Chapter 76
“So, how did it go today?” I asked gently, referring to her mother’s visit.
“I gave her the money. Twenty thousand,” she admitted bluntly. Her words hung in the air, and for a moment, I was too stunned to speak. My chest tightened as the reality of her statement sank in.
“You’re serious,” I muttered after a long pause.
“Yes, I had to,” she said simply.
“Why? Why would you help them after what they did to you?” I demanded, my voice rising with frustration.
“You don’t understand.”
“No, I don’t understand,” I shot back. “They treated you like shit. You said yourself your mother visited after so many years for her own selfish reasons. They still haven't apologized for what they did. THEN WHY WOULD YOU GIVE THEM THE MONEY!”
“BECAUSE THEY ARE MY PARENTS,” she shouted, her voice breaking with emotion. “They raised me, they fed me, they looked after me. They were never very affectionate, but they took care of me for a long period of my life. I couldn’t just turn them away when they needed something from me.”
“You don’t owe them anything,” I said slowly, enunciating each word.
“But I feel like I do,” she replied, her voice cracking. “I know you don’t understand me, but I felt like I owed them this much. If I didn’t do this, I wouldn’t have been able to forgive myself. So I gave her the money. I gave her the money and told her never to come back. This was the last time. I am ready to sever all ties with them forever, but I had to do this.”
She was breathing hard by the time she finished, her chest heaving.
“Okay,” I said softly, pulling her into my lap. She looped her arms around my neck, her fingers gripping me tightly.
“I’m sorry,” I murmured, kissing her temple. “I didn’t understand.”
She cried, her sobs muffled against my shoulder. I held her close, protectively, silently vowing to shield her from anyone who dared to hurt her again.
It was a long while before her breathing steadied, and she finally whispered, “Aiden. Please let your security know my parents are never to be allowed in again.”
“I will, baby,” I promised.
And as I sat there with her, I made another promise—to myself. Dylan Branson wouldn’t know what hit him.
It seemed that feeling nauseous last Sunday wasn’t because of seeing my mother—or maybe it was. Honestly, with her, who can tell! She has a way of stirring up emotions I didn’t even know I had. But that wasn’t the point. The real issue was that I’d missed my period. And not just a few days—an entire month!
I never missed my period. It’s like clockwork. Every 28 days, it arrived, almost like a pesky but reliable roommate. Except now it wasn’t. My initial reaction was neither panic nor relief. What I felt was suspicion tinged with something I couldn’t quite name.
I didn’t waste my time on a drugstore pregnancy test. Those cheap sticks seemed unreliable for something so huge. Besides, I was going to the hospital to get it confirmed anyway. So I went straight to the point.
I sat in the hospital lounge, watching the clock. It seemed to be moving too slowly. The last time I was in this situation, I was a mess. The memory of sitting here, trying to keep my hands from trembling, flooded back. Pregnant with a stranger’s baby, no less. Every possible future scenario seemed blurry and chaotic. But despite the fear, I’d known one thing: if the test was positive, I was keeping that baby.
Now, though? Now it was different. I wasn’t scared. I wasn’t trembling. In fact, I felt a strange calmness—no, hope. This time, I wanted the test to come back positive. I wanted another baby. I wanted to see the delight in Aiden’s eyes when he discovered the news. Because Aiden was a fantastic father. He was supportive, warm, patient, and loving. Raising Gia with him had been the best time of my life. Adding another baby would enhance that delight.
“Mrs. Wilson!”
The nurse startled me. I jumped up, my palms perspiring.
“Your test results,” she said, handing me the envelope with a polite smile. I could barely manage a thank you before sitting back down. My fingers trembled as I opened it.
“Fuck!” I cursed, followed by a disbelieving laugh.
We were having a baby!
I practically ran to my car, my heart pounding with excitement. By the time I’d pulled out of the parking lot, my mind was buzzing with ideas for how to tell Aiden. It couldn’t just be a casual “Guess what?” over dinner. It had to be memorable.
Maybe I could buy Gia a little T-shirt that said “Big Sister.” Or bake a cake with the message in frosting. Both ideas seemed cute but too predictable.
Then it hit me—the perfect way to tell him. A grin spread across my face as I envisioned his reaction. I knew exactly what to do.