The Heiress Is Back!

"Take care of yourself while we're away, okay?" Amelia tapped Leah's shoulder as she talked to her.

The Thompson couple was about to have their vacation on an island for their fifth wedding anniversary.

And five months had already passed after they had a talk about the surrogacy thing.

And as of now, Leah was already four months pregnant with Amelia and Henry's child.

Leah was really grateful for the couple, not only for the help that they gave for her daughter. But also for the care that they were giving her.

Amelia and Henry were very hands on towards Leah. They were giving her all the things that she needed during her pregnancy, especially for her first trimester since Leah's pregnancy was a bit sensitive. And they did not also stop helping Leah's daughter after her operation. They also provided everything for Lily's maintenance as promised.

So, in exchange, Leah was being careful with her body also. She was making sure that the baby that she was carrying was safe to show her gratitude towards her bosses.

"Yes, Mrs. Thompson," Leah responded to Amelia's order.

"Good." Amelia smiled at her.

"You don't have to worry because we already told the head maid and the other maids to look after you and provide everything that you will be needing. Just tell them," Henry added.

Leah gave them a curt nod with a warm smile. "Thank you so much, Mr. and Mrs. Thompson. This was already too much. And I really appreciate it. I owe Lily's life to you. You don't have to worry about me and the baby that I'm carrying because I will be extra careful now that you'll be away for a while," she promised to them.

"I know you will. Thank you, too, Leah. We also owe you so much. Without you, we won't be able to experience being a mother and a father, " Amelia replied.

Henry nodded his head at Leah as he squeezed his wife's hand lightly.

They had a few more chats before the couple finally decided to bid goodbye.

"Just call us when you need something. And also tell us what do you want for a present when we come back," Amelia said.

Leah blushed in shyness. She scratched her head as she awkwardly smiled. "Take care there, Mr. and Mrs. Thompson. Enjoy!" That was all that she could say after that.

She even walked them to the gate and waved her hand for goodbye before the couple's car went away.

***

"Mom?"

Leah's attention was shifted from the crochet baby attire that she was making to her only daughter, Lily. She looked at her with concern. She moved towards her side and caressed her hair. "Why, Lily? Do you feel unwell?" she asked worriedly.

Lily weakly smiled at her mother and reached for her cheeks. She carefully caressed it as she stared directly into her eyes. "I love you so much, mom. God knows how grateful I am to have you as my mother," she heartily said. Her eyes easily watered after speaking.

Leah was delighted at what she heard. She felt a warm embrace in her heart as her tears also started to form in her eyes. "Lily... "

"You have already done so much for me. And I don't know what I did to deserve you," Lily added.

Leah's tears already streamed down her face. She sniffed as she reached for her daughter's hands. She pulled those and kissed the back of her palm. "Why are you saying these things, Lily? Of course, I would do everything I can for you. Because you are my daughter. You're all that I have. And willing to do everything for you even if it means sacrificing myself."

"I love you so much, mom. Always remember that."

"And I love you more, sweetheart."

"I'm kinda sleepy, mom. Let's sleep, shall we?" Lily asked her.

Leah chuckled in response, then immediately wiped her tears. "Sure. Sure. Good night, Lily."

"Good night, mom."

Both of them laid down on the bed.

Lily closed her eyes then immediately fell asleep afterwards.

Leah, on the other hand, was still awake, staring at her daughter's face. She smiled when she saw how Lily's body and appearance changed after her operation. It was evident that she had gained weight. Her protruded cheeks were now a bit chubby. She could also see her arms becoming bigger. Although she lost her hair because she was undergoing chemotherapy as of the moment.

She could not help but to tear up once more. She was glad that Lily was starting to heal as days passed by. She was happy to see that her daughter was fighting with her to survive her cancer.

After her operation, Henry and Amelia allowed Lily to live inside their mansion and stay with Leah. And that gesture made Leah feel at ease. At least from then on, she would not need to travel from her work to their small apartment just to check on her daughter.

She would not know what to do if she would lose her. Maybe she would get crazy if that happened.

Suddenly, the baby in her womb came into her mind. She looked down at her baby bump then started to caress it with her right palm. "How are you there? Do you feel comfortable inside?" she asked the baby.

At first, she found it awkward to carry a child that was not biologically hers. She meant, was that really possible?

She was mesmerised with science and technology for it, and wondered what more could it do for the people.

Leah heaved a deep sigh when her eyes went to the wall clock.

It was already 10 o'clock in the evening.

She must sleep now.

Leah closed her eyes. And before she fell into a deep slumber, she prayed that everything would be alright.

***

"M-Mom… Mom…"

Leah was awakened from her sleep when she heard Lily waking her up. She slowly opened her eyes and looked at Lily. "Why, Lily? Are you thirsty?"she asked.

She could not clearly see Lily's frown because only the bedside lamp was open.

"Sweetie?" Leah called for her when she did not respond.

And before Lily could answer her mom, she started to cough hard.

"Lily!" Leah exclaimed when she saw blood in her daughter's palm.

She was coughing blood!

Lily kept on coughing blood that made Leah hysterical. She started to tremble because she did not know what to do. She was already crying while seeing her daughter's pain.

"Help! Help, please!" she shouted.

***

Leah managed to get Lily to the hospital with the help of the other maids and the family driver of Thompsons.

Lily was now in the emergency room.

"Ms. Gomez?"

Leah lifted her head when she heard someone call her. The other maid, caressing her back to calm her down also lifted up her head.

Leah stood up. "Doctor, how's my child?" she asked right away.

"Ms. Gomez, your daughter is temporarily out of danger. But she needs to undergo an operation as soon as possible. But you will need a large amount before we conduct the operation," the doctor said.

Leah gasped for air and cried once again. "Y-Yes, doctor. P-Please save my daughter. I'll pay. I'll pay, " she pleaded.

The doctor just nodded his head in response.

Right after the doctor went back to the emergency room, Leah looked at her co-worker beside her.

"Can you call, Mr. and Mrs. Thompson?" she asked.

The maid nodded her head and took out the phone from her pocket. She dialled their bosses' number, but they were all unreachable.

She tried many more times, but they were really out of coverage. So she apologetically looked at Leah and said, "Their phones are unreachable, Leah."

Leah was horrored with what she heard. "What? C-Can you try it again?" she asked once more.

That could not happen. She needed to call the Thompsons to ask for help once more. Her daughter would be in danger again if the operation would not take place as soon as possible.

But even after a thousand of trying to reach the couple, there was no progress.

"I'm really sorry, Ms. Gomez, but your daughter did not make it."

That announcement from the doctor shattered Leah's world instantly.

Was that it?

She really lost her daughter just like that?

Leah almost fell down on her knees if not for the maid that supported her.

She cried her heart out while hugging her daughter's cold body. "Lily! Why did you leave?" She shook Lil's body while asking her. She could not believe what happened. And she refused to believe it.

Three days had passed and the couple were still not home. Lily was already buried just this day.

Leah was inside their room, staring at the wall while thinking of how fast everything happened. Anger rose in her heart.

This would not have happened if only the Thompsons answered their calls. They told her that they would help her every time. But they were not there when she needed them the most.

With hatred in her heart, Leah packed all her things and waited for everyone to fall asleep before carefully escaping the mansion.

Now that she already lost her only daughter, she could not afford to lose a baby once more. She would not allow anyone to take the baby in her womb away from her. Even if the baby was not biologically hers.

***

"We're home!" Amelia announced as they reached the living room.

But there was no Leah walking around to meet them. That was why she looked at the head maid, who was looking down the floor, avoiding their gazes.

"Where's Leah?" she asked her.

The head maid gulped hard before answering her boss. "M-Mrs. Thompson, Leah tried to contact you to ask for help for her daughter's urgent operation. But both of you were unreachable. Lily died five days ago. A-And it was already two days since Leah left the mansion.”

The couple's eyes widened in surprise.

"What?!" Both of them exclaimed.