Chapter 081

Hailey's POV I stood there, frozen in shock, staring blankly at Aiden as he knelt before me. His eyes sparkled with hope, and his smile faltered for a moment as he awaited my response. I finally managed to find my voice, my words barely above a whisper. "I'll think about it," I said, my expression neutral, trying to mask the turmoil brewing inside me. Aiden's face fell, his smile disappearing as he stood up to his full height. He towered over me, his eyes searching mine for any sign of encouragement. "It's okay, I'm ready to wait till whenever you're ready," he said, his voice laced with determination. He leaned in, his lips brushing against my forehead in a gentle kiss. "Have a goodnight," he whispered, his warm breath sending shivers down my spine. As he turned to leave, I felt a pang of uncertainty. I watched him walk out of my room, the door closing softly behind him. I let out a deep sigh, feeling the weight of my emotions bearing down on me. I slumped onto my bed, closing my eyes as the darkness enveloped me. Sleep eventually claimed me, but it was fitful, my mind racing with thoughts of Aiden and his proposal. The next morning, I woke up to the brightest sunlight streaming through my windows. I stretched my muscles, feeling the ache of tension in my body. I got out of bed, determined to start the day on a positive note. After a refreshing bath, I headed to Mrs. Alora's room to check on Damien. When I arrived, I found her playing with him, cooing and chatting with him in baby talk. "Good morning, Mom," I said, smiling as I approached them. Mrs. Alora looked up, a warm smile on her face. "Good morning, dear. How was your night?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "My night was fine," I replied, trying to sound nonchalant. "Hope Damien didn't disturb you much?" I chuckled as I wrapped my hands around Damien's tiny body and lifted him up. Mrs. Alora's expression turned misty, her eyes welling up with tears. "Damien?" she called, her voice trembling. I gave her a skeptical look, wondering why she was suddenly emotional. "Is that the name you gave him?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Yes," I replied, feeling a pang of concern. "Mom, is something wrong?" I asked, noticing the tears streaming down her face. Mrs. Alora's eyes welled up with tears again as she stared at me. "No, nothing at all, my dear...it's just..." She paused, collecting her thoughts before speaking in a barely audible whisper. "It's just that...Damien was Aiden's grandfather's name." My eyes grew cold, my expression frozen in surprise. "Oh," I muttered, my voice laced with a mix of curiosity and wariness. Mrs. Alora gestured for me to sit next to her, and I did, feeling a sense of trepidation. What was she about to reveal? "Story time," a voice whispered in my head. I guessed it was another time to learn a new family secret. Mrs. Alora's expression turned serious, her eyes pleading. "You see, Hailey, promise me that whatever happens in the future, you're not going to leave Aiden's side." My brows etched in confusion. "What?" I asked, my voice barely audible. "Just promise me, my child," Mrs. Alora pressed, her voice laced with desperation. I hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Okay, I promise." Mrs. Alora's face relaxed, a sigh of relief escaping her lips. She placed a light kiss on my hands, her eyes filled with gratitude. "Look, Hailey, I know the circumstances under which Aiden found you aren't ideal, but trust me when I say that you were tailored and made for him." I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What do you mean?" Mrs. Alora's expression turned nostalgic. "You see, before Aiden was born, Zac had always been the type who didn't care about anyone else but himself." She referred to Aiden's dad, her voice laced with a mix of disappointment and sadness. "And that was how he had Sandra without my knowledge. You see, I never loved Zac; he was the exact opposite of what I wanted in a man." Mrs. Alora chuckled, a hint of bitterness in her voice. "Then why did you stay?" I asked, puzzled. Mrs. Alora's eyes welled up with tears again. "I had no choice," she whispered, her voice cracking with emotion. "I cried my eyes till they became puffy, and begged my dad that I wasn't going to marry him, but who was I to decide?" Her voice trailed off, and I could sense the weight of her past bearing down on her. "Dad was already sick and tired of my choices of men who always ended up breaking my heart because they were only with me for the money. So Dad fixed my marriage with Zac whose father was business partners with mine." Mrs. Alora took a deep breath, collecting her thoughts before continuing. "When I arrived here at first, Zac also didn't like me, because he wasn't permitted to go about with his first love, which was Sandra's mother. Aiden's grandfather had tied his inheritance to staying married to me." I listened, entranced, as Mrs. Alora revealed the secrets of her past. "At some point, I got tired of everything and wanted to leave, but Mr. Damien Brooklyn pleaded with me on his death bed to please stay with his son, no matter what happens." Mrs. Alora's eyes locked onto mine, filled with a deep sadness. "And that was it; I was tied to him because of the promise I made to his dying father." "Look, my child, the past forty years with him haven't been easy, but it's been years of progress," Mrs. Alora said, her eyes filled with a deep sadness. "He tried to adjust and grew less worse by the day, but it was only possible because I stayed. Although Aiden isn't like his dad, I made sure I raised him properly, but if there's something they both have in common, it's empathy... They both never want to see any harm come to those close to them or the people they love." I stared blankly at her, my mouth heavy with words I couldn't seem to find. I felt a mix of emotions: confusion, surprise, and a hint of understanding. "But why are you telling me this?" I asked, my brow furrowed in confusion. Mrs. Alora's expression turned solemn, her eyes filled with a deep concern. "Because, my child, the journey isn't going to be an easy one," she explained, her voice laced with a hint of warning. "It's going to come with its own ups and downs." I shook my head, feeling a sense of unease. "But...But I haven't accepted his proposal yet, Mom," I retorted, my voice firm. Mrs. Alora's eyes locked onto mine, filled with a deep pleading. "I know, dear, but I just feel like you need to know...Whatever comes with this family, please don't rob my son of happiness because of his father's sins." Her words struck a chord within me, and I felt a pang of guilt. I looked away, trying to process the weight of her words. Why was she telling me this? What did she know that I didn't? Just then, a knock came on the door, breaking the silence. "Who's there?" Mrs. Alora's voice echoed as she wiped off her tears. "It's me, Mariam," the maid's voice replied. "Yes, what's the issue?" Mrs. Alora asked, her curiosity piqued. "Ma'am, there's something you need to see," Mariam said, her voice hesitant. Mrs. Alora and I exchanged puzzled looks, wondering what this could be. We followed Mariam downstairs, where Aiden was already waiting for us. He hadn't gone to work today, it seemed. "What's the matter, son?" Mrs. Alora asked, but Aiden just gestured to the front door. "You have to see this, Mom." Our curiosity was piqued, and we made our way to the front door. Before our eyes lay a small box sitting on the front porch, a lock on it. "What's this?" Mrs. Alora asked, her brow furrowed in confusion. "I'm equally as confused as you are, Mom," Aiden replied, shaking his head. But I recognized something - the lock. It was similar to the key I had found in my bag months ago. With this realization, I quickly ran up to my room to check for it. My heart was racing with anticipation - could this be the key to unlocking the mystery of the box?