Chapter 032

Hailey's POV I lounged lazily on the bed, replaying the events of the previous night in my head. A mix of emotions swirled inside me - frustration, anxiety, and a dash of embarrassment. I still couldn't shake off the feeling of stupidity that had been plaguing me since I discovered I was pregnant. The father of my unborn child remained a mystery, and the memory I had uncovered the night before, while intimate with Aiden, only left me with more questions. As I replayed the vision in my head, I couldn't shake off the frustration that had been building up inside me. Despite finally uncovering the memory of that fateful night, I still couldn't make out the face of the guy I had a one-night stand with. The dim blue light of the hotel room had obscured our features, and our intoxicated state hadn't helped matters either. I felt a wave of embarrassment wash over me as I thought about how reckless I had been. Waking up from a coma and immediately jumping into bed with a total stranger, who offered me a contract marriage? It was a reckless, impulsive decision. My baby's father was still a mystery, and I was left to deal with the consequences of my actions. "Fantastic one, Hailey," I muttered to myself, shaking my head in disgust. How could I have been so stupid? As I opened my eyes, the warm rays of the morning sun hit me, and I was greeted by an unexpected sight - Aiden's mom walking into the room. My eyes widened in surprise as I called out, "Mom?" She responded with a bright smile, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "You can walk!" I exclaimed, my voice laced with shock. Aiden's mom chuckled, her expression playful. "Of course, I can walk," she said, her tone matter-of-fact. Just then, Aiden walked into the room, a tray of food in his hands, his eyes and mouth wide open in astonishment. "Mom! You can walk?!" he asked, his voice trembling with surprise. I couldn't help but share Aiden's shock. "That was my exact reaction too," I said, still trying to wrap my head around the situation. Aiden's mom smiled, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Yes, son," she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. Aiden's eyes widened further, his face a picture of shock. "Mom, please tell me this just started this morning, and that you weren't pretending all along," he said, his voice laced with a mix of emotions. Aiden's mom rolled her eyes, a hint of amusement dancing on her lips. "Oh, come on, son. You really think one bullet in my stomach could paralyze a strong woman like me all of a sudden?" she asked, her tone dripping with sarcasm. Before Aiden could respond, his mom continued, "I only arranged with the doctor to lie to you both so I could stay with you both for a while and see how you guys were doing." Aiden's face turned beet red, his eyes wide with embarrassment. "Mom!!" he exclaimed, his voice laced with shock. Aiden's mom chuckled, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Oh, please, don't tell me you both haven't been enjoying my company this past week," she said, her tone sarcastic. I felt my cheeks heat up as Aiden's mom added, "Besides, you both couldn't get enough of each other last night." She winked, a mischievous smile spreading across her face. Aiden bowed his head, his face still flushed with embarrassment. "You're so unbelievable, Mom," he said, his voice laced with a mix of emotions. Aiden's mom chuckled, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "And that's exactly why you love me, isn't it?" she asked, her tone playful. "Now, go give your wife that food before it gets cold." She winked, a mischievous smile still plastered on her face as she walked out of the room. "I'll be leaving soon, guys!" Aiden's mom yelled from the hallway, leaving Aiden and me staring at each other in stunned silence. We both shook our heads, still trying to process the revelation that his mom had been pretending to be paralyzed all along. Aiden broke the silence, his voice low and gentle. "Hey," he said, approaching me with the tray of food. I looked up at him, feeling a flutter in my chest. "Hey," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper. The air was thick with tension between us. Aiden set the tray down on the bedside table and asked, "How are you feeling?" I forced a smile, not wanting to admit how embarrassed and confused I was. "I feel great," I lied. Aiden's eyes narrowed slightly, as if he didn't believe me. He reached out and gently lifted my chin, his gaze locking onto mine. "Hailey, believe me when I say, what happened hasn't changed a word I said, alright?" His voice was calm and gentle, but I could sense a deeper emotion beneath the surface. I nodded, feeling a lump form in my throat. I didn't know what to say, or how to process my feelings. Aiden's expression turned determined. "We still stick with the plan, alright? Trust me, very soon all of this will come to an end, I promise." As I looked into his eyes, I felt a pang of longing. A part of me still didn't regret being intimate with him, but I knew I had to put my feelings aside and focus on figuring out my life first. A voice in my head whispered, "But I don't want this to come to an end, Aiden." Another voice countered, "Be careful, Hailey. You have to put whatever feelings you have for him aside and try to figure your life out first." I felt torn, my heart yearning for Aiden desperately, but my mind warning me to be cautious. Aiden's voice was laced with concern as he asked, "What did you remember last night?" He lowered his voice, checking if anyone was eavesdropping, particularly his mother, before closing the door and turning his attention back to me. I feigned surprise, trying to play it cool. "What?" I asked, attempting to sound nonchalant. Aiden's eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze intense. "You kept muttering 'I remember, I remember' in your sleep last night. So I figured maybe you got another memory back." I stared at him, trying to maintain my composure. "Oh, really?" I said, trying to sound casual. Aiden nodded, his expression serious. "Yeah." I lied, trying to brush off the conversation. "It's nothing, it's probably another dream that I just can't remember right now. It's been like this for a while now." Aiden's eyes searched mine, as if trying to read between the lines. "Is there a need to see the doctor? Maybe to find out why you haven't fully recovered your memory yet?" he asked, his voice laced with concern. I shook my head, trying to reassure him. "No, no, not at all. I'm fine. Besides, weren't you the one who said it's best I take it slowly, one step at a time? I guess my body agrees with that too." Aiden nodded, seeming to accept my explanation. He picked up the food tray and began to feed me, his eyes filled with a deep care and concern. As he placed each spoonful of food into my mouth, I couldn't help but stare into his Hazel eyes, feeling a pang of guilt and anxiety. How could I tell him the truth - that the child he had vowed to care for was the result of a one-night stand with a stranger, a man whose name and face I couldn't even remember? The weight of my secret threatened to crush me, and I knew I couldn't keep it hidden forever.