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Lahat ng Kabanata ng Reclaiming His Runaway Baby Mama: Kabanata 31 - Kabanata 40

448 Kabanata

31 A Strange Feeling

Layson Norman dropped Adela off at the entrance to her apartment building without saying much. The whole ride there, they had remained in silence—Adela quietly gazing out the window, and Layson focused on his own thoughts. When they arrived, Adela pushed open the car door and got out. Before heading up the stairs, she paused and glanced back at him, feeling like she should at least say goodbye.“Thanks, Big Brother Layson. I’ll head upstairs now,” she said softly, fingers curling around the edge of the car door.Hearing her voice, Layson turned to look at her, his expression as cool and detached as ever. “Mm.” A single syllable of acknowledgment, nothing more.Adela offered him a small, polite smile, then darted toward the building’s front steps. She took them two at a time, moving with a buoyant energy that made Layson’s chest tighten inexplicably. He frowned, keeping his eyes on her until she disappeared around the landing. Only then did he withdraw his gaze and survey the apartment

32 Dexter in the Police Station

Liam Walton stood at the broad window of his office, one hand resting on the windowsill, the other pressed lightly against his side. He had just ended a call with Layson Norman, and the weight of what he’d learned kept him silent. From that conversation, Liam realized Adela—his younger sister—was not merely resisting her newly discovered family; she was actively planning to slip away if the Walton family tried to claim her.He sighed, recalling how the Walton family patriarch had already contacted him, demanding an explanation about Adela and insisting Liam “bring her home.” Liam, however, felt torn. On one side, duty urged him to obey his grandfather’s wishes, but on the other side, a fierce protectiveness for Adela took hold of him. She had already lived through so much suffering. If forcing her to return would only hurt her further, was it truly the right thing to do?Finally, Liam grabbed his suit jacket from the back of the leather armchair and left his office. He would think abo

33 Come Home With Me

Adela was busy signing some paperwork at the police station, the last formalities required before she could bring Dexter Norman out of custody. The officer behind the desk flipped through the pages, checking the information. Although Dexter had sobered up considerably since the brawl, he avoided looking at her for more than a moment at a time, clearly feeling guilty for dragging her into his troubles yet again.Not far away, the man Dexter had beaten up continued to groan and rant. He demanded compensation for his “serious injuries,” hurling all sorts of accusations. Each time he locked eyes with Dexter, however, Dexter’s cold glare was enough to make the man shrink back, momentarily silenced.Suddenly, the station doors swung open. Several people entered, and Adela couldn’t help but pause in mid-signature to glance over. In front was Layson Norman, exuding his usual imposing aura. She froze for just a second, pen poised above the line where her signature was supposed to go. The prese

34 Returning Home Disappointed

As soon as Layson Norman ushered Adela out of the police station, she quietly followed him—her usual confidence dampened by the tense reunion she had just witnessed. The moment they got into his car, Layson finally broke the silence.“How did you end up there?” he asked, fastening his seat belt before turning his head slightly in her direction.From her spot in the passenger seat, Adela glimpsed the edge of his profile—his sharp jaw, the slight furrow of his brow. For a brief moment, she was caught off guard by how striking he looked against the city lights filtering through the windshield. Feeling self-conscious for staring, she took an extra second to respond.“Dexter…called me,” she said simply, hoping her slight flush wasn’t too obvious in the dim light.Layson raised an eyebrow in subtle curiosity, but before he could press further, his gaze dropped to her abdomen. “You’re pregnant,” he reminded her in a level tone. “You shouldn’t be running around late at night, especially not t

35 Too Much Guilt

When Liam Walton arrived at the Walton family home, it was Evelyn who opened the door for him. The moment their eyes met, an uneasy tension hovered between them, and for a split second, they stood in awkward silence on the threshold. Eventually, Evelyn forced a gentle smile, stepping back to let Liam pass.“Welcome back,” she said in a quiet, measured voice. It was the same soft warmth she always showed, yet for Liam, it felt strangely different this time.“Mm, I’m back,” he replied simply.As soon as he was through the door, Evelyn naturally reached for Liam’s belongings—his coat and briefcase—and took them from his hands, as though they had long ago established this sort of domestic routine. “Grandfather’s waiting for you in the study,” she explained, turning on her heel and heading further into the house.The way Evelyn moved and spoke, so refined and gracious, made it seem as though nothing had happened—no conflict, no heated misunderstanding back in New York. She was calm, polite

36 I Won’t Divorce

Liam Walton lingered by the coffee table, his gaze fixated on the divorce papers as if they were some inscrutable code he couldn’t decipher. The neatly printed words seemed to carry an unbearable weight, pressing down on him. It wasn’t until a housekeeper came upstairs to announce that dinner was ready that he finally jolted out of his daze.“Sir, dinner is served,” the housekeeper said politely.Liam, still holding the thin stack of pages in his hand, looked up. “All right,” he replied quietly. He slid the papers into a drawer of the coffee table, making sure they were out of sight but not out of mind, and left the room.Descending the wide, elegantly carved staircase, he was struck by an unusual awareness of the home he had taken for granted for so many years. From the polished marble floors to the ornately framed portraits of Walton ancestors on the walls, everything seemed more alive than usual. Ever since he’d married Evelyn, he had spent far too many evenings preoccupied with bu

37 Awaiting the Baby

Adela was three months into her pregnancy, and the symptoms of morning sickness had hit her especially hard. Every night seemed longer than the last, her unsettled stomach often making sleep elusive. Despite her exhaustion, she had to admit that she was eating better than ever—each day, someone hired by Layson Norman delivered carefully prepared meals tailored to meet her nutritional needs. It was evident he wanted her to remain healthy for the sake of the baby.Still, Adela felt strangely detached from the life growing inside her. From a young age, she had believed children should be born into a loving relationship, yet here she was, expecting a child conceived more out of necessity than desire. Instead of excitement, she felt burdened, as if the baby were a reminder of a painful chapter of her life. She made every effort to remain calm, yet the thought of what lay ahead—giving birth, then heading off to a new place—occupied her mind constantly.One bright afternoon, Adela decided to

38 A Boy

When Adela arrived at the hospital, she was immediately ushered into a VIP suite. The faint scent of antiseptic and the soft hum of medical equipment surrounded her, making her heart pound with apprehension. She underwent a comprehensive series of tests—checking her blood pressure, monitoring the baby’s heartbeat, and ensuring that everything was in order. Once the doctor declared there were no complications, Layson Norman slipped out, leaving Adela alone in the bright, sterile room.Lying on the adjustable bed, Adela tried flipping through a paperback she had brought, but the words blurred in front of her eyes. Although her gaze roamed over the text, her mind remained elsewhere—on the life she would lead once this baby came into the world. The baby she had agreed to have under contract, with no illusions of love or a shared future. She felt an unsettling mix of fear and relief, knowing that soon, her part of the bargain would be complete.Late that morning, her phone buzzed. Seeing H

39 Parting Ways

Two months had slipped by since Adela left the hospital. She was back in her small apartment, methodically packing clothes for Herbie, who was perched on the sofa. The couch was piled high with folded pants, shirts, and socks, all destined for the suitcase that sat open on the floor. Herbie bounced out of the bedroom, clutching a stuffed rabbit in her arms—her face full of excitement and just a hint of uncertainty.“Adela, I want to bring my bunny to Grandma Anderson’s house!” she announced, hugging the plush rabbit close to her chest.Adela, busy sorting out a stack of warm sweaters, looked up. She patted the seat beside her in invitation, and Herbie plopped down, the bunny cradled on her lap. “Of course you can bring it. You can take anything that makes you happy.”When Adela had returned from the hospital, she had focused her energies on making arrangements for Herbie. The plan was both simple and heartbreaking: Herbie would move in temporarily with an older couple, the Lis, while

40 Those Who Truly Care

Adela felt Herbie’s arms clinging to her waist, the small girl’s sobs tearing at her heart. Unable to hold back any longer, tears slipped down Adela’s own cheeks. She had promised herself she would be strong, especially in front of Herbie, but there was no steel in the world strong enough to completely shield her from a moment like this. So she lowered herself to Herbie’s eye level, gathering her little sister into a trembling hug. Everyone around them—Mr. Anderson, Mrs. Anderson, and even Layson Norman—remained quiet. It was as if the weight of this farewell hung in the air, giving the scene a solemn hush.“I’ll come back for you,” Adela whispered, gently rubbing Herbie’s back in a soothing circle. She had said this so many times before, but saying it now felt like an act of desperation, as though those words were her last defense against heartbreak. It was all she could offer.Steeling herself, Adela gently pulled Herbie away and nudged her into Mrs. Anderson’s arms. It pained her t

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