BAD WIFE

Chapter {37}

A few weeks later...

It was the day Niko and Baylee had been waiting for—the day they finally got to bring their daughter home.

They had spent every single hour in that hospital, clinging to every hopeful update, praying for progress. Waiting for doctors to say the words they longed for: She's strong enough. Strong enough to breathe on her own. Strong enough to feed on her own.

The stress had been unimaginable. But finally... it was ending.

At the front desk, Baylee stood with a pen in hand, signing the final discharge forms. Her fingers trembled, not from fear, but from the weight of it all being lifted.

Niko, a few feet away, sat in one of the empty chairs near the hospital's automatic doors, Anola's car seat nestled at his feet. He leaned forward, eyes glued to her tiny sleeping face, completely mesmerized. She was perfect—his—and for the first time, he wasn't leaving this building empty-handed.

He wanted to share this feeling. He dug into his pocket and pulled out his phone.

"Hello?" Lola's voice came through.

"Lola..." His voice was calm but purposeful. "We're leaving the hospital now. I just wanted to give you a heads-up—we're bringing the baby to meet her family."

Baylee's family had been visiting every day, sometimes multiple times, offering love and support without question. His family, on the other hand—not a single visit. Not one check-in. And no matter how hard he tried to pretend it didn't matter—it hurt.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Lola said flatly, the resentment in her tone razor-sharp.

He tensed. "Why not?"

"Have you gotten the DNA test done yet?"

"No," he said firmly. "And I don't need one. When you see her, you'll know. She looks just like you."

Lola rolled her eyes on the other end. "It doesn't matter what she looks like. You're being an idiot, Niko."

His jaw tightened. "I'm only calling out of respect because I'm bringing Anola's mother with me." Just then, he spotted Baylee walking toward him, and he cut the conversation short. "Fair warning." He hung up.

Baylee was smiling, a real, radiant smile that softened her whole face. She practically glided toward him, her soft pink sweatpants and tank top clinging gently to her curves. Her hair was down for the first time in days, and her face was makeup-free—but she'd never looked more beautiful to him.

"Ready?" she asked, her eyes gleaming with joy.

"Like never before," he said, rising to his feet. He grabbed the handle of the car seat with one hand and placed the other on her upper back, guiding her carefully through the lot.

The ride was smooth. Familiar roads led them to the Asher estate—one Baylee had visited countless times before with Lola. But today, it was different. Today, she didn't come as a friend or guest. Today, she came as the mother of Niko's child.

And despite every ounce of discomfort pooling in her stomach... she was doing this for Anola.

She had spent weeks pumping milk, struggling through each moment. But Anola had finally latched, and now Baylee was officially a full-time cow—as she liked to call it. She was willing to endure the discomfort, even the judgmental stares, just so Niko's family could meet their granddaughter.

When they arrived, Niko used his key to unlock the front door. They stepped inside, immediately removing their shoes out of respect for the pristine white carpet.