Chapter One–Hundred Thirty–One

Chapter One–Hundred Thirty–One
Valerie's POV

"Val?" Gina's voice echoed through the phone speaker. "Are you there?"

Silence.

I cleared my throat to find my voice. "H-how did you find me?"

Her loud sigh seeped into my eardrums. "Why did you disappear on us, sis? I was so worried," she cried. "I called a thousand times, but it never went through. I even reached out to Jake, who happened to be clueless of your whereabouts."

Hearing her call that name made my chest tighten.

Gina's voice continued, "I looked for you everywhere possible. It was until—"

She paused as if contemplating whether it was appropriate to reveal her source.

"Until what?" I demanded, my tone sharp.

"Never mind. I'm just glad to hear your voice and know that you're still alive," she explained, attempting to end my now-inquisitive mind.

I let it slide—for now.

"On a serious note, how are you doing, Val?" Her tone was laced with care.

"I'm okay," I said, settling into a couch in my living room and grabbing a throw pillow to my lap.

"What about the baby?" she added quickly.

A wide grin spread on my lips. "It's a boy—Jayden. He is so perfect. I'll send you some pictures."

"I can't wait for them," an excited Gina squealed.

At first, I didn't want to ask, but I found myself inquiring about my parents. Gina said they were both doing fine.

Great.

Let's just keep things the way they were. Who would've thought that moving to a different country was what I needed for healing.

We did a little catching up that ended with Gina promising to visit soon.

I forwarded three adorable pictures of Jayden to Gina before going to take a shower and slipping into a comfortable pair of joggers and a hoodie. I was expecting Sophia.

I was scrolling through messages on my phone when a knock came on my door. I already knew who it was.

"Hello, Valerie," my cousin greeted me with a warm smile, holding a box of pizza in one hand.

I returned her smile and ushered her inside. "You came right on time!"

"Learned from the best," she teased, handing over the box and strutting into the living room.

My soft laughter trailed behind her.

"Your house seems unusually quiet today," she said, sitting on a couch. "Where's baby Jayden?"

"Sleeping in the nursery," I answered quickly. "Took me forever to tuck him to bed. That boy is a handful. But I can't complain."

I went into the kitchen and returned with two bowls of ice cream and spoons. I settled next to my cousin—she had the remote in her hand, her face set in deep concentration on the LED screen as she browsed through movie titles.

A few moments later, we'd settled on a particular romcom, having snacks and banter in between.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to me. "Sophia..."

Her head snapped sideways to face me. "Any problem?"

I shook my head. "Not at all. My sister called today. Not too long before you arrived, and I'm just curious—did you tell her about me?"

Sophia blinked.

Her hand quickly grabbed the remote and muted the sound.

"Look, Val, I didn't do it on purpose," she said softly, adjusting on the seat. "Gina called and was complaining about how much she misses you. I told her you were with me in Canada. I swear it just slipped."

I drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

I wanted to be mad at Sophia, but I didn't have it in me. It wasn't like I made her take an oath not to reveal my location. And I know Gina too well—she would've found me with or without my cousin's help.

"I'm sorry," Sophia apologized.

I reached for her hands and clasped mine with them. "Don't be. You didn't do anything wrong, okay?"

She nodded.

"Like I said, I was just curious," I added with a smile. "Now let's get back to this movie, shall we?"

We returned to watching the movie, but the atmosphere was now charged with an awkward silence.

Soon, we'd finished our snacks and the movie was over. I escorted Sophia to the door and gave her a hug before she left.

I changed into my nightgown and did my skincare routine before going to bed. I had a busy day tomorrow.

A sharp cry echoed through the house, pulling me awake before my alarm did. My heart rate multiplied as I jumped from the bed and hurried toward the sound.

I kicked the nursery door open and rushed to find a helpless Jayden in his cot, his face contorted in pain.

I picked him up and started rocking him. "Don't cry, honey," I said soothingly. "Mummy's here."

Jayden's cries only intensified. I placed a hand to his forehead, and the temperature was high. Panic sliced through my chest as I rushed to my room to change before hailing a taxi.

In the backseat, I was silently praying nothing happened to my Jayden.

Meanwhile, his cries had reduced, but his body temperature seemed to be increasing by the minute.

My breathing increased, rough and haphazard. I yelled at the driver. "Can this car go any faster?"

"You have to calm down," the middle-aged man snapped. "I'm doing my best here."

With that, he shifted gears and the car's speed increased. He navigated through vehicles and pedestrians, which led to a fast arrival at the hospital.

I shoved twice the amount he charged me into his hand and pushed the door open.

"Thank you, ma'am," his voice echoed from behind me.

Immediately, I dashed into the hospital. I was greeted by a nurse who led me to the reception area. "The doctor is busy at the moment but will be available shortly."

My eyes snapped. "I can't wait another minute. I need to see the doctor now!"

She tried to plead with me, but my shouts only intensified. The doctor's door opened, and seeing the distressed Jayden, his face filled with concern. He asked me to enter.

The doctor examined my baby and asked a few questions, which I answered to the best of my knowledge. He gave an injection that had Jayden sleeping in no time.

By now, I felt much better. I was seated across from the doctor as he spoke. "You have nothing to worry about," he gave me a reassuring smile. "The baby is in his teething phase. I would recommend some medications for you, and that would be all."

It felt like a burden was lifted from my shoulders.

While waiting for the pharmacist to package the recommended medications, I was going through Instagram to keep myself busy when I came across a picture of a couple.

I could recognize that face even in my sleep—Jake. A lady draped in his arm as they smiled at the camera.

My breath got caught in my throat.

Here I was, battling to save the life of my son, while he was having the time of his life. I was history, forgotten. He had moved on...