Marry My Billionaire Second Husband - Chapter 265

Chapter 265: The Baby’s Father II
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 Emmeline’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 Emmeline’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 came 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 something 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 Emmeline back home? She can be discharged now but with her state… I would prefer not to deal with strangers for the time 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 me to drive her back? Mrs. Hawthorne, I cannot think of a more unsuitable person to help with this! Emmeline hates the very sight of me― 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 Emmeline’s mouth. Are you planning on shirking your responsibilities just like your mother?”

She hadn’t heard it from Emmeline’s mouth, but rumors had a way of entering her ears. If the relationship between Aiden and Emmeline was as bad as he claimed, he wouldn’t ask her to clarify.

“I… I…” Aiden spluttered. What did his mom say to Mrs. Hawthorne? “She’s lying! Besides, Emmeline doesn’t want me there.”

“Well, I want you here,” Annalise said firmly. “I do hope that you’ll offer her your support in this trying time. 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 Emmeline and me 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 Emmeline 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.

“Come 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 Emmeline. Also, that child would have Aiden and Emmeline 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 Emmeline 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 mess.

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 Emmeline before they went their separate ways.

Amelia wouldn’t like it if he didn’t take responsibility for his actions. With that thought in mind, he immediately got himself dressed again and rushed out of the house.

***

“What are you doing here?” Emmeline screeched the moment 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 Emmeline Hawthorne he remembered.

He had known Emmeline 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 mention her lips were so pale, and her cheeks seemed to sag.

Did Emmeline accidentally travel through time? Who was this hag?

“Wait, you’re Emmeline?” Aiden gasped. “What on earth happened to you?!”

The Emmeline he knew would never be caught dead looking so unkempt! Was this why her mother didn’t want a stranger to fetch her home?

Suddenly, he understood her feelings. If someone snapped a photo of Emmeline looking like death warmed over, she’d lose whatever shield she had left. The world would just think she’s a crazy woman!

“Oh, well spotted,” Emmeline retorted sarcastically. “And what on earth happened― I can’t believe you have the audacity to ask me 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 scheme to go haywire?”

Before Emmeline 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 home.”

“But you can’t go back to the Montgomery 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 Emmeline’s child.”