Putting the kettle on, Ethan asked:
“Hungry?”
“No, I ate at a restaurant.”
“What’s with the look? Can’t figure out how I transformed so fast? Or where I got the cash for a restaurant?”
“Honestly, yeah,” Ethan admitted, embarrassed. “That day you nearly fell under my car—my old car—you had worn-out clothes, shoes too big, and no money. By the way, you didn’t rob that bank, did you?” he said, eyeing her pricey outfit.
Sarah laughed and placed a hand on his:
“No, it’s all good. Didn’t need to rob a bank—I just took what was rightfully mine.”
A tense silence followed. Her words about “taking” something sounded like theft. Ethan half-expected her to admit to stealing money for her fancy clothes. But he also knew a lone pregnant woman couldn’t pull off a heist with modern security. To ease the tension and learn more, he said calmly:
“Good to know you didn’t break the law. You already paid for that once. What happened, anyway? Why’d you end up inside?”
Sarah poured herself tea, took a few sips, and began:
“It’s a long story, but I’ll start with this: I got pregnant by the prison warden.”
“No way!” Ethan choked, nearly spitting out his tea.
“Yeah, it’s true. I had to. He promised I’d get parole. It’s humiliating to admit, but sleeping with him was my only shot at freedom. I got pregnant, and he even took me for an ultrasound. They said it’s twins. Two boys—can you imagine?”
“Not exactly, but I get it,” Ethan said cautiously. “I’ve never heard of an inmate getting pregnant by a warden. Usually, women are already pregnant when they go in, or their husbands visit.”
“But why? You won’t love them.”
Sarah tilted her head, visibly hurt. Ethan’s words had struck a chord. He couldn’t imagine what she was feeling.
Their first meeting showed how vulnerable she was. Now, this sudden change in appearance and her openness with a stranger—it was jarring.
“Look, Ethan, I had no choice. I needed to get out to settle a score.”
“Got it. So, you got pregnant on purpose for some revenge plan.”
“Don’t judge until you know the whole story.”
“Fair enough, I’ll shut up. Go on,” Ethan said, sipping his tea.
That evening, Sarah shared her painful past. She’d endured a lot, starting with humiliation. It all began when her father, now deceased, decided to remarry.
Her mom had passed away three years earlier, and he fell for someone new. Sarah didn’t try to stop him, knowing he was a grown man free to choose. Plus, he was a big-shot businessman with major assets.
That gave him plenty of options in his personal life. Naturally, an opportunity arose, and a stunning woman entered his life. She was ten years younger and easily won his heart.
Sarah watched him go crazy for her, blind to everything else. She had her own small business, and work kept her too busy to monitor the situation. She was torn between home and the office.
Everything changed when the woman’s son joined their family. She convinced Sarah’s father to take him in. Not only that, she seduced him into marriage.
They threw a lavish wedding, over-the-top even. Ethan set his mug down and interrupted:
“Wait, how did your dad not see what he was doing? From what you’re saying, he was barely over fifty. I don’t buy that he lost his mind at that age.”
“He knew exactly what he was doing. He just craved female attention, so he remarried.”
“I tried to talk him out of it, but would he listen? He decided what was best and picked his new flame.”
“Sorry for cutting in. My bad,” Ethan said. “I’ve had similar issues—not about weddings, but close. I didn’t tell you, but I’m an orphan. Never met my parents, still don’t know where they are or what happened. Spent my childhood in foster care, learned to drive there, and that’s how I stepped into adulthood.”
“That’s rough, having no one close,” Sarah continued. “I realized that in prison. My ticket to jail was courtesy of my stepbrother, Alex, that woman’s son. I don’t even want to say his name. He and his mom put me through hell.”
Ethan suggested a break:
“Let’s cook something. I know you can afford restaurants now, but I can’t. Got fired from the rideshare gig, and being a warehouse worker doesn’t pay much.”
“Wait, was that because of me?” Sarah gasped. “You were late because of me, and they fired you?”
“Sort of. The delay was just an excuse. Truth is, my boss had it out for me from day one. He thought I was gunning for his job.”
“Why?”
“I showed initiative in front of the big boss once, suggested better motor oils for the cars. Kept pitching ideas, and I paid for it.”
“Wow, your boss sounds like a piece of work,” Sarah laughed.
“Not just that—an egoist and a show-off. But whatever, he’ll hear from me yet.”
They whipped up a light dinner and nibbled. Ethan noticed Sarah wasn’t acting like a stranger anymore. There was definitely a spark.