Sofi had been home for a week now, but she was still the same—if anything, even more distant, more hollow. It was as if she had been drained of everything that once made her her.

She sat curled up on the sofa in her room, half-lying against the cushions, staring at nothing in particular. The silence around her was suffocating, yet she didn't seem to mind. She barely moved, barely spoke. It was as if she had become a shadow of herself.

Outside the door, Ella stood with a food tray and a small set of medicines in her hands. Her fingers clenched around the tray as she exhaled heavily.

She hated seeing her sister like this.

Sofi had always been bubbly , but now… now she was just empty. And it scared Ella more than she cared to admit.

Taking a deep breath, she pushed the door open and stepped inside.

"Sofi, here’s your food," she said softly, walking toward her.

Sofi didn’t even glance at her. "I'm not hungry," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper as she turned her head away.

Ella sighed, setting the tray down on the table in front of her. She studied her sister’s fragile frame—the dark circles under her eyes, the way her once-vibrant skin had dulled.

"If you've decided to keep the baby, then you need to take care of yourself, Sofi," she said, her voice firm but careful.

"I'm taking the medicines," Sofi replied, still refusing to look at her.

"Medicine alone isn’t enough." Ella’s tone sharpened. "You need proper nutrition, and more importantly, you need to come out of this sadness. Do you even realize how much stress can affect the baby?"

A flicker of something crossed Sofi’s face—regret, guilt, maybe even pain. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared.

"I can’t help it," she said, her voice flat, emotionless.

Ella clenched her jaw. She had been patient. She had been understanding. But this—this self-destruction—she couldn’t watch it any longer.

"I might sound harsh, Sofi, but if you were going to be like this, you should’ve just aborted it."

Sofi's breath hitched.

For the first time in days, she looked at Ella—really looked at her.

Her eyes weren’t angry. They weren’t shocked. They weren’t even sad.

They were just… empty.

And that broke Ella more than anything else.

But she didn’t take her words back. Because if shocking Sofi was the only way to snap her out of this, then so be it.

Sofi turned her face away again, silent.

"Eat," Ella said, her voice softer now but still firm.

For a moment, Sofi didn’t move. Then, slowly, she sighed and sat up. Without a word, she picked up the spoon.

Ella took it as a small victory and sat beside her, helping serve her food.

They ate in silence.

Once they were done, Ella placed the medicine on the table. "I’ll leave your meds here. Make sure you take them in ten minutes."

Sofi didn't respond.

Ella hesitated before speaking again. "Sofi, I think you should go back to college now."

That got Sofi’s attention. She turned her head slightly, her brows furrowing.

"I mean, last time, it helped you get out of this constant overthinking. Maybe it will again," Ella said, watching her closely.

Sofi let out a quiet, humorless chuckle. It never did, Ella, she thought bitterly.

"But staying home like this isn’t helping either," Ella continued. "If you go out, spend time with your friends, get back into your routine… it might help clear your mind a little."

Sofi exhaled sharply, shaking her head. "They will judge me."

Ella’s heart ached. She understood exactly what Sofi meant.

"Nobody knows yet," she reassured her gently. "And they won’t for months at least. Maybe by the time they do, your studies will be finished, and none of it will matter."

Sofi opened her mouth but hesitated. "...What if—"

"No ifs, Sofi," Ella interrupted, reaching out to hold her hand. "It wasn’t your fault. You don’t have to feel ashamed. In fact, I’m proud of you. I know how hard it is to carry this child—not just physically, but mentally too. You’re stronger than you think."

"I’ll ask Lucifer to drop you off, just like he used to," Ella added.

Sofi hesitated for a long moment. Then, finally, she gave a small nod.

It wasn’t much.

But it was something.

Ella exhaled in relief.

***

Lucifer was stuck in traffic, frustration bubbling inside him as he continuously checked his watch. The meeting was important, and he was already running late.

"How long?" he muttered under his breath, his jaw tightening.

Irritated, his eyes wandered aimlessly until they landed on a couple standing by the sidewalk. The man was holding a small baby girl in his arms, while the woman gently tickled the baby’s tiny fingers. The baby let out a soft, bubbling laugh, her little hands reaching out toward her mother.

Lucifer’s frustration melted away in an instant.

A soft smile crept onto his lips.

He leaned back against the car seat, exhaling as warmth spread through his chest.

I can already imagine our future, Sofi he thought, closing his eyes.

And just like that, he was lost in his imagination.

—

He saw himself standing in a sunlit living room, holding a delicate little girl in his arms. Sofi stood beside him, her face glowing with happiness. Her eyes, once burdened by sorrow, now shone with the same light they used to have. She was smiling—really smiling—the way she did when life was simpler.

His daughter giggled, tugging at his tie with her tiny fingers. She had Sofi’s eyes, her soft features, her warmth. She was perfect.

Lucifer chuckled, pressing a kiss to his daughter’s forehead, inhaling the sweet scent of baby powder and innocence. The feeling of her , the sound of her laughter, the comfort of Sofi’s presence—it was everything he had ever wanted.

A perfect, small family.

The words echoed in his mind as an overwhelming sense of contentment settled over him.

—

A loud honk from behind shattered the dream.

Lucifer blinked, reality crashing back into him as he exhaled sharply. The traffic had finally cleared.

Still gripping the steering wheel, he smirked to himself.

Soon. Very soon, this will become reality.

With that thought burning in his mind, he started the car and drove forward, hope flickering in his chest like an unshakable flame.

***

Sofi was still sitting on the sofa, staring blankly at the floor. Ella had left long ago, but the silence of the room felt heavier than before.

Her phone suddenly rang, breaking the stillness.

She glanced at the screen—an unknown number.

Her fingers hesitated before pressing the power button to silence it. But barely a second later, the phone rang again.

A strange unease settled in her chest. This time, she picked it up.

"Hello, Sofi. How are you?" a male voice asked quickly, almost as if he had been waiting for her to answer.

Her brows furrowed. Who is this?

"Who?" she asked, her voice wary.

"It’s Kevin," he replied .

A cold shiver ran down her spine.

"Why are you calling?" she asked, her tone sharper now.

"Just to check on you. Are you alright?" he asked, concern lacing his words.

Sofi’s heart pounded in her chest. Her grip on the phone tightened.

And then, memories from that day came rushing back—the last time she had been with  Kevin.

Her breath hitched.

Her fingers curled into her palm, nails digging into her skin. A lump formed in her throat.

"Was it you… who took me to the hospital?" she asked hesitantly, her voice barely above a whisper.

There was a brief silence.

Then he spoke.

"Yeah, it was me… and Principal ma’am."

Her entire body stiffened.

The room suddenly felt smaller, suffocating.

"Do you know?" she asked, dreading the answer.

Kevin immediately understood what she meant.

"I know," he admitted, his voice calm, yet firm. "But don’t worry, I haven’t told anyone."

The words barely reached her.

Sofi didn’t wait. She ended the call immediately, her hands trembling as she placed the phone on the table.

Her breath came out in short, shaky gasps.

If he knows…Ma’am knows… then

Her stomach twisted painfully.

Others will know too…

Her vision blurred.

"I can’t go out. I can’t. Not like this."

A single tear slipped from her eye, followed by another.

She hugged herself, curling into the sofa, trying to stop the overwhelming fear from swallowing her whole.

***

Sofi’s parents sat in their room, the air thick with unspoken concerns. The weight of their daughter’s situation pressed heavily on their shoulders.

Her father sighed “We listened to Lucifer, but I’m not sure if it’s right for Sofi to keep the child,” he said, his voice laced with uncertainty.

Her mother exhaled, her gaze fixed on the floor. “It’s not like we made the decision just because Lucifer said so. Sofi decided this herself.”

Her father shook his head. “She was against it just an hour before… then suddenly, she completely changed her mind. I don’t understand what made her rethink everything.”

“She acted out of panic back then,” her mother reasoned. “Maybe she took the time to see things clearly later. We should support her and help her get through this.”

A tense silence stretched between them before her father spoke again.

“We need to arrange her marriage.”

Her mother’s head snapped up, shock flashing in her eyes. “What?”

“If Sofi is going to keep the baby, then we need to find a father for it—someone who can support her through this.”

Her mother’s expression hardened. “Sofi will never agree to this.”

Her father’s eyes darkened with resolve. “She has to.”

Target: 50 votes

Author’s Note: The chapter was short, so bear with it. I actually need to bring the pieces together for the future, and the pacing will be slow for a while. Kevin is going to become a hero here—a soft one. Maybe you don’t like , dark lovers 🥲😅😅 lol. So, should I introduce him in the introduction?

Thank you for the 53 votes on Chapter 18! None of my other stories have reached the target without me asking again, so I truly appreciate it. Based on this, it seems that in four days, we can reach 50 votes, and in just one day (as I mentioned in my previous note), we managed to reach around 38 votes. That’s still a great response, so thank you!

I’ve decided to continue this story next month with daily updates. Even if the votes are less than 50, it’s okay, but I would appreciate it if we could at least reach 35 votes in one day , just like last time. The voting target for the entire month will remain the same—50 votes and 10 comments (a must).

Now, moving on!

You might have noticed that I often don’t name side characters in my stories—like the brother, mother, and father. Instead, I usually refer to them as her mother or her dad. I’ve done the same here. Should I give them proper names? Let me know what you think!

That said, I’m a bit too lazy to go back and fix their names throughout the story, so if I do give them names, I’ll start using them from the next chapter onward.

Also, if you come across any errors or anything confusing in the story, please feel free to let me know. I’d really appreciate your feedback so I can fix any issues.

Thank you for your support! ❤