Elena thought her life couldn’t get more complicated after her fiancé vanished upon learning she was pregnant. But when her boss humiliates her during a staff meeting, the truth about her child’s father comes crashing into the spotlight…
Three months ago, my life fell apart. I’m not even kidding.
I was 27, engaged to a man I thought I’d spend forever with, and blissfully unaware of how quickly dreams could shatter.
A woman sitting by a window | Source: Midjourney
The day I told Ethan I was pregnant, I’ll never forget how his face froze.
“Are you serious?” he asked, his voice low and sharp.
I nodded, trying to smile through my nerves.
A shocked man | Source: Midjourney
“We’re going to be parents…”
Instead of the joy I’d hoped for, he muttered something about needing time to think. And then he walked out the door.
Oh, and he never came back.
I didn’t tell anyone. Not my family, not my coworkers, nobody.
A man walking out of a house | Source: Midjourney
How could I?
My father was a powerful man, and he owned the company where I worked, with my sister Rebecca running another branch. She was married to Adam, my boss.
Everyone had high expectations for me, and my pregnancy. But the truth about the father felt like a ticking time bomb. I couldn’t risk it. So, I left my parents’ house and moved out on my own, hoping to hide the truth for as long as I could.
A man wearing a suit | Source: Midjourney
My father had given Rebecca and Adam control of his businesses, so he was more than happy to take my mother on lavish trips or spend his days playing golf.
But secrets have a way of surfacing, don’t they?
And today, mine became the punchline of a cruel joke.
A businesswoman | Source: Midjourney
I was standing in the middle of the conference room during an all-staff meeting when Adam, my boss, and brother-in-law, decided to turn my pregnancy into office entertainment.
“So, Elena,” he said, leaning back in his chair with a smirk. “I hear congratulations are in order. You’re pregnant, huh? Guess you’re finally settling down! Very good, very good.”
A few people chuckled nervously. I felt heat rising to my face as every eye in the room turned to me.
A woman frowning | Source: Midjourney
“Guess now you probably have to find the dad, huh?” he added, slapping the table like he’d just made the biggest joke.
The laughter died quickly, but Adam wasn’t done.
“But even if you don’t, you don’t really have to worry, right? Single moms get decent benefits, right? Maybe I should give you a thousand-dollar raise a year! What do you think, folks?”
A smug businessman | Source: Midjourney
The room went silent. My chest felt tight as I clenched my fists, willing myself not to cry. Where had this version of Adam come from? He hadn’t been like this with me before. He used to be… different.
“The father of this baby told me that he loved me more than life itself,” I said, my voice trembling. “But as soon as he found out, he ran.”
Adam’s smirk widened.
An upset woman | Source: Midjourney
“Ah, men. Typical, huh?”
I was seconds away from walking out when the double doors to the office burst open.
A young woman holding a baby strode in, tears streaming down her face. There was no way that she was older than twenty-two or twenty-three, but despite her tears and trembling hands, she stood tall.
Behind her came Rebecca, and my father.
A woman holding a baby | Source: Midjourney
I moved my coat so that it hung tighter around my waist. I wasn’t really showing yet, but I had no choice but to tell Adam about the baby. He was my boss after all…
“No one leave,” my father said, his voice sharp and commanding. “You all need to see and hear this conversation.”
Adam’s smug grin vanished instantly.
A stern man | Source: Midjourney
“Rebecca,” he stammered, his tone now meek. “What’s going on?”
“What’s going on, Adam,” Rebecca said, her voice icy. “Is that your horrible lies are finally catching up to you.”
I glanced at the woman with the baby, and my stomach twisted as recognition set in.
“Lila?” I whispered.
An upset woman | Source: Midjourney
Lila was Rebecca’s former assistant. I’d met her a few times in the office and once at a family dinner. She had seemed quiet, almost shy and timid, but now she looked like someone who had been pushed to her breaking point.
Rebecca’s gaze turned to me, her expression unreadable.
“I know why Lila left her job. Just like I know why you left Mom and Dad’s house, Elena. Did you think that I wouldn’t find out? Did you think I’d believe that Ethan…”
An woman with her eyes closed in frustration | Source: Midjourney
My mouth went dry, and I thought I was going to pass out.
“I found your diary, Elena. When you left, you didn’t pack properly. But that’s nothing new when you had people doing everything for you. You left your diary right there, on your bedside. Adam is the father of your baby, isn’t he?”
Gasps rippled through the room. My knees felt weak.
A book on a bedside table | Source: Midjourney
But still, Rebecca wasn’t finished.
“And,” she continued, her voice trembling with anger. “Adam is the father of her baby too.”
She pointed at Lila, who stepped forward, holding the baby closer to her chest.
Adam’s face turned a sickly shade of gray.
“Rebecca… I… I can explain!”
A woman holding her baby | Source: Midjourney
“Don’t,” she snapped. “You’ve lied to me for years. You’ve humiliated me, betrayed me, and destroyed my trust. We’re done, Adam. You’re dead to me.”
My father stepped forward then, his expression cold and menacing.
“I’ve heard enough of this nonsense,” he said. “Adam, you’re fired. Effective immediately. Pack your things and leave.”
A shocked man | Source: Midjourney
Adam opened his mouth to protest, but my father cut him off.
“And,” he added. “You’ll be paying child support for both of these children. I’ll make damn sure of it.”
The office emptied quickly after that, whispers trailing behind the stunned employees.
I stayed behind, unsure of what to do or say, until my father approached me.
An empty boardroom | Source: Midjourney
“Elena,” he said softly, his voice losing its sharp edge. “Why didn’t you come to me?”
Tears welled in my eyes as I looked down at the floor.
“I didn’t want to ruin Rebecca’s life,” I admitted. “And I was afraid of how you’d look at me if you knew the truth.”
He sighed, shaking his head.
A man holding his head | Source: Midjourney
“This isn’t your fault, baby girl,” he said. “Adam manipulated you, just like he manipulated everyone else. You’re my daughter, Elena, and I’ll always support you.”
I didn’t know what to say. Or do. Or feel.
Rebecca approached then, her face red but her eyes resolute. For a moment, I thought she might slap me or pull my hair. Instead, she pulled me into a hug.
An upset woman | Source: Midjourney
“I’m furious, El,” she said, her voice trembling. “But not at you. Adam’s the one who destroyed our marriage, not you. We’ll figure this out together.”
Her words broke something in me, and I finally let the tears fall.
“Bec, it was a mistake. It was just one drunken night at the Christmas party, and if I’m being really honest with you… I didn’t know what happened. Or how. I tried to spin it off as Ethan’s baby, and he ran.”
A woman wearing a red dress | Source: Midjourney
“I’m here for you,” she said. “I’m going to take this man for everything he’s worth. And then, we’ll raise your baby together. If you want… I mean.”
A week later, my phone rang.
“Elena,” my father said on the other end. “I need someone I can trust to step into Adam’s role. You’ve been with the company for five years, and you know the team better than anyone. You’re done with your studies now. Will you take over s interim director? At least until the baby is born?”
A man talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney
My breath caught.
Was my father really accepting this? Was he going to truly support me? Support us?
“Are you sure, Dad?” I asked.
“Completely,” he replied. “I trust you, darling. But take some time to think about it. Just remember that I’ll need an answer soon.”
A woman talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney
The answer, of course, was yes.
It hadn’t been easy stepping into Adam’s shoes, but every day I walked into that office, I held my head a little higher. And do you know what’s the best part?
My child will grow up knowing their mother didn’t back down, even when the odds were stacked against her.
And her family truly came through for her.
A woman sitting in an office | Source: Midjourney
As for Adam?
He’s history. Both in the office and in our lives.
And Rebecca? We’re rebuilding our relationship, slowly but surely. She’ll never forgive Adam, but she’s learning to forgive me.
A smiling woman | Source: Midjourney
Life doesn’t always turn out the way you plan, but sometimes, when the dust settles, you realize you’re stronger than you ever imagined.
As for Ethan, who knows what happened to him? I don’t. Anyway, my baby is on the way soon, and I’m going to embrace motherhood as a single parent who loves her baby unconditionally.
A pregnant woman holding her stomach | Source: Midjourney
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
This Is How I Won a Prank War My Neighbor and I Had Going for the past Year
This Is How I Won a Prank War My Neighbor and I Had Going for the past Year
It started off innocently enough. Selene parked her car in the wrong parking spot, fueling a prank war with Paul, the real owner of the parking spot. As the months went by, the pair continued their prank war, but Selen started to wonder about the future of these seemingly innocent practical jokes. She took matters into her own hands and asked Paul out for dinner, under the guise of someone else. Will it be the ultimate prank or something more?
It all began with a parking mishap. It was just one innocent mistake that spiraled into a year-long prank war with my neighbor, Paul.
An apartment building parking lot | Source: Unsplash
One evening, I accidentally parked in Paul’s parking spot in our apartment building’s lot. It was late, I was exhausted, and I just wanted to crawl into bed.
I didn’t think much of it until the next morning when I was on my way to the office. There, on my car, on an empty takeaway cup, a note was scrawled in messy handwriting.
A woman sleeping in bed | Source: Pexels
Thanks for ruining my day.
“Oh, crap,” I said to myself when I sat in the car. I needed to make amends.
A woman sitting in a car | Source: Pexels
The following morning, I left a warm cup of coffee on Paul’s car roof with a note that read:
Sorry for the mix-up. I hope this makes up for it.
A person holding a cup of coffee | Source: Pexels
If you’re wondering, Paul and I didn’t know each other. We just lived in the same apartment block and knew everyone’s names and door numbers.
A few days later, I found a bill from a car-washing service under my windshield wiper. It seemed that Paul didn’t notice the coffee that I left and spilled it all over his car when he drove off.
A car in a car wash | Source: Pexels
I refused to pay the bill, and thus, the little war began.
“I think that you and this mysterious Paul are either going to fall in love or end up despising each other,” my friend Daphne said at work.
A smiling woman holding a folder | Source: Pexels
“Probably the latter,” I said. “It was all fine until he gave me a bill.”
“Selene,” she said knowingly, “I’m telling you, this is just the beginning.”
The next day, I left my work phone number on his car.
Call me regarding the payment.
A piece of paper on a car | Source: Midjourney
Paul called me later that evening.
“Really? You thought that leaving coffee on the roof of a car was a good idea?” he asked, going straight into it.
“How was I supposed to know that you’d drive off without looking? Besides, it was a peace offering!”
A man using a phone | Source: Unsplash
“More like a disaster,” he said. “It was all over my window. Pay the car wash bill, please.”
“I’m not paying for it,” I said, hanging up.
After that, the pranks escalated quickly.
Spilled coffee in the air | Source: Pexels
“I told you,” Daphne said when she came home with me one evening. “It’s going to get more intense. You need to listen to me. Trust me on this, you and this guy are going to get under each other’s skin.”
“I don’t know about that, Daph,” I said, dishing out the curry we had bought for dinner.
Bowls of curry and rice | Source: Unsplash
“But you’re having fun?” she asked, tearing into a piece of bread.
“I am!” I said. “Mainly because it’s nothing serious.”
Flatbread on a board | Source: Pexels
One day, I found my car doors wrapped in plastic wrap.
The next week, I retaliated by covering Paul’s car in sticky notes, each one asking him to fix his parking.
A person tearing through plastic wrap | Source: Pexels
“If it rains tonight,” Paul said, immediately calling me after seeing the sticky notes, “you’ll have a mushy mess of paper to clean up.”
“I think you’ll figure it out for yourself,” I said, hiding behind my curtain.
A car covered in sticky notes | Source: Midjourney
I had to admit, I was attracted to him. I didn’t know if Paul knew who I was, but it was easier for me to watch him from my apartment. I had gotten used to watching him wash his car.
It turned out that it was comforting. There was a sense of intimacy that we had built up.
A person hiding behind blinds | Source: Unsplash
After months of back-and-forth pranks, ranging from balloons tied onto car handles and window wipers, to fake parking tickets, I decided that it was time to end the war.
“But you need a grand finale,” Daphne said as we sat in our office, trying to work through month-end reports.
A woman using a laptop | Source: Pexels
“Like what?” I asked, typing away at my keyboard.
“You’re into him, right?” she asked, sipping her coffee.
“I think so,” I said. “But I don’t know much about him.”
A woman drinking coffee | Source: Pexels
“Then get to know him,” my friend pressed on. “There’s something there; if not, this would have ended a long time ago.”
“Fine,” I said. “But you write the note. He knows my handwriting now.”
We intended to write a note from a secret admirer.
A person writing a note | Source: Pexels
“She can just be someone from your apartment,” Daphne said. “And it’s not like you and Paul have even interacted in person, Selene. To be honest, I don’t know how you’ve managed to stay anonymous for so long.”
“It’s the thrill of it,” I said.
A smiling woman | Source: Unsplash
Early the next morning, I left the note that Daphne had written on Paul’s car.
Hey, I saw you leaving your car and couldn’t help but notice how handsome you are. Let’s have dinner?
I added my personal number that he wouldn’t recognize at the bottom.
A folded piece of paper | Source: Midjourney
To my surprise, Paul called me later that morning.
“Selene, you’ll never guess what happened!” he said excitedly. “Some woman left me a note on my car.”
“Really?” I asked, feigning surprise. “What did it say?”
A woman on the phone | Source: Pexels
“She said that I was handsome and she wanted to have dinner. She left her number, too. So, I’m going to text her and go.”
Paul took the bait and texted me. We set up a date, and I, still pretending to be someone else, agreed to meet him at a local restaurant.
A table at a restaurant | Source: Midjourney
I was already seated, suddenly nervous. We had been at this for so long; what if everything blew up in my face?
What if I was living in a romantic comedy and Paul actually couldn’t stand me?
Almost ready to leave, Paul walked into the restaurant.
A man in a restaurant | Source: Midjourney
“Hey, you’re here! You look familiar,” he said. “But I suppose I have seen you around the building.”
He spoke quickly, as though he was just as nervous.
“I’m sure that’s exactly it,” I said, smiling.
A smiling man | Source: Pexels
“Your voice reminds me of my neighbor, Selene. I’m sure you’ve seen us pranking each other recently,” he chuckled, his eyes glazing over as if lost in a memory.
“What’s that been like?” I asked.
A smiling woman at a restaurant | Source: Midjourney
“Well, Daphne,” he said, as I had introduced myself over text, “it’s been hilarious. It’s been the best few months of my life.”
“It sounds like she’s grown on you,” I said, smiling.
“She’s feisty, all right,” he said, ordering himself a whiskey.
A man holding a glass of whiskey | Source: Pexels
The rest of the evening went by smoothly, but the more Paul spoke, the more I found myself genuinely enjoying his company. He was charming, funny, and surprisingly sweet.
By the time our meals arrived, I couldn’t keep the truth from him any longer.
Plates of food at a restaurant | Source: Midjourney
“Paul,” I said, picking up my cocktail, “there’s something I need to tell you.”
“What’s that?” he asked, looking me in the eye.
“I haven’t been very honest about this date,” I said slowly. “I’m Selene.”
A cocktail on a table | Source: Pexels
Paul’s jaw dropped.
“Wait, really?” he asked. “Why did you want to meet like this?”
“I don’t know,” I replied honestly. “Call it insecurity? Daphne is my best friend; I asked her to write the note, and I used her name. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have deceived you.”
A shocked man | Source: Pexels
“No, no,” he said, a large smile forming on his face. “I’ve never had this much fun with anyone. I’m glad we got to meet. Finally.”
The rest of the evening went much smoother, knowing that we had something in common. It was something to bond over. And more than that, there was chemistry between us. It wasn’t just me.
“I’m glad we did this,” Paul said as we went our separate ways in the parking lot. “It needed to happen.”
An empty parking lot | Source: Pexels
“And now, we’re here,” I said, taking his hand, suddenly feeling brave.
I don’t know where our relationship will go or what it will become, but I do know that I’ve taken the first step toward something.
What would you have done?
A couple holding hands | Source: Pexels
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