Chapter 353


    Leanna was done with her work around three in the afternoon. After a nce at the clock and around


    her office to ensure there was nothing else to do, she packed up her things and headed to the door.


    Now that she knew where Celia lived, she could drive straight over to Celia''s home. Of course, even if


    Celia had left, her neighbors would surely know something about where she went.


    However, just as she reached the door, a familiar figure appeared before her.


    Carly awkwardly smiled at her.


    Leanna paused and greeted, "Miss Bat."


    "Don''t," Carly said with a bitter smile. "Do not be so formal. With how the Bats are doing, you do not


    need to call me Miss Bat."


    Leanna nced at Carly''s stroller and took a few steps away from the door. "Come in."


    Today, Carly was dressed extremely casually, without a proper piece of jewelry. She did not look at all


    like a proud daughter of the Bats. Perhaps it was because she was with her child.


    Leanna asked for two sses of water from the receptionist before leading Carly to the break room.


    Carly was visibly uneasy the entire time. She only rxed slightly after she downed the whole ss of


    water.


    "Miss..."


    Leanna had subconsciously called out "Miss Bat" before recalling what Carly had just said. She


    faltered as she wondered what she should call Carly now.


    "If you don''t mind, you can just call me Carly," said Carly as she put her ss on the table.


    Leanna nodded. "Carly."


    A momentter, she continued, "Is there something you need, Carly?"


    Distress shed across Carly''s eyes when she heard that. "I''d been meaning to visit you for a while,


    but there was so much to do at home. My child is still a baby, and I could not find the time. It is why this


    visit took so long. I wanted to... apologize to you."


    "Apologize to me?" Leanna was confused.


    Carly seemed anxious as she took a deep breath before replying, "I had been biased against you from


    the start and have been bad-mouthing you behind your back."


    Hearing that, Leanna smiled. "It is fine. After all, the way I married into the family... It was rather


    scandalous. It is normal for you to dislike me."


    "No," said Carly. "It is not just that. I-I even..."


    She found it hard to speak at the end.


    Seeing Carly''s difficulty in speaking, Leanna interrupted, "It is all in the past now. We should look to the


    future instead."


    Carly shook her head. "While it is in the past, I still have to apologize. It bothers me all the time. My


    nights are filled with nightmares; I am constantly worried and afraid..."


    She stopped and looked down at the child sleeping in the pram.


    "As a mother, I have a duty to take responsibility for my past mistakes." She closed her eyes and


    continued, "Do you still remember when you fell into the swimming pool on the Pearson Family


    Estate?"


    Surprised that she would mention that incident, Leanna stared at her for a moment before replying, "I


    do."


    It was then that Aidan found out she was pregnant.


    "That was not an ident," stated Carly. "I had someone push you in."


    Shocked, Leanna blurted, "Why?"


    "Anna was so insistent on getting even with you back then that she seemed mad. Something seemed


    off about it, so I stopped her. That was when I found out about your pregnancy. Zayn had just returned


    home back then, and you were close to him. Thus, Anna and I thought your baby was..."


    "The baby was likely Zayn''s," Leanna calmly continued.


    Carly nodded. "Our families were going to tie themselves together with a marriage. I did not want the


    engagement to fail because of that. It was why I did it. I am not saying all this to ask for forgiveness. I


    merely feel it is not right for me to continue hiding it. Living a life constantly gued with worry is worse


    than epting the brutal consequences now. No matter what happens, I deserve it."


    Leanna turned her gaze to the pram and calmlymented, "You would have been about to give birth


    back when it happened."


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    That statement seemed to be one of Carly''s sore points, as her eyes immediately went red.


    Even if she did not want to admit it, she had undoubtedly nned on killing Leanna''s baby that day.


    A few long momentster, Leanna burst out, chuckling. "I did not realize so many people found it so


    hard to ept a single baby''s existence that they would take away his chance to live in this world."


    "Miss McKinney, I am so sorry. I..."


    Leanna snapped out of her thoughts and nkly looked at Carly. "Forget it. There is no meaning in


    apologizing. It does not change what happened, nor can it change one''s fate."


    She still had not expected something like that to have happened.


    Carly wiped away her tears. "Either way, the Bats owe you a favor. If you need anything in the


    future, feel free to ask. I will do anything to help, even if I have to sacrifice everything."


    "Now, now, Miss Bat," Leanna replied, "why would I ever need you to do anything that requires you


    to sacrifice everything?"


    The sudden change to "Miss Bat" had Carly opening her mouth to retort, but she was at a loss for


    words.


    A few secondster, she stood up. "I-I will be heading back now. If you need anything, you only need to


    ask."


    Leanna stood up as well. "Let me walk you out."


    At the studio entrance, Carly could not resist the urge to turn around to say, "Miss McKinney, I know


    you will not forgive me. I did not tell you that just to excuse myself from the me. I merely found the


    situation... off."


    "You know as well as I do that Anna is someone who believes everything she hears," she continued.


    "She made the sudden decision to go to you because she just found out about your pregnancy. If she


    knew before, she would not have waited until that day. Now that I know that... that woman was also


    there."


    Leanna frowned upon hearing that.


    "I do not know if I am overthinking this," Carly said. "However, Iter found out the hospital you went to


    for your check-ups was the hospital I regrly go to. She has been there with me a few times. I...


    Perhaps I should not speak further when I have no proof, but I hear you have been living with the


    Crossleystely. Hence, I have to say this; be careful. I have known Gina for over ten years, yet I have


    only recently discovered she is not what I thought she was."


    She then nodded in farewell to Leanna before walking out of the studio.


    Leanna nkly stared after her.