3: THE CONTRACT.

Minutes later, the sound of the helicopter's blades was heard, then faded and became inaudible. His lawyer had taken the mouth swab and left after Adan had left. She wondered how he had found his way, as Adan had left before him. According to Terri, Adan left with one of the big, burly men, who was probably his bodyguard, and his lawyer left in a car with the other bodyguard.

When she was in London with him, he didn't have a bodyguard. What made him get one?

Louella gently patted Jack's back; he was already asleep again in his room. She left the room, not after checking him one last time. As she reached downstairs, Rose was seated on one of the chairs in her living room. She gazed at Louella with a face full of questions.

Louella sat down on the opposite chair and spoke first, "We need to leave this place as soon as possible, Mom. I don't know how Adan discovered my real identity and location. I had to sign that ridiculous contract. If the paternity test comes out, we are done for."

"Louella, what the hell is going on? One moment we were sleeping, and the next Adan was in the house. How did he find us? Does he know about your father?"

Louella shook her head. "No, he doesn't. He only thinks that I approached him for money."

Rose placed her hand on her forehead as if trying to ease a headache. She only did that when she was deeply worried. "This is why I told you not to marry him. I knew that something like this might happen. Although it was the fastest way for us to achieve what we had planned. It is also my fault. How are we going to escape from him once again? We might have done it before, but would it be possible the second time?" Was that fear she spotted on her mother's face?

"I will talk to Darren first so he can start the preparation on how we can leave this place as soon as possible."

"Is it possible in just hours?" She queried.

"I have a house in Sweden. We will take a train to Zurich and fly out to Sweden. Darren will take care of the rest, including the house and our belongings."

"What about Jack?"

Louella blinked. "He is still a child. I will tell him we are going on a holiday."

Rose sighed deeply. "Ella, how long are we going to keep running away? Isn't it possible for us to settle on visitation rights? If he does the paternity test, he will have the right in court. So how about settling for joint custody? We can't keep running forever."

Her mother had a point; she is even tired of running, and she doesn't want Jack to be affected by all of this drama. Because she knows that one day he will begin asking about his father. What is she going to tell him? How long will she hide it? He will surely be curious about his father when he gets older and might even look for him. Will he hate her when he finds out the reason why she left Adan? However, she did not want to get married to him again because it would be dangerous for her and her feelings.

"I have already signed the contract stating I will do whatever he wants if the test proves he is the father. That was the only way for him to leave her and for me to buy time."

"What? A contract?" Her voice rose. "What were you thinking? What are you going to do if he demands the money that we got from selling the shares he gave you? Or what if he wants full custody of Jack? Didn't you think of all this?"

She stood up from her chair. "Why do you think I am desperate to leave now? Or there won't be a chance again!! He had already processed the divorce when I was not in London."

"Really? But what if we are not able to leave? For all we know, he might have people watching us right now."

Why did she not think of that? She breathed deeply. "Then what do we do then?"

"If this plan doesn't work, then agree to the marriage as plan B. When his anger has calmed down a little, then you will ask for a divorce, and if he doesn't want to agree, then you will file for one. I hope it doesn't come to that, though. I don't want to give you up to that horrible family again. I don't want you to suffer, Ella."

She moved to where her mother was sitting, knelt on the floor by her side, and held her hands. "I can handle myself; don't worry about me. I did it once, and I can do it again." There was still little doubt on Rose's face, but she smiled regardless, although it looked sad. She could understand her mother; she was scared to lose her only daughter to the Verlice family, just like her husband.

"Alright, I will go and pack the things I need most; you go and take care of yours and Jack's. Then we will talk to Darren about how we can leave. I will inform Terri so he can get prepared too."

Two hours later, they had all finished preparing and packing all the things they needed most. She had spoken to Darren, and he is going to wait for them at the airport.

This time, she is going to change her identity completely, just like her mother. Darren was going to take care of that once they arrived in Sweden. It would take an equivalent of three days, and she would be free from Adan and his family. She doubted he would be able to locate her this time.

Louella wore a black sheath dress and a light brown coat; she paired it with low and comfortable strappy sandals. She put on stud earrings and left her waist-length hair to fall. She stepped out of her room with her travelling bag and went to Jack's room. He was fully dressed and was playing on the carpet with some toys. Rose was in the room with him when she saw her. She took Jack's travelling bag from the room and left.

It was five am in the morning. She had successfully taken care of everything last night and could not fall asleep, which resulted in her tossing and turning on the bed all night. She was sure she had eye bags.

She left the bag by the door. "What is my darling boy doing?" She said in a cheerful voice and walked towards Jack; when he heard her voice, he quickly stood up and held out his hands to her.

"Mama," he called. She lifted him from the carpet into her arms and rained kisses on his cheek and neck, and his giggles somehow made her feel at ease. "Mama, it tickles," he said to her while laughing. He always liked it when she did this. Louella stopped and then stared at her baby boy's handsome face.

She kissed his forehead, breathing in his lovely, innocent baby scent. "Would you like to go on a trip with Mommy?" He nodded almost immediately with a gummy smile, and she chuckled. "We will go and see the beach and lots of beautiful places and eat lots of good food. But will you be a good boy for Mommy on the way there?" He nodded, although she doubted he could fully understand what she was saying.

There was a knock on the door. "The car is ready to depart," Terri said.

"Ok. I will be right there." He took her travelling bag and left. "Alright, big guy. Let's go have fun."

"Yay!!" He waved his hand happily. She smiled softly and headed downstairs. At least he was happy, she thought.

When she reached outside, her mother was also there. Louella strapped Jack in his car seat and rounded the car, and was about to enter, but paused. She frowned. Was that a buzzing sound she heard? It sounded a bit faint but audible; glancing around, she saw nothing out of the ordinary. Dismissing it, she entered the back seat of the car, took her large cream-colored handbag, and brought out her phone. Her finger tapped the screen; it was a few minutes past five. She buckled herself in. They were going to make it on time. She will miss this place terribly. She can't believe she is already leaving so soon. The test will probably come out by the end of the day at the latest if enough money is involved.

Rose got into the passenger seat, and Terri also got into the driver's seat. The car started and headed towards the automatic gates. The driveway was long and lined by the side with beautiful trees, but the best thing she loved about the house was how large, secluded, private, and nature-filled it was. It was beautiful and homey. It was the only place she could call home, where she lived with her family.

When they passed the automatic gates, the car suddenly came to a stop, which made them jerk forward, although they were wearing seatbelts. Her hand was already instinctively holding Jack in his car seat. She checked if he was okay, and he was, in fact, falling asleep. The food he ate must have made him tired. Rose glanced back at them.

"Is Jack okay?" She looked concerned.

She put the hair that fell over her face behind her ears. "Yes, he is." She answered. "What is going on, Terri?"

"It's Adan Verlice, Ella." Terri glanced at her through the rearview mirror.

"How the heck is he?" Her voice trailed off when she saw him coming out of the car, blocking theirs. His face looked extremely furious.

"What are you waiting here for? Use the back to leave."

Terri reversed but also stopped the car abruptly. She glanced at the back, but another car blocked the back, leaving them with no choice but to remain still as they were surrounded in the thin driveway.

"Oh, Lord. How did it come to this?"