Chapter 038

~~~Hailey~~~ Two months had passed since the mysterious events, family gatherings, and trips. My memories, which had been resurfacing, suddenly stopped, leaving me clueless about how to continue my search. Since the encounter with Mr. Brooklyn, I'd been cautious around him, trying not to provoke any resentful thoughts. However, during our trips, I could feel his piercing gaze on me at intervals. Aiden noticed my unease and confronted me, but I brushed it off, pretending I didn't know why Mr. Brooklyn was staring at me. With my delivery date just days away, Aiden suggested we go shopping for the baby. We'd done several scans, and the doctor confirmed we were having a boy. I got ready, and we headed downstairs for breakfast. Aiden was excited about becoming a father to a child who wasn't biologically his. I admired his enthusiasm, wondering what life would have been like if I hadn't agreed to the contract. As we drove to the supermarket, I thought about the contract's expiration date, just a year away. With what I'd learned about Aiden and his family, I was confident I could start anew with my baby once the contract ended. At the supermarket, I trailed behind Aiden as he carefully selected baby clothes, shoes, and accessories. His attention to detail was impressive, and I wondered if he'd done this before. His precision reminded me of when he'd chosen skin care products for me; he'd been spot on. As we finished shopping and headed home, I couldn't shake the feeling that Aiden was hiding something. But I didn't press the issue, instead choosing to admire his thoughtfulness. When we arrived home, dinner was ready, courtesy of the head maid. I went upstairs to prepare for the evening, and that's when I saw it – an envelope on my bed. I froze, wondering who could have left it there. The windows were closed, and I was certain I'd locked the door before leaving. Months had passed since I'd received one of these mysterious envelopes, and I thought the sender had given up. But here it was, with no note or message inside – just a hard drive. I felt a sudden, sharp pain in my stomach and an urge to use the restroom, but I pushed the feeling aside. After securing the hard drive, I took my time in the bathroom, eventually heading downstairs for dinner with Aiden. The silence between us was awkward, so I initiated a conversation. "Aiden, what if the baby doesn't look like you?" I asked, a thought that had been bothering me. Aiden paused, taking a thoughtful look. "I hadn't thought of that, why?" "Don't you think your parents would want to know why their grandchild didn't take any trait from his dad?" I added, pressing Aiden for answers. Aiden nodded thoughtfully. "You're right, Hailey; my parents might wonder why their grandchild doesn't resemble me. But we could say they took after your parents or your family members, right?" I shook my head, my concern evident. "And what if they ask for a DNA test?" Aiden's expression turned worried, his eyes clouding over. "That would be disastrous. My father might discover I've been lying, and...I don't know what will happen." I leaned in, my voice firm. "Exactly my thoughts, so what are we going to do about it?" Aiden hesitated, then shrugged. "How about we don't worry about that right now? When the baby comes, we'll worry about it then." I nodded reluctantly, not wanting to push the issue further. Finishing my dinner, I stood up, intending to head to my room. But as I did, I felt a sudden gush of water between my legs. I looked down, shocked, and realized my water had broken. I turned to Aiden, my voice trembling. "Aiden?" He looked up, confused, still chewing his food. "I think you should start worrying now," I said, trying to keep my tone light despite the panic rising within me. Aiden's expression changed from confusion to alarm as he took in my words. "I think my water just broke," I continued, my voice rising. Aiden's eyes widened, and he dropped his fork. "Does that mean..." he started, but I cut him off. "Yes, Aiden, yes! The baby is coming, and I'm currently going through intense pain here!" I exclaimed, clutching the table for support as a contraction hit me.