An Heir At Any Price: The Billionaire's Obsession - Contemporary Romance by Forbidden Fruit Press

look like. I thought
about the tiny little hands and fingers and toes that he or she
would have. I could see big, dark eyes looking up at me, looking
for security and comfort in its mother’s arms. I thought about
putting the baby into Aiden’s arms and walking away from them both,
never to turn back. I thought about years down the line how I knew
I’d still be wondering and yearning to see it, and I knew that I
couldn’t do it.
     
    I got up and got another cup of
coffee. Taking it outside again I sat down and thought about
Aiden’s wounds and wondered if they could be healed if he were to
fall in love again. I wondered if having a woman in his life that
adored him and would be loyal and dedicated no matter what could
chip away at those scars until they were eventually gone. I came to
the conclusion that I believed to be the correct one although it
wasn’t what I had wanted it to be: Aiden was like a bird with a
snapped wing. He could be fixed, his wounds weren’t fatal, only
crippling. But by what or whom he could be fixed was another story.
I really didn’t think I was capable of doing that. I wasn’t strong
enough. I’d been trying to change my mother for years, and look at
her…
     
    I showered and dressed and decided
that I would tell him at breakfast. My chest ached at the thought
of having to give him up. I’d let myself get too attached. But it
had to be done and I was going to do it this morning if I had to
beat myself into it. The longer I dragged it out the more at risk
my own heart became. I don’t believe that having a baby for him
will heal him and I don’t believe he would ever fall in love with
me. If I walk away now, I’m doing us both a favor.
     
    I had just picked up my purse and was
ready to leave for my breakfast date with Aiden when my phone began
ringing. I felt sick to my stomach when I looked at the caller I.D.
It said, “Memorial Hospital.” I knew it was about my mother before
I picked it up.
     
    “Hello.”
     
    “Hello, is this Holly
Valentine?”
     
    “Yes,” I said.
     
    “Miss Valentine this is Bridgette
Baxter. I’m a social worker here at Memorial Hospital. We have your
mother here and you’re listed as her emergency contact.”
     
    “Yes, what’s happened? Is she
okay?”
     
    “I was hoping you could come down and
we could talk in person, you, me and the physician. Your mother is
okay, for now physically, I don’t want you to worry about that. But
we really need to talk about a long term plan.”
     
    “Of course,” I told the lady. “I’ll be
right down.” I called Aiden then and got his voicemail. I left him
a message that I had to take care of a family issue and I would
give him a call when I was finished. Then I called a cab and headed
to the hospital to see what kind of trouble my mother had gotten
herself into now.

Chapter Seven

    ~

 
     
     
    I arrived at the hospital with a sense
of De Ja Vu. I had done this so many times before and each time it
left me with a headache, sick to my stomach and angry all over
again at the situation my life is in through no fault of my own. I
usually wasn’t one to feel sorry for myself, but my time with Aiden
recently had shown me another whole side to life and that had made
this one that much bleaker.
     
    I went to the admission counter and
told the woman who I was and who I was here to see. A few moments
later a woman a little older than me in a nice business suit and
heels came out to greet me.
     
    “Holly?”
     
    “Yes, Miss Baxter?”
     
    “Yes, please, call me Bridgette. Do
you mind if we go talk before you see your mother?”
     
    “No, that’s fine. She’s
okay?”
     
    “She will be,” Bridgette said. I
followed her down a long corridor and into an office that said her
name and LCSW on the door. She was a licensed clinical social
worker. I couldn’t help but wonder what I might be if I’d had the
chance to go to college. I had the grades, I probably could have
easily gotten a scholarship