The Choices We Make (Revenge)

Preparation

IGM Hospital, Male

Emily was napping when the door opened and the nurse entered. "Emily... Mrs. Grayson?" She said softly.

Emily opened her eyes startled. "Did something happen?" She asked in alarm.

The young nurse shook her head. "Everything is all right. I should tell you from Dr. Kulani that Mr. Grayson is here now."

At the mention of his name, she was suddenly awake. "He is here?" She asked. "Daniel Grayson is here?"

The nurse nodded. "Dr. Kulani had a conversation with him, and now he's on his way to you."

"How do I look? Do you have a mirror?" She didn't know why, but suddenly she was shy to confront her husband without make-up.

"You look very pretty, even without makeup," said the nurse, smiling. "But wait..." She went to a cupboard, pulled open the bottom drawer, and then handed her patient a small hand mirror.

Emily nervously tugged at her long, blond curls. "I know, it's silly. I don't even know him. But I have seen the wedding pictures on the internet and I want to look as similar as possible."

The nurse nodded. "I can understand that. But I think he won't expect you to look the same. Not after what you went through."

Emily handed the mirror back to the nurse. "You're right," she said with a smile, carefully placing a hand on her still flat stomach. "Does he know about the baby?"

"No. Dr. Kulani didn't tell him anything. However, we managed to get a sample from him for the paternity test."

"What sample?" Emily asked, surprised.

"A saliva sample," the nurse explained. She suddenly started to grin. "I think he was a little confused at first, but then he willingly opened his mouth."

"And he didn't want to know what you want to do with the sample?"

The nurse shrugged. "I lied," she said simply. "I told him we need it to check his identity." She cleared her throat. "You know, actually we need the consent from him. So it's against the law. But Dr. Kulani said it's okay." Her face lit up again. "And if Dr. Kulani says it's okay, then I'll do it. I would never question his authority."

Emily nodded. She was relieved that she had found a confidant and ally in the Indian doctor. She would miss him if she was back in the Hamptons. "How long does it take to get the result of the paternity test?" She inquired.

"Not more than three days." The nurse smiled. "They will have the result before you fly back to the States."

"What do you think, how long can I keep the pregnancy a secret?"

The young nurse flipped through Emily's medical file and looked at her with a frown. "Well, not for very long. Maybe a few weeks. In four weeks at the latest, you should have an ultrasound done again. And then every four weeks. And if bleeding or other complications occur, then you must not hesitate to seek medical attention immediately." She scratched her head thoughtfully. "I would not wait too long to tell the father. The longer you wait, the harder and more complicated it gets." She flipped through the medical file again, then pulled out a piece of paper that she handed to Emily with a smile. "Here, the first photo of your baby!"

A little skeptical but also fascinated, Emily stared at the ultrasound photo. You couldn't see more than a tiny bean. But this was her baby and it would soon grow and become a real human being. "Thanks," she said softly. To her surprise, she suddenly noticed something wet on her cheeks and wiped it carefully. Were these tears? When she heard a knock on the door, she quickly shoved the ultrasound image under her pillow and gestured for the nurse to open the door.

She felt her heartbeat quicken as she waited for him to enter. And then he suddenly stood in the middle of the room and looked at her with a mixture of curiosity and anxious expectation.

"Hi!" She said in a slightly trembling voice, while she was holding out her hand to him. "I'm Emily!"

Nolan's mansion, Hamptons

The eccentric computer geek opened the door for his friend and let him enter. "You were damn fast, Aiden," he said as he walked over to a seat group, gesturing to his visitor to sit down.

"I couldn't stand it there anymore," he confessed.

"Is Emily still in the hospital?"

Aiden nodded. "But she intends to inform the police. Then the Graysons will surely appear soon on the island and take her home again."

"My head is still buzzing with what you've told me," Nolan said. "What are you planning now?"

Aiden thought for a moment before confiding to Nolan what he had planned. "I have to go underground for a while," he said. "I broke more than one law trying to save Emily. And if the Graysons find out I've had my fingers in the pie, then I'm quicker in jail than I'd like!"

Nolan nodded understandingly, "Where do you want to go?"

"Rebun Island," Aiden said shortly.

"You want to go back to Takeda?" Nolan looked at him in surprise. "How do you want to monitor Emily from there?"

"You have to do it. I can't stay here. You have to understand that, Nolan. I have to leave and think about my next steps."

"And you hope you'll find answers on Rebun Island?"

Aiden nodded. "The place has something magical. I can't explain. As if the soul is being reborn there."

"How poetic..." Nolan said rolling his eyes. "And after your rebirth, will you come back?"

"Until then, I know what to do."

"And in the meantime, Emily gives birth to your child and gets manipulated by the Graysons," Nolan finished his sentence.

"How do you always manage to put everything in the negative?" Aiden asked, shaking his head. "I'll be back before the baby comes."

"Amen!" Nolan rose. "Then I wish you a good trip, have fun and... try to stay alive!"

Aiden smirked and punched his friend in his ribs. "Most of all, I'll miss your sharp-witted sense of humor, my friend." He became serious again. "Promise me you'll take care of Emily."

Nolan crossed his index and middle fingers. "I promise!"

"Here!" Aiden pulled out the box with the rings. "If she wants to keep up the farce of a marriage with Daniel, then she should wear it again," he said bitterly. "It's her decision, not mine. But I hope she comes back to me when she regains her memory."

"And if not?" Nolan interjected.

"Then I won't give up anyway," he said firmly. "She belongs to me! I won't leave her to the Graysons without a fight!"

Nolan slapped him lightly on the shoulder. "A good plan. I just hope it will work this time."

Aiden ignored Nolan's last comment and opened the door. "I'll be back soon," he promised as he left the house and walked across Nolan's the property to his car.