Chapter 129 Difficult to End (Part 1)
She was momentarily stunned, her other hand clutching her chest, trembling slightly. His pull had been too forceful.
"Alison, what's wrong? Why do you look so pale?" Aidan asked, his voice filled with worry. He hadn't expected to find her unwell the first time he saw her after returning.
"I... my chest hurts," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Have you seen a doctor?" Aidan asked, his concern deepening.
"Yeah, I have. It's nothing serious," she replied softly, then quickly changed the subject, "Where are Sophia and Ethan?"
Aidan shrugged, "They're playing in the toy room at my place."
"They're not here?" she asked, surprised. Right now, all she wanted was to see her kids; nothing else mattered.
"No, they're not. What, are you not happy to see me?" He had to admit, he had neglected her before, out of jealousy towards Jackson. He had thought that with Jackson in the picture, there was no chance for them. But after meeting the kids, he realized Jackson was just a decoy, a trick she had played on him. Knowing the truth had made him happy for a long time.
"Oh, no, it's not that. I'm just worried about the kids," Alison quickly explained.
"They're fine. How about we call them?" Aidan suggested.
Alison nodded. Even if she couldn't see them in person, a phone call would do. She thought about giving them a good scolding, maybe even spanking them, but when the call connected and she took the phone from Aidan, her heart softened.
"Is it Sophia or Ethan?" she asked eagerly, her heart pounding.
"Mommy, it's Ethan," her son's voice came through the phone.
"Where are you now?"
"Mommy, we're at Daddy's house," Ethan replied.
Oh, they had only been there for a day and were already calling him Daddy. But they were mistaken; Aidan wasn't their real father.
"Ethan, don't call him that," Alison quickly corrected.
"Mommy, didn't you say we could have a godfather? Uncle Jackson was our godfather before, so having another one, Uncle Winston, is no big deal," Ethan cleverly found an excuse, fearing he might be scolded.
"How could you... how could you..." Alison glanced at Aidan, who was listening intently, feeling embarrassed to continue.
"Daddy is just like a godfather, there's no difference," Ethan said nonchalantly.
She was defeated by them, accepting Aidan as their father so easily. Now, she really didn't know how to explain it. She couldn't possibly tell the kids and Aidan that their real father was Jack, could she? No one would believe it anyway.
Alison frowned, her conversation with Ethan becoming incoherent. The scolding she had planned vanished upon hearing Ethan's voice; as long as they were safe, that was all that mattered.
"Ethan, be good with your sister. Mommy will come to pick you up soon," she said gently.
"Okay, Mommy, hurry up. This place is so big and beautiful!" Ethan replied excitedly.
Alison felt a surge of anger; Aidan had won their hearts so quickly.
She handed the phone back to Aidan and asked directly, "Aidan, how did you meet them?" She couldn't get a clear answer from the kids over the phone.
Aidan didn't rush to answer, his eyes filled with concern as he looked at her pale face. "Alison, you're not well. Why don't you lie down in the rest room for a bit? When you feel better, I'll take you to see the kids."
When he first saw the kids, Aidan was almost stunned. Alison had mentioned they looked a bit like him, but seeing them in person, he realized they looked just like his own children. But he knew it was impossible; he hadn't even met Alison before the kids were born.
"I'm fine," Alison insisted. If she had rested properly, her minor surgery would have healed quickly. But the kids had caused trouble, making her rush out, which might slow her recovery.
"Come on, be good, or I'll carry you in," Aidan said, moving to pick her up.
Alison was startled and instinctively stepped back. "I'll go myself." She didn't want him to carry her; it felt too intimate. She didn't understand why Aidan had changed so much, making her uncomfortable. But with the kids in his care, she had no choice but to listen to him.
Knowing the kids were safe, she felt a bit relieved. She had rushed out, and now, walking slowly to the rest room, she realized it was like a small home, complete with a kitchenette, bedroom, and bathroom. The wealthy sure knew how to enjoy life; even their offices had hidden luxuries.
Alison held onto the bed and slowly lay down. Aidan followed her, wanting to help but afraid to touch her, fearing she might get upset. He had finally convinced her to see him; he didn't want to ruin the little trust she had left in him.
She closed her eyes, looking utterly exhausted. She had so much bottled up inside, but now she just wanted to rest for a while before going to Aidan's villa to pick up the kids.
After about ten minutes, Alison opened her eyes. A face suddenly appeared in front of her, and in her daze, she thought it was Jack. Her fingers instinctively reached out to touch it, but as soon as she made contact, she realized her mistake. It was Aidan, who also looked much more worn out.
She quickly withdrew her hand. "Aidan, I'm sorry."
It was just an unintentional gesture, but it made Aidan's heart swell with joy. "It's okay, I don't mind."
The questions she had wanted to ask now seemed impossible to voice. She felt extremely shy, lowering her head and saying softly, "Aidan, let's go."
"Rest a bit longer; you still don't look well," he said with concern.
"No, I feel much better now," she said, anxious to see the kids.
"Alright then, I'll carry you to the car," he said confidently, thinking she would agree. After all, when her hand had brushed his face, his heart had nearly leapt out of his chest. He was thrilled to realize she had feelings for him too.