After All The Betrayal We Chose Love

chapter 10

Mommy… I'm a little scared."

Adrian's soft voice broke the silence as Annabel gently brushed through his damp hair after his shower.

Annabel paused briefly before replying calmly, "Why? Do you suddenly think Jennifer is your mother now?"

Adrian immediately shook his head and sat upright.

"No, Mommy," he said quickly. "That's not it at all. I know you're my mother."

His voice softened afterward.

"I'm just scared about tomorrow."

Annabel's expression softened instantly. She placed the brush down and gently cupped his face.

"You don't have to be afraid," she reassured him softly. "No matter what happens, I'll always be your mother."

Adrian nodded slowly, visibly comforted by her words.

Wanting to lighten the mood, he quickly changed the topic.

"So…" he said curiously, "how's the company doing?"

Annabel sighed softly before continuing to dry his hair with the blow dryer.

"Well, we've been facing a few challenges lately," she admitted honestly. "But we'll be receiving an important guest very soon."

Adrian looked up curiously.

"One of the biggest businessmen in England," she continued, and a faint sparkle appeared in her eyes.

This particular partnership was something she had dreamed about securing for years. Although she had never personally met the CEO behind the company, she cared more about the collaboration itself than whoever was behind it.

Adrian smiled proudly at her.

"I'm sure you'll succeed," he said confidently. "You always do."

Annabel chuckled softly and continued drying his hair.

"And I'm sure you'll become an amazing CEO someday too," she teased gently.

Adrian immediately shook his head.

"I'll never be as good as you, Mommy," he replied fondly before squeezing her hand affectionately.

Annabel's heart warmed instantly.

"Come on now," she said softly after finishing his hair. "It's bedtime. Tomorrow is a very important day, so you need proper sleep, okay?"

"Okay, Mommy."

She tucked him into bed lovingly before kissing his forehead and turning off the lights.

Once she returned to her own room, the exhaustion she had been hiding all day slowly returned.

Annabel climbed onto the bed quietly and pulled the duvet over herself.

"I can't wait for this dreadful marriage to finally end," she whispered into the darkness.

And with that thought lingering heavily in her mind, she slowly drifted off to sleep.

BACK IN ENGLAND....

"I want to leave for New York next week," Derek announced as he packed a few documents into his briefcase.

Blake looked up immediately in surprise.

"I thought you said you weren't going until two weeks from now—"

"Yeah, I know," Derek interrupted calmly. "But the schedule changed. Some important meetings got moved forward."

Blake stared at him suspiciously before smirking knowingly.

"So… this sudden trip has absolutely nothing to do with Annabel?"

Derek shot him a warning look.

"Are you coming or not?" he asked dryly.

Blake burst into laughter and raised both hands in surrender.

"Of course I'm coming," he replied excitedly. "New York sounds a lot more interesting than staying here."

Derek shook his head in amusement.

"Then get ready," he said before finally allowing himself a small smile.

Meanwhile, back in New York—

"How can you be this stupid, Jones?!"

Mr. Walters' furious voice echoed throughout the office.

Jones sat lazily behind his desk while Jennifer stood nearby nervously. Mr. Walters paced angrily before them, unable to hide his frustration.

"Our company is practically collapsing," he snapped. "Your business has gone bankrupt, and Annabel has been the only reason this family has remained financially stable all these years!"

Jones sighed in annoyance.

"Dad, calm down," he replied carelessly. "Everything will work out after tomorrow."

Mr. Walters stopped pacing and glared at him sharply.

"How are you so confident?" he demanded. "Huh?"

Jones slowly leaned back in his chair with a smug expression.

"Because the DNA results will come out exactly how I want them to," he answered confidently. "And once that happens, I'll gain access to D-Tech through Adrian."

Jennifer looked relieved immediately.

"We're getting the results tomorrow morning," Jones continued casually. "After that, Annabel will lose everything."

Mr. Walters narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"And what exactly makes you so certain?" he asked coldly.

A slow smirk spread across Jones' lips.

"Because I was the one who bribed the doctors to swap the babies a few hours after they were born," he admitted proudly. "I made sure of it myself."

Jennifer smiled faintly beside him.

Jones folded his arms confidently.

"So tell me," he said arrogantly while looking directly at Mr. Walters, "am I still the disappointment now?"

Mr. Walters stared at him for a long moment before speaking coldly.

"Don't get too full of yourself," he warned. "Pride has destroyed smarter men than you".

Back in Chicago, Blake could barely contain his amusement as he watched Derek unusually focused while packing documents for the New York trip.

"Why are you looking so happy?" Blake asked suspiciously, leaning against the office door with crossed arms.

Derek didn't even look up. "I'm not."

Blake burst into laughter.

"Oh, I get it now," he teased dramatically. "Someone's excited because he's meeting his one true love soon".

Derek immediately stopped what he was doing and shot him an irritated look.

"Blake," he warned, "this is the wrong time to get on my nerves."

Blake raised both hands innocently. "Relax, man. I'm just saying."

Derek sighed heavily and zipped his bag shut.

"This is strictly business," he said firmly. "I'm meeting her for work purposes. Nothing more, nothing less."

Blake nodded exaggeratedly.

"Of course," he replied sarcastically. "And I'm the president"

He admired his hands dramatically before continuing,

"I heard New York weather keeps the skin smooth and glowing."

Despite himself, Derek chuckled quietly and shook his head.

"You're unbelievable."

Meanwhile, in New York—

Annabel parked smoothly in the hospital parking lot before stepping out of the car with Adrian beside her.

Adrian looked adorable in a white shirt covered in tiny dinosaur patterns paired with blue jeans and white sneakers. Despite trying to stay calm, nervousness was still visible on his young face.

Annabel, on the other hand, looked effortlessly elegant and composed. She wore a fitted white blouse tucked into a short blue skirt, while a black designer handbag rested against her arm.

Inside that bag were three important things:

Her credit cards.

Her phone.

And the divorce papers waiting for Jones' signature.

As Annabel locked the car, she glanced toward the large hospital building ahead of them and took a slow breath.

Jones was already at the hospital lobby when Annabel and Adrian arrived. He looked unusually cheerful, almost triumphant, while Jennifer stood beside him holding Isabella's hand proudly.

The moment Jones spotted Annabel, a smug smirk spread across his face.

"Well, look who finally decided to show up," he mocked while glancing dramatically at his wristwatch. "Late as always."

Annabel simply folded her arms calmly and raised an eyebrow.

"You seem to be in very high spirits today," she observed coolly.

Jones shrugged casually. "Nothing special," he replied, though the satisfaction in his eyes said otherwise.

Beside Annabel, Adrian immediately frowned the moment he saw Isabella and Jennifer. His expression darkened with visible irritation.

Jennifer noticed instantly.

Trying to appear affectionate, she slowly crouched down to Adrian's level and pulled out a chocolate bar from her handbag.

"My love, I—"

Before she could finish speaking, Adrian slapped the chocolate bar right out of her hand.

The candy fell to the floor with a loud smack.

Everyone froze.

"It's only my mother who's allowed to call me that," Adrian snapped angrily, glaring directly at her.

Jennifer's face stiffened in embarrassment.

"But Adrian, I am your—"

"No," he interrupted sharply. "You're not."

His eyes burned with anger far beyond his age.

"I could never be the child of a disgusting woman like you," he added coldly.

Jennifer looked deeply hurt while Jones immediately frowned.

"Adrian!" Jones scolded sternly. "That's enough."

But Adrian only moved closer to Annabel protectively and grabbed onto her hand.

Annabel looked down at him silently, surprised once again by how fiercely he defended her.

Meanwhile, Isabella lowered her head sadly, clearly affected by the tension surrounding all of them.

The atmosphere inside the hospital lobby grew heavier with every passing second as they waited for the DNA results.