" Flight to Atlanta, Georgia will start boarding now." I stood up from my seat and grabbed my suitcase. I looked around me, the scenes that displayed before me. These would be my final moments in South Korea. My heart was deteriorating by the second. I had never intended on finding love here, never thought that this one foreign place would become my home. This place where, Jae and I found each other. Where he became my Kryptonite, wielded against me to hurt and kill me.

I could say he was like my nicotine to my cigarette, but he was instead the high that I am forced to come down from. I jabbed at my chest, the once steady tempo of my heart that my love gifted me, now replaced with pangs of pain. I could not even say goodbye. I kept thinking of his smile, his perky lips, rows of pearly white teeth. I thought of his caress, how he made me comfortable.

My last memory that I would take with me, was Jae pouring out his despair blindly on that hospital, minutes before breaking into cardiac arrest, and his heart stopping completely. Could I survive? I ask myself. If I couldn't, I must, I must survive. I must not think selfishly. Jae would only be safe this way. I would leave , and Jae's life would return to it's normal state. Singing his heart out at night, visiting the children, finishing his college classes. He would maybe build a relationship with his father.

I would go on, with a piece of Jae inside of me. My baby being a reminder that Jae and I once shared something special. A symbol of the love we shared, for the rest of my baby's life. So I would not be selfish, I would be strong for my baby, and I would cherish everything that Jae and I ever was. I knew that it would be hard. I know that becoming a mother will never be an easy task. I, a black and independent woman, would do all by might, to conquer and excel in motherhood, like my mother has, and her mother before her.

I would put on my brave face, when I wanted to cry. When I am about to crumble, I will stand higher with wobbly legs. It was what I'd do.

I gripped my suitcases tighter. I wiped my tears and pulled myself together. I am going home.

After boarding the plane, and we set off into the air. I looked at the clouds below me, and thought about the irony of my situation. I left my mother's household, because of her unfathomable obsession with controlling my life, and now I'd leave South Korea, because of a cystic obsession over a son's life. I put my hand over my stomach. " She's gonna have an attack when she sees you little one. I say with a tight smile.

•. •. •

Jae's Pov

I blinked awake, my eyes barely adjusting to the light. My chest is heavy, and I feel weak. I tried to push myself up but fail. This notifies the nurse that I am awake, to which she goes, " He's awake. Doctor I will notify the senator". She scurries out of the room and the doctor checks my vitals. I open my mouth to speak and my throat is dry. I sit up slightly, and my head pounds.

" Athena. Doctor where is Athena?" Is what I asked first. ". Are you referring to the pregnant young woman that came in here with you, a few days ago?" He asks and I nodded. " Where is she?" I asked him pleadingly. " Is she ok? Is my baby ok?" The doctor gave me an apologetic look that sent my heart cracking. " Sir, I haven't seen her since you went into a cardiac arrest. She made a scene in your hospital room, shouting for you, and was even escorted into the lobby. Your father arrived and I hadn't seen her after" He tells me and my hands shake.

" W-what do you mean? Where could she have gone?" My voice begins to break. My father walks through the door and he folds his arms at me. " Doctor, give my son and I a moment please" The Doctor bows and leaves the room. I glare at him.

" You ungrateful bastard. How could you turn back on our deal, when you already agreed to it!" My father barks at me.

" That was before, before I met Athena, before I knew I would become a dad" I hissed and he laughs an evil one. Maliciousness drip from his smile as he stalks toward my bed. " This I know, and is why I had to eliminate her from the equation" I furrowed my eyebrows together. " What? What are you talking about?".

" Athena is just what I thought she was. I gave her a price, and told her to run, and she did just that. She's gone Jae Eun. She and that mut inside of her. They both are in America, where she belongs. Wait no, I should have sent her back to Africa that is rea——

——You bastard! You are lying! Athena would never do that!" I yelled although my throat sore. " Oh but she is son, she is gone. She is also never coming back. It's time you focus on your work and obey as I say." He counters and I bit my cracked bottom lip. Sobs escaped my mouth as I yelled at the top of my lungs, fisting the sheets. " How can a man be so evil! I know it was you who sent those men! I know you ordered them to get rid of our baby! You wanted to kill her, You murder! You are sick!" I choked on my sobs and my father walks right up to me and slaps me.

" Damn right I did. You better get your act together, before I end you for real." He hisses at me darkly before storming out of the hospital room, leaving me buried inside my own grief is .