CHAPTER 97

Lisa's POV

The doorbell rings before I can release the tears that are about to start streaming down my face. My eyes immediately turn to the door that Damien just removed.

I can't believe I confronted him in that manner. I vowed not to ever weep over him, but now I'm on the point of doing so once again.

Why do I have the impression that everyone is against me and for him? Is it because the accident experience traumatized him?

I had trauma as well, but I overcame it on my own, without assistance. Why should he find it so challenging?

I'm going to yell at him indignantly not to come here again when the doorbell rings once again. Instead, I see a familiar face that I haven't seen in months.

Jude.

"Jude?" I can't help but be shocked. He grins as he looks at my stomach.

He greets me with a little bow and a "Good day, ma'am" before reaching out to me.

I accept them without thinking twice. It consists of a package, a bonquest, and a white box.

I don't need a fortune teller to inform me of who this is from and for. Damien must have made it by hand.

Is everything all right? He asks, jolting me from my reverie. I nod and feign a grin. "Are you certain? I cannot take the boss home because of the boss. He wants to stroll home.

If it had been the previous Lisa, I would have yelled at such an absurd notion. I want to shout, but I really shouldn't, right?

I continue to grin at him while ignoring his remark. "I'm grateful for the gift,"

He says in a loud voice before I can shut the door. "The boss, not me, is responsible for it."

The remainder of his sentence is silenced by the door shutting. As I recline on the couch to see what he has in store for me, curiosity overcomes the tears in my eyes.

He received comparable flowers and champagne in Paris, which I didn't accept, so I'm unsure of what it is this time.

I place the flowers and the box on the other sofa so I can first examine the item. When I open it, I find a bag of romance books.

They are the most recent New York Times best sellers, and I pull them out one after the other.

I lined up the books so I could count them one by one, counting all the way to ten.

I should be able to finish 10 romance novels before the end of the month. Since arriving in America, I haven't had the chance to buy any new books, so I've been getting by with the ones I got in Paris.

My phone rings, so I grab it from the couch handle before I can reach the box to remove the rope that is wrapping it.

I take a moment to consider who it may be before picking up the phone since it's an unusual number.

The voice that says "Hello" seems familiar, but I'm not sure where I've heard it before. "Good day, Lisa. Are you present?

Then something clicks. on my inside.

The Mrs. Russell.

"I'm aware you're there. I took your phone number from Damien. She pauses, perhaps anticipating my response, "He wouldn't give it to me willingly and he still won't give me your Grandma's home address." "I learned about all that occurred as well as the impending arrival of our granddaughter. I'm content, Lisa. I'm looking forward to it, and I wish I could see you so that we could go shopping for the baby's items together and...

Mr. Russell, Mrs. I slack off and interrupt her.

Despite my desire, I find it incredibly challenging to be harsh to her in retaliation for what she did to me. She openly admitted to me that I would never be able to carry Damien's children and that he would never want to have children with me, but here she is gushing to me about how thrilled she is with the new arrival.

That is foolish and self-centered.

"I'm sorry, Lisa, but I've upset you. Please find it in your heart to forgive me. I regret all I did. Just making sure my kid is secure and won't return to the person I hardly recognized two years ago was all I was attempting to do. Because I didn't want him to experience heartbreak, I was looking for him. Lisa, I'm very sorry. Please make room in your heart for me to be forgiven.

Once again, there is silence while I stifle my breath and try not to lose my composure or yell at her to f**k off.

"Months ago, I begged Damien to invite you over for a family dinner, but he said that you were busy, and I knew he was lying. Gabriel told me everything, and I really apologize for everything.

When I can no longer handle it, I end the conversation, set my phone aside, and toss it across the room.

I'm worn out.

Please leave me alone, please.

Facepalming myself, I feel my emotions erupting once again and my chest heaving in rage and anguish.

I left for this reason. I bolted for the door for this reason. I want solitude. Nobody's sympathy, please. Nobody should be able to persuade me to do something I don't want to.

I truly request solitude till the baby arrives. To be certain that I didn't lose my kid, all I want is to see him and hold him in my arms.

I groan and slump aside after giving up on taking a stroll outside. My thoughts then return to the presents.

The box, the books, and the flowers. I immediately go for the box and start to unwrap it while I gradually pull off the rope securing it.

I open the lid while it is turned off, and it displays an odd object. On the clothing is a little piece of paper. They resemble clothing in reality.

whose attire?

I put my curiosity on hold and took the note instead.

It has text. "I was a scumbag. I am still.

Damien.

I set the note down and picked out the baby's first outfits before realizing what it was for. It is a little black jacket that is identical to Damien's in every way except for size.

I gasp.

How did he discover that the child would be a boy? Even Grandma hasn't heard from me yet.

everybody except Sabrina. Did Sabrina inform him that I'm having a boy and that I want to give him the name Aidan?

I drop the jacket as I gradually get overwhelmed and pick up the next item. A baby wears it in pajamas. A little, adorable one with a happy baby face. Again, I let out a sob that sounded like ASPS.

For a little while, I cover my lips with my right hand to suck everything in.

Why should I cry?

I am telling myself this, but my emotions are not there to hear what my intellect is saying.

Unconsciously, a tear starts to fall from my eye, then another, then another.

I wipe them off as they continue to roll, trying hard not to weep. I let go of the jacket as well and took out the next item from the box. It's only a toy.

a model automobile.

The last item is another note.

"I preserved everything for my unborn child. Going back to the chamber I've kept shut for years to pull something out requires a lot of guts.

"I used to think I had lost my first fruit or probably the only fruit I was meant to have since I wanted to be celibate for life, but I am wrong."

"My first fruit is this baby inside of you, Lisa, and there will be more to come. Up until today, I didn't believe I would ever really get over Helena. Because I wrecked Jason's crib, I entered the room where it was stored. I made contact with it. I touched it with fury the previous time, but tonight I did so while crying and grinning.

Why does it signify that? It indicates I've recovered. That hole has now been filled. The bundle that is inside of you has taken the place of that delight.

"Whether you believe it or not, I already adore you and our child. My first fruit, Jason, shall be named.

My chest constricts, and I let out a piercing scream before breaking into tears as my hands crumple the message into a crumble.

mixed-feeling tears.