"Go back to bed, Anna." The waitress's voice became reproachful. "You've just undergone complicated procedures, and your son will need you! You need to rest!" Beth warned, and despite the reprimand, with sincere concern.
Anna went back to bed. She remained silent for a few seconds, before turning to Beth, who smoothed the blanket back over her body.
"I need to get away."
"I see. That's why you were looking out of the window."
"Yes."
"Yes, you can escape through it... But you'll have to leave your son behind. There's no chance of taking him with you. Firstly, because it's impossible to get down to the second floor carrying a child up these stairs. And secondly, because the child is in the arms of their leader."
Anna felt a tear roll down her cheek when Beth said those words. If she recognized any trace of him... No! Someone betrayed her and told Adam that she was expecting a baby... Would he have the courage to kill his own son? Maybe not, but he could send him away with some family who would disappear with him and she would never hear from him again... And she knew he would torture her before killing her. She knew him too well. She knew what he did to those he considered traitors. She was trapped. Even if she managed to escape, she wouldn't get very far. She knew this when she walked with difficulty to the window. And now, he had his world in his arms. The only alternative to saving her son's life was to try to make a deal with Adam. More tears fell as she remembered that her son was Allister's heir. Adam wouldn't allow him to live and... she hated Allister more than she hated Sarah. He had her family killed and now, even after he was dead, he made sure that her son couldn't exist in that world either. She frowned. Why did Sarah say that someone of her mother's species couldn't live? Her mother was human!
"Who are these people chasing you?" Beth's voice interrupted Anna's confused thoughts.
"They're mobsters, murderers and cowards." Anna answered without hesitation.
They heard a light knock on the door. Anna and Beth looked at each other. Fear mirrored in the reflection in their eyes, but they stood firm.
The door opened and Genevieve came in with a nurse, looking at Anna with a satisfied look.
"Here's the girl who ran away... Someone outside wants to see you and is keen to bring your child so that you can breastfeed it. Are you ready for that?" She asked nonchalantly.
Anna couldn't speak, her surprise and a mixture of relief and despair shut down her voice, so she just nodded. After all, now the only thing she could do was beg for her son's life. She had to resign herself to her fate very quickly.
The nurse left, and soon returned with a man who had green eyes, just like hers, and was happily holding the child in his arms. Anna hadn't seen her father for a long time, but she recognized him despite the beard that changed his expression, and she smiled. She didn't know what it meant yet, whether it was good or bad, but that man in front of her was her father. And she loved him. He and his children were her family. In any case, it was much better than being found by Adam, and her heart filled with relief.
He approached her and carefully handed her the child in his arms. Then he took a chair and sat down next to her. Anna pretended not to notice, refusing to look at him because he never came to her, never asked if she needed him, and began to breastfeed her son, with the bottle the nurse had left there, as if she were alone with him.
"Can you leave us alone for a few minutes, please?" He asked politely to Beth and Genevieve, who left immediately.
Anna noticed that her son was wearing nice clothes... And expensive. How had he managed to find a store open at that time?
"Will you forgive me, my sweet Anna?" He asked and seemed careful with his words, as if she would disappear if he said the wrong thing.
She thought about not answering, but she could sense that he wasn't there to hurt her. And she was fully aware that now she had a child, she would need someone to support her. So it was best to talk to him and find out if he could be that support.
"I'm trying, Dad." She said dryly, but tears came to her eyes. Even though she needed someone, she couldn't pretend that she wasn't hurt by him.
"Anna... I've been looking for you ever since you ran away from the hospital in the United States. That boy you're feeding now was the only way to find you. You and your trail disappeared after some people reported it... My grandson helped me find you. He and Genevieve have an unusual bond."
"That's true. I didn't remember that... Are you accomplices?"
"I think so. She needed this baby to be born safely because of their connection, and only she knew your location, so she monitored you from afar. You needed your own space, after being in that family for so long, being subjugated by Adam... Either I made a deal with her, or I would never find you. It's a good thing Adam doesn't know about the child. He'd search the world for you."
"How did you find out about all this?"
"Jenna told me when you ran away, and that you were pregnant. Adam just didn't spare any more resources to find you, because he doesn't know you're going to be a father... I traveled to the United States immediately, together with... People who can protect us. Are you staying somewhere?"
"Yes. In a dirty hotel."
Her father went white and his eyes watered.
"How did you survive? Genevieve just listened to the child..."
"I looked for a job for a while, but I was always dismissed rudely. The only person who helped me, as you can see, was this waitress you saw here. Beth. She brought me here and offered me her health insurance, telling the reception that I was her daughter, but I fed myself as best I could with the money I stole from Adam. Money that one day I'll give back. I don't want anything from him."
"Beth will be rewarded and I'll send the money to Adam. Do you remember how much you borrowed?"
"I stole five thousand dollars." Anna said boldly so that her father would realize that she wasn't afraid of the effect of her words. She could no longer be sensitive.
"I'll have that money sent as soon as we get out of here."
"How did you find such beautiful, expensive clothes at a time like this?"
"I made an outfit for the child, and whenever a young woman with your features entered a hospital in this country, I brought the clothes with me."
"Thank you." Anna said, already feeling her heart soften. Now she understood when she heard mothers say that the way to their hearts lay in pleasing their children and to awaken the lioness inside a mother, all she had to do was try to harm the child.