The Bond Between Us (Anastasia and Herman)

The baby was definitely Julie's.

Joe stood there, frozen, clutching the tiny bundle with an expression of sheer bewilderment, terrified that any sudden move might send the little one tumbling to the ground. He looked more like someone handling a live grenade than a new father-utterly comical. Joe glanced down at the child in his arms, then over at Harry. "Are you sure this is my son?"

"Yeah, yeah, go back to wherever you came from," Harry said, shooing him away impatiently.

Now that the baby's identity was confirmed, Annie felt an odd sense of emptiness. The baby's arrival seemed to heal the ache of her own loss.

Jack chimed in, "You two are definitely related. It's late, and I've done my part. I'm outta here."

Joe frowned, utterly clueless about how to deal with this tiny human. He made up his mind and thrust the baby back into Annie's arms. "You guys can raise the kid. If you don't want him, do whatever you please."noveldrama

With those words, Joe bolted, running faster than a scared rabbit.

Annie and Harry were left in disbelief. Were they really being saddled with raising someone else's son?

Harry was adamant about not raising Julie's kid. He was about to hand the baby over to Flynn when the baby burst into heart-wrenching sobs. Annie's heart twisted at the sound, and she relented. "Let's keep him for the night. We'll figure it out tomorrow." A child wasn't an object to be tossed around.

Harry understood Annie's sentiment, but he feared that the longer the baby stayed, the harder it would be for her to let go.

Flynn, who had come to deliver some papers, quickly made his exit after witnessing the scene. And so, the baby temporarily stayed at Southridge Estates.

Oddly enough, the baby wouldn't let the nanny touch him, crying every time she tried to hold him. Only Annie and Harry could soothe him.

The night grew deeper. Annie rocked the baby to sleep, then approached Harry, who was smoking on the balcony. She gently massaged his temples. "This child wasn't discarded by Julie. She hates us, sure, but even a tiger wouldn't eat its own cubs. She wouldn't dare give us her child. I think whoever left the baby wanted us to find him, regardless of their reasons. Now that he's here, have you thought about what to do?"

If the goal was just to return the child, he should have been taken to Joe or to Salstrom Manor.

"That jerk Joe, abandoning his own flesh and blood. If our son had lived, he'd probably be happy and healthy too, soon calling us 'mom' and 'dad"."

It was the first time Harry spoke openly about their lost son, a shared pain, and longing. They were parents forever grieving a baby who never got a chance to see the world.

Looking at the sleeping baby, Annie said, "When I first saw this child, all I could think of was our son. If he wasn't Julie's, I would have loved to adopt him. But the child's genes matter. With Julie as a mother, I'd rather not raise a thankless snake." Even with a heart of gold, she couldn't bear the thought of raising Julie's son.

"I'll have someone take him to Salstrom Manor tomorrow. Dad will surely want to raise him," Harry said, taking Annie's hand, "Let things happen as they will. Don't push yourself too hard. Every medicine has its bitter edge."

Annie's heart skipped a beat. "You knew?"

She had been taking fertility medication in secret.

"You're my wife, my bedmate; did you really think you could hide your little schemes?" Harry pulled Annie into his embrace, his arms tightening just enough to draw her onto his lap. "Having kids requires a man's touch, not just medicine." Annie blushed at his insinuation, feigning annoyance. "You sure know how to play dirty, don't you... uh..."