Chapter 6
Rachel stood at the entrance of the neighborhood, holding the baby in her arms.
The night wind brushed against her face.
It was cold.
She stared at her phone.
She hesitated for a long time.
Finally, she dialed a number.
"Mom..." Rachel said softly.
"Rachel, is that you? It's so late. What's wrong?" Fiona asked, worry in her voice.
Rachel tried to speak.
Suddenly, tears streamed down her face.
"Mom, can I can I stay with you for a few days?" she murmured, her voice trembling.
Fiona's voice instantly tensed up.
"What happened? Is that brat David giving you a hard time?"
Rachel wiped away her tears.
"Mom, I'm outside the apartment complex," Rachel said, her voice shaky.
"Can you come pick me up?"
"Alright, just wait there. I'll be right over," Fiona replied, her voice steady but full of concern.
Half an hour later, Fiona pulled up in her car.
She spotted Rachel standing by the curb, holding the baby.
There was a suitcase sitting next to her.
Fiona's face fell the moment she saw it.
"Rachel, what's going on?" Fiona rushed over, her voice tight with worry.
Fiona rushed over, worry etched on her face. "Rachel, what happened? Tell me the truth," she demanded, her voice trembling.
Without another word, Fiona hurried to Rachel's side.
She gently took the baby from Rachel's arms.
Fiona looked at her daughter's exhausted face, her heart twisting with pain.
"Mom, let's just go home first," Rachel said, her voice surprisingly calm.
"I'll tell you everything when we get there."
When they got back to the Quinn family home, Rachel's father, George Quinn, was sitting in the living room.
When he saw Rachel walk in with the baby in her arms, he froze.
"Rachel, what's going on?" George asked, worry etched deep in his voice.
Rachel sank onto the couch, her shoulders slumped.
Taking a shaky breath, she began to tell them everything that had happened over the past month.
She didn't hold anything back—every detail, every heartbreak, she laid it all out for her parents.
She told them everything—how she was abandoned on the highway, the hospital ordeal, her postpartum struggles, Emily White, and the 90 thousand dollars.
When Rachel finished telling her story, a heavy silence fell over the room.
The living room was dead silent.
George's face turned livid, his jaw clenched so tight it looked like it might snap.
Fiona was crying so hard her shoulders shook, tears streaming down her face.
"That bastard!" George slammed his hand on the table, his voice shaking with rage.
"I knew David Scott was no good! I warned you about him from the very beginning.
"When you insisted on marrying him, I just knew it was a mistake.
"And now look at what he's done to you!"
Fiona pulled Rachel into her arms, shaking as she cried, barely able to hold herself together.
"Rachel, why didn't you come to me sooner?
"You went through all this pain alone...
"My heart just breaks for you..." Fiona whispered, her voice breaking.
Rachel leaned against her mother's shoulder, her body trembling.
Tears slipped down her cheeks again.
But she quickly wiped them away.
"Mom, Dad, I've already found a lawyer," Rachel said, keeping her voice steady.
Her voice was so calm it was almost scary.
"I want a divorce," Rachel said, her tone unwavering.
George nodded, his jaw set.
"Divorce him! You have to!
"There's no reason to keep a man like him around.
"Rachel, don't worry. Your dad's got your back," George said, his voice steady and reassuring.
Fiona wiped her tears, her voice trembling. "But what about the baby?"
"I'll raise the baby on my own," Rachel said, her voice unwavering.
Rachel gazed at the baby cradled in her arms, determination flickering in her eyes.
"I gave birth to him. No one's going to take him away from me," Rachel declared, her tone fierce and unyielding.
George watched Rachel, his eyes shining with both worry and pride.
"Alright.
"Your mom and I—we've got your back, no matter what.
"If you need money, just tell me. We're not scared of him, not one bit," George said, his tone full of determination.
Rachel nodded. "Thanks, Mom, Dad."
*****
Early the next morning, Rachel's phone started ringing.
Rachel's phone started ringing.
It was David calling.
She didn't answer.
A little while later, David called again.
She still didn't answer.
He blew up her phone, calling more than a dozen times.
Rachel was seriously fed up.
She just turned her phone off.
At noon, the doorbell rang.
The doorbell rang.
George went to open the door.
Standing outside was David and Susan.
"Mr. Quinn, is Rachel home?" Susan asked, putting on her best polite smile.
She put on a friendly face, but it was clear she was forcing it.
"We're here to take her home," Susan said, her voice syrupy-sweet, but her eyes were cold as ice.
George's face was cold as ice.
"She's not coming back," he said, his voice icy.
Susan's smile froze.
"George, what's going on here?
"It's just a little spat between the kids. Let them talk it out at home.
"Why would she run back to her family like this?"
George shot Susan a cold look. "A little spat?"
He let out a bitter laugh.
"Don't act like you're clueless about how the Scott Family treated my daughter."
David stood behind Susan, guilt written all over his face.
He looked like he'd been punched in the gut.
"Mr. Quinn, I'm sorry. It was my fault," David said, his voice low and full of regret.
"I'll apologize to Rachel and bring her home with me."
"Apologize?" George scoffed, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
"Where was your apology when you dumped my daughter on the highway?
"Where was your apology when you handed over all our savings to some other woman?
"Now you want to apologize?
"It's too late!" he said, his tone final.
David's face went pale.
"Mr. Quinn, I... I know I messed up..." David stammered, his voice shaking.
"Please, just let me see Rachel. I want to apologize to her in person," David pleaded, desperation written all over his face.
"No need," Rachel called out from the living room.
Her voice was calm, but carried a finality that made everyone freeze.
She walked out, cradling the baby in her arms.
She stood in the doorway.
She locked eyes with David.
"David, I want a divorce," Rachel said, her tone steady and cold.
David froze, his face going pale.
"What?" David blurted out, his voice cracking.
"I said, we're getting a divorce," Rachel repeated, her voice steady and unwavering.
"Here's the divorce agreement. Take a look at it."
She pulled a document from her pocket and handed it to David.
David took it.
He opened it and scanned the pages, reading through the agreement.
With every line he read, his expression darkened, looking more and more miserable.
"The house is mine; the car is yours.
"I get full custody of the baby, and you'll pay 2 thousand dollars a month in child support.
"And you owe me 90 thousand dollars in compensation," Rachel said, her voice cold and unyielding.
"This is my bottom line.
"If you agree, we'll head to the courthouse and settle this.
"If you don't, I'll have my lawyer sue you," Rachel finished, her voice icy and resolute.
David gripped the divorce agreement, his hand trembling.
His hand was shaking.
"Rachel, are you out of your mind?
"I bought that house! Why should it go to you?
"And that 90 thousand dollars? That's my money! I can do whatever I want with it!" David yelled, his face flushed with anger.
Rachel scoffed, her laugh icy.
"Your money?
"That's not just yours; that's marital assets.
"You gave it away without even asking me.
"That's stealing from our marriage.
"I could take you to court for that," Rachel finished, her tone fierce and unwavering.
David was left speechless.
Susan was starting to panic.
"Rachel, you're crossing the line.
"David's name is on the house! Why should you get it?
"And the baby? He's the Scott Family's grandson! You think you can just take him? Not a chance!" Susan shouted, her face flushed with anger.
Rachel shot Susan a cold look.
"The house is marital property. Half of it belongs to me.
"I carried that baby for nine months. Custody goes to me, end of story.
"If you've got a problem with that, we'll settle it in court."
Without another word, Rachel turned and walked back inside, leaving everyone stunned.
The door slammed shut behind her.
David and Susan stood outside, their faces twisted with rage and humiliation.
They looked like they'd just been slapped in the face.
Susan was shaking with rage.
"Rachel has really turned the world upside down!
"David, are you just going to stand there and let her walk all over us?" she demanded, her tone sharp and accusatory.
David gripped the divorce agreement, his face grim.
He looked pissed.
"Mom, let's just go home for now.
"She's furious right now. Nothing we say will get through to her.
"Once she calms down, I'll come back and try again," David said, his voice steady but determined.
Susan refused to back down.
"Is that it? We're just going to let her walk all over us?" Susan snapped, her voice full of frustration.
"What else can we do?" David said, his voice low and defeated.
He stared at the closed door, his face grim.
"Making a scene here won't change anything.
"She's got her family backing her now. There's nothing we can do.
"Let's just go home and figure something out."
They left.
*****
Inside, Rachel sat on the couch, her hands still shaking.
Fiona sat beside her.
She took Rachel's hand in hers.
"Rachel, you did the right thing.
"A man like him isn't worth another second of your time," Fiona added, her voice steady and reassuring.
Rachel nodded.
"Mom, I won't regret this."
She looked down at the baby in her arms.
Her gaze was resolute.
"I want to give my baby a better future.
"I won't let him grow up in that house, learning to lie and betray others."
George nodded from the side.
"That's exactly right.
"Rachel, your dad's got your back.
"Whatever you want to do, just go for it.
"We're not scared of them, not one bit."
Rachel took a deep breath.
She picked up her phone and quickly texted Jessica.
[Jessica, I'm ready.
[Let's get the divorce proceedings underway.]