Chapter 3: Aiden's Surprise

"Mum, is everything alright?" Ana asked reading the sadness in her mother's voice.

"I wish I could say yes," Mrs Morrison replied.

"Mum, please tell me what is wrong?" Ana asked sounding concerned.

"Get some rest. I will speak with Mr Scott and once he gives me the approval I will come over," Mrs Morrison said.

"Okay, Mum," Ana said, recalling a term in the contract which says her mother cannot see her without permission.

The call ended and Ana went to sit on the bed dejected. She wondered when and how she ended up in such a situation. She is pregnant and doesn't even know how far she is. It felt like it was only yesterday, she was celebrating with her mother and sister, getting the scholarship to pursue the course of her dream to become the world's best dietitian. How did she end up in this?

"What could be the problem that mum needs so much to handle?" Ana thought, recalling the amount to be paid stated in the contract.

The door opened interrupting Ana's thought. A young man entered and Ana frowned. She recognized him from earlier. He had entered the room with the man who brought him the surrogacy contract.

"I am Dr Jerome. I have been attending to you for the past three months," Dr Jerome said. "There is nothing to worry about. You are fine," he added.

"I am three months pregnant?" Ana asked shocked, her gaze moved to her belly. "I have been here for three months? What happened to me?" she asked.

"You..I... We........" Dr Jerome began but was unsure how to explain the situation to her without giving away information he shouldn't. "Your health was bad so we had to put you to sleep," he said after inhaling deeply.

"Induced coma? Is that what you did to me?"Ana asked and Dr Jerome was surprised she figured it out.

"What is important is you are fine," Dr Jerome said. "It is time for your medications," he said and proceeded to the table.

He returned holding some tablets and a glass of water. Ana was out of the coma they put her into and there was no need to use an injection to give her the medications. She has been taken off the IV too.

"Here," Dr Jerome said handing Ana the medication but Ana just stared at his hand and looked away.

"Look, it is important you remain healthy. It is not a matter of choice, you have to take this medication," Dr Jerome said sternly.

"Make me," Ana said annoyed.

Dr Jerome just stared at her. It was a lot easier when she was just lying there asleep. Now he has to convince her to take her medication? There is no way he can struggle with her and feed her the medication looking at her current condition. He stared at Ana for a while and exited the room. After ten minutes, Dr Jerome returned with Aiden who looked like an angry lion.

"I heard you are giving the doctor a hard time," Aiden said and walked towards Ana who was sitting on the bed.

Ana stared at him wondering what Aiden intended to do. Ana didn't have to wait for long for an answer as Aiden grabbed her by the jaw and pressed it so hard that Ana was forced to open her mouth.

"Give me the medicine," Aiden said and Dr Jerome put the tablet in Aiden's hand.

Aiden dropped the tablets into Ana's mouth straight into her throat. Dr Jerome's eyes widened seeing what Aiden did. He knew Ana could get choked because of the way Aiden administered the medicine so he was not surprised when Ana started coughing.

"Give her the water," Aiden said.

Dr Jerome gave Ana the water glass of water but she just rolled her eyes at him and continued to cough.

"Now listen to me. If you deliberately endanger the life growing inside you, going to prison will be showing you mercy. I believe you read the contract your sister and mother signed. Don't dare me," Aiden said, authoritatively.

"I am Twenty-two years old. I can speak for myself. Did you ask my permission before growing a life inside me?" Ana asked angrily after drinking the glass of water.

"Direct that question to your mother and sister who willingly offered your womb to me to rent," Aiden said. "I have fulfilled my part of the bargain," he added and exited the room.

"This is against the law. I will sue all of you," Ana said and Jerome laughed.

"I have not had a good laugh in a long time. You are the eldest of two. Neither you nor your sister is working. Your mother wash dishes for a living. Now tell me, with what money are you going to sue us?" Dr Jerome asked and Ana frowned.

Dr Jerome was right. Ana comes from a poor family. They live from hand to mouth. Getting the scholarship was the only way to further her education and become the dietician she had always dreamt of so she could start earning some good money to change her family's life. She was so happy when she got the scholarship. She announced it to her mother and sister and they rejoiced with her. She returned home that day holding a bottle of drink which they shared. That was all she could remember. Why will her family do this to her? They had lived their whole life in poverty and they only had to wait a couple of years more and she would be done with school and their life would change. Why would her mother sacrifice her like this?

"Get some rest. Remember, there is a life growing inside of you and you must protect that life if you don't want Mr Scott to descend on you," Dr Jerome said and exited the room.

Ana heard the door being locked. She got down from the bed and walked towards the door. She turned the doorknob and realized it was locked.

"Am I a prisoner here?" She thought, returned to the bed and sat on it.

"Who are these people, her mother had sold her off to?" Ana thought as tears streamed down her face.

Outside of Ana's room, Dr Jerome was with Aiden having a conversation concerning Ana.

"Mr Scott, I know you don't care about the lady in there, carrying you and your woman's child but you must understand the situation of a pregnant woman. She needs all the support she can get from you the father. I know you want to use fear to get her to do what is right but that will not be good for the child. Her emotions have a direct impact on the child. I know I am in no position to tell you what to do but please, it will help a lot to reduce the emotional stress," Dr Jerome said with concern.

"Just put her back into a coma. I don't see myself doing any of the things you are asking me. I just rented her womb," Aiden said and Dr Jerome sighed.

"That will be dangerous not just for her but the baby too," Dr Jerome tried to reason.

"Dr Jerome, you can do that. That is what I paid you for," Aiden said and picked up his jacket. "We are done here," he said and headed for the door.

Aiden exited the office leaving Dr Jerome standing in the middle of the room. Dr Jerome also exited the room and called the nurse to return to the apartment and take care of Ana for the night. Aiden left with Lewis to the family house.

At Desert Edge, in a single-bedroom apartment, Mrs Morrison had just returned home from work. Alice opened the door and welcomed her.

"I guess today will be the last day of living in this hellhole and you working in that restaurant washing dishes," Alice said.

"Yes, my dear. I have gotten a new apartment in Stockton. Everything is done and we can move in tomorrow," Mrs Morrison announced and Alice jumped excitedly.

"Mum, you are the best," Alice praised. "But Mum, Ana will have that child in six months, what are we going to do? She will return home and realize things have changed," Alice said.

"Don't worry. I have all that sorted out. She will have to take care of that baby for at least a couple of months more. There is another rich man, who is looking for a stay-in nanny. I will convince Ana to take up that job. Tomorrow, you can fill out the papers for the scholarship. I will find a way to get Ana to write your exams for you to pass," Mrs Morrison said.

"When are you going to see Ana?" Alice asked.

"I will do that tomorrow, morning. I need to call Mr Scott first. The doctor's report will be ready by tomorrow morning. I will need that when going to see Ana," Mrs Morrison said.

"Great, I prepared your favourite," Alice said and they both headed for the kitchen and happily ate their food.

After driving for two hours, Lewis drove into the Scott family home in San Diego city. Aiden got out of the car and entered the apartment.

"Hey brother, you are here," Ruth welcomed him with a hug and pulled him towards the decorated garden.

There were a lot of people in the house. Daniel smiled seeing Aiden walking into the garden with Ruth.

"Mr Scott, you made it," Daniel said.

"Yeah, what is happening here?" Aiden acknowledged Daniel and directed her question to Ruth seeing they are more people than usual for Thanksgiving.

"I told you it is a surprise," Ruth said and moved away back into the house.

After a few minutes, Aiden's father, Mr Scott, walked into the garden holding his walking aid.

"Aiden, son, great you are here. I hope you didn't bring that snake with you," Mr Scott said and Aiden frowned.

"She is my wife," Aiden defended.

"Aiden, that woman is not good for you and it is only with time you will see what I am seeing," Mr Scott said.

"Come gentlemen, let's have a seat," Mrs Scott walked up to the two and invited them to the table.

"I have a very important announcement on this special Thanksgiving occasion," Mr Scott said standing to his feet.

"I am old, and my son Aiden Scott here, had done a very good job managing the family hotel business and opening other branches of Golden Light Hotel in other locations of this city. I am confident that Aiden, my son is ready to take up all the family business. Aiden, you are now the heir to this family property," Mr Scott said and Aiden stood to his feet, looking appreciative.

"Every man needs a good, woman by his side and this is the reason why I took it upon myself to find the perfect woman from the perfect family for my son," Mr Scott announced and the smile vanished from Aiden's face.

"Ruth, go fetch our delicate flower," Mr Scott said as the people gathered clapped with their gaze fixated on the direction Ruth went while Aiden remained silent.

The door opened and a beautiful elegant woman walked in wearing a red off-shoulder red gown with a high-thigh slipt. Ruth led her to Mr Scott.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome Amanda Thatcher. my son's bride," Mr Scott said and held Amanda's hand and Amanda smiled broadly.

Amanda was made to sit next to Aiden who was not at all happy with all that was happening. Once the celebration was over, Aiden confronted his father about what happened in the garden.

"Dad, in case you have forgotten I am already married, to Monica Solace. Do you want me to commit bigamy?" Aiden yelled at his father in the living room.

"Yes, you are married, to a gold digger, who didn't think twice about signing a divorce paper for two million dollars," Mr Scott said and threw the divorce paper to the table.

Aiden picked it up and was shocked to see, Monica's signature on the divorce paper.

"Is that why she decided not to come home?" Aiden thought looking at the signature hoping it was fake.

"Son, I warned you about this Monica girl, but you never listened. Now look," Mrs Scott said and Aiden remained frozen holding the divorce paper in his hand.