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Who would have known that on the night of her 21st birthday, she would end up having a one-night stand with a stranger, was nearly killed by someone running over her, and subsequently discovered she was pregnant later on with an unknown father?
What a life she had been leading...
Counting her days, she could die anytime, next year, or in six more years. Only God knows.
The only people in her life now are her son, Aiden, and her Grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Hernandez, who have cared for her all her life.
She must guarantee they are all well cared for when the time comes.
This is where her legal guardian, Mr. Lewis, steps in.
She had decided that when they signed the agreement, she would ask if he would agree to be their legal guardian.
But first, a living trust needs to be prepared. Emily knew Mr. Lewis could handle that matter without lifting a finger.
She would have left Aiden's guardianship to Mr. and Mrs. Hernandez. Still, they are no longer young and don't have the mentality or capability to manage the fortune she will inherit from her parent's legacy.
She needed someone like Mr. Lewis.
Therefore, her only option is her legal guardian, Mr. Lewis. It's imperative that she make haste with her preparation, knowing her greedy relatives will vie for Aiden's custody, which she will not tolerate. Otherwise, she will be unable to rest peacefully.
As she lay there in deep thought of all the preparations she needed to make, she began to feel sleepy and was about to close her eyes when she heard the door open.
Then, someone tiptoed into her room. Emily had no idea who it was. She could only breathe in the darkened room with her eyes closed.
She had already turned off the light, so she couldn't see who was approaching. Unafraid and curious about who would enter her room late at night, she couldn't tell who it was until an unexpected hand touched her. A tiny hand at that...
"Mommy, are you awake?" a soft, tiny voice whispered in her ear, slightly shaking her body.
A faint smile spread across her lips as she drew her son Aiden and lifted him beside her. "No, sweetheart." Mommy is not asleep yet. I'm speaking to you right now, aren't I? She tickled his tummy and kissed his chubby cheeks.
"Hahaha! Hahaha! Mommy, it tickles; please stop it!" Aiden cried out, trying to stop his Mother from tickling him.
"Why are you in my room rather than sleeping in your bed? Did you miss Mommy so much?"
Aiden cuddles significantly more in his Mother's hug. "I miss you, Mommy, but I'm in your bed instead of mine because I'm lonely and cannot sleep."
When Emily heard Aiden say something, she felt a tiny pang in her chest. He could already feel lonely, even if she was only a room away. What will happen after she is gone? How would her small boy survive?
Emily had unknowingly hugged her kid closely as tears streamed down her sorrowful face. Fortunately, it was dark, so Aiden could not see.
Aiden felt her quivering as she silently cried and nearly crushed him to death with her tight grasp. Instead of crying to be released, Aiden hugged her hard to console her.
Soon, the Mother and son were fast asleep, still intertwined.
***
When Emily entered the dining room for breakfast, the smell of cooked, crisp bacon filled the hallway air. Since she didn't have a proper dinner the night before, her stomach made a growling sound. "Hmm, that smell so good." She mumbles, looking at the table full of mouth-watering food.
In addition to the bacon, there's sliced ham, sausage links and patties, fried eggs, fried rice, toast, and different kinds of sliced fruits. It was a feast, and she couldn't wait to dive in and eat.
"Good morning, Madam..." The kitchen helper greeted. She had just finished arranging the array of food on the large dining table and was about to return to the kitchen. Although she didn't look at Emily straight in her eyes, she saw how beautiful their young mistress was in her peripheral view. A smile crept on her lips, and she couldn't wait to tell the chef.
Emily chose to wear a simple floor-length summer dress with some flower detail. She let her long hair loose with only a tiny hair clip on the side of her head. She was bare-faced with only a hint of lipgloss and a sunblock to protect her skin.
Seeing the kitchen helper with a small smile, Emily greeted back as she reached the dining table.
"Good morning!"
Seeing no one else was there, she wondered where everyone else was.
Emily saw that the kitchen help was about to disappear through the kitchen door and swiftly asked.
"Excuse me, do you know if Mr. Lewis has eaten yet?"
She wasn't sure how Jake ran his household and didn't want to take it upon herself and overstep her boundaries.
"To answer Madam's question, Master Lewis had already left for the office, and he doesn't normally eat breakfast," she said politely. "If nothing else, I'll return to my duty." The kitchen helper added before retreating to the kitchen.
"Oh, alright! Thank you! Nothing else for now."
After hearing that Jake Lewis had left, she didn't hesitate to sit down and begin eating.
She only took a few bites when she heard Aiden's footsteps coming down the stairs. She watched him approach with a loving gaze.
"Good morning, Aiden. Did you sleep well?" Emily practiced calling him his name instead of sweetheart, honey, my baby, and my cute son.
She wanted him to be strong and mature for her age by the time she left the earth.
"Mommy, why ask me a stupid question when you know the answer? I slept next to you, remember?" Aiden's furrowed brow was evident that he was annoyed.
Mrs. Hernandez, standing next to Aiden, watching the beautiful scene in front of her, couldn't help but scold the little boy.
"Aiden... Is that how you should speak to your Mother?" She said in a very calm, soothing voice.