Chapter 81


    Aidan''s POV


    I pack my things, close theptop, and put the important files inside the drawer before locking it. When


    I am done, I pick up the briefcase and go out.


    "Good night, sir", Chloe greets me.


    "Goodnight, Chloe", I say in response before walking to the elevator.


    Changing is much easier for me than I expected it will be even though some things are quite difficult for


    me. I have been worried about Anna since noon and I am closing early just to go check up on her.


    By the time I was home yesterday, she was already asleep again and I asked Tania about her health.


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    Tania says she is fine but I still don''t feel ok with it.


    This morning, when I wasing to work, I went into her bedroom to see her sleeping too. I was


    worried that she was sleeping too much so I went back to Tania and asked her to dish out her food and


    wake her up to eat.


    To be honest, I thought maybe something happened to Anna during the night and I wanted to be rest


    assured that she is truly fine and alive with my request for Tania to wake her up. When Tania woke her


    up and she turned to face her, I heaved a sigh of relief before going out unnoticed.


    I hope she is fine and will be fine. The doctor says something about depression and I feel responsible


    for it. He gave me some tips on how to make sure it doesn''t affect her mental health in the long run and


    I am hoping to work on it, if not for me but for the maids.


    I will no longer stop her from associating with the maids, I will no longer stop her from inviting her


    mother over and I will also grant her permission to visit my mother anytime she wants it.


    I move out of the elevator when it gets to the ground floor. I bring out my car keys and take long strides


    to my car. I open it and get in.


    I know mother would be proud of me if only she is living with us to see the changes in me. I will make


    sure to visit her soon, so I can tell her what is happening. I smile.


    My head is filled with different thoughts as I drive home. I am thinking about all the things I need to do


    in theing weeks, concerning work and my effort to changepletely so no one can everpare


    me with my father. It''s been a while since west saw each other.


    Even though I hate him, I hope he is fine and not mistreating my mother anymore. I already told him I


    will ruin him if he touches her again. He was scared that I would stick to my word because I saw the


    fear in his face.


    Before I know it, I am home already. I park the car in the driveway and walk inside with my briefcase. I


    am making a mental note to remember to tell Chloe to book me a flight next month. I have finally


    decided to go on a vacation with Lily. I would have gone with Anna too but I know she will be


    ufortable with my presence so I think I will have to go with Tania instead, to look after my baby.


    I get in and see a maiding in my direction. When she raises her head, I see it is the head maid.


    She is Natalie, she bears my mother''s name and reminds me of my mother with her grey-colored hair.


    "Wee, sir", she greets politely.


    "Natalie", I greet in return. "Is Anna still asleep?"


    "No, sir", she shakes her head.


    I nod and walk past her to go to Anna''s room. I want to confirm for myself that she is indeed awake and


    not dead.


    "Sir?" She stops me. I turn around to face her. "Ma''am is not around."


    "What?" I exim.


    Where the hell did she go to when she is still not fine? I am not against going out but I feel she is not


    strong enough.


    "Where did she go?"


    She shrugs and looks down. "I have no idea, sir."


    I can see the guilt on her face. She is lying. She knows where Anna is but she doesn''t want to tell me. I


    want to make her tell me but I think otherwise before a sudden thought jumps into my head.


    Did she run away? With my baby?


    "Where is Lily?" I ask her.


    "She is in the room with Tania", she responds.


    "You can go", Imand. She turns to go.


    I decide to go check things for myself in Anna''s room to be sure she hasn''t eloped. But as far as my


    baby is here, I don''t care. I don''t know why she keeps doing things to annoy me whenever I try to be


    pleasant to her.


    I walk into her room to see everything in ce. I hurry to the closet and see it is intact. I breathe out the


    air I didn''t know I was holding in.


    I look around once more after closing the closet, then I walk out. I don''t want to think about where she


    went as I wander to my room. I want to take a bath when my phone beeps.


    It is a message from Richard, I notice when I peep at the phone after throwing my briefcase on the bed.


    It reads. "She said yes."


    I don''t even understand what the message means.


    Is this one of his pranks? Who said yes? I hiss and remove my dress. I am still thinking of the message


    as I take my bath.


    I am almost done bathing when it clicks in my head.


    Could it be the proposal? Did he propose to Pam? That must be it.


    I finish up and hurry out. I want to call him and ask or probably go visit him. I didn''te with any work


    so I will be bored staying home. I pick a white t-shirt and jeans to wear. I grab the car keys before going


    out again.


    When I am in my car, I decide to call him to know if he is home so I won''t go there without seeing him.


    "Are you home?"


    "She said yes!", he squeals like a child.


    "Are you home?" I ask again.


    "Yes."


    "I''ming", I inform him before disconnecting the call. I drop the phone and the car engine roars to


    life.


    The gate automatically opens before I am even close and I wonder who ising. I drive aside for


    whoever it is, winding the car window down to catch a glimpse of who it is.


    The car enters and my eyes interlock with that of Anna who isughing at what the guy is saying. He is


    the same guy I saw at the hospital and he looks younger tonight.


    When Anna sees me, theughter dies down. The guy notices and follows her gaze to me. He gives


    me a cute smile.


    I take my eyes off them before driving out angrily.


    ****


    Anna''s POV


    "Who is he?" Tony asks me when he sees Aidan staring daggers at him. I wonder what is wrong with


    Aidan. He should let me go on a date freely. I am not his child.


    "My grumpy brother", I answer and look away as he parks his car. I am lying too much these days but I


    don''t care, as far as my secret is safe.


    "He looks familiar, I think I have seen him somewhere before", he states.


    I guess he just saw him on TV. "Yeah", I only said.


    "I remember now", he hits his hand on the wheels softly with a broad smile. "We bumped into each


    other at the hospital."


    I was wondering how they met until he told me and my eyes widens. At the hospital? That exins why


    Aidan was ring at me at the hospital.


    I clear my throat. "Did you guys talk?"


    "No, I didn''t know he was your brother. I only apologized to him and left."


    "Alright", I am relieved. We sit in silence for a while before he advises me. "Call your mother and


    apologize, Anna."


    "No", I say stubbornly, remembering what happened earlier in the washroom and the stinging feeling on


    my cheeks.


    "Come on. I don''t know what happened and I don''t intend to pry into your private life but I saw how


    angry she was when she walked past us. You must have hurt her deeply, so please apologize to her."


    I sit still with folded arms, thinking about what he is saying. I know I hurt mom but I feel I am not


    supposed to apologize. She is supposed to apologize to me instead for not confiding in me.


    "I heard you."


    "Will you?"


    "I''m not promising you anything", I want to open the door to go out when he stops me with his hand on


    mine. He moves close and ces his lips on my forehead. His lips are there for a while, my eyes are


    closed.


    "Good night", he gives me one of his cute smiles when he pulls away.


    "Good night", I can''t help but smile too. "Let''s go out tomorrow too."


    "Are you sure? I was thinking it is going to be next week", he says more like a suggestion.


    "No, tomorrow, same time", I hop down from the car. "Bye", I wave at him as he drives off.


    My phone rings as I enter the house. Pam''s name shes across the screen. I don''t know if I should


    pick it.


    Did she see them together too and she is calling tosh at me? Why is she calling? Is she back in New


    York?


    After much contemtion as I move further into the house, I pick the call.


    "I said yes", she screams in excitement.


    The loud voice makes me take the phone off my ears for a while. I don''t understand what she means


    by saying yes.


    Yes to what? I am much relieved that it has nothing to do with her father and my mother.


    "Yes to what?" I voice out my thoughts.


    "Richard proposed and I said yes", she announce happily.


    "Waw, I am happy for you, girl", I giggle in excitement. I can''t wait to be a bridesmaid.


    My best friend is getting married. What a good news?


    "Thanks, love. I''ming over tomorrow or next", she informs me.


    "He proposed over the phone?" I ask with curiosity, wondering how it happened when Richard is in


    New York and she isn''t.


    "No, he was here but he is back in New York now. He said he has an urgent meeting to attend."


    "Oh! I can''t wait to see you. I have missed you so much", I slump to the sofa. This news is making up


    for my bad day already.


    I don''t know if I should tell her about my mother and her father or I should keep mute and pretend like I


    know nothing.


    "Me too. See you tomorrow. Bye", she disconnects the call before I can tell her bye too.


    I have always been the one who talks more about marriage between Pam and me.


    She doesn''t believe in marriage but here she is preparing to get married. Here I am not happily


    married.


    I didn''t get any proposal but I am hoping that one day, I will make my dreamse true and get a


    proposal from Tony someday.