WHY MARRY?

EIGHTEEN

Jade stood in front of the mirror of hotel bedroom with her shirt lifted up, examining her protruding belly. She was five to six months pregnant and her due date was fast approaching. She was looking forward to meeting this child already.

"I can't believe I'm this big" she whispered. "I wish Aiden was here to see this" she sighed.

As upset as she had been at his betrayal, she still loved and missed him; and also felt guilty for hiding a secret as big as this, from him. When she left, she had taken along with her; one of his jumpers which she would wear to sleep every night, and was also currently wearing. She had never washed it; yet his smell was starting to fade from it.

Over the past few months, she tried to stay out of the public eye as much as possible. As certain as she was of Aiden not finding her whereabouts, she didn't want to take the risk. She would often stay indoors resting, unless she was required to go out. The pregnancy was taking a huge toll on her body.

~

"Have you seen this, Aiden?" Terry barged in with a magazine and slammed it on Aiden's living room table. His family was at his house, including his dad; who his mum had called over so Aiden could make amends with him over the situation. However, Gannon was not giving in anytime soon. He was first of all angry about Aiden and Jade deceiving them into believing they were in love; but most important of all, his son had cheated on his wife and gotten his ex pregnant.

"What is this?" Aiden picked up the magazine to see a picture of his wife slapped on the front page of the magazine. "She's pregnant?!" he exclaimed.

"Wait let me see" his mum asked, taking the magazine from his hand. His dad looked at the picture over her shoulder.

"This seems unbelievable" Terry said. "Aiden, what are you going to do?"

"Find her of course!" he replied. "Contact the media; we need to find out where exactly they spotted her; NOW!" he shouted. He could feel hope rise in his chest. Soon, he would reunite with his love.

"Right away" Terry responded as he took out his phone, ready to go.

"This child must yours" his dad finally spoke.

"Without a doubt" Aiden responded. "I have to find her" he insisted. Just then, they heard someone banging on his gates. They went out to see what the commotion was about and gathered outside; Terry opened the gate.

"Where is that son of a bastard!" Jade's dad came barging in. "Where's that bastard that knocked up my daughter and left her roaming the city!" he shouted.

"Mr King, I can explain" Aiden began. Jade's father spotted him immediately and headed towards him briskly. When he arrived in front of him, he sent a deadly slap across his cheek. He was completely furious..

"I'm sorry sir" he simply whispered, as he held onto his now bruised cheek.

"Divorce her immediately! You animal" he spat out. "You think I didn't know you tortured her the past year and a half? I only stayed quiet because she promised to sort it out herself"

"Sir I promise to find her and bring her back safely" he assured him.

"What are you going to do about Alexis, if Jade should come back?" his mum asked him.

"That will never happen! Because I will be looking for her; and when I do, i'll make sure you never set your eyes on her ever again!" her father bellowed before storming out the gates. They all stared at his retreating form, dumbfounded by his actions..

"You deserve to be slapped some more!" his dad stated before making his way inside. His mum cradled his face in her hands as she examined him. Terry could only shake his head in disbelief.

Within a few hours, Terry had contacted the media and discovered where Jade was hiding. Aiden immediately got into his car and drove to the location he was informed by Terry about. As he drove he realised how far a distance she had gotten and wondered how she had managed to get there with the weight of a baby in front of her. Even with him driving a car to the place, he could feel the struggle in trying to get there. It started to make him worry whether she was doing fine and whether she was struggling without him.

He wished he was there every night to cuddle her to sleep and ask about her day; even if she would scream and yell at him because her hormones where all over the place. He imagined that, she would wake him up in the middle of the night craving ice cream, to which she would grab him out of bed and out the door to get it. He would then complain and sulk as he trudges to the store to buy her a refreshing tub of ice cream. Aiden smiled to himself at the thought of those memories he could've created with her. He however, knew it wasn't too late to still share them with her. Before long, he had arrived at the hotel and made his way to the reception.

"Hello, good evening, I am looking for a woman by the name Jade Ross" he announced to the receptionist. She typed at her computer.

"Oh yes, Mrs Ross!" the receptionist confirmed.

"Can you please tell me her door number" he requested.

"I'm sorry sir, that is confidential information I can't do-

"That woman is my wife and I suggest you tell me where she is right now!” he demanded.

"Sir, i really can't do-" she tried to explain.

"Do you even who you're speaking to?" he demanded. "You are speaking to Aiden Ross, THE-Aiden Ross!" he told her, pulling the ‘rich and powerful’ card seeing as he had no choice.

"What is going on here?" the manager suddenly approached them both.

"You!" he said to my manager. "Tell her to tell me my wife's door number right now" he demanded.

"Aiden Ross" the manager recognised him instantly. The manager signaled the receptionist to do as Aiden said. Aiden received the information he needed and made his way up the lift, eager to see Jade again. He had missed her so dearly. When he arrived at the door, he knocked firmly ad waited for a response but no one answered. He knocked louder but still to no avail. He suddenly wondered if perhaps she had gone out for a while. He attempted to knock again when his fist pushed the door open. He entered in surprise.

"Jade! my love!" he called out, as he looked around the place. "Where are you!" he called out again.He soon realised the place was empty.

He thought that maybe the hotel might have given him the wrong door number, and was about to go back down and question them when he tripped over something. He went down to pick up a jumper; his jumper as matter of fact. Seeing the jumper made him realise that indeed she had been in that suite.It occurred to him that she may have escaped, but how, he wondered; since she wouldn’t have known he was coming. He carried the jumper and made his way out feeling downhearted, as he didn't get the chance to see her. He made his way back into the reception with his head hanging low. He then lifted his head to see Jade's father staring at him. He came to look for Jade, Aiden thought.

"So..." her father asked, and he shook his head to say no to indicate that Jade was not there. He then walked past her father and out to his car. He sat inside, staring at nothing.

"Damn it!" he shouted, banging his fist against the steering wheel. "JUST WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?!" he screamed. He was missing her so much.