**Shattered Dreams**

Ashley's eyes locked onto Gerald's, and she took a deep breath. She knew what she was about to say could either calm the storm or ignite it further. With a voice barely above a whisper, she spoke the words that had been echoing in her mind since the pregnancy test had confirmed her deepest fears and desires. "I want to be a mom, Gerald," she whispered, her voice trembling. Gerald's expression changed in an instant. His eyes, once cold and hard, now seemed to gleam with a sinister light. He took a step closer to Ashley, his hand reaching out to grab her by the throat. His fingers wrapped around her neck like a vice, squeezing tight. Ashley's eyes widened as she struggled to breathe. Gerald's face was inches from hers, his hot breath washing over her skin. He laughed, a cold, mirthless sound that sent shivers down Ashley's spine. "You will mess any kid up," he sneered, his eyes glinting with cruelty. "Look at you, you're only good to be used." Ashley's mind reeled as she tried to process Gerald's words. How could he be so heartless? Didn't he want a child with her? Hadn't he always talked about building a family together? But now, as she looked into his eyes, she saw only contempt and disdain. Gerald's grip on her throat tightened, and Ashley's vision began to blur. She tried to speak, to protest, but her voice was barely a whisper. Gerald's laughter grew louder, more maniacal, as he leaned in closer. "You're not fit to be a mother," he spat, his words dripping with venom. "You're not even fit to be a girlfriend. You're just a thing, a thing to be used and discarded." Ashley's eyes welled up with tears as she realized the true extent of Gerald's cruelty. She was trapped, trapped in a relationship with a man who didn't care about her, who only cared about himself. And now, with her pregnancy, she was faced with the daunting reality of bringing a child into this toxic world.