Aida POV:
Drake' s face hardened. He wrapped an arm around Caroline. He pulled her close. He looked at me with disdain.
"Caroline, don' t listen to her. She means nothing to me. You are the only woman I want."
His words were a punch. They confirmed my disposable status. I felt myself shrink. Caroline leaned into him. She gave me a triumphant look.
"Aida, dear, you must be mistaken. Or perhaps you' re just in denial?"
Her voice was sweet. It masked pure venom. She tried to sound sympathetic. It was a thinly veiled insult.
"You' ve been with Drake for three years. It' s natural to develop feelings. But he never loved you. You were just…convenient."
I forced myself to stay calm. I took a deep breath.
"I am not pregnant. I know my own body."
I turned to leave. I had to protect my mother. The scene was too much for her. I started to walk away. Caroline moved fast. She stepped in front of me. She blocked my path.
"Not so fast, Aida. We' re not done here."
She extended her hand. She grabbed my purse strap. She yanked it hard. My old, worn leather purse flew open. Its contents spilled across the polished hospital floor. Papers, my wallet, a small tube of lip balm-they scattered everywhere.
My heart pounded. I saw the folded paper. It was tucked between my mother's lab results and my appointment reminder. The paper was still mostly hidden. I felt a surge of relief. It was my MRKH diagnosis. I could not let anyone see it. Not now.
Caroline bent down. She moved quickly. She picked up a single sheet of paper from the scattered mess. She held it up. Her eyes widened. A gasp escaped her lips. It was theatrical.
"Oh my goodness!"
She looked at the paper. Then she looked at me. Her face contorted into an expression of exaggerated shock. She held the paper high for everyone to see.
"Aida! What is this? A pregnancy test result?"
My blood ran cold. Pregnancy test? It was not mine. I felt a wave of nausea. This was a setup. I had never seen that paper before.
"That' s not mine! I don' t know what that is!"
Caroline began to cry. Her voice was shaky. She held the paper, clutching it like a sacred document.
"How can you deny it? It fell right out of your bag! And look here, the name is blurred, but the date… it fits."
She pointed to a smudged area on the paper. The name was indeed hard to read. The date, however, was clearly visible. It was from two months ago. She looked at Drake.
"She' s trying to hide it, Drake! She knew I was coming back. She tried to hide it from you!"
Caroline thrust the paper into Drake' s hand. He took it. His eyes scanned the document. The blurry name. The clear date. The words "Positive" and "Expected Due Date" stood out. The details looked authentic. The hospital' s logo was visible.
The crowd buzzed. Their glances turned to outright stares. This was public humiliation. This was a calculated attack. I stood there, utterly exposed.
I tried to speak. Words failed me. My voice was a choked whisper.
"It' s a lie! That' s not my report! I didn' t take any test!"
No one believed me. Their faces showed judgment. Drake' s face was stone. He looked from the paper to my face. His jaw was tight. His expression was full of disgust. I was trapped.
