EZEKIELThe house was quiet now. The kids were sound asleep in their rooms, and I had decided to stay for the night. It just felt right being here. Vivienne and I were sitting on the couch. I glanced over at her, watching the way her fingers absentmindedly traced the edge of the cushion. She looked peaceful, but I could tell she was thinking about something. Maybe the ring, or maybe everything that’s happened lately. “So,” I finally said, breaking the silence. “Do you like the ring?”Her eyes flicked to mine, a small smile playing on her lips. “Yes, I do. It’s beautiful, Zeke.”I felt a wave of relief wash over me. “I’m glad,” I said softly, reaching for her hand, gently rubbing my thumb over her knuckles. For some reason, I was nervous, even though she’d already accepted it. Maybe it was because so much was riding on this—on us.Vivienne turned to face me more fully, her brow furrowing slightly as she asked, “When did you get it, though? I didn’t even know you were planning thi
EZEKIEL AND VIVIENNE walked together through the school gates, carrying papers for the kids’ enrollment. It was a busy day, with parents and children everywhere, ready for the start of the new school year. Vivienne glanced at Ezekiel. “Looks like we’re not the only ones who waited until the last minute to enroll the kids,” she said with a small smile.Ezekiel chuckled. “Yeah, seems like it. But it’s kind of nice, though. Maybe Vince and Vera will make some friends before school starts.”Vivienne nodded, looking at the other children around. “That would be great. They could really use some new friends. I think they’re both a little nervous about starting school here.”“I’m sure they’ll be fine,” Ezekiel reassured her. “Maybe we’ll meet some parents too. It might be good for us to have some new people around.”Vivienne laughed lightly. “True. Maybe we should look more approachable if we want to make friends,” she joked.They walked toward the registration area, keeping an eye on Vinc
“THAT WENT FASTER than I expected,” Ezekiel said, trying to ease the silence. The process had gone smoothly—papers signed, fees paid, and everything set for the twins to begin their studies.Vivienne nodded, her gaze shifting around as she scanned the area. "Yeah, but where's Vince?" she asked, realizing only Vera was by her side. Vera, always full of energy, perked up. “I’ll go find him!” she said excitedly, already dashing off before her parents could respond.Vivienne sighed softly, giving Ezekiel a small smile. “I guess we should’ve expected that.”Ezekiel chuckled and nodded, “We’ll give them a few minutes. Vince will turn up.”Meanwhile, Vera weaved her way through the school grounds, her eyes sharp as she looked for her twin brother. She was halfway down the courtyard when she saw someone familiar standing by the school fountain. It was Genesis, the boy she had met at her dad's party. He seemed to be waiting for someone, and when their eyes met, he gave her a small wave.
IT WAS THE first day of the twins’ school. Vera and Vince were sitting in their new classroom, waiting for the teacher to arrive. Everything felt a little strange. The kids were chatting around them. Vince, as usual, kept to himself, while Vera looked around curiously, hoping to make friends.When the door opened, a boy walked in, and Vera and Vince immediately recognized him. It was Genesis—the same boy who had previously crossed paths with Vince at the school. Vince’s face instantly tensed, while Vera’s eyes lit up in recognition.Genesis walked over and smiled at them. “Hey, looks like we’re in the same class,” he said, looking more at Vince than Vera. Vera smiled back. “Yeah! What a surprise!” she said cheerfully. “This is going to be fun.”Vince, on the other hand, wasn’t as excited. He crossed his arms and glanced at Genesis, remembering their little competition from last time. “Great,” he muttered under his breath, already feeling competitive.“Okay, kids. Good morning.” Th
VIVIENNEAs I stood outside the school with Ezekiel, I couldn’t help but feel a little nervous. It was the kids' first day of school, and I was anxious to hear how it went. I spotted Vera first. Her bright smile was the first thing I saw as she came running toward us, her pigtails bouncing with each step.“Mom! Dad!” Vera called out, practically flying into my arms. Her excitement was contagious, and I found myself grinning just watching her.“Hey, sweetie!” I said, giving her a big hug. “How was your first day of school?”“It was amazing!” she beamed, pulling away to show me her hand. “Look! I got two stars on my quiz!” She showed off the stamps proudly. “Can I get a reward? I want a new doll!” she added, her eyes sparkling as she looked up at Ezekiel.Ezekiel chuckled and gave her a playful wink. “A doll, huh? Well, you did work hard for those two stars,” he said, teasing her a bit before nodding. “Alright, we can get you a new doll.”Vera squealed as she kept jumping up and dow
VIVIENNEI sat in the office, sorting through fabrics and design sketches for our upcoming fashion collaboration. Ezekiel was sitting across from me, going through some papers. Since the kids started their new school year, I finally had the chance to return to work, but I carefully balanced everything. I only stay at the office while they’re at school and always head home when they do. I just can’t bring myself to leave them alone again after what happened with the kidnapping. It’s still fresh in my mind, and I want them to feel safe and know that I’m there for them. Either Ezekiel or I make sure one of us is always present, no matter how busy we get. Their security and happiness come first now.Ezekiel and I had been working on this project for a few weeks now, and I had to admit, it felt good to be back in the creative flow. “Hey,” Ezekiel suddenly called out, pulling me from my thoughts.I glanced up, and he was leaning back in his chair with that familiar playful smile on his f
“ARE YOU LEAVING already?” Genesis asked Vera as he walked beside her. They just stepped out of the classroom. Vera’s backpack was bouncing lightly as she walked with Genesis. The school day had ended, but she wasn’t leaving just yet. She glanced around the school grounds, wondering where her brother was.“No, not yet,” Vera replied, shaking her head. “I’m waiting for Vince. He’s at soccer practice. Then we’ll wait for our mom and dad to pick us up.”Genesis smiled. “That’s nice. You always wait for each other?”“Yeah since our parents said we should always stick together,” Vera said, shrugging. “We usually leave together.”As they reached the field, Vera spotted Vince practicing alone. He was dribbling a soccer ball. His focus was intense, like he was shutting out everything around him. Vera watched for a moment, admiring how good her brother was at soccer.Genesis noticed her watching Vince and nudged her lightly. “Do you play soccer too?” he asked, his tone playful.Vera shook h
“LET’S SEE WHAT you’ve got.” Genesis smirked as he rolled the ball toward the center of the field. Vera watched nervously, sensing the tension between the two boys. She knew Vince could be competitive, but she didn’t want him to take this too far.“Guys, it’s just a game,” Vera said, trying to ease the tension.But Vince and Genesis were already focused, their eyes locked on each other as they prepared to play. Vera sighed, stepping back to let them have their match. She just hoped it wouldn’t end in a fight.Vince narrowed his eyes, determined to show Genesis what he could do. He dribbled the ball quickly, moving with confidence, but Genesis stayed right with him. Every time Vince tried to break away, Genesis was there, keeping up."Not bad," Genesis said, stealing the ball from Vince with ease.Vince gritted his teeth, running to catch up. He wasn’t used to someone matching him like this. He managed to get the ball back, but before he could make a solid move, Genesis was in front o