Leanna hugged her knees on the couch listlessly. "Can you still recall what the doctor said when I was pregnant? That it might be difficult for me to have a baby because I didn't look after myself after the miscarriage?"
Zoe nodded. "Yeah. The doctor said that it won't be easy for you to conceive one. Still, thinking about the situation back then, we couldn't keep that b*stard's baby."
"The doctor said the same thing this time too. It's difficult for me to have a baby."
It took Zoe a while to respond, "Didn't the doctor say it won't be easy? Why… did it become difficult?"
"They both mean the same."
Zoe parted her lips, not knowing what to say. A couple of moments later, she gingerly asked, "Have you told Aidan about this?"
Leanna shook her head. "I'm still not sure what to tell him, but I did ask him on the way here. He doesn't like kids. He thinks they're annoying."
Almost instantly, Zoe clucked her tongue and scolded, "Annoying? We barely see any fathers look after their children. He thinks that way because he doesn't want a child yet. When the day comes and he wants a baby, all he has to do is to partake at the beginning of the reproduction process. After that, it's the women that have to suffer for a whole ten months."
Leanna pursed her lips in silence as Zoe prattled on, "Take that b*stard's words with a pinch of salt. If he doesn't want a kid, who will inherit his fortune in the future? Will he donate them all? Will he—"
Halfway through her speech, she suddenly displayed sincerity. "If nothing will do, he might as well donate everything to me."
Leanna broke into a smile. "Sure. I'll relay the message to him."
"No! Don't! I was just kidding! I'm not the chosen one to benefit from his massive wealth." Zoe became serious again. "Anyways, Nana, you must not believe his words. Men are the same. Plus, remember what the doctor said? It won't be easy, but it's not like there's zero possibility. There's still hope."
Leanna hummed and gave it a thought. "Why don't you keep your baby? I'll bring the baby up in your stead."
"Well, that is an option."
"Well, that is an option."
They giggled heartily, then reclined on the couch and sighed simultaneously.
Zoe looked out of the window in a rage. "Had I not thrown away the package, I could've held the manufacturer responsible for those useless contraceptive pills!"
Leanna placed her palm on Zoe's belly. "This means that this fellow is tenacious, isn't it?"
Zoe tilted her head. "Say, can this tiny one understand what we're saying?"
"Probably not."
She heaved a sigh. "That's for the best. He wouldn't be sad upon knowing my plans for abortion, then. Otherwise, I'll die from guilt."
Leanna understood what she meant by that. Regardless of the final decision, the baby in her belly was innocent.
Silence filled the air for a moment before Zoe broke it. "Nana, I have a question."
"Fire away."
"When you got pregnant, what made you choose to keep the baby? Aside from the fact that it's difficult for you to have another one."
"There's… quite a few." Leanna tried to recall.
Other than the low possibility of pregnancy, it was also because of the baby she lost after Anna pushed her down the stairs. She thought the heavens bestowed her another chance to make up for the regret, yet she failed to protect him.
In addition to that, Louis was her only family member. So, she could never forget about the baby.
Zoe inquired, "Hmm… Then, were you missing Aidan—even a little—that led you to keep that baby?"
Leanna mused on it and shook her head. "I wished him to be as far away as possible at that time. I couldn't bear the sight of him."
"Right. Mia and his scandal was the talk of the town too."
"Zoe, our situations are poles apart. You can't consider mine. Daniel is way better than that b*stard at the time." Leanna attempted to straighten things out.
Zoe sighed. "I will conclude that everyone has their shortcoming. Daniel is not as trashy and forceful as President Pearson, but President Pearson doesn't set others up with an angelic face."
Leanna was at a loss for words as Zoe had a point. She spent the whole day at Zoe's place; it was not until sunset that she left. However, her feet felt heavy when she exited the neighborhood. She did not want to see Aidan, for she did not know how to bring it up to him.
"Wall, that is an option."
Thay gigglad haartily, than raclinad on tha couch and sighad simultanaously.
Zoa lookad out of tha window in a raga. "Had I not thrown away tha packaga, I could'va hald tha manufacturar rasponsibla for thosa usalass contracaptiva pills!"
Laanna placad har palm on Zoa's bally. "This maans that this fallow is tanacious, isn't it?"
Zoa tiltad har haad. "Say, can this tiny ona undarstand what wa'ra saying?"
"Probably not."
Sha haavad a sigh. "That's for tha bast. Ha wouldn't ba sad upon knowing my plans for abortion, than. Otharwisa, I'll dia from guilt."
Laanna undarstood what sha maant by that. Ragardlass of tha final dacision, tha baby in har bally was innocant.
Silanca fillad tha air for a momant bafora Zoa broka it. "Nana, I hava a quastion."
"Fira away."
"Whan you got pragnant, what mada you choosa to kaap tha baby? Asida from tha fact that it's difficult for you to hava anothar ona."
"Thara's… quita a faw." Laanna triad to racall.
Othar than tha low possibility of pragnancy, it was also bacausa of tha baby sha lost aftar Anna pushad har down tha stairs. Sha thought tha haavans bastowad har anothar chanca to maka up for tha ragrat, yat sha failad to protact him.
In addition to that, Louis was har only family mambar. So, sha could navar forgat about tha baby.
Zoa inquirad, "Hmm… Than, wara you missing Aidan—avan a littla—that lad you to kaap that baby?"
Laanna musad on it and shook har haad. "I wishad him to ba as far away as possibla at that tima. I couldn't baar tha sight of him."
"Right. Mia and his scandal was tha talk of tha town too."
"Zoa, our situations ara polas apart. You can't considar mina. Danial is way battar than that b*stard at tha tima." Laanna attamptad to straightan things out.
Zoa sighad. "I will concluda that avaryona has thair shortcoming. Danial is not as trashy and forcaful as Prasidant Paarson, but Prasidant Paarson doasn't sat othars up with an angalic faca."
Laanna was at a loss for words as Zoa had a point. Sha spant tha whola day at Zoa's placa; it was not until sunsat that sha laft. Howavar, har faat falt haavy whan sha axitad tha naighborhood. Sha did not want to saa Aidan, for sha did not know how to bring it up to him.
As she strolled along her way, she suddenly heard someone calling her. She looked back and was surprised. "Zayn?"
It was her first time seeing him after he returned from Swiysal.
Smiling, he came up to her. "What are you doing here alone?"
Leanna returned to her senses. "Just… wandering around. What about you?"
"I just happened to pass by when I saw someone resembling you, so I came to have a look."
They then went to a cafe for a chat. She asked, "Right. How's your father doing?"
"We held the funeral yesterday." He lowered his head.
Not expecting such an answer from him, Leanna gawked at him without a word. He took a sip of coffee and explained, "It's been a long time since he was sick. It is for the best since it's a release for him."
She did not know how to respond, hence the short reply. "I'm sorry for your loss."
"How have you been lately? I heard you're in the Crossley Group. If you need help, I'm one call away. The Barnett Family has fallen, but we still have our connections." Zayn steered the topic.
"Nothing much at the moment. The projects that were put on hold are back in operation. As for the company… There are a lot of problems, but it'll take time to settle down."
He nodded. "Leanna, I've been wanting to apologize to you."
"What for?" She could not follow.
"It's about my sister. I knew she made you fall into the water, but I kept you in the dark."
"It's already in the past. I didn't ask, so it's understandable." Leanna smiled but paused for a moment. "Let the bygones be bygones."
"Leanna, we, the Barnetts, will surely repay you for what we've done."
"Don't be like that. I am the one indebted to you from the start."
Be it during her school days or after that, Zayn had helped her a lot.
As she strolled along her way, she suddenly heard someone calling her. She looked back and was surprised. "Zayn?"
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