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EZEKIELAs soon as I dropped Alex off at her house, I couldn't shake the thoughts running through my mind. I drove aimlessly, trying to piece everything together. The familiarity I felt for Vera and Vince ever since I first met them kept nagging at me. Could it only be because they looked so much like Vivienne, or was there something deeper behind it?I remembered a moment with Vera, how she casually mentioned that their mother was taking care of them all by herself. “Can you be our Dad, Mr. Handsome? Do you want to be my Dad?” I remembered what Vera had asked me before. “Well, Vera, I’d love to meet your mom first. Where is she?” “She’s working. She takes care of my brother and me all by herself. She’s really nice, kind, and she’s pretty just like me.”The thought struck me hard. Vivienne, handling everything on her own, raising two kids without any support. Where was supposed to be the father of her kids? Then another memory surfaced—Vivienne agreeing to go on dates with Jeremy
VINCE CAREFULLY SLIPPED out of bed, trying not to make any noise. He had access to his mother's phone and he heard what the receptionist told her. Someone was waiting in the lobby of their hotel—Ezekiel Harrington, his real father. Vince couldn't help but be curious.He tiptoed to the door. As he began to sneak out, a small voice stopped him in his tracks."Vince, where are you going?" Vera's eyes, wide and questioning, looked up at him from her bed. Vince sighed, knowing there was no way to deter his sister once she got curious. "Go back to sleep, Vera. I’m just going to see something,” he said. "But I want to come too!" Vera insisted, throwing off her blanket and padding over to him. Vince shook his head, but he knew it was futile. Vera had a stubborn streak that rivaled even their mother’s. "Fine. Whatever."Vera’s eyes sparkled with excitement. They both crept out of the room and made their way to the elevator. As they reached the lobby, Vince felt his heart pounding in his
EZEKIEL"He already has a girlfriend." My face turned pale right after Vince dismissed the idea of us, having a complete family now. With that, I just remembered another problem. Alex hurt Vince earlier… I wanted to curse under my breath. Vince was already distant from me even before we found out that I was their father. Now, after the issue earlier, I was certain that Vince's cold demeanor towards me had only grown worse after what Alex did to him. My mind raced back to that moment with Alex earlier, when she hurt Vince. She had no idea he was my son, but it didn’t matter. The damage was done. Vince had every reason to be indifferent, if not outright hostile, towards me. I had a long road ahead if I wanted to win his heart. The thought of it filled me with a deep sense of regret and determination.I looked at Vince. Since Vince already knew I had a girlfriend, there was no choice left for me but to admit it. “That’s right. I have a girlfriend. Her name is Alex.” Vera's eyes wid
ALEX HELD A glass of hard liquor, swirling it as she sat on the plush sofa in her living room. She had been drinking steadily since her party had gone downhill, a night that was supposed to be her grand success turned into an absolute disaster. Her phone lay face down on the coffee table, buzzing intermittently with messages and notifications. Each buzz kept on reminding her of the embarrassment she wanted to escape.The news had been brutal, featuring her and Vivienne in a way that clearly painted Alex as the villain. Vivienne, the now glamorous and successful mystery designer, and Alex, the bitch who “abused” the famous designer’s son. Alex couldn't bear to look at her phone and see the comments and messages, so she opted to drown her sorrows instead.As Alex sat alone, nursing her drink, her mind fumed with thoughts about Vivienne. Everything about her infuriated Alex. The fact that Ezekiel had married her first was bad enough, but now, Vivienne had returned to make her life even
VIVIENNEWhat a day! I couldn’t believe all of that happened in just a day!I still couldn't believe that I had finally introduced the kids to their father. The moment had felt surreal, like stepping into something I had long avoided even in my imagination. Them knowing the truth has its pros and cons. The pros are that I wouldn’t have to overthink anymore about how to tell them or whether Ezekiel would believe they were his kids. The weight of that secret has been lifted off my shoulders. But the cons are just as heavy. It was so sudden, and I wasn't even able to have a break from what happened earlier.Although I never really expected to tell the truth that way, I think, it was best that it happened. At least now, my overthinking habit at night would be lessened. I thought Ezekiel would insist on talking to them even more, but fortunately, Vince had said he needed to do something, so Ezekiel decided just to visit us tomorrow.I needed to talk to someone about everything that had h
VIVIENNE“Alright, you two,” I said to Vera and Vince, kneeling down to their level. “Remember, whoever finishes their class first should wait for their twin. Don’t go wandering off alone, okay? I’ll come pick you up after.”They had classes today. Vera with her dance class and Vince with his soccer class. While we were still in Paris, those were the things they were focusing on since it was still their summer vacation in New York, where their actual classes were being held. Vera nodded eagerly. “I’ll wait for Vince, Mom. I promise,” she said. Vince gave a small, serious nod. “I’ll wait for Vera too, Mom.”I smiled at them. “Good. Now, let’s get going. We don’t want to be late.”We made our way down to the hotel lobby, their small hands in mine. As we stepped into the parking lot, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw a message from Ezekiel.“Can I visit the kids today?” the message read.I frowned as soon as I read his message. I knew it was wrong, but part of me
EZEKIELI felt surprisingly okay, considering everything that had happened last night. Witnessing Alex kissing Albert should have left me shattered, but it didn’t. The happiness of knowing I had kids with Vivienne was strong enough to overshadow any pain. All I could think about now was my kids’ sake and how to make things right for them.“Can I drive you home, Vivienne?” I asked, hoping she’d say yes.Vivienne hesitated, her eyes darting away. “I’ll just call my driver,” she said, pulling out her phone.I stepped forward, already opening the car door for her. “Please, Vivienne. Let me do this.”She looked at me as if she was trying to see through me. With a sigh, she put her phone away and got into the car. I closed the door behind her and walked around to the driver’s side, feeling the distance between us more keenly than ever.As Vivienne settled into the passenger seat, I leaned over to help her with her seatbelt. Our faces were inches apart, and for a moment, our eyes locked, f
VIVIENNE"Mom, is this okay?" Vera asked as she tried to smooth down the front of her shirt.Today, we were planning to watch the soccer match with Jeremy—just like what he suggested after our first dinner date. I helped Vera and Vince get ready. Vera twirled in her little jersey, looking up at me with bright eyes. I smiled at my daughter and nodded. "You look perfect, sweetie,” I said. Vince, on the other hand, was more concerned with the fit of his shorts. "How about this, Mom? Are these too long?" he asked, frowning as he adjusted the waistband."They're just right," I reassured him. "You both look great."I glanced at myself in the mirror. I had chosen a casual yet stylish outfit for the day: a pair of trousers, a simple white blouse, and comfortable stilettos. It was perfect for a day out at a soccer match and didn’t scream 'date' but was presentable enough for any encounter.Just as we were about to head out the door, my phone vibrated with incoming messages. I quickly check