Hasty commitment

Amelia's POV

THE NEXT DAY

I blinked my eyes many times, trying to adjust my sight to the fancy surroundings. Everything screams money!

"Oh goodness! It's been seven hours," A woman exclaimed happily as she ran to my side.

"My baby," I struggled to speak as the words came out in a cough.

"Sorry,” She gently rubbed my arm. “Your baby is in good condition. You don't have to worry." She calmed me down with a warm smile.

I felt relief wash through my soul, but I looked away sadly when my last moment with Ashton replayed in my head.

A tear slid from my eyes as I bit my lips, determined to get back on my feet, stronger and healthier, for the sake of my unborn child.

My thoughts were distracted by the entrance of an elegantly dressed old woman. She was the same person whom I had expected to be the cause of my death, but she had saved my life instead.

"Welcome, Granny West" The woman beside me moved back,

"You can leave," Granny West dismissed her.

"Thank you so much for saving my life" I gulped nervously when she sat at the edge of the wide bed.

"First of all, tell me everything about yourself." She urged in a commanding tone.

I felt disappointed that she did not ask how I was feeling.

Well...she has done enough, I guess.

Telling my story to people close to me puts me in an uncomfortable position, not to mention people that I don't know from anywhere.

My life is filled with sadness, and I am not ready to bore people.

"I do not know anything about myself other than the fact that I am an orphan," I replied simply.

"An orphan who is pregnant and lying on the bridge while waiting for death to take her? I would prefer you to call yourself a heartless mother-to-be. A disgrace to motherhood". Granny West insulted me, her eyes strained into those of my widened ones.

"You wouldn't say that if you were in my situation," I frowned at her quick judgement.

"No matter what the problem might be, you have no right to put the life of your unborn child on the line. So many people are out there in search of a child. Besides, you look nothing unhealthy, just a bit stressed," She argued with her frail voice.

"What do you want from me? Report me to the police for being mentally unstable? Or for probably attempting to murder my unborn child?!" I raised my voice at the elderly woman who, from her physical appearance, was old enough to have me as a grandchild.

"Since you are so eager," Granny West paused, "I will tell you the reason why I brought you to my house after taking you to the Hospital"

My heart softened at her sincerity, which made me calm myself for her to speak.

"You need to answer my question truthfully. Who is the father of your unborn child?" She asked.

I chewed on my tongue, "Nobody. I do not know the father of my child. I wouldn't have gone to the bridge if there was someone bound to take responsibility for the child growing in my belly."

“I gave an order to check the cameras around and, strangely, it's cleared out. The only data I found about you is that you used to work at a bar years ago, isn't that strange?” She said, brows creased in confusion.

I was kept hidden by my ex-husband even while going to college to further my studies, and he later told me that it was because he didn't want his father's family to find anything about me if they ever got his location.

I never asked who his father's family was.

Was there even any day we had a good conversation?

Well...I never felt the need to know because of the disgraceful way we became a couple.

A one-night stand, even though it wasn't my fault that I drank a drugged drink at the bar that day.

He never respected me even though he was my first man.

I raised my now teary eyes to the old woman who was looking at me closely as I got lost in a deep thought.

"Don't worry. I am here to tell you, before you fully recover," Granny West heaved a long sigh. "Have you ever heard of the West family?"

"Everyone in Singapore knows of the famous conglomerate," I almost rolled my eyes as I recalled Ashton's pure hatred for that name even though he uses it.

He must be jealous that his own West wasn't wealthy.

This woman is the fearful mother of James West who died recently.

I remembered that Ashton was so happy about his death that he threw a small party, but his pressure for me to get pregnant increased after that day.

This can't be real, my heart skipped almost a million times.

How did I not know that everything connects?

My eyes widened in shock, but Granny West thought it was about her, and she responded to my reaction with a calm smile.

"My only grandson was diagnosed with leukemia a few months ago, and an heir needs to claim every right to the properties." She began, resting each of her hands graciously on her lap.

"In the West family, there is a rule that a worthy heir must have his family, but a tragic plane crash took my son and his wife, leaving my sick grandchild with no option but to take the responsibility. If I don't do anything now, his greedy relatives will destroy the company if they touch it." She breathed in deeply and paused for a while.

Why is she telling me all this?

I wondered.

"Marry my grandson, and make this child his." She pointed to my stomach. "I will make sure that everything else falls into place." Granny West said in a serious tone, even though there was pain in her voice.

A cold shiver ran down my skin, making my heart drop in fear. This is a great opportunity, but what will she do to me when she finds out the child belongs to her unwanted grandson?

I have a great belief that he is related to them, but how?

My head banged at the twist.

I should have connected the dots when he kept stalking their public activities, even in his study room, with his eyes filled with hatred.

"Oh," I was short of words, my feet feeling like they were on fire.

"You will make a deal with me to act as my grandson's fiancée. That he is engaged to you already, and if there is a possibility of his death, the families will all back off because you are pregnant with the rightful owner's child. This is the only way to save the empire from crumbling." She explained, caressing my hands.

My tongues were tied as I couldn't find a word to say.

"I do not deserve an answered prayer, but you are surely a God-sent my dear." Granny West answered, making me feel more clueless.

"As long as you do not reject my offer, as long as you are willing to cooperate while I secretly train you for the next three years, and you have made yourself worthy enough to take over the industry. I do not care if you become greedy with the company one day, but I am definitely appointing you as the executive officer before I die. My bloodline must not end, my dear" She pressed on.

Granny West stood up, her eyes filled with hope in me. "You have enough time to thoroughly think about the decision that suits you."

With that last statement, she walked out of the room.

I was still staring at the entrance for over one hour as her words kept ringing in my head.

Does she know me from somewhere? Why does she trust me enough to handle the banking and finance industry owned by one of the wealthiest families in Singapore?

How fast the night changed, but the question now is, what if she finds out that this child she wants to take advantage of is her grandson’s step-brother? Will she kill me when that day comes?