Apocalyptic World: Surviving with my husband and my cute little babies-Chapter 188: Background

Seeing Aunt Joana stare at her with a mix of bewilderment and unease left Elena puzzled.

Her question had been simple, but it seemed to stir something deeper.

"Is something wrong?" she asked gently.

Aunt Joana let out a quiet sigh.

"No... I was just caught off guard by your eyes. They’re exactly like my son’s."

Elena’s expression softened, but a flicker of curiosity lit her eyes.

Aunt Joana then continued, "I’m not originally from this city. We used to live in City G. My husband was recently transferred to Military A—but ever since the disaster started, he hasn’t returned."

Elena’s brows knitted together slightly.

’Could her husband be... related to me somehow?’

Keeping her voice calm, she decided to probe a little further.

"Let me know his name—maybe I can ask someone at the military base for you," Elena offered gently.

"To be honest, from the moment I saw Erick, I felt something... familiar. Does your husband have the same green eyes as we? I’m curious—maybe we’re related."

Aunt Joana shook her head.

"That’s impossible. My husband and I grew up in the same town. I knew his parents well."

Nearby, Little Erick had gone quiet.

His bright mood faded as he listened to them talk about his father.

His small hands clenched into fists, and a pout formed on his lips.

It had already been months since his father disappeared.

In that time, he had watched his mother struggle to keep them safe, only to be bullied by other desperate residents.

People had stolen their food, pushed them aside, and left them with almost nothing.

At first, he hadn’t understood why everyone was acting so cruel.

But after his mother gently explained that the disaster had made people lose their way, he began to understand—and promised himself he’d grow strong to protect her.

Luckily, just when they had nearly run out of food and hope, the Paradise Shop opened and began selling supplies.

"He’s not like me. I’m the only one with the same eyes as you, Sister Elena, "he cut in, his voice tinged with frustration.

Just thinking about his absent father made him a little angry—his irresponsible dad hadn’t sent any messages.

Aunt Joana gave him a gentle look and softly said, "Alright, how about you go play with your friend Koby for a while? I need to talk with Sister Elena about something important."

Little Erick frowned, clearly unwilling to leave his mother’s side.

But before he could protest, Elena quickly supported Aunt Joana’s words with a smile.

"Little Erick, Koby is in his brother’s room right now, and he looks a little down. Why not invite him to go swimming with the others? He’d feel much better with a friend like you."

Little Erick’s eyes lit up upon hearing the pool. "Oh! Brother Koby is here too?"

He turned to his mom with a serious nod. "Mom, you should rest later. I’m going to see my friends now!"

"Alright. Be careful and don’t run too fast."

As soon as Little Koby and Sera stepped out, the room grew quiet, and a subtle tension settled in the air.

Aunt Joana let out a long sigh again, as if weighing something heavy on her heart.

"It seems... You really want to know about my son," she said at last, her voice soft.

"I’m just curious," Elena replied calmly. "I wondered if we might be related."

Aunt Joana looked at her with a small, nostalgic smile.

"Well, the truth is... Erick isn’t my biological son. He’s an orphan. I adopted him on a whim."

It was at the hospital, years ago, when Aunt Joana first saw him.

An orphanage staff member had brought the boy in for a routine check-up. As they chatted, the staff spoke warmly about the idea of adoption.

At the time, Joana had been married for decades, but she and her husband had no children of their own.

The thought of adopting had crossed her mind before, but she’d never seriously considered it.

That changed the moment she held the tiny baby in her arms.

He was only two months old, but when he looked up at her with those vivid green eyes and gave a small, innocent smile, her heart melted.

Something about him felt special—like fate.

Though she told the staff she needed to discuss it with her husband, deep down, she already knew—she wanted this child.

Not long after, she adopted him—and that marked the beginning of her journey as a mother.

She loved Erick deeply and raised him with all the care and warmth she could give.

He grew up to be a kind and respectful boy, and she was so proud of him.

Life felt full again.

But when the disasters struck, everything changed.

She grew weaker with each passing day, and the world around them turned darker.

Her biggest fear wasn’t her own death—it was the thought of Erick being left all alone again.

Her husband disappeared since the chaos began, leaving no message, no word.

She and Erick had become vulnerable, and their safety was constantly threatened.

Still, she pushed herself to survive—not for her sake, but for the little boy who once smiled up at her and made her believe in motherhood.

"Blood or not, I am his mother. No one can take him away from me," she continued, her voice firm and wary as she looked at Elena.

But then, as the silence lingered, a softer thought crossed her mind—if Little Erick were truly related to Elena, maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad thing after all.

If anything were to happen to her, at least there would be someone to take care of him, ensuring he wouldn’t be left alone.

Her words took Elena and Ethan aback. Elena quickly spoke, her tone calm and sincere.

"No, you’ve got it wrong. I just wanted to know him; I have no plans to separate the two of you. From what I can see, you’ve been a good mother to him. Who am I to take him away from you?"

Hearing this, Aunt Joana let out a long sigh, her shoulders relaxing slightly.

"If you’re really his relative, I would never deprive him of the truth. I was just afraid he might get hurt—knowing his real parents abandoned him."

"I understand. But I have no right to tell him. When the time comes, I believe you’ll know when and how to share the truth. There’s no need for me to meddle," Elena reassured her.

"But... you mentioned he’s an orphan. Could you tell me more?"

Aunt Joana nodded and gently began to explain.

"According to the orphanage staff, the boy was found at their gate—probably just a newborn. He was wrapped in fine baby clothes, clean and healthy. They could tell someone had cared for him well, which made it all the more puzzling why he was left behind."

She paused, her voice softening with emotion.

"There were no notes, no clues to his background. Just that... someone left him there and never came back."

"I see. City G, huh?" Ethan murmured, his thoughts drifting to the powerful clans rooted there—especially those beyond the well-known Heather family.

"Yes," Aunt Joana confirmed with a faint smile.

"Thank you for looking after my son while I’m stuck in bed."

Elena smiled back warmly.

"There’s no need to thank us. He’s a good boy—helpful and well-behaved. He’s earned his keep here. For now, just focus on recovering. Later, if you’re up to it, you could work with me."

"I’d be glad to. I can handle any kind of work," Aunt Joana replied sincerely.

"Alright then, we won’t disturb your rest anymore."

As they walked out of the ward, a quiet weight settled over them.

Questions about Erick’s past still lingered in both their minds, especially Ethan’s.

His thoughts returned to City G and the powerful families that once resided there. fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com

Then he glanced at Elena, his gaze firm. "Wife, how well do you know your mother?"

Elena blinked, surprised. "My mother? Well... she’s an orphan. She met my dad in college."

"Are you sure about that?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Why are you asking?"

"I don’t know... something just doesn’t add up," he said.

"Back when Grandpa Caldwell and I visited your house to meet Grandpa Smith, I was seven at the time and had a few chances to talk to your mom. She took care of little you like a noblewoman. You were so cute back then."

Elena frowned slightly.

He continued, "Her tone, her manners, even the way she moved—everything felt... refined. Too refined for someone raised in an orphanage. It was like she came from a wealthy or influential family."

A quiet pause followed, and Elena suddenly felt unsure—Ethan’s words stirred something inside her.

It was true her mom had always carried herself with elegance and grace.

Elena had always assumed she picked up those habits after marrying her dad, trying to fit in with the circles of well-off families they sometimes mingled with.

But if Ethan said her mom had already been that way long before, then where did she really come from?

"Your mom, you, and little Erick all have the same vivid green eyes—not something you often see around here," Ethan said, watching her closely.

Elena sighed, the weight of unspoken truths settling on her chest.

Deep down, she had always felt there was more to her parents’ story—something they never told her.

"I guess... only time will tell," she murmured, her voice soft but steady.

"Let’s conduct a DNA test to determine if both of you are truly related."

"Alright."