After I told my boyfriend I was pregnant, he brought me to his place.

I thought his mom might support me, but instead, she demanded $100,000 as a dowry. I could hardly believe it. It already felt like too much.

The next day, it got even worse. She shoved me down the stairs and as I lay there bleeding, she stood over me with a cold smirk.

“You still have the nerve to talk back?” she hissed. “Carrying a worthless girl?”

Part 1

“Lysander, I’m pregnant.”

I glanced at him, my heart racing. He stared back, clearly shocked, his emotions hard to read.

“Are you upset?” I asked quietly.

He blinked, then broke into a wide smile, pulling me into his arms.

“Upset? How could I be? I’m just caught off guard by the news!” Lysander exclaimed.

I searched his eyes and relief washed over me. The moment had been overwhelming, but now, seeing his reaction, I felt at ease.

After all, I was just as shocked when I first found out about myself.

Lysander and I had been in love since our freshman year and over the past three years, we had created so many beautiful memories.

He had brought me a little snack every day to make me smile, and on my birthdays, he had gone all out with huge surprises that always touched my heart.

Still, I kept asking myself, “Are you sure he’s the one?”

But then again, I never found the answer.

Not until recently, when I wasn’t careful about the ingredients and ate something I was allergic to.

After a while, I was swollen and struggling to breathe.

Without a second thought, Lysander scooped me up and rushed me downstairs, determined to get me to the hospital, even though he ended up breaking his leg in the process.

When I woke up and saw him by my bedside, dark circles under his eyes, I knew for sure. He was the one.

Lysander held me in silence for a bit. I couldn’t see his face, but I heard him whisper, a little excited, “I’ll take you home tomorrow.”

The next morning, we showed up early, carrying bags full of things. But as soon as I opened the door, his mother stood there with a deep frown.

She glanced at me and said, “You don’t look like someone who knows how to take care of others.”

Part 2

I frowned, about to say something, but Lysander quickly stepped in, handing over the supplements he was carrying.

“Mom, Elira bought all these for you as a sign of respect,” he said.

His mother, Ariana's expression softened at the sight of the expensive gifts. However, she still snorted and turned away without even acknowledging me.

Lysander leaned in and whispered, “Don’t mind her, she’s always like this.”

I nodded, but the discomfort lingered in my chest.

At the dining table, Ariana had stir-fried three dishes, all poorly made. The only one with a bit of meat was placed farthest from me.

“So, are you two planning to get married? What’s the dowry?” she asked.

I knew marriage talk was normal, but this was my first time visiting and I just wanted to meet the parents, not dive into dowry discussions.

Looking at Ariana's sour expression, I calmly replied, “That will have to be discussed with my parents.”

Ariana slammed her utensils down. “My son is the best student around here, you don’t…”

Before she could finish, Lysander quickly stood up, pulling her aside and flashing me an apologetic smile.

They stepped out onto the balcony, talking in hushed tones. When they returned, her attitude seemed a little better, but not by much.

As soon as I finished eating and was about to get up, Ariana barked, “Where do you think you’re going? The dishwasher doesn’t sit at the table.”

I usually help wash the dishes out of politeness, but after two hours in the car with Lysander, I felt nauseous. On top of that, the food didn’t sit well. Feeling drained, I said, “I’m not feeling well.”

“Mom, let me do it,” Lysander offered.

But Ariana stopped him. “No, a family must have rules. She’ll wash the dishes!”

I had been holding back all morning, but her attitude pushed me over the edge.

I exclaimed, “I told you, I’m not feeling well!”

“Oh, already yelling at me and you’re not even married yet? I knew you’d be difficult!” she shot back.

I stood my ground. “Have you been polite to me since I walked through the door? Respect is mutual. If you don’t respect me, why should I respect you?”

“Show off your love to whoever you want,” I added. “I’m not here to serve you!”

I stormed out the door with my bag and headed downstairs. It didn’t take long before Lysander caught up with me.

He grabbed my hand and said, “Please don’t be mad. My mom’s been like this since my dad passed. I talked to her and she asked me to apologize.”

I was breathing hard, partly from walking so fast but mostly from how furious I was. I never imagined I’d end up with such a horrible mother-in-law.

Lysander gently shook my hand, trying to calm me down, saying, “Don’t upset our baby. Let’s go back, okay? She won’t act like that again, I promise.”

Part 3

Back at Lysander’s house, Ariana’s expression remained unchanged, but at least she didn’t argue with me.

When Lysander went out to handle some errands in the afternoon, Ariana found another issue. She grabbed my arm and said, “Come with me to the hospital.”

I pulled my arm away, red from her grip and asked, “What’s the hospital for?”

She stuttered and refused to answer until I refused to go with her. Then she said, "Let's see if you have a boy or a girl in your belly."

I frowned and asked, “How can you tell if the baby hasn’t formed yet?”

Ariana grabbed my arm again, pushing me toward the door. “We have a way to check. Just come on!”

Then it hit me and I shoved her away, my face twisting in anger.

“That’s illegal! I’m not going. If you try to drag me again, I’ll call the police,” I replied.

When she heard me mention the police, Ariana finally backed off, muttering insults under her breath. I caught fragments like little and broken shoes as she turned her back to me.

When Lysander came back in the evening, I decided to confront him about the incident.

I asked, “Did your mother really apologize this afternoon? Was she sincere?”

Lysander didn’t answer.

My heart sank; I knew he was lying.

Just as I was about to speak, Lysander cut me off, unusually frustrated, saying, “Elira, can you stop making such a fuss? My mom’s almost in her sixties. Can’t you understand her?”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

He pulled out a cigarette and lit it, the smoke filling the room and clarified, “You two have argued so much today. My mom has never acted like this before.”

I waved the smoke away, feeling nauseous and countered, “Lysander, isn’t your mother who’s causing all the trouble? And how can you not know that checking on a child is illegal?”

Lysander replied, “When we were dating, I could indulge you, but now that we’re talking about marriage, you need to show respect for my mother.”

I decided to let it go for now. “When we do get married, what about the dowry?”

He surprised me, saying, “$100,000.”

I was shocked and asked, “$100,000?!”

Lysander explained, “We won’t be able to afford a house otherwise. A three-bedroom apartment in Cape Town costs at least $140,000.”

I answered quickly, “No.”

“You wear so many designer brands; you can’t possibly be short of $100,000!” he said firmly.

My instincts told me something was off and I had a strong feeling about it.

Lysander crushed his cigarette and frowned.

“Elira, you’re pregnant now. I’m thinking about our future,” he replied.

“Go talk to your parents,” he added. “Without $100,000, our wedding won’t be easy.”

It felt like he was using marriage as a threat.

Part 4

I didn’t answer him directly and just said I had discussed it with my parents.

Lysander’s sudden shift in attitude sent a chill through me. His words revealed a painful truth.

It became clear that Lysander had pursued me for my money. He had been kind before because he had not yet secured me.

Now that I was pregnant, he felt he had me under his control.

In just one day, his true colors had shown and he was demanding an outrageous dowry.

I couldn’t believe that Ariana could teach someone as seemingly perfect as Lysander had been with me. It made me think he must have had an agenda from the start.

With no buses to Cape Town at night, I lay in bed with my back turned to Lysander, unable to sleep. I just wanted to wake up, get home and tell my parents everything.

I knew I had to break up with Lysander. Someone who could deceive me for three years was too frightening.

The next morning, Ariana brought in a dressed fortune teller. The shaman danced around and if it weren’t for my low blood sugar and fear of getting stranded without food, I would have left immediately.

The fortune teller finally declared, “It’s a girl!”

Ariana’s gaze turned cold as she stared at my belly, her eyes filled with hostility.

Once the shaman left, I ate my meal in a trembling state.

Lysander said he needed to pack his things and asked me to wait for him downstairs.

As I stepped out of the house, I finally felt a sense of relief. But suddenly, a powerful shove sent me stumbling forward.

Lysander’s home was in a residential area and I found myself falling down a long, winding staircase.

The feeling of weightlessness made my heart race. I curled up, trying to protect myself, but the cold, hard steps caused excruciating pain.

From the top of the stairs, Ariana sneered, “No money and pregnant with a worthless child and you still dare to talk back to me!”

My lower body throbbed with intense pain. As I began to lose consciousness, I shakily pulled out my phone and called 911.