A New Life: Redemption of souls

When Beatrice got home, she excitedly gushed to her dad about her new job. Her dad beamed with pride, giving her a big hug. "I'm so proud of you, sweetie! You're going to make a fantastic teacher!"

Her mom, on the other hand, just huffed and muttered under her breath. Beatrice tried to ignore her, but she couldn't help feeling a little stung. Why couldn't her mom just be happy for her?

Darana rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Congratulations, Bea. I'm sure you'll be a great teacher. Just don't expect me to start calling you 'Miss Beatrice' or anything."

Phanie and Perach, Beatrice's younger sisters, congratulated her with big hugs and squeals of excitement. Beatrice laughed and hugged them back, feeling happy and relieved.

As she was about to go to bed, her mom handed her an outfit, a fancy dress and heels. "Wear this tomorrow, Beatrice. We have company coming."

Beatrice didn't think much of it, just nodded and took the outfit. She was too excited about her new job to worry about what her mom was planning.

As she went to sleep, she excitedly told Shawn all about her day, talking to him through the locket. "Shawn, I got the job! I'm going to be a teacher! I'm so happy and excited. I just wish you were here to celebrate with me."

The next day, Beatrice dressed in the outfit her mom had given her, feeling a little uncomfortable in the fancy dress and heels. She went downstairs, expecting to see her family gathered in the living room. But instead, she was surprised to see two people she never expected: Margaret, her mother-in-law, and Lana, she had a big smirk on her face.

Beatrice's heart skipped a beat as she stared at them in shock. What were they doing here? She hadn't seen them since she ran away and she hadn't expected to see them again so soon.

Margaret smiled warmly, but Beatrice could see the calculation in her eyes. "Beatrice, darling! It's so good to see you! We've missed you so much."

Beatrice forced a smile, feeling a wave of anxiety wash over her. She knew that Margaret and Lana were not to be trusted. They had tormented her for months, trying to break her spirit after failing destroy her relationship with Shawn.

Lana, who was six months pregnant, smiled sweetly at Beatrice. "We've come to take you home, Beatrice," she said, her voice dripping with sweetness. "You're carrying Shawn's baby, just like me. We should be together, raising our children as a family."

Beatrice felt like she had been punched in the gut. She had never expected them to want her to come back, especially not after everything they had put her through.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Beatrice said, trying to sound calm. "I'm happy here, with my family. I don't need to go back to Shawn's family."

Margaret's face darkened, and she leaned forward, her eyes blazing with intensity. "You're carrying Shawn's baby, Beatrice. You have a responsibility to his family, to his legacy. You can't just ignore that and live your life as if Shawn never existed."

Beatrice felt tears pricking at the corners of her eyes, but she refused to cry. She stood up, her heart pounding with fear and anxiety. "I'm not ignoring Shawn's legacy," she said, her voice shaking. "I'm just trying to live my life, to move on from the past. I don't need your approval or your permission to do that."

Lana stood up, her eyes flashing with anger. "You're making a big mistake, Beatrice," she said, her voice cold and menacing. "You're going to regret this, I promise you that."

As they left, Beatrice felt a sense of relief wash over her. She was glad to be rid of them, to be free from their toxic influence. But she knew that she couldn't relax, not yet. She had to be on her guard, always, because she knew that Margaret and Lana would stop at nothing to get what they wanted.

Beatrice's mom, Rachel, slapped her across the face, her eyes blazing with anger. "Why didn't you return with them, Beatrice? They're your in-laws, and you're a pregnant widow. Who else is going to want you?"

Beatrice felt a surge of anger and hurt, and she yelled back at her mom. "How could you say that, Mom? You're supposed to support me, not tear me down. I don't need them, and I don't need you treating me like this."

Rachel's face turned red with rage, and she raised her hand to slap Beatrice again. But Beatrice was too quick, and she dodged out of the way just in time. "I've had enough of this," Beatrice said, her voice shaking with anger. "I'm leaving."

She stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind her. As she walked down the street, she felt tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. She was so angry and hurt, and she didn't know how to process her emotions.

As she turned the corner, she started sobbing uncontrollably. She felt like her world was crashing down around her, and she didn't know how to pick up the pieces.

Just as she was starting to calm down, she heard a voice behind her. "Hey, are you okay?"

Beatrice turned to see Ethan standing behind her, a look of concern on his face. He was holding a napkin in his hand, and he offered it to her. "Here, take this. You're crying all over the place."

Beatrice took the napkin from him, feeling a little embarrassed. "Thanks," she said, blowing her nose. "I'm just having a really bad day."

Ethan nodded sympathetically. "I can tell. You're shaking like a leaf. Do you want to talk about it?"

Beatrice hesitated for a moment, unsure if she wanted to open up to Ethan. But there was something about his calm and gentle demeanor that put her at ease. "It's just my mom," she said, feeling a lump form in her throat. "She's always criticizing me, always making me feel like I'm not good enough. She doesn't want me her and she doesn't try to hide it...."

" A woman that is strong enough to be a single mom is definitely more than good enough ", Ethan smiled softly

Beatrice felt a surge of gratitude towards Ethan. No one had ever stood up for her like that before. "Thanks, Ethan. Just talking to you makes me feel a little better."

Ethan smiled and put a hand on her shoulder. "Anytime, Beatrice. Just remember, you're pregnant, and you can't afford to stress yourself out like this. You need to take care of yourself and your baby."

Beatrice nodded, feeling a sense of determination wash over her. She was going to take care of herself and her baby, no matter what.