When Fate Comes Knocking
Simon, the head of marketing—single and self-assured—couldn’t resist the moment he laid eyes on the department’s newest hire: bold, striking Emily. She’d barely stepped into the office before he made his move, interest written all over his face.
“Morning, teammate,” he said, flashing a smile warm enough to melt butter.
Emily held his gaze, her own lips curling just slightly. “Morning,” she replied, soft but with a spark.
“Well then, dive in. Olivia’s our go-to for onboarding—she’ll show you the ropes,” Simon nodded toward the senior colleague. “Get familiar with the manuals. Best of luck—hope we make a good team.”
The office—mostly women—tracked him with their eyes as he walked away. The moment he was out of earshot, Olivia leaned toward the desk beside her. “Since when does our Simon roll out the red carpet for newbies?” she whispered to Natalie. They exchanged glances and stifled a laugh.
Emily kept her guard up at first. New team, unfamiliar faces. She wasn’t shy—at twenty-three, she’d already left a trail of messy flings behind her. Back in college, she’d tangled with a professor twenty years her senior. He’d cut things off when gossip reached his wife. Emily? She shrugged it off and moved on, leaving shattered hearts in her wake.
Two weeks later, Simon asked her to stay late for drinks at a riverside café.
“Why not? You’re the boss—gotta stay on your good side,” she answered, smirking like it was a dare.
Her tone was so light Simon almost laughed, but his chest fluttered anyway. At thirty-two, he’d never made it past the halfway mark in relationships. But with Emily, things spiraled fast—dates, passion, love. Soon, the whole office buzzed: Simon and Emily were engaged.
**A Family on the Edge**
Simon poured everything into Emily, indulging her every whim. She laid down one rule: “No kids, Simon. I want to live for me. When—*if*—I’m ready, I’ll say. Until then? No prams, no sleepless nights.”
He waited, convinced time would change her mind. Months passed, but she only brushed him off: “Simon, I told you upfront. Don’t push me. I’m not ready.”
Then, one evening, he found her in the bathroom, pale, clutching a pregnancy test.
“Emily… you’re pregnant?” he breathed, heart pounding.
She nodded silently, tears welling. Simon, dizzy with joy, swept her into his arms—but she burst into sobs. “I don’t want this! I won’t get fat, I won’t wreck my life! Fix it, Simon!”
He kissed her tear-streaked cheeks. “Don’t cry, it’s a miracle. I love you, Em. We’re having a baby!”
But Emily was unmovable. She booked a clinic appointment. Simon stormed in at the last second, dragging her outside. “Emily, *please*. Let our child live. I’ll do everything—I swear.”
She agreed, on one condition: nappies, night feeds—not her problem. Simon doted on her through the pregnancy. At the hospital, he only exhaled when he saw their healthy baby girl.
**The Daughter Left Behind**
Exhausted but elated, Simon went home to rest. The next day, the nurses delivered the blow: “Your wife’s gone. She left the baby.” They handed him a folded note.
“No—that’s impossible!” Simon refused to believe. “Check outside—she wouldn’t just—”
But Emily had vanished. Calls went unanswered; her number was dead. Six weeks later, she rang: “Pack my things. My boyfriend’s coming for them. File for divorce yourself—I’m not coming back.”
Not a word about their daughter. Little Sophie meant nothing to her—just like Simon. So he became both father and mother. His mum, living nearby, stepped in to help.
**Shadows of the Past**
Anna snatched her phone at the ringtone. It was her son Jake’s teacher, Mrs. Thompson. “Anna, come to the school—*now*. Jake’s caused a scene!”
Heart hammering, Anna rushed in, bewildered. *Jake? Quiet, well-behaved Jake?*
Jake was a miracle baby. Her husband, David, had confessed *before* their wedding: he was infertile. Third marriage for him.
“Maybe the doctors got it wrong?” Anna had said. She loved him—was ready for anything, even adoption.
David’s first wife cheated; his second left when she learned the truth. With Anna, he’d been honest. Yet—shockingly—she got pregnant. Beaming, she showed him the scan: eight weeks. “David, look—we’re having a baby!”
Instead of joy, he slapped her. “You *slept around*!” he roared, raising his hand again.
That night, he “relented”: “Fine. Keep the kid—even if it’s not mine.”
Jake was David’s spitting image. At first, David played along. Then the rages returned. “Whose kid is he, really? Make *him* pay child support!”
Jake grew up hearing it. “Go find your *real* dad!” David would sneer.
Anna got a DNA test—proof Jake was his. David called it a fraud. She left, moved across town. He found them. She fled to another city. Finally—peace.
At school, Anna found Jake with a red mark on his cheek. Beside him, Sophie—top of the class—glared. Mrs. Thompson sighed. “Jake pushed Sophie. She fell.”
**Picking Up the Pieces**
“Mum, it wasn’t me!” Jake blurted. “She called me names, scratched me—so I—!”
Sophie muttered, “Dad, *he* started it,” before trying to shove Jake again.
“Sophie, *enough*,” the man beside her warned.
“Jake, apologize,” Anna said.
“You too, Sophie,” the man added.
The kids sulked until Mrs. Thompson threw up her hands. “Parents—sort this out?”
“Sorted,” Anna and the man said in unison. They glanced at each other—then laughed.
“Simon. Sophie’s dad.”
“Anna. Jake’s mum.”
“Sorry,” Jake mumbled, scuffing his shoe.
“Me too,” Sophie muttered, poking his sleeve.
“Good job,” Simon and Anna chorused, laughing again. The kids cracked smiles.
“Celebration?” Simon grinned. “Pizza?”
“Yes!” Jake whooped.
Sophie nodded solemnly. “We’re *actually* friends now. Right, Jake?”
Anna caught Simon’s eye. “Clearly just a misunderstanding.”
Over pizza, the kids chattered like old mates. Jake even vowed, “If anyone bullies you, tell me—I’ll sort ’em.”
Simon and Anna exchanged glances. A spark.
After that? Movie nights, park walks, cozy evenings. The kids noticed first—cheered louder than anyone.
Months later, Simon and Anna laughed about that first meeting. Jake waited eagerly. And Sophie? Already picking baby names.
**When Fate Comes Knocking**
30th April
15.1k views
8 min readAnd as the little ones played, Simon slipped his hand into Anna’s, finally home.
