Chapter 13
Elizabeth's POV
When I drove away from that villa, I felt like I was in a dream; everything went so smoothly that it seemed unreal.
However, on the road, where I should go became a problem.
Aiden was undoubtedly tearing the city apart, looking for me, desperate to sacrifice my life to save Bianca's. Returning to the home we shared was the same as walking willingly into a trap.
But the Spencer Family also had encountered a misfortune, and the subsequent matters were all being handled by my uncle. They were already overwhelmed by various breach-of-contract issues, and if I went there at this time, I wouldn't be able to help at all; on the contrary, I would distract them.
After much hesitation, I decided to drive directly to Smith Manor; I was ready to take a gamble.
Bella Percy, Aiden's grandmother, was the only person in the entire Smith family who had ever shown me genuine affection. After my family's downfall, after I'd lost everyone, she had been the one to send a thoughtful gift, a small token of comfort in my overwhelming grief.
Now, while only I knew the truth about the father of the child I carried, to the rest of the Smiths, this was Aiden's baby. This child was my shield, my only hope for sanctuary at Smith Manor.
I pressed down on the gas, and the car surged toward the ancestral home.
At half past three in the early morning, I called a designated driver, parked the car at the entrance of the wealthy neighborhood where The Windsor Family lived, and that was it, as if I had returned the car.
"Open the door! Please open the door!" I slapped the villa's gate hard, trying to make enough noise.
The late-night chill was far more biting than I had anticipated, and my hands were already growing numb. Just as my strength was about to give out, the heavy gates finally swung inward.
Uma, the head housekeeper of Smith Manor, froze when she saw me, her face a mask of shock. "It's Mrs. Smith! Someone, quickly! Help Mrs. Smith to her room!"
Instantly, strong arms were around me, supporting my weight, and I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.
I clutched Uma's arm, my grip tight as I played my final, desperate card. "Uma, I'm pregnant," I said, my voice trembling but firm. "It's Aiden's. And I feel… I feel really unwell."
"What!" Uma's response was practically a shriek. She immediately fumbled for her phone, her fingers flying as she called the family doctor.
As the staff bustled around me, treating me with a delicate care I hadn't felt in ages, the knot of terror in my chest finally began to loosen.
Thank God. The gamble on Smith Manor had paid off.
I slept until half past ten in the morning, waking to find a pair of kind, compassionate eyes watching me.
Grandmother held my hand, her gaze filled with an unmistakable approval. "Elizabeth, you've finally brought an heir to the Smith family."
"Grandma," I whispered, squeezing her hand in return. My body felt heavy, leaden with exhaustion.
Her face clouded with worry. "The doctor has already been here. He said you're extremely weak and need to rest properly. Did you and Aiden have a fight? How did you end up in such a state?"
"Grandma, you're blaming the wrong person."
A familiar male voice drifted from the doorway, and my heart seized as if caught in an invisible vise. My breath hitched, trapped in my throat.
He was here. Aiden had found me this quickly?
Dressed in a tailored black suit, Aiden stood in the entrance, his tall frame and chiseled features radiating a devastating charm. But to me, he was the embodiment of terror. This man, this beautiful, captivating man, wanted me dead.
Grandma shot him a displeased look. "Aiden! Elizabeth is our family's treasure now. If you dare to bully her, don't blame me for disowning you as my grandson."
Aiden walked closer, a smile playing on his lips. "You're so biased, Grandma. This baby isn't even born yet, and its status has already surpassed mine."
She gently took my hand and placed it in Aiden's. "Elizabeth's family has been through so much, and now she's carrying your child. You must take good care of her."
His fingers closed around mine, a sudden, forceful grip that sent a wave of nausea churning through my stomach. I fought the urge to gag. The thought of any physical contact with this monster was repulsive.
"Elizabeth, what on earth happened these past couple of days?" Aiden's voice was a study in feigned concern. "I took you to the hospital for a check-up, and the next thing I knew, you were gone." He put on a convincing show of worry, but his eyes were empty, devoid of any genuine emotion.
I looked past him, my gaze fixed on his grandmother. "Grandma, I'm a little hungry," I said, my voice small and pathetic. "Could I have something to eat first?" I hadn't yet figured out how to spin a believable lie about Henry's intervention and my escape.
"Yes, yes, of course. Eating is the most important thing." Grandma patted Aiden's hand. "What are you waiting for? Go and bring Elizabeth her food."
Aiden's brow furrowed slightly. "You should get up and eat in the dining room. I had the driver bring the SUV. I'm taking you home."
Home. He meant the hospital.
My pulse did a traitorous flutter, a frantic, panicked rhythm. "Grandma, I want to stay here while I recover," I said, my voice rising with urgency. "I want to stay with you. Please?"
The sudden desperation in my tone made everyone in the room pause.
Grandma's eyes sharpened with concern. "What's wrong, Elizabeth? Did something happen? Did someone upset you?"
Aiden's gaze shot toward me, a flash of coldness in its depths, but he quickly masked it with a strained smile. "Elizabeth, Mom and Jessica are at home, ready to take care of you. Why wouldn't you want to come home?"
What could I do? I had to find a way to stay.
I bit my lower lip and lowered my head, feigning a bashful reluctance. "I'm not feeling very strong, and if I sleep in the same bed as Aiden, I'm worried it might affect the baby. Besides," I added, shifting closer to Bella, seeking her alliance, "it's been so long since I've had a chance to spend time with you. I was hoping I could stay close while I'm resting."
Aiden's frown deepened, clearly not expecting this particular excuse. A heartbeat later, Grandma wrapped an arm around me, pulling me into a protective embrace. I instantly relaxed.
"Dear child. I've always thought of you as my own granddaughter," she said, her tone firm. "You'll stay here and rest. It's much quieter here, anyway."
"Grandma, I want to take care of Elizabeth, too," Aiden interjected immediately.
"You be quiet," she snapped, glaring at him. "Elizabeth is staying. If you were capable of taking such good care of her, would she have ended up in this condition?"
Aiden looked at me then, his eyes filled with a mixture of suspicion and calculation.
I knew what that look meant. He was trying to figure out what had happened, how much I knew.
But I had no idea how much information he actually possessed.
He had been so frantic to find me, to use my life to save Bianca's, that it was impossible he hadn't traced my movements to that wealthy district.
Had he discovered I was taken by someone from the Windsor family? Was that why he hadn't descended on me sooner?
He had never dropped his facade with me, always cloaking his true intentions in a gentle, loving tone. Was that about to change? Was he finally going to show his hand?
Just as I was thinking, Aiden suddenly smiled gently, reached out and touched my cheek, saying, "Then I'll go get the breakfast first. You should fill your stomach first."
His voice was so soft that it seemed like it could drip water, no different from how he used to be.
I clenched my fists beneath the blankets and managed a small nod, even forcing a smile of my own. "Thank you for taking care of me, Aiden."
His eyes lingered on my face for a few seconds longer before a satisfied smile touched his lips. It was clear he believed it. He thought I was still the same naive woman, completely unsuspecting.
Aiden left and returned with a tray of food, even offering to feed me himself with a cloying tenderness.
I quickly made an excuse and declined, eating my breakfast dutifully under his watchful gaze.
The atmosphere slowly eased, and I found myself slipping back into the familiar rhythm of our charade. If he wanted to act, then I would play my part.
But in my heart, this relationship was already dead and buried.
And now, piece by piece, I would begin to tear away Aiden's disguise and make him pay for everything he had done.