Julia was pregnant. Her husband, George, never left her side throughout the pregnancy, fulfilling her every wish and whim. Finally, the moment arrived, and George drove Julia to the maternity hospital. When a healthy baby girl was born, he sighed with relief. Overjoyed, the proud new father went home to rest. The next day, he returned to visit his wife and daughter.
“Theres no sign of your wife,” the nurse suddenly informed him.
“That cant be!” George refused to believe it. “Maybe she stepped out? Please look for her!”
“No, shes gone. Heres a note,” the nurse said, handing him a folded piece of paper. George unfolded it and paled at what he read.
George, the sales manager, had been unmarried when he first laid eyes on Julia, a young and beautiful new employee. She had just started in his department, and he was immediately smitten.
“Good morning, colleague,” he said with such warmth that Julia couldnt help but hold his gaze.
“Good morning,” she replied softly, smiling back.
“Getting settled with your duties? Oksana here will show you the ropesshes our senior.” He gestured toward her. “Familiarise yourself with the job description. Best of luckI hope well work well together.”
The colleagues, mostly women, watched their boss curiously. As soon as he left, Oksana whispered to Vera,
“Since when does George pay such attention to new hires?” They both giggled.
Julia kept to herself at first, quietly observing the new team. She wasnt shyjust cautious.
At barely twenty-two, she had already broken up multiple families, even managing an affair with a much older college lecturer before he ended it when rumours reached his wife.
As time passed, George asked her out for coffee after work.
“Why not? Youre my bossgood relations are essential,” she said with a sweet, innocent smile.
He thought she might be joking, but when she agreed, he was thrilled. George, thirty and never married, had had relationships but nothing serious. This one moved quicklyhe fell hard, they dated, and soon everyone was shocked when he announced they were getting married.
He indulged Julias every demand, even accepting her condition:
“No children for now. I want to live for myself. When Im ready to be a mother, Ill tell you. Until then, no nappies or baby clothes.”
George assumed shed change her mindthat a family without children wasnt complete. But time passed, and Julia remained firm, shutting him down whenever he broached the subject.
Then one day, he saw her upset, emerging from the bathroom with a pregnancy test.
“Julia youre pregnant?!”
She nodded.
He lifted her in his arms, elated, but she burst into tears.
“I dont want to give birth. I dont want to get fat. You have to do something.”
He kissed her tear-streaked cheeks. “Dont be angry, dont crythis is happiness. I love you, Julia. Were having a baby!”
But Julia was determined. She booked an appointment to terminate the pregnancy. George rushed to the hospital just in timeshe hadnt gone in yet. He argued with her until she relented, agreeing to keep the baby on one condition: no nappy changes, no late-night feedings.
He stayed by her side the entire pregnancy, spoiling her. Finally, the day cameGeorge took her to the hospital. When their healthy daughter was born, he exhaled in relief.
Exhausted but happy, he went home to rest. The next day, he returned to find Julia gone.
“Your wife isnt here. She left the baby behind,” the nurse said.
“Thats impossible! Maybe she stepped outlook for her!”
“No, shes gone. Heres a note.”
George unfolded the paper and turned pale.
Three words: “Dont look for me.”
Julia vanishedno calls, no visits, a new SIM card. A month and a half later, she finally phoned.
“Pack my things. My friend Artem will collect them. File for divorce yourselfI wont show up.”
Not a word about their daughter. She wanted neither the child nor George. So he became both mother and father to little Alina, with his own mothers help.
Then, one day, Sophias phone rang. It was the schoolDaniels teacher, Mrs. Carter.
“Come to the school immediately. Your son has caused a scene!”
Sophia grabbed her bag, left work, and hurried over.
“What could Daniel have done? Hes always been so well-behaved,” she thought.
Daniel had defied doctors predictions. Her husband, Ian, had warned her before their marriagehe was infertile, even had the certificate. This was his third marriage.
Sophia had hoped doctors might be wrong. She loved him and thought adoption could be an option. But then she got pregnant.
“Ian, were going to have a baby!” shed exclaimed, handing him the test results.
His face darkened. “Whose child is it?”
He eventually accepted the boy, though he never truly believed Daniel was his. The resemblance was uncanny, but Ian refused to see it.
As Daniel grew, the arguments worsened.
“Go to your real fatherlet him feed and clothe you,” Ian spat.
Sophia did a DNA test proving Ians paternity, but he accused her of bribing the lab. Finally, she left, moving across town, then another city entirely. Life improvedDaniel grew into a quiet, obedient boy.
Until today.
At school, she found Daniel sitting outside the headteachers office with Alina and her father.
Alina was a top student, often held up as an example. Daniel had a red mark on his cheek.
“Daniel pushed Alina,” Mrs. Carter said.
“Mum, she started it! She called me fatherless and hit me first!”
“Dad, I didnt do anything,” Alina muttered.
“Both of you, apologise,” the teacher said.
The parents exchanged glances and laughed.
“Im George, Alinas father.”
“Sophia, Daniels mum.”
The children made up, and George suggested pizza. The kids chattered happily, already friends.
“Tell me if anyone bothers you,” Daniel said.
The parents didnt dwell on the fightthey were too busy falling for each other.
Weeks passed. George and Sophia often joked about how their childrens argument had brought them together.
Now, Sophia was pregnant again. Daniel and Alina had already picked a name for their baby brother.
Theyd call him Benjamin.
