Aaron took me home and not once did he cry unlike me, who was bawling their eyes out from the throbbing pain that was coming from all over. Aarons driver was waiting for us outside as he lifted me off the ground and carries me to the car. He draped his suit jacket over me and cradled me in his arms as I cried myself to sleep. We took the tunnel under the restaurant again and Aaron called for a private doctor to visit. As soon as the doctor arrived he took one look at me and then at Aarons hands and tried to leave. I begged him to stay and explained what had happened. Dr. Moone started to clean the blood off my face and assessed me.
"Your skull is fractured, a moderate concussion, not to mention that you blood is starting to clot where you face was hit. It is in my professional opinion that you go to the emergency room right now." he looked at Aaron who nodded and grabbed my coat.
"Then that's where we're going, I called you Dr. Moore for Lainas peace of mind but thank you for reassuring my suspicions." Dr. Moore shook Aaron's hand and then pulled him to the side for a private conversation. Shortly after they parted ways and Aaron returned to my bed side.
"Is everything ok?"
Aaron kissed my head and stared at me intensely before answering, "This is our secret now Laina, what happened tonight is our secret and we can't retell it to anyone. What we did was technically self-defense but in the event that something happens I want our story together."
At that moment I remembered Trish and how she was acting before Josh got ahold of me, Aaron said nothing but clenched his fist.
"I'll take care of it, let's get you to the hospital." We went to a private hospital where the staff knew Aaron well and addressed him by name. I was put in a medically induced coma because my heart rate wouldn't go down after Aaron left.
When I woke up Aaron was sitting next to me with his hand in a cast and typing away on his phone, "What're you up to?" Aaron looked at me and smiled kissing my dryer-than-life lips.
"I am tying up some loose ends, however, the doctor wanted to tell you but I thought I should be the one to do it. Laina you are pregnant."
In that instant my night turned to day, I stared at him for a second waiting for the laugh to come but it never did, "What? What are you talking about? I can't be pregnant, I'm on birth control and not to mention infertile."
Aaron put his phone down and moved closer to me, "I saw the ultrasound and you're about six weeks along."
"Well tell them to do it again because they're wrong, I can't be- I mean I've only been here a little over a year. This can't be happening to me."
Aaron brushed my hair our of my face trying to calm me, "I can have them do it again but it's all going to remain the same. What's important right now is what you want to do, they want to operate on you but the surgery would mean terminating the pregnancy."
I was in shock hearing all of this at once that I started to tear up and then I saw Aarons face, he was sad too and looked somewhat okay with the news.
"How do you feel about this? About a baby being born in the middle of you building your empire?"
Aaron reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box, "You know what this is, this is what I'm planning on happening if this is what you want because I love you. My empire is already built a life with you and a little human that's just like me would make my entire world. I'm not scared, I haven't been scared since I met you."
Before I could say anything a nurse entered the room and asked to take my vitals, Aaron left the box on my night stand but I refused to look at it. How many times had I thought about marriage before marrying Josh and then it was nothing like how I imagined it. I was scared more now than I had ever been, even after being beaten and assaulted this fear of carrying a life to full term.
What if Aaron didn't want this? What if he changes his mind? I would be left with the consequences. "Ugh!", I slammed my hand onto the desk making the nurse jump back. Why did we stop using protection? We were smarter than this at least I thought we were.
I opened the box and starring back at me was a Blue Diamond, the size of a Garbanzo bean glistening at me, A small note was inscribed on the silver band and it read, "To the woman I love the most in this world and in the next."
The nurse had paused what she was doing and was staring at the diamond wide-eyed and stuttering, "Is this an expensive ring or something?" I asked a little irritated that she was being nosey.
"Expensive?! That's a fortune you're holding." She moved in closer and the ring was now reflecting off her nose. "I hope you say yes, the way he wouldn't leave your side was so sweet and I know when a man loves a woman more than life." She backed away and went back to putting her charts away before leaving.
I grabbed my stomach and stared at the ceiling, I think I had already made my mind up before he even asked but I needed to be sure that I wanted this. I was so angry at him before this that it seemed silly now. Silly to have argued about anything and maybe this wouldn't have happened to me, maybe I wouldn't be in this bed but even so I still would be pregnant.
The next time the doctor entered my room I asked him if the surgery was necessary to save my life. "Not necessary but you might need a C-section upon your child's birth and maybe be indefinitely infertile after carrying your child to full-term." I nodded and sat in silence as he finished examining me for the third time that day which I assumed was upon Aaron's request.
Aaron came back later in the evening with food and a change of clothes, "The doctor said I can take you home tomorrow if you want to go home." I nodded and thanked him for the food and clothes he brought.
"I know its a bit soon but have you given it any thought?" Aaron glanced at the box and then at me.
"I did a lot of thinking and there's nothing i would want more than to be with you, the doctor assured me that the surgery wasn't a necessity if I was ok with not being able to have children later on and I told him I was." With that Aaron grabbed the box and bent down on one knee. "Then, will you Alaina Marissa Jackson do me the honor and become my wife?"
"Yes, I would love to be your wife." we kissed for a long time, and then I asked the most important question.
"So who's telling your mom?" Aaron smiled and got into the hospital bed with me.
"We'll tell all the family together at the next family reunion." I laid my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes letting myself fall asleep to the beeping of the machines.
When I woke up Aaron was gathering my things and the ring was on my finger, I sat up and grabbed my stomach again. Aaron helped me out of bed and to the bathroom so I could brush my teeth.
"How're you feeling? The doctor gave me your discharge papers so we can leave whenever you're ready."
I splashed my face with cold water and looked at my face which was now black and purple, "I want to go home and eat real food and lay in my bed." Aaron smiled and helped me to a wheelchair. The nurses and doctors congratulated me and said their goodbyes as I was wheeled out of the hospital.
The driver and Aaron helped me into the car and gave me sunglasses to put on, as soon as we left the hospital garage there were camera crews and news crews outside waiting for someone. As soon as they saw the car they swarmed us. Aaron held my hand and looked ahead as if nothing was happening.
"Aaron, why are they here?"
"I fired Trish and she released a lot of information on her blog about me that was untrue but also revealed your identity to the public." I looked at all these people trying to see me and get a statement.
"I want to move, somewhere secluded so I don't have to hide my face every time I want to go out or come home." Aaron agreed and called his real estate agent on the way back to his apartment.
"Trish is having an exit interview tomorrow that I want you to be there for." I looked at him shocked.
"Why do I need to be there, I don't want to see her or be anywhere near her."
"I know you don't want to but she thinks you're dead and I want her to see that you are very much alive. Will you come?"
I agreed to go and got sick to my stomach thinking about her plotting with Josh and doing those disgusting things to me.
When the next day came I was contemplating putting makeup on but I wanted her to see me. I showed up at the office an hour early before the meeting and was greeted by Ryan. "Laina, honey I am so sorry about what happened to you." I thanked him and took off my sunglasses. Ryan gasped and started to tear up, "I want people to see what abuse looks like on even the best people."
I walked away to the board room where Aaron was waiting with some of his executive directors, they hadn't noticed me walk in until one of the older gentlemen taped Aaron on the shoulder and gestured to me.
Aaron ushered me over and introduced me to the head of the HR department, he looked at me and then when he couldn't stop he looked at the floor. I sat down at the long table and waited. Trish strutted in and threw her handbag on the table. She looked at me and froze taking me in before sitting down.
The meeting went ahead as they started to discuss her termination effective immediately, "I just don't understand why she's here. This meeting is about me and yet Miss Jackson is here."
"Simmons."
Everyone went silent, "What did you say?"
I slapped my hand on the table to show here the large rock that my finger was struggling to support, "Mrs. Simmons is sitting in on this meeting." Trish looked at Aaron and shook her head.
"You didn't, you wouldn't." I crossed my legs and smiled at her even though it hurt my face.
"Oh but he did sweety, but this isn't what this meeting is about. It's about your lack of integrity, empathy, and respect for the company and I am here as a witness to your little intoxication party you had in the bathroom and few months back."
Trish stood and grabbed her bag, "This meeting is over."
"Wait! Your termination papers need to be signed by your own hand." Aaron was leaning back in the chair with his hand on my shoulder."
Trish snatched up a pen and began signing the documents before throwing the pen at Aaron, "You haven't seen the last of me Aaron I can promise you that much." Without another word, she left the room and we all sat in silence.
"Well congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Simmons, I believe this meeting is done." We all stood and shook hands.
Aaron pulled me into a hug and kissed my face which hurt a little, "Let's go home for the rest of the day." arm in arm we went.
The nurse couldn't help but peek. "That ring… it's beautiful," she said, awe in her voice. "I hope you say yes. The way he's stayed by your side… he really loves you."
I smiled faintly, unsure what to say. Love was one thing. Commitment… was another.
Later, I asked the doctor if surgery was necessary to save my life.
"No," he said. "But it would likely leave you unable to have children in the future. And depending on how the pregnancy progresses, a C-section might be needed."
I took a deep breath. It wasn't a life-or-death decision. But it was a life-changing one.
That evening, Aaron returned with clean clothes and food. He set the tray down carefully. "The doctor says you're stable enough to leave tomorrow."
I looked at the ring, then at him. "I've made my decision. I told the doctor I'll go without the surgery. I know what that means." I met his eyes. "So… yes. I want this with you."
Aaron's face lit up. He dropped to one knee beside the bed and opened the box again. "Then, will you, Alaina Marissa Jackson, do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
Tears welled in my eyes. "Yes," I whispered. "I would love to be your wife."
He kissed me—slow, reverent, full of promise.
After a long silence, I smiled and asked, "So… who's telling your mom?"
Aaron chuckled. "We'll tell everyone at the family reunion. It's going to be a big one."
The next morning, he helped me gather my things. As I passed the mirror in the hospital bathroom, I barely recognized myself.
"I feel like a different person," I said quietly.
"You are," he replied. "Stronger."
As we left the hospital, flashing cameras greeted us like a slap to the face.
"Aaron… why are they here?" I asked, stunned.
He tightened his grip on my hand. "Trish leaked private information to the media. She's done. I fired her."
Anger bubbled in my chest, but Aaron's voice was calm. "We're moving. Somewhere private. Somewhere safe. Somewhere ."
On the drive home, he made a call to his real estate agent. "We need a new place. Secluded. No neighbors. Big enough for a nursery."
Then he looked at me. "She has her exit interview tomorrow. I want you there."
My stomach twisted. "Aaron… I don't want to see her."
"I know," he said gently. "But I want her to . Alive. Thriving. Unbreakable."
I agreed, though everything in me trembled at the thought.
The next morning, I arrived at the office early. Ryan met me at the door, eyes rimmed red.
"I'm so sorry, Laina," he whispered, looking at the bruises still healing on my face. "People need to see what survival looks like."
I nodded. "They will."
We entered the boardroom. Trish arrived late, her usual arrogance replaced by stunned silence when she saw me.
Aaron stood beside me as her termination began. She barely heard the legalities—her eyes were glued to the ring on my finger.
"You didn't," she hissed, her face contorted.
"Oh, but he did, sweetie," I said, my voice steel. "This meeting isn't about me. It's about your lack of integrity."
Trish's hands shook as she signed the paperwork. She spat one final threat before storming out.
Aaron wrapped his arm around me, his voice soft. "Well, Mrs. Simmons… let's go home."
And just like that, the past closed behind us.
Our new life had finally begun.