Jelani had always dreamed of living in New York, the city that never sleeps, the city of opportunities. But life had other plans for her. She got pregnant right after college. That's when she learned that no one had her best intentions at heart. Her head started spinning after she walked in on her boyfriend and her best friend in bed together. Without thinking, she ran out of the house while they shouted her name.

Later that week, Jelani was sitting in her bedroom as her phone kept going off for the fifth time since she walked into the house. She was debating whether to turn her phone off or pick it up. That's how it was for the next three months of her pregnancy. The same two people would call her phone asking if they had done her wrong.

Jelani has had enough of it and just wants everything to stop. Everything got much worse when she went into labor. Her mother was with her the whole time.

After 72 hours of agonizing pain, a little baby girl was born, and her name was Cecilia Onyx Tanner. The baby was placed in her arms as she lay in the bed with the biggest smile on her face.That night, Jelani was getting ready to leave when someone knocked on her door.

Jelani was furious when she saw her ex-boyfriend, Malik, walk into her hospital room with her ex-friend, Nia. With a frustrated sigh, Jelani turned around to face the two people she had been avoiding for the past three months. "What do you two want? Sleeping together wasn't enough? You had to come and ruin one of the happiest days of my life?" She snapped, walking up to them.

"Jelani, I'm sorry," he said, looking nervous. "Jay, what we're trying to say is that we're sorry for putting you through this." Nia said as she tried to grab Jelani's hand, but Jelani pulled away. "Sorry for what? For lying to me? For betraying me? For ruining our relationship?" She said as her voice started cracking and her eyes filled with tears. "I don't want to talk to you guys...so just leave me alone." Jelani said as she turned back to the bag she was packing.

Both Malik and Nia watched as she picked up the car seat and started for the door. "Move! I don't have all day, and my parents are waiting for me." She said as she moved them out of the way and started down the hallway to the elevator. "You can't just take my child away from me... She's mine, too." Malik shouted, making Jelani turn around and look at him.

"What's her name?" The moment the question was asked, Malik went silent. "Because I called you when I went into labor... but you didn't pick up... so since she is your child too... What's her name?" When nothing was said, Jelani just laughed.

"That's what I thought... because you burst into my room, and the first thing you said was that I couldn't keep you away from your child... but you don't even know her name... let alone how big she is or how long it took me to push her out." Jelani said as she put the car seat down and walked over to her, so-called best friend.

"Here... since you want him so badly, you can have him." Jelani said as she took off a necklace he gave her and handed it to Nia, who was speechless. "Now, if you don't mind... I have to take my child home before she wakes up." And that was the last time they ever spoke to her.

It has now been two months since Jelani left the hospital, and everything was falling apart. Jelani had always dreamed of being a choreographer and stage manager, but she never got a break. Apparently, no one wanted to hire a woman who just had a baby. So, she worked as a waitress for the time being. She had a baby girl, Cecilia, who was the only light in her life. She loved her daughter more than anything, but she also felt guilty for not being able to give her a better life.

One day, she received a letter from her best friend who lived in a small town in New York. Her best friend told her about an apartment that had just opened up. Jelani was hesitant at first, but she decided to take the chance. She packed her bags and took Cecilia with her, hoping to find a new beginning.