<b>Chapter </b>98
Lydia
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Mia asked me onest time while my hand hovered over my screen.
“You’ve kept it from him all those years, why do you suddenly want to tell him right now?” I twisted my lips to the side thonestly have to answer her question.
“Because he has always shown up for me. Does that even make any sense?” I asked, and she nodded.
“Yes. It does.” It was as though I was waiting for her confirmation since I tapped on the send button.
I I
Marcus replied immediately, “Has the process started? Can Ie? Is she alright?” I drew in a scent of breath, grateful he wasn’t ming me for not telling him about it all this while.
“You can’te. And yes. She is fine. The surgery
rgery would begin in three hours.” Mia has left the room to answer a call.
I thought for a while before trying again, “or, maybe you shoulde. That’s if you can.”
Zoe <b>was </b>up when I got to her room. “Good morning” She smiled brightly at me. I missed that smile. This was the first time I had seen her in the morning after over five years.
I was reminded of the time when this was normal. “Hey!” I greeted.
“Did you sleep well? I slept like a baby<b>.</b><b>” </b>
“I see.” No matter how much I missed those past times, and the fact that I still see her, it didn’t change the fact that things cannot return to how they used to be between us.
“Come with me.”
It was time I showed Mnie. I held on to the thread of belief that she was different from her mother. She would not judge me or try to deny Mnie as her family.
I stopped in front of Mnie’s door, inhaled sharply to calm my raging heart before I opened the door. I moved to the side, creating space for her to walk through, e in.”
She entered, and I closed the door after her<b>. </b><b>I </b><b>walked </b>in front of her, ignoring the look on her face as she stared at the child.
es were closed.
Sitting on the stool close to Mnie’s bed, I picked up her hand in mine. Mnie’s <b>eyes </b>
“Zoe, meet Mnie. She is my child.” I said. Zoe took one step forward and then another. She stood on the other side and <b>slowly </b><b>leaned </b>down.
“Your chil…” she paused her voice trembling. “yours and Mason’s child. My niece.” She held Mnie’s fell from her eyes.
“She is so beautiful,” she was crying right now as she showered Mnie’s hand with kisses. “She looks just like him.” I don’t stop her from touching her or crying her eyes out. <b>I </b>couldn’t When she was done, she cleaned her eyes and stood straight. “Does he know?” She asked.
and in hers, and tears
Pulling the nket over Mnie’s leg, a few seconds passed before I replied, “No. You are the first to know
She nodded
“When you…” she paused and closed her eyes, “when you were in prison, you…” she shook her head, more tears streaming <b>down </b>her face, “you were pregnant?” Her entire body began to shake, and she fell to her knees with a thud.
“You endured all the hell in prison with your child.”
“I had no other option.” I said softly, my eyes beginning to get blurry. “They saved me, I learned to be strong for them”
“Them?”
“Yes,” I said. I paused, throwing my head to the side, and wiped off my tears. “They are twins.” She looked around, “he isn’t here”
“It’s a boy?” I gave a slight nod.
“I’m so sorry you had to go through all that.” I don’t respond to her apology. She looked around the room. “Why is she here? What’s wrong with her?”
“She needs a kidney transnt, Zoe. You are a match; you are the only one who can save her life.” I turned to her
“I know I didn’t tell you before, I was afraid you’d tell Mason. I don’t want Mason to know about them.” I wiped the tears that rolled down my face.
I didn’t tell her the reason why I didn’t want Mason to know was because I was afraid that he would take my babies away from me. They are the only reason I was living, and I couldn’t go on without them.
“Promise me you won’t tell him, or your mom.” I walked to her, and held her hand helping her stand.
“You have to promise me. Mason can’t find out about the twins.”
“I promise.” She ced her hands on mine, and I gave them a light squeeze. “Thank you.”
I looked at Mnie on the bed<b>, </b>“Will you please save my daughter? I really don’t want to lose her. At the same time, I don’t want to force you; if you can’t for any reason, I won’t force you. You can leave at any time. I’ll understand.”
“Nonsense. She is my blood. If I can give my life in exchange for hers, I’ll surely do sp
“Thank you.” I meant it this time. I was grateful to her.
“If this is all I have to do to attain redemption, then so be it.” Zoe picked up my hands and wrapped hers in mine.
“I promise to set things right. All this, everything from the start, happened because of me. You went through hell and had to raise the twins alone because of me. I am the cause of this.” She sniffed in, her eyes and face red.
“You did nothing but love Mason and treated me like your sister, and I repay you in the most detestful way anyone could think of! will clear your name.”
“You don’t have to. What’s done is done, and that’s the past.” I helped wipe the tears from her eyes.
“I never med you, Zoo. You were just a young girl doing young girls‘ stuff.” I squeezed her hands. “We <i>may </i>never have the same rtionship as we did back then, but know that I never med you.”
Our moment was interrupted by a nurse. She brought some paperwork for Zoe to sign. She did.
“The surgery would begin in four hours.”
“Four hours? I thought it was three.”
“The schedule changed. We sent it to your assistance ten minutes ago. Sorry, we didn’t send it on time. After the nurse left, Zoe excused herself to go use the restroom, and Mia stepped into the room.
“The schedule changed. I wanted to tell you, but you were speaking to Zoe.” She looked at Mnie before returning her gaze to me “Did she agree?”
“She did.”
Zoe sent me a text saying she wanted to get breakfast.
Thirty minutester, the door opened, and Marcus stepped into the room with a flower. He didn’t seem surprised. He walked towards me and held my hand, he brought me closer, and wrapped me in a tight hug.
How did he always know what I needed? I wrapped my hand around him, too. “You must be stressed. I’m sorry you have to go through all this alone.” He smoothed the back of my hair,
“Thanks foring, it means a lot.”
The moment was interrupted by a person I least expected.
At first, it was low voices whispering, but it got louder with each passing second.
“Mom, stop! Why are you doing this?”
“<b>No</b>, I want to see her. Where is she? Lydia,e out.” Marcus stepped out first, and I was right behind him.
Victoria was outside trying to get into the room while Zoe was blocking her. Zoe exined that she had met her when she was returning and couldn’t stop her.
“She is finally here. Why can’t you stay <i>away </i>from my family? Do you have to drag my daughter into the mess that little bastard of yours is in?”
“Mom!” Zoe yelled, surprise written all over her <b>face</b>.
“That little bastard has your blood flowing in her veins.” I was grateful this hallway was empty.
“Doesn’t make her less of a bastard.” Her words didn’t hurt like they did years ago.
“Call my daughter a bastard one more time and I swear to God.” I stepped in front of her<b>, </b>daring her to try calling Mnie names.
“Zoe, let’s go, you won’t be giving out any kidney,” Victoria said with her eyes still pinned on me.
“She agreed, who are you to –“I stopped Mia. She was angry. Marcus pulled her away, they stood a few feet from me, giving me the space I needed but close enough to be able to interfere if things went south.
“Zoe, didn’t <b>you </b>hear me? We’re leaving this instant.”
“No, Mom, I won’t. That child inside this room is my niece. She is Mason’s child, and not even you can stop me from saving het.”
11:09 Sat, 2 Aug u G
Zoe had a determined look in her eyes.
“My child?” The voice was low but audible. That voice, I turned and came face to face with Mason
Treturned my gaze to Zoe, “I’m sorry, I just had to tell him.”