Maureen reluctantly agreed, and Ryan reassured her that nothing would happen to Aurora. He suspected that Allen might indeed be the girl's father, given their striking resemblance. If Allen was indeed the father, he would be powerless to harm Aurora.
After being driven home, as Maureen prepared to exit the car, Ryan reminded her, "You're forgetting something."
Perplexed, Maureen sat back and searched around her seat, failing to see what she had missed. Looking at Ryan, she noticed his mischievous smile.
"What did I forget?" Maureen asked, puzzled by Ryan's comment.
With a grin, Ryan replied, "My lips are waiting."
Maureen chuckled.
"No kisses for you tonight for being mischievous," and with that, she stepped out of the car.
Ryan laughed and waved goodbye as Maureen closed the door behind her. He drove off, leaving Maureen to enter the house. Despite the day's events, she maintained a smile as she stepped inside.
In the sitting room, Maureen's mother was watching a movie.
"Hello, mum," Maureen greeted, walking over to her and planting a gentle kiss on her cheek.
"How have you been?" her mother asked, welcoming her daughter. Maureen sank into the sofa and let out a sigh.
Noticing her daughter's expression, her mother narrowed her gaze.
"Is something wrong?" she inquired.
Maureen proceeded to explain everything that had transpired between Lilian's daughter and the CEO of MXcel.
Maureen's mother was shocked.
"Didn't her ex-husband claim he paid someone to pretend to be him that night? How could that person turn out to be Allen from MXcel?"
Maureen was equally bewildered by the whole situation. However, Ryan had seen the surveillance footage and insisted that Aurora was the spitting image of Allen.
This aspect of the situation complicated things for her. She was uncertain how someone like Allen could agree to such an evil scheme.
Maureen's mother looked thoughtful for a moment.
"I hope it turns out that Allen is the girl's father. It could be a blessing in disguise for Lilian and Aurora, and it would take away some of their worries about the future."
Maureen furrowed her brow, contemplating her mother's words.
"But what if Allen does turn out to be Aurora's father? Do you think he would let her stay with her mother?" she asked, deeply concerned. "I'm afraid he might try to take custody of the child, and then what would Lilian do? She's not in a position to fight him legally. What do you think Lilian would do if that happens? She's just an employee under him and might not afford a good lawyer," Maureen said, concern evident in her voice.
Her mother nodded sympathetically, "It's a valid concern, dear. Let's hope for the best outcome for Lilian and Aurora. They deserve a chance at happiness without having to face such difficult challenges."
***
Allen arrived at his villa, which was situated next to Aiden's residence. They could freely wander into each other's estates without any restrictions.
Aurora emerged from the car, gazing in awe at the grand mansion before her. It was such an enormous house. How many people lived in it?
She had only seen such grandeur in animated shows and storybooks. The expansive grounds were encircled by a beautiful garden, with a large swimming pool positioned at one end.
Occasionally, her mother would take her to a public pool, where a trainer would assist her before she could swim freely.
Observing Aurora's expression of astonishment mixed with excitement, Allen realized that she must have lived a modest life from the day she was born.
"Let's go, Aurora," Allen said with a charming smile. How would he handle being around a child? He had never been in the company of children before, let alone cared for them.
Taking Aurora's hand, he guided her towards the main entrance of the villa. At this point, Aurora was beginning to feel apprehensive about being led by this man who claimed to be her father, and most importantly, she was starting to long for her mother.
Following a stranger just because they claimed to be her father seemed risky. If Lilian knew the trouble she was in, she would surely scold her.
As they entered the spacious and lavishly decorated living room, Aurora couldn't contain her excitement.
Allen turned to his bodyguards and sent them away. Then, he knelt in front of the little girl.
"From now on, this can be your new home... if you'd like to stay with me," he said calmly, ruffling her hair. "How old are you?"
He made an effort not to scare the little girl. She already seemed anxious and unsure about staying with him. At that moment, Aurora longed for her mother.
"I'm four years old..." she whispered. "And how old are you, sir?" she asked inquisitively, and Allen smiled at how clever and articulate she was.
"I'm twenty-eight, pretty old, right?" Allen replied, smirking, and Aurora blushed.
He settled onto a sofa and drew the little girl closer to him, embracing her tightly. At that moment, he felt more certain than ever that she was truly his daughter.
On the way to the hospital, he pondered and calculated how old Aurora would be if she were his child.
It had been five years and a few months, precisely four months, since he had spent that one night with a mysterious young woman. If that encounter had led to a pregnancy, the child would have been born exactly nine months later. By now, the child should be around four years old, give or take a few months. The girl in the car with him appeared to be around that age, albeit a bit taller, he deduced.
He decided he would ask about it once they arrived at the villa. As expected, it turned out exactly as he had calculated.
They stood tall, a common trait among members of the Rowan family. Even his cousins were incredibly tall.
Momentarily, his phone began to ring. Glancing at the screen, he frowned – not now, she shouldn't be calling him at this moment...