Emily and Jake were filled with worry and immediately volunteered to donate their blood. The medical team swiftly collected their samples, and after what felt like an endless wait, the test results came back.
Unfortunately, Emily's blood was not a match, but incredibly, Jake's was a perfect match.
The news hit Emily like a ton of bricks. "How is that possible?" she questioned, her voice scarcely audible as she stared at the doctor in disbelief.
The physician hesitated, unsure of what to do next. "Miss Moore, Mr. Lewis is a match. That suggests a close genetic relationship and that Mr. Lewis is Aiden's biological father."
The knowledge tore through Emily like a hurricane, her head racing.
Is Aiden the son of Jake? How is that possible? With widened and incredulous eyes, she stared at Jake. She's got a lot of questions right now. For Aiden, though, receiving a blood transfusion is now the most important thing. So she said nothing and stared at Jake.
Jake's expression was bewilderment, and his thoughts were racing as he tried to process what he had heard.
How could he not know Aiden's father? he thought. He's unsure how to explain to Emily that the little boy she loves, Aiden, is his son.
"I—" Jake tried to speak, but he could not. To get to this conclusion, he lacked any explanation or memory of their encounter. But Aiden was his son, and that was an indisputable fact.
Emily lost her balance and fell backward. The father of the child she had raised as her own was the guy she had been trying to keep as a confidant—the man she had fought, worked with, and, in some ways, still cared about.
Emily looked at Jake, her words wavering as her eyes welled up with tears. "Jake... How can anything like this occur? Thus, when did it occur?" It was not the proper moment, but she needed the answer.
Jake's head was spinning, clueless. "I'm not sure how to explain this, Emily. I promise I will tell you everything once we know Aiden is safe. I never have a plan to... "
He drifted off, looking back for any moment or hint to explain this. However, nothing was present—nothing could change their history; the affair four years ago was a secret he wanted to keep as long as he could.
Nevertheless, the reality was in front of them now, so there was no denying it.
Sensing the emotional intensity of the situation, the doctor softly intervenes before leaving the room, leaving Emily and Jake alone. "I'll give you both a moment; Mr. Lewis must come to the lab to give blood if he's willing to do it."
With her head in her hands, Emily sank into a chair and tried to understand everything. Aiden was Jake's son, which altered everything—their lives, fake marriage, everything.
Jake walked carefully toward her, his heart hurting to see how much misery she was in. He murmured, "Emily, I'm so sorry. I'm unsure how to tell you this, but we will solve the problem. We'll work together to overcome this."
Emily turned to face him, tears welling up in her eyes. "Jake, I'm not sure if I can take this. Anything I believed to be true... Everything has been flipped upside down."
Jake knelt beside her and held her hands in his. "First, we'll proceed with caution. Right now, Aiden is the most crucial factor. We will take care of him and make sure he's okay. After that, we'll figure out the rest." He wasn't sure if he was comforting Emily or himself.
Emily nodded, the weight of this new truth pressing hard on her heart. Despite all this, Jake was correct. What mattered most was Aiden.
They would have to set aside her astonishment and bewilderment for his benefit and confront this new chapter in their lives together.
Their relationship seemed different as they stood there, ready to take on the challenges ahead; it felt more profound and nuanced. They were committed to navigating the challenging path ahead for their and Aiden's sake.
Emily was sitting in Aiden's VIP room, staring out her window at the garden. She was startled to learn that Jake was Aiden's father, but she could no longer ignore something more urgent.
It was time, she realized, the weight of the truth pressing hard against her chest. It's time to tell Jake everything. She needs to come clean about her secret.
Her mind raced with ideas about approaching this subject, and her hands shook slightly as she gripped them together.
Aiden was no longer the main focus; it was all about her health and the short time she had left.
Jake entered as the door creaked open. His eyes continued to be filled with perplexity and shame, feelings he had never been able to overcome since learning he was Aiden's father.
He stood across from Emily and felt the tension between them. "Emily," he said in a quiet voice.
"There's a lot of things we need to discuss, but this is not the place. Can we wait until Aiden is discharged, and we will speak of it at home?" He needed time to come up with a story that was believable in Emily's ears.
She's so innocent that he has taken advantage of her vulnerability. He's a Devil in disguise, a wolf in sheep's clothing. It is time to unveil the truth and face the consequences.
Knowing that the topic of conversation will eventually veer far beyond Aiden, Emily inhaled deeply.
"Jake, this has been on my mind a lot. I've withheld information from you that I never meant to keep a secret, but until now, I couldn't bring myself to tell you."
Jake scowled and leaned in a little. "What are you trying to say? Emily, what else is happening?"
Now, it's his turn to bewilderment. But maybe this is a way out for him. With Emily feeling guilty herself, she will eventually be able to forgive him. At least, that's what he hoped would happen...~~~