Eric was a perfect fianc\u00e9 who showered me with love and care. But my world turned upside down when I found a cryptic message telling me to look under the mattress. What I discovered revealed a nightmare I could never have imagined, shattering my illusions and changing my life forever.\n\n\n\n
I never imagined I\u2019d be sharing something like this, but here I am, spilling my guts to the internet because I need to get this off my chest.\n\n\n\n
I\u2019m Melody, a successful woman in my early 30s. Life was pretty good until I moved in with Eric, my charming and affluent fianc\u00e9.\n\n\n\n
Eric\u2019s place is nothing short of a palace in one of those high-end neighborhoods that people dream about. From the moment I stepped through the doors, I felt like I was living in a fairy tale.\n\n\n\n
We had a cook and a cleaner, Maria, who came by a few times a week to take care of everything. It was like living in a dream.\n\n\n\n
One evening, as I tried to help clear the dinner table, Eric gently took the plate from my hands.\n\n\n\n
\u201cMaria will take care of that,\u201d he said with a soft smile.\n\n\n\n
\u201cBut I feel bad, Eric. I don\u2019t want her to think I\u2019m just sitting around doing nothing,\u201d I protested.\n\n\n\n
He shook his head and cupped my face in his hands. \u201cYou deserve to be treated like a queen. You work hard, and you shouldn\u2019t have to lift a finger at home. Let us take care of you.\u201d\n\n\n\n
I sighed, letting the warmth of his touch soothe my concerns. \u201cAlright, but just this once. I don\u2019t want to get too spoiled.\u201d\n\n\n\n
He laughed and kissed my forehead. \u201cToo late for that, love. Spoiling you is my life\u2019s mission.\u201d\n\n\n\n
It was easy to fall into the comfort he provided, the dreamlike quality of our life together.\n\n\n\n
But even dreams have their shadows.\n\n\n\n
At first, I didn\u2019t notice the small things. Eric stocked the fridge with healthy foods and wouldn\u2019t let me buy anything else. One Saturday morning, I found myself craving ice cream, so I picked some up while running errands.\n\n\n\n
When I returned, Eric spotted the grocery bag and raised an eyebrow. \u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d he asked, nodding toward the bag.\n\n\n\n
\u201cIce cream. I had a craving,\u201d I said, trying to sound nonchalant.\n\n\n\n
He frowned and playfully shook his finger at me. \u201cWe don\u2019t eat junk food in this house.\u201d\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s just a treat, Eric,\u201d I replied, a bit taken aback by his reaction.\n\n\n\n
He firmly shook his head. \u201cWe\u2019ve got to stick to our healthy routine. How about I make us some smoothies instead?\u201d\n\n\n\n
I sighed, feeling a bit like a child being scolded. \u201cSure, smoothies sound good.\u201d\n\n\n\n
Then there was the way he monitored my TV viewing. One night, as I settled in to watch a new drama series, Eric walked in and glanced at the screen.\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnother drama, Mel? How about we watch that documentary on space exploration instead?\u201d\n\n\n\n
I chuckled. \u201cEric, not everything has to be intellectually stimulating. Sometimes I just want to unwind and enjoy a good story.\u201d\n\n\n\n
He sat down next to me and put his arm around my shoulders. \u201cI know, but I just want us to keep learning and growing together. Isn\u2019t that important too?\u201d\n\n\n\n
He had a way of making it seem like everything he said and did was perfectly reasonable. I mean, how can you argue with someone who wants you to be healthy and knowledgeable?\n\n\n\n
Our wedding plans brought out more of Eric\u2019s controlling side. He asked a lot of intrusive questions about my health and family background.\n\n\n\n
I joked that he was more thorough than my doctor, but it was weird. Still, I loved him, and I wanted to believe everything was fine.\n\n\n\n
I later realized those moments were early signs of the deeper, more sinister influence Eric exerted over my life.\n\n\n\n
Then came the coffee cup.\n\n\n\n
It was a chilly Monday morning, and Maria insisted on making me a coffee to go. She handed me the cup with a kind smile, saying, \u201cIt\u2019s cold outside. This will keep you warm.\u201d\n\n\n\n
I thanked her, touched by her thoughtfulness, and took a sip. The warmth spread through me, not just from the coffee, but from her kindness. But as I got to the bottom, I nearly choked on my last sip.\n\n\n\n
Written inside the cup were the words: \u201cBe careful. Look under his mattress.\u201d\n\n\n\n
My heart raced as I tried to process what I\u2019d just read. What could it mean? Why would Maria leave me such a cryptic message? That evening, I couldn\u2019t shake the note from my mind.\n\n\n\n
As soon as Eric left for the gym, I rushed to the bedroom and lifted the mattress.\n\n\n\n
My heart skipped a beat when I found a large manila envelope taped to the bed frame. I tore it open and found a stack of documents. Each one was an ID of a different woman.\n\n\n\n
There were at least a dozen.\n\n\n\n
My blood ran cold. In front of each woman\u2019s photo was a note detailing why she couldn\u2019t be the mother of Eric\u2019s future child. Reasons ranged from \u201cpoor health history\u201d to \u201clow intelligence\u201d to \u201cunstable family background.\u201d\n\n\n\n
My heart sank as the horrifying truth began to dawn on me. Eric had been meticulously searching for the \u201cperfect\u201d woman to bear his child!\n\n\n\n
I kept rifling through the papers, each one more damning than the last.\n\n\n\n
Then I found it: a letter from Eric\u2019s lawyer. It outlined his inheritance, stressing the requirement for a direct biological heir to secure his estate. The pieces all fell into place.\n\n\n\n
His overprotectiveness, his insistence on perfection, his control over every aspect of my life was all part of his sick plan to ensure his fortune.\n\n\n\n
A wave of nausea and betrayal crashed over me. How could I have been so blind? I needed to get out of there, and fast. My heart pounded as I packed a bag.\n\n\n\n
As soon as I had everything I needed, I slipped out, praying Eric wouldn\u2019t come home early from the gym. My hands trembled as I drove to my friend Andrea\u2019s place, tears blurring my vision. I needed her help. I couldn\u2019t face this alone.\n\n\n\n
Andrea opened the door, her face instantly filling with concern when she saw my tear-streaked face.\n\n\n\n
\u201cMelody, what happened?\u201d she asked, pulling me inside.\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s Eric. He\u2019s\u2026 he\u2019s not who I thought he was,\u201d I stammered, collapsing onto her couch.\n\n\n\n
I poured out the whole story, from Maria\u2019s warning to the envelope under the mattress. Andrea\u2019s eyes widened with every word.\n\n\n\n
\u201cI knew he was too good to be true,\u201d she muttered. \u201cBut this\u2026 this is insane, Melody. What are you going to do?\u201d\n\n\n\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know. I left him, but I don\u2019t know what to do next. I think I need to talk to a lawyer,\u201d I said, my voice barely above a whisper.\n\n\n\n
Andrea nodded. \u201cAbsolutely. You need to protect yourself. We\u2019ll find you a good lawyer. You can stay here as long as you need.\u201d\n\n\n\n
For the next few days, I stayed with Andrea and got in touch with a lawyer. We discussed my options, from seeking a restraining order to exposing Eric\u2019s manipulative behavior publicly.\n\n\n\n
It was overwhelming, but I knew I had to do something to stop him from hurting anyone else.\n\n\n\n
And then came the biggest shock of all.\n\n\n\n
I had been feeling off for a while, chalking it up to stress. But when I finally took a pregnancy test, my world tilted on its axis. It was positive. I was pregnant with Eric\u2019s child.\n\n\n\n
Panic set in. How could I raise a child on my own? The thought of going back to Eric made my skin crawl, but how could I give my child the life they deserved without his support?\n\n\n\n
I ran to Andrea\u2019s room, clutching the test in my hand, tears streaming down my face. \u201cAndrea, I\u2019m pregnant.\u201d\n\n\n\n
Andrea\u2019s eyes widened in shock. \u201cOh, Melody\u2026\u201d\n\n\n\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know what to do. I can\u2019t raise this child alone. I have to go back to Eric, but I can\u2019t!\u201d\n\n\n\n
Andrea hugged me tightly. \u201cYou can\u2019t go back to him, Melody. He\u2019s dangerous. We don\u2019t know what he\u2019s capable of. You and your baby deserve better.\u201d\n\n\n\n
\u201cBut how? How can I do this without him?\u201d I sobbed.\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou have me. We\u2019ll figure it out together. I\u2019ll help you with the baby. You don\u2019t need him to give your child a good life,\u201d she said firmly.\n\n\n\n
I nodded, tears still streaming down my face. \u201cYou\u2019re right. It\u2019s too risky to tell Eric about the pregnancy. But accepting your help\u2026 I just feel so uncertain.\u201d\n\n\n\n
Andrea squeezed my hand. \u201cYou\u2019re not alone, Melody. We\u2019ll get through this. One step at a time.\u201d\n\n\n\n
So here I am, pouring my heart out to you all. What do you think I should do? Should I risk telling Eric about the baby, hoping he might change?\n\n\n\n
Or should I stay with Andrea, trying to build a life without him? I\u2019m torn, and I could really use some advice.\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"