My period had never been late for more than a few days, yet this time, it had vanished for two whole months.

My boyfriend mistakenly thought I was pregnant, and, in his excitement, rushed home to plan our marriage.

But his mother’s reaction caught me completely off guard.

"Since you're pregnant, let’s save every penny for our eldest grandchild. We’ll skip the wedding banquet and the betrothal gift," she said as if she were doing me a favor.

I smiled sweetly. "Auntie, let me save you even more. You won’t have to spend a single cent."

Anthony Hector turned pale. Panic flickered in his eyes.

I swore then and there that I would never stay up late again.

And just when I thought things couldn't get worse, I woke up this morning to find that my period had finally arrived.

***

It felt like the sky had collapsed on me.

What a ridiculous misunderstanding…

I wanted nothing more than to find a hole to crawl into.

Thinking back to how overjoyed Anthony had been about becoming a father, I had no idea how to break the news to him.

The more I thought about it, the guilt gnawed at me.

His parents had been brimming with excitement, only to be left with nothing but disappointment.

After wrestling with my thoughts all morning, I finally made up my mind. I would visit them in person, explain everything and bring a small gift as a token of sincerity.

I didn’t tell Anthony. I simply grabbed the gift and headed straight to his house.

When I stepped out of the elevator, my fingers hovered over my phone, ready to text him. But then, I noticed something odd: the door wasn’t fully closed.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves and walked forward.

Through the small gap, I caught sight of Anthony happily chatting with his parents.

Just as I lifted my hand to knock, his mother’s voice drifted out.

"Now we can save a huge sum of money."

I froze.

I didn’t understand what she meant. But before I could process it, another voice followed.

"Since Aurelia is already carrying our family’s child, she has no choice but to marry. Whether she wants to or not is irrelevant. Forget the wedding and the betrothal gift; we're not spending another cent."

Anthony’s brows furrowed as he hesitated before speaking in a low voice. "Mom, isn't that a bit unfair? Aurelia has always dreamed of walking down the aisle in a wedding dress."

"What do you know?!"

His mother scoffed, her tone laced with impatience. "A wedding dress? That’s nothing but a waste of money!"

"When your sister got married two years ago, we gave her a betrothal gift of 288,000 dollars. Her husband ended up spending half a million on the wedding!"

"Your father and I still need money for retirement. Do you think we're going to throw another 500,000 on your wedding?"

Anthony’s expression darkened. His hands clenched into fists at his sides.

"I'm not asking you to touch your savings," he said, his voice controlled but firm. "But at least let me use the money I’ve worked for all these years."

At those words, Zora’s face twisted, her expression changing in an instant.

She parted her lips, ready to argue, but before a single word could leave her mouth, Oliver stepped in.

"Son, you know how hard it is to earn money," he said, his tone laced with reason. "How about this? Let’s go with your mother’s plan for now. If Aurelia has any objections, we can discuss it later."

"But—"

"No buts," Oliver interrupted firmly. "Filial piety comes first. Are you really going to defy your parents?"

I stood frozen at the doorway, my entire body stiff as ice.

If not for the weight of the gift bag biting into my palm, sending a dull ache through my skin, I might have thought I was dreaming.

Anthony and I had been together for six years.

I had visited his home countless times and every single time, his parents had treated me like their own daughter.

They would clean every corner of the house before my arrival.

They would prepare an entire spread of my favorite dishes.

They would even remind Anthony to treat me well.

Back then, I had felt blessed, certain I had found not only a loving partner but also a second family.

But now, as I listened to them coldly calculating my worth, it felt like a knife had been plunged into my heart.

They weren’t treating me like family.

Had I not come today, had I not overheard this conversation, I couldn't begin to fathom the pain I would have endured.

A cold numbness seeped into my bones, spreading from my head to my toes. The weight of the gift bag in my hand felt heavier than before, dragging me down with every step as I turned and walked away.

Just days ago, I had gone out of my way to make a trip home.

I knew Anthony’s family wasn’t wealthy. I had even planned to speak to my parents to ask them to lower the betrothal price, just so I wouldn’t add to his family’s burden.

When Anthony’s sister got married, they demanded 288,000 dollars.

I had told my parents we would only ask for a symbolic 88,000.

How foolish I had been, lowering my own worth so easily. Looking back now, I feel that my willingness to compromise felt nothing short of pathetic.

***

On Monday, Anthony returned.

He looked exhausted, his face drawn with guilt.

I acted as if I knew nothing.

That day, I had overheard him arguing with his parents. He had fought back—maybe not enough, but at least he had tried.

Perhaps a part of him still cared.

So, I decided to give him a chance. A chance to prove himself. A chance to fight for me… and for himself.

I set the table, filling two tall glasses with red wine.

Anthony adjusted his glasses, looking hesitant. Guilt flickered in his eyes.

"Aurelia, I’m sorry… I’ve been busy lately and didn’t prepare a gift."

Today marked our sixth anniversary.

Every year, he gave me something, no matter how small, that he always remembered.

Maybe this time, the wedding had preoccupied him.

I pulled out a chair and gestured for him to sit.

"It’s okay. You know I’m not the type to care about gifts. What matters to me is sincerity…"

His face shifted as if something had just occurred to him.

For a brief moment, excitement flashed in his eyes.

I ate slowly, taking unhurried bites and sipping my wine, letting the silence stretch before casually steering the conversation.

"How’s the wedding discussion with your parents going?"

His chewing stopped. For a fleeting second, his expression stiffened before he forced a smile.

"It’s almost settled."

My voice turned colder, my grip tightening around the stem of my glass.

"What about the banquet? The betrothal money? Have they been decided?"

He gave a small nod.

"Yeah."

A bitter sting crept up my nose and I tilted my head back, draining my glass in one go.

My heart clenched, my thoughts tangled into knots I couldn’t unravel.

Was he truly just obeying his parents?

Or was he planning to stall, waiting until I was too far along, until I had no escape, before taking me in?

I looked at the man I had loved for six years, yet, in that moment, he felt like a stranger.

It wasn’t as if he didn’t know what I wanted.

I majored in fashion design.

Back in college, I had already sketched, sewn and perfected a wedding dress meant only for me.

And I had told him, so many times, I wanted to marry him in the dress I had created.

And now… was he truly going to stand by and let his parents scheme while shattering my dream with his own hands?

Doubt gnawed at me, creeping into every corner of my mind, unraveling the last threads of trust I had left.

After that night, I packed my things and moved back to my mom’s place.

Life carried on. I went to work every day, stuck to my routine, never missing a beat.

After all, I wasn’t the one who should be panicking.

And sure enough…

A week passed before someone finally cracked.

Just before the end of my shift, my phone buzzed with a string of messages.

[Aurelia, I’ll pick you up after work. My mom made all your favorite dishes.]

Anthony rarely took me home unless it was for something important.

This time, it was clear he hadn’t come up with this on his own.

After a moment of thought, I typed a single word in reply.

[Okay.]

One way or another, I deserved an explanation.

The doorbell rang, and in an instant, Anthony’s mom was at the door, rushing forward with a radiant smile.

"Aurelia! You’ve finally arrived! I’ve missed you so much!"

I forced a smile, my face carefully blank.

"Auntie, I’m sorry. With the wedding coming up soon, I’ve been spending more time with my mom."

Her face lit up and she seized my hand, patting it reassuringly.

"Don’t worry, dear. Once you’re married, I’ll make sure Anthony takes you back to visit often."

She spoke cheerfully, but her eyes kept drifting, almost as if searching for something lingering on my stomach.

As she led me to the table, I noticed Amelia, Anthony’s sister, sitting there.

She gave me a stiff nod, her face like stone.

It was clear she wasn’t in the best of moods.

Anthony thoughtfully pulled out a chair for me and the whole family echoed in unison, urging me to sit carefully, as though even sitting down could harm me.

I couldn’t help but sneer inwardly.

Pregnancy, what a powerful weapon it had become.

I had barely taken a few bites when Zora, Anthony’s mother, got straight to the point, her smile stretching wide as she placed a piece of meat in my bowl.

"Aurelia, now that you're pregnant, it won’t be long before the baby arrives. You and Anthony should hurry up and get your marriage certificate. Otherwise, things will get messy when it’s time to register the child."

I forced a smile, keeping my voice calm.

"Auntie, there’s still plenty of time. We haven’t even had the wedding yet."

For a split second, Zora’s smile faltered, her eyes flashing with something complicated.

She put down her spoon and fork and turned to Anthony with a dramatic scowl.

"I told you to mention this to Aurelia and you still haven’t?"

Anthony fumbled, unable to get a single word out.

Then, Zora turned back to me, her expression all business.

"Aurelia here’s what we were thinking. Weddings are expensive, so we figured we could skip it and save the money for when the baby arrives."

I feigned surprise, widening my eyes as I looked at everyone.

"No wedding? But I’ve already designed my wedding dress."

Anthony looked troubled, his lips sealed in silence.

I turned to Zora, my voice steady.

"Auntie, you might not know this, but in my family, there’s a tradition: we can’t get a marriage certificate without holding a wedding banquet first."

Zora froze for a moment, her face twisting with surprise before she let out a couple of awkward laughs.

After a long silence, she finally spoke, her tone a little too casual.

"I see… Well, it’s up to you two. If you want a wedding, then have one. But as for the betrothal money, let’s just skip it. When the baby’s born, I’ll spend that money on the child anyway. No matter how you look at it, it’s still going to be for your family."

What a clever scheme. It was so smooth and subtle.

I feigned surprise, coughing as if I had choked, quickly waving my hands in mock panic.

"Auntie… That’s not how traditions work. The betrothal money goes to my parents, not to me and certainly not to my child."

Zora’s face darkened in an instant.

I couldn’t help but feel a flash of amusement. I pressed on, my voice steady but pointed.

"Isn’t it the same in your family? I heard from Anthony that when Amelia got married, her betrothal gift of 288,000 dollars went straight to you."

The room froze.

A heavy silence fell over the table and the shock was written all over their faces.

Satisfaction curled in my chest. I was no pushover.

If you treated me well, I’d repay it tenfold. But if you tried to take advantage of me? Well, don’t expect mercy.

Finally, Oliver, Anthony’s father, who had been sitting at the head of the table, spoke. His voice was sharp, his gaze cutting through the tension like a blade.

"Then tell me, how much betrothal money do you want?"

I lowered my spoon and fork with a calm expression and spoke without hesitation.

"Not much. Just 88,000 dollars, the same last digits as Amelia’s."

Zora’s eyes went wide in surprise. She shot up from her seat, fury spreading across her face.

"That’s not much? Are you trying to bleed us dry? You can have 8,800 dollars, but 88,000? Absolutely not!"

She snapped her head away, her gaze fixed stubbornly elsewhere, unwilling to meet my eyes.

Amelia, who had been tightly wound the entire evening, finally reacted. She shot me a cold glare, her voice dripping with reproach.

"Aurelia, what’s this nonsense? Is this how you speak to your elders?"

I stood, about to fire back, but Anthony’s hand caught mine, halting me.

He shook his head, silently urging me to stay silent and not escalate things with his sister.

At that moment, I froze, realizing that what was right and wrong was as clear as day.