The apartment felt too quiet again. Jessica sat cross-legged on the couch with a thin blanket around her shoulders. Her tea had gone cold an hour ago. Just sitting on the coffee table untouched. Didn’t even notice. Hand resting over her small belly like always, fingers tracing the little movements under her skin.It had become her habit. Sitting in that silence waiting for the tiny flutters that reminded her someone else was there too.Letting out a slow breath while staring at the blank TV screen across from her. Faint reflection showing tired eyes and messy hair. Lips pressed together like they’d forgotten how to smile.“Your mom looks like a zombie,” she mumbled down at her stomach trying to force some kind of grin. Her voice broke halfway through which made this weird little laugh come out instead.“But hey,” she added quieter now like sharing some secret between them.“At least I’m your zombie.”She rubbed gentle circles with her palm.Naming. That was what she was supposed to b

Jessica Benson hated hospitals. The antiseptic smell clung to her throat no matter how she breathed. It wasn’t the sting of needles or the flat fluorescent lights—it was the waiting, the sitting in silence while your thoughts crawled out of the corners and ate you alive.She sat now in a stiff plastic chair in the maternity wing, her coat folded across her lap like armour. The doctor had finished her exam half an hour ago, but she hadn’t left yet. She couldn’t. Something in her chest told her that if she walked out of those double doors, she’d be walking into another storm.She rubbed slow circles over her belly through her sweater. Almost four months. The swell was undeniable now—every mirror reminded her. Strangers had started smiling knowingly at her on the street, some offering unsolicited advice about vitamins, others asking about the father. That one always made her want to disappear.The nurse reappeared, crisp uniform, clipboard right under her arm. “Ms. Benson?”Jessica st

The alarm went off right at six thirty. It buzzed hard against the shaky nightstand.Jessica didn't even move.She'd actually been up about fifteen minutes before that.Just laying there on her side, hands holding her belly.The baby started moving right before first light. Little kicks that kept going.Showed you how that tiny person inside never really stopped.Her voice was soft when she spoke, hoarse from sleep but steady. "Good morning, little one."She pushed upright and brushed hair from her face. Cold air clung to her bare feet as they hit wooden floorboards. She stumbled toward the window, dragging curtains aside with one hand.The city hadn't fully woken yet. Grayish light pooled between buildings like dirty water. Streets down below looked smudged, like charcoal lines someone tried erasing but gave up on half way.Her hands settled on her stomach as she stood there. That familiar kick came again under her palms, faint but steady now."Just another day," she said. “We can do

The knock was too loud again for this time of night. Three hard thuds shook the door frame. Jessica stopped moving. Her spoon stayed in hand, soup dripping back into the bowl. No way that was some neighbor dropping by after dark.Her breath caught. She already knew.Michael.“Jessica!” His voice came through the door, thick with alcohol. “Open the damn door. Don’t make me wait out here.”Her stomach tightened. The baby gave a small kick, as if reacting to the tension inside her. She pressed her palm over her belly, whispering, “It’s okay. I’ve got you.”The knocking turned into pounding. “I know you’re in there! You don’t ignore me.” She put down the spoon, wiped her hands on her old pyjama pants and pushed herself to her feet. This time, fear wasn't what filled her chest, but her legs felt heavier than they should have. Not fear……..resolve. She’d let him push her once. Bargain his way into her life with smooth words and fake promises. She wasn’t that woman anymore.She unlocked the

The invitation came in an email Jessica almost deleted.She had been scrolling through dozens of congratulatory messages from her growing vlog community when she spotted it. Polished header. Quantum Holdings’ logo gleaming like something from a different universe. The words felt surreal: “We would like to formally invite you to present your initiative on single motherhood support at our upcoming social innovation forum.”Jessica blinked, reread it three times, and pressed a palm against her stomach.“Hope… is this real?” she whispered.The baby kicked back lightly, as though answering.For the next three days, she didn’t sleep much. She read the email until she could recite it. She checked the address—Quantum Holdings Headquarters, downtown, the building she had only ever seen in glossy magazines. She checked the sender three times, convinced it was a scam.It wasn’t.And that terrified her.————-Jessica's shoes made a sharp clicking sound on the marble floor in that big glass lobby