Before Catherine could even argue further, she heard the beeping of the dial tone.
Annalise had actually hung up on her! To think this bitch would dare! She gritted her teeth, enraged.
Fine, if Annalise wasn’t going to listen to reason, Catherine was going to contact the one other parent she knew would have Emline’s interests at heart.
***
Aiden’s phone rang while he was showering, so he missed the call. However, said person called again― and to his utter surprise, it was Emline’s mom!
He wanted to ignore it and go to bed, but then his phone blew up again. Clearly, this woman was as persistent as her daughter when it ca to getting what she wanted. Aiden sighed; out of respect for the elderly and for the fact that this was his mother’s best friend, he decided to pick up the call.
"Hi, Mrs. Hawthorne, is sothing the matter?" Aiden asked politely.
"Aiden! I’m so glad to finally reach you," Annalise said. "I’m sorry to bother you so late, but I have a favor to ask."
"What is it?" Aiden asked warily.
"Would it be possible for you to send Emline back ho? She can be discharged now but with her state... I would prefer not to deal with strangers for the ti being." Annalise lowered her voice into a whisper. "She’s been feeling more sensitive of late, and I don’t want her emotions to fluctuate."
Aiden could only blink incredulously at her words. "And you chose to drive her back? Mrs. Hawthorne, I cannot think of a more unsuitable person to help with this! Emline hates the very sight of ― my presence will be enough to cause her to go on a rampage."
"How about calling Kelsie instead― they’re actually friends! A woman would be able to offer her more support," Aiden added quickly, offering another solution. "Since it’s quite late, I’ll be hanging up now―"
"Are you refusing to take responsibility for her child?" Annalise barked out without hesitation, and Aiden froze. As if she could detect his sudden hesitance, she struck. "Oh yes, Aiden, I’ve heard all about the news straight from Emline’s mouth. Are you planning on shirking your responsibilities just like your mother?"
She hadn’t heard it from Emline’s mouth, but rumors had a way of entering her ears. If the relationship between Aiden and Emline was as bad as he claid, he wouldn’t ask her to clarify.
"I... I..." Aiden spluttered. What did his mom say to Mrs. Hawthorne? "She’s lying! Besides, Emline doesn’t want there."
"Well, I want you here," Annalise said firmly. "I do hope that you’ll offer her your support in this trying ti. If you’re indeed not the father of a child, a quick paternity test will clear up matters fast enough, and you’ll never hear from Emline and again."
There was a pause as she let her words sink into the silence.
"But if the results show that the child is yours, then I hope you’ll take responsibility and support Emline in whatever choice she wishes to make, whether it’s keeping the child, or aborting it."
"She wants to abort it?" Aiden asked in shock.
"Co over and find out then," was Annalise’s heartless reply before she hung up.
Aiden stared nonplussed at his phone, his mind whirling with unease.
He didn’t have feelings for his unborn child; in fact, it would be better if it was gone. Such a huge loose end would finally be resolved.
Otherwise, he would have to deal with Emline. Also, that child would have Aiden and Emline as its parents and frankly, Aiden did not think an innocent child deserved such a cruel fate.
But there was a niggling part of him that felt guilty for letting Emline handle all this bullshit alone. She did make her bed, but Aiden had provided the covers. He couldn’t, in good conscience, wash his hands completely off this ss.
Even in the past, he had at least paid for his ex-girlfriend’s abortions and waited with them at the clinic! He could do at least that much for Emline before they went their separate ways.
Alia wouldn’t like it if he didn’t take responsibility for his actions. With that thought in mind, he imdiately got himself dressed again and rushed out of the house.
***
"What are you doing here?" Emline screeched the mont she caught sight of him.
Aiden had to do a double-take to check if he had entered the correct room. Yep, the number was correct, and Annalise Hawthorne was sitting on the sofa. But the woman on the bed looked nothing like the Emline Hawthorne he rembered.
He had known Emline for years, ever since she was a young girl. She had always been a haughty lady, with nary a hair out of place even as she toddled after Matteo with single-minded devotion.
This woman in front of her didn’t look like her at all! Her hair was stringy and greasy and it hung around her face.
There was no trace of makeup on her face. As such, Aiden got a horrific shock when he caught sight of her vicious eye bags. They were so dark, they could have given the pandas in the zoo a run for their money. Not to ntion her lips were so pale, and her cheeks seed to sag.
Did Emline accidentally travel through ti? Who was this hag?
"Wait, you’re Emline?" Aiden gasped. "What on earth happened to you?!"
The Emline he knew would never be caught dead looking so unkempt! Was this why her mother didn’t want a stranger to fetch her ho?
Suddenly, he understood her feelings. If soone snapped a photo of Emline looking like death ward over, she’d lose whatever shield she had left. The world would just think she’s a crazy woman!
"Oh, well spotted," Emline retorted sarcastically. "And what on earth happened― I can’t believe you have the audacity to ask such a question, after all you did!"
"What did I do?" Aiden asked, feeling incredibly wronged. "You were the one that went to my office to spill the beans. Did you want this sche to go haywire?"
Before Emline could reach out and wrap her fingers around Aiden’s neck so as to cut off his infuriating voice, her mother quickly stood up and cleared her throat.
"I called Aiden here. I’m glad to know that at least he has more backbone than his mother. Now that he has arrived, we can figure out the truth." Annalise jabbed at the button to call the nurse over while staring at Aiden. "You’ll get your blood drawn, and then we’ll all go ho."
"But you can’t go back to the Montgory mansion," Aiden pointed out. "My dad is hopping mad about the betrayal."
Annalise raised an eyebrow. "We can, if we prove you are the father of Emline’s child."
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