Chapter 3: My Baby’s Daddy

“Of course! I’ll go anywhere you go, Mommy!” the little guy beamed, his large eyes looking like glistening onyxes as they curvedinto crescent moons. Anastasia couldn’t help musing over how beautiful the child was. Every time she looked at his little face,she felt a surge of comfort and gratitude, as though constantly in awe of how she had managed to birth such an adorable littleone. “Well, then, we best pack our things now. We’re leaving for the airport tomorrow afternoon.” “Okay!” The little one gave onefirm nod, then dashed into his room to pack his things for the trip. Anastasia heaved a sigh. She had been living abroad since herfather threw her out of the house five years ago. It wasn’t so much that she didn’t want to go home as it was that she had noplace in it. She didn’t even tell her father after she had delivered her child while abroad, and now that she was going back to herhomeland for her work and career, she had made up her mind to see the old man. He was still her father, after all. Three dayslater, it was evening time at the international airport when Anastasia wheeled the baggage cart forward. Her son was seated ontop of the large suitcase on the cart, and he gazed around in wonder. Everything about Anastasia’s homeland seemed to piquehis interest, and there was a curious gleam in his sparkly eyes. Presently, Anastasia had only just stepped out of the arrival hallwhen two men in suits walked up to her, thereafter greeting politely, “Miss Tillman, we have been sent here by Old MadamPresgrave, who has prepared a ride for you just outside the entrance. If you please—” She blinked at them and said verycourteously, “I appreciate the Presgraves’ kind gesture, but I have no need for a ride, thank you.” “Miss Presgrave, the oldmadam truly wishes to see you,” the middle-aged man said respectfully. Anastasia knew that Old Madam Presgrave bore no illwill, but she really had no plans on accepting the old madam’s kind favor. “Please tell Old Madam Presgrave that it was mymother’s duty to save others, and that there is no need to repay the deed, at least not to me.” With that, she made to brush pastthe two men, pushing the cart toward the exit. One of the men took out his phone and informed dutifully, “Young Master Elliot,Miss Tillman has refused our offer to pick her up.” Presently, three gleaming black Rolls-Royce with heavily tinted windows thatdeterred anyone’s efforts of peeking inside were parked by the airport entrance. There was a man seated in the backseat of theRolls-Royce in the middle of the fleet who kept his gaze on the airport doors, and he saw a young woman pushing her cart

voice prominent. “Promise?” Hayley asked coquettishly. “Yes,” he replied with forced patience. Meanwhile, over at PresgraveResidence, a silver-haired old lady was sitting on the couch sipping her tea when she heard her subordinates’ latest findings.She looked up in shock as she demanded, “What? Anastasia has a child? Is she married?” “According to our investigation, thechild’s father never showed up, so we’re assuming that she had the child out of wedlock.” “Oh, that poor dear. To become asingle mother at such a young age...” Harriet Presgrave, otherwise more widely known as Old Madam Presgrave, sighed. Guiltsurged through her as she thought about the brave female police officer who had died after sustaining eighteen fatal stabs fromthe ruffian who had threatened to hurt Elliot all those years ago. She was only just lamenting on this when an elegant andtowering figure sauntered into the living room. It was Elliot, and he had returned from the airport. “Come here, Elliot,” Harriet saidas she beckoned her grandson over. Elliot promptly took the seat next to hers and began to say, “Grandma, Anastasia keptrefusing our offer, so maybe I—” “I just found out that Miss Tillman is a single mother who had a child out of wedlock. You musttake care of the poor mother and son, Elliot. It’s your duty.” Elliot gaped at the old woman speechlessly, stunned by hersuggestion. He had thought that she would have given up on the matter, but as it turned out, she grew even more determined to

had happened in this city five years ago still haunted her and made her stomach churn. Her best friend’s betrayal, herstepsister’s wickedness, and her father’s ultimatum that resulted in her being exiled were like cuts that ran too deep to heal over.It was a miracle at all that she had survived the past five years. She had had to balance raising her son as a single mother andpicking up design courses, and during the later part of the five years, she slowly worked her way up the ladder and became chiefdesigner. She had toiled harder than anyone else, and the heavens must have granted her the stroke of luck she needed to getto where she was today. As of now, she had her savings, her son, and a job that allowed her freedom. She picked up her phoneand stared at her father’s number. There were several times when she thought about calling him, but something made herhesitate. It’s been five years. I wonder if he’s still angry with me. Then, she heaved a sigh. Forget it.