stop me and hug me, say she was sorry, say that she loved me. But her next words shattered all the hope I had.

“Kaya June Hartwell, if you move out now, you will no longer belong to the Hartwell family and will never use this name. Also, all your cards, properties, and money given by the Hartwells will be taken back.”

Her voice was icy, final. The weight of her words settled on my shoulders, heavy and suffocating. I just stared at her, my heart breaking into a thousand pieces. I expected her to be cruel, but not so much as to leave me without a penny in this condition. My tears threatened to fall; I couldn’t take this. But I still nodded, not able to say a single word. I glanced at Frey and began picking up the things that belonged to me and not to the Hartwells.

Of course, I was on my own. Did my mom think that if she stripped me of my properties and money, I would agree to her terms? But she forgot that I have my own investments too. She’d always underestimated me, always seen me as weak. But she was wrong.

I smiled, thinking of the future and how I was now going to build my empire, this time without the burden of my family. Without their control.

“Wait, those things were given to you by your dad and me. They belong to the family,” my mom snapped, her voice cutting through my thoughts.

I smiled coldly at my mom, ignoring her words, and took out some papers from the cupboard, placing them near her. I watched as she rolled her eyes and read the contents of the papers, her expression changing with every second—shock, disbelief, anger. Without giving her another glance, I grabbed Frey. Clad in my crumpled wedding dress, with my open and unkempt hair, and bare-faced, I walked out of the family house, leaving behind all the bad memories and years of suppression. Each step felt like shedding a layer of skin, leaving behind the girl who had always sought approval, who had always tried to please everyone else.

As I reached the gates, I took a deep breath, and for the first time in my life, I felt free. Free from all the restraints. I was broken and hurt, but I was still alive. And now, I was going to live for myself, for my baby. No more chains, no more Hartwell rules.

But as I stepped into the unknown, a small part of me ached, still yearning for the love I had never received from my mother. I pushed that feeling down, knowing that I could never go back. Not now, not ever.

Frey, who had been silent through it all, finally spoke, her voice soft but strong. “Kaya, you’re stronger than you know. And I’ll be with you every step of the way.”

I nodded, grateful for her presence, for her friendship. I didn’t know what the future held, but I knew one thing—I would never let anyone control me again. My life, my choices, my baby.

As we walked away from the mansion, I glanced back one last time. The house that had been my prison now felt like a distant memory, a place that no longer had any hold over me. The world outside was vast, uncertain, but it was mine to explore. And for the first time in my life, I felt a glimmer of hope