The Fighting
In the car, Alison saw Jack walked toward Aidan.
And then they started fighting!
Through the misty drizzle, she could see blood trickling down Jack's nose.
Aidan's fist landed squarely on his face, but he didn't dodge.
"Ms. Alison, you should go see what's happening! You can't let them keep fighting. It would be terrible if word got out...” the maid said hurrily.
Forgetting her umbrella, Alison dashed through the rain toward the two men locked in combat.
"Stop! Both of you, stop right now!" she shouted.
Ignoring her, the two continued fighting.
"Ah..." Suddenly, Alison tripped on a rock in the muddy ground and tumbled to the ground.
"Alison..."
"Alison..."
The two men's voices rang out.
The moment she hit the ground, everything blurred before her eyes.
Instantly, four hands gripped her shoulders.
"She's my wife. Let go.” Jack glared at Aidan.
Aidan frowned. His grip trembled, and he gently withdrew, letting Jack bend down to lift Alison from the mud.
"Are you hurt?" Jack asked with concern.
"Jack, are you guilty?" She glared at him.
“Let's go to the hospital first.” Jack remained completely unruffled, carrying her forward.
Alison began to struggle.
"I don't need you to take me to the hospital. I'm not going!" she shouted. "Put me down!"
"Let's go to the hospital first." He insisted.
"Jack, I said put me down. I'm fine. I'm not going to the hospital."
"Your ankle is injured. You need to go." He said nervously, his gaze piercing through the rain-drenched fog. "There are clean clothes in the car. Change and dry your hair, or you'll catch a cold."
Alison bit her lip until it turned pale.
"The little one is still in the car. No one else can look after him. I have to take care of him," she said softly.
“The little one? Whose child?" he asked in a low voice, "Is it Lucia's child?"
He stopped and scanned the area, his gaze quickly settling on their car.
He suddenly turned, his gaze cold as he fixed it on Aidan.
"Why was the child left with Alison? Why didn't he attend Lucia's funeral?" he asked.
"You guys killed Lucia! That's why I didn't let you attend! None of you were allowed to come!" Aidan shouted, his voice breaking in the rain-drenched mist.
Alison froze.
"Aidan, why blame me? Why blame Jack?" she asked, staring at Aidan.
After a long silence, Aidan turned toward Jack.
"Ask him what he's been doing these past days!" he shouted.
"Aidan, you promised not to tell," Jack murmured, tightening his arms around the trembling woman in his embrace.
Aidan's eyes darkened and his lips trembled.
After a long pause, he finally spoke. "Leave. All of you, leave now!”
Burying his face in his hands, he let out a hoarse cry.
Suddenly, a child's loud wail pierced the rain from a nearby car.
"What's going on?" Jack asked.
"I'm not sure. The baby's probably hungry or needs a diaper change.” The maid was flustered.
"Aidan, come take a look." Jack glanced at Aidan before carrying Alison toward their car.
The little one was still wailing, seemingly expressing his dissatisfaction with his father's neglect.
Jack gently set Alison down.
"Change the baby's diaper first, then feed him. I'll go get some clothes," he said.
"Jack, why did Aidan say that we kill Lucia?" Alison asked, grabbing his wrist.
"The baby's still crying." He turned to the trunk to retrieve her clothes.
Uneasy, she frowned.
Is Jack hiding something from me?
The baby was crying in the maid's arms.
Aidan stood indifferently by the car door, watching the tiny life.
Alison grabbed a blanket, took the little one from the maid, wrapped him up, and held him out toward Aidan.
"Hold him. If Lucia knew how coldly you treated the child she traded her life for, she'd be heartbroken. You know better than anyone how much she loved this child," she said.
Her words struck a chord within Aidan. His gaze softened.
He reached out, took the little one, and got into the car.
He cradled the baby, wrapped in a blanket, with both hands.
The moment Aidan took him, the baby stopped crying. His large, misty eyes darted about before settling steadily on the man holding him.
Suddenly, a raindrop slid down Aidan's forehead and landed squarely on the baby's face.
The baby immediately became upset, squirming in Aidan's arms and reaching up to wipe his face with his tiny hands.
"Quick, wipe it off for him.” Alison handed him a handkerchief.
Aidan took it gently and was about to wipe the baby's face. But he suddenly paused, afraid to touch this tiny life.
"You wipe it," he said, handing the handkerchief back to her.
“What's wrong?” Alison asked, puzzled.
“No...nothing.” Aidan stammered, worried that his strong hands might hurt the baby.
“He looks just like Lucia.” Alison said softly and wiped the little one's face.
The baby perked up and locked eyes with hers.
The car door on Alison's side opened.
Jack appeared at the entrance, his face tense.
"Alison, come with me to change clothes. Hurry," he urged.
"But the little one..." Alison hesitated.
"His father is here. Are you afraid he'll do something to the little one?" Jack cast a cold glance at Aidan before pulling her out of the car.
"Actually, we could change clothes at the hospital or once we get home," Alison tried to persuade him.
"No, the baby is still breastfeeding. If you catch a cold, the baby will too,” Jack insisted.
“So you're worried about Lyla and the baby.” She pursed her lips.
Frowning, Jack wanted to explain something but stopped himself.
They walked to their car.
He then opened the car door and gently pushed her inside.
"Hurry up and change." He stood outside the car waiting for her.
“Jack, can I skip changing?” she asked.
"No," he said coldly. "Change now."
"Fine."
Reluctantly, she slipped into his clothes.
"All right, I need to check on the little one." She looked up and saw Aidan striding toward Lucia's resting place. One hand held an umbrella, and the other cradled the baby.
She froze.
"Has he finally come to his senses?" she asked softly.
"Children are innocent," Jack murmured.
She gazed at him and noticed that his shoulders were already soaked through.
"Jack, you should go change, too," she said, concerned.
"I'm fine." He shook his head.