Nina’s father, just as expected, went to the police. But who were the Garths — and who was she?
Jasper Garth was the son of a powerful official, a golden boy who was allowed everything and for whom the right people were always found. And her father, back then, had only just begun building his business. He didn’t have that kind of influence and that leverage.
The case was quietly closed for“lack of evidence.” The investigation had never gone to court. Officially, he had remained“clean.”
And Nina…
She wanted to forget. After everything that happened, she had a nervous breakdown, then a deep depression. For weeks she didn’t leave the house, didn’t want to see or talk to anyone. She didn’t understand how to go on living. And she didn’t understand why the guilty one hadn’t been punished.
Who was this Jasper Garth, that he could go on living so calmly after everything, smiling, enjoying life, while she was slowly dying inside every single day?
Once, he even came to apologize. Or rather, his father dragged him there. It was a performance. Nina was sure he didn’t regret a single thing.
That day she had a full-blown breakdown. Seeing him face to face… no. She wasn’t ready for that.
But it wasn’t over.
A few months later, she found out she was pregnant. Too late, when nothing could be changed anymore.
When the test showed two lines, she completely lost it. She pounded her fists on the table, tore at her hair, screamed into a pillow, and then just froze.
Inside her, a child was growing whom she hated with every fiber of her soul.
Frank was there. He took her hands and said calmly, without emotion:
“I’ll take responsibility.”
Nina stared at him without blinking.
“We’ll get married. Everyone will think the baby is mine.”
Then he added:
“After the birth, you’ll sign away your parental rights. The state will take the baby and place him in the foster care system,” Frank said evenly.“And we’ll tell our families it was a miscarriage.”
It sounded like a solution to everything.
Frank was right.
He stayed by her side the whole time. Visited her, brought her lecture notes. He was patient, restrained, calm.
Her father supported the idea as well. Rumors had already started spreading among acquaintances. And Nina didn’t care anymore. She just wanted to erase this nightmare from her life.
Forget it.
Turn the page.
But when she suffered through hours of labor, when the unsuspecting doctor said,
“Congratulations, you’ve given birth to a healthy baby girl.”
When the baby was placed on her chest…
Something inside her trembled.
The baby was small, warm, and alive.
Nina had hated her all through the pregnancy. Hated her when she moved inside her, reminding her of her existence. But when the little girl opened her eyes…
