Con artist

Shattered trust

I knew something was wrong the moment Elijah stepped into my apartment. His face was tense, his shoulders stiff, and he wouldn't meet my eyes. I could feel it in my gut—this wasn't going to be a good conversation. I tried to ignore the pounding in my chest, but the silence between us made the air feel thick, suffocating."Elijah, you're here," I said, forcing a smile. "Is everything okay?"He didn't smile back. That's when I knew for sure. Something bad was coming."Natasha, we need to talk," he said, and my stomach dropped.I swallowed hard, trying to stay calm. "That doesn't sound good."We sat on the couch, and I could feel my heart racing as he ran a hand through his hair, avoiding my gaze. This wasn't going to be something small. This was big—life-changing big."There's something I've been keeping from you," he started, his voice thick with guilt. "And I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."My pulse quickened. What could it be? Was it about us? The baby? My thoughts spiraled out of control."My parents... they've been pushing me to spend time with someone else."I blinked, not sure if I'd heard him right. "What do you mean, someone else?""There's this girl from church, Hannah. My parents introduced us, and... they think she's the right person for me. They've been trying to set us up."I couldn't breathe. I stared at him, my mind trying to process what he'd just said. His parents were setting him up with someone else? While I was pregnant with his child?"Set you up?" I managed to say, my voice trembling. "Elijah, you're with me. Why would they—"He cut me off, his words coming faster now. "It's more complicated than that. They want me to leave you because you're not religious. They don't think you're a good match for me."My chest tightened. This was about my lack of faith, my past, the fact that I wasn't good enough for him because I didn't believe in God. My hands started shaking, but then Elijah dropped the real bombshell."And... Hannah told them she's pregnant with my child."I felt like the world had stopped spinning. "What?" I whispered, barely able to find my voice. "She's pregnant? With your child?""I swear, Natasha, it's not true," Elijah said quickly, his voice desperate. "I've never been with her like that. I don't know why she's saying it, but my parents believe her."I couldn't think, couldn't process what he was saying. Hannah? Pregnant? His parents setting him up with her? It felt like everything around me was crumbling, like my entire world was falling apart, piece by piece. "I can't..." I choked, tears welling in my eyes. "I can't do this. It's too much.""Natasha, please," Elijah pleaded, grabbing my hands. "I don't want to leave you. I love you, but my parents are pushing me so hard. I'm stuck, and I don't know what to do."I couldn't breathe. My vision started to blur, and the room felt like it was spinning. Everything—the threats from Pierre, the stress of the pregnancy, and now this—was too much. My chest tightened, and I could barely get the words out."Elijah... I can't breathe..."His voice sounded far away, like I was hearing him from underwater. "Natasha? Natasha!" I heard him shout, but everything went dark before I could respond.---When I woke up, the beeping of hospital machines was the first thing I heard. My body felt heavy, and my mind was groggy. Slowly, I opened my eyes, blinking against the harsh fluorescent lights. The smell of disinfectant filled the air, and it took me a moment to remember where I was."Elijah?" I whispered, my voice weak."I'm here," he said softly, his hand gripping mine. I turned my head, and there he was, sitting by my bed, his face full of concern."What happened?" I asked, though I already knew. The stress, the pressure... it had all finally broken me."You fainted," he said gently. "The stress... I should have been here for you sooner."I swallowed, feeling a lump in my throat. "The baby... is the baby okay?"He nodded, squeezing my hand. "The baby's fine. But you need to rest. You've been through too much."Tears filled my eyes again, but this time they were from relief. For a moment, I had been terrified that everything was falling apart. But the baby was okay. We were okay."What about the dinner?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "What about Hannah?"Elijah shook his head, his expression resolute. "It doesn't matter. None of it matters. You and the baby... you're what's important."For a moment, I couldn't speak. The weight of everything he had just said hit me, and I realized that maybe, just maybe, we could get through this. Together. Despite everything.---Back at Hannah's family dinner, things were going downhill fast. From what Elijah told me later, his absence hadn't gone unnoticed. Pastor David and his wife Grace had shown up at the Richards' home expecting Elijah to be there, but of course, he wasn't. Hannah had been sitting there, all dolled up and ready to impress, waiting for Elijah to walk through the door. She had spent hours getting ready, hoping to make a good impression on him and his parents. But as the minutes ticked by and there was no sign of him, her excitement turned into worry. She kept glancing at her phone, her heart sinking further with each passing minute. And then, finally, Pastor David arrived—without Elijah. From the way he had stormed into the house, it was clear that he was furious."Where's Elijah?" he had demanded, glaring at Hannah's parents."We thought he'd be here," Mr. Richards had replied, looking just as confused as everyone else. "He hasn't called or texted?""No," Hannah had whispered, her voice shaking. "He didn't say anything."And then David had lost it. "I told him this dinner was important! He needed to be here! This is about his future, and he's running off to be with that girl who's leading him astray!"Hannah had sat there, her face pale, her eyes wide. And then, like the final blow, she had started crying. Sobbing, actually. From what Elijah told me, it was the kind of cry that got everyone's attention. It was loud and full of heartbreak. Everyone had turned to look at her, and that was when it became clear—Elijah wasn't coming.He had chosen me.---As I lay in the hospital bed, I couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions. I was grateful that Elijah had stayed with me, but I was also terrified of what came next. His parents wouldn't give up so easily. And Pierre... Pierre wouldn't stop pressuring me to use Elijah, to manipulate him.But for now, in this moment, I had Elijah by my side. And that was all I could ask for.