[Kaden]My lips curled into a smirk as I stormed down the stairsI growled, shoving my hand into my pocket as I walked straight out and towards the gate. I bet she's out there begging my security guard to let her friend in. What is Matilda thinking, that I'll change my mind if she calls her friend to beg me?My eyes darted around as I approached the gate, and I couldn't see Matilda anywhere close I pressed my lip into a thin line as Remo, my security guard, approached me."I'm sorry, boss, but she refused to leave and has been banging on the gate nonstop..." His words trailed off as the gate banged even louder."Open the gate," I orderedRemo walked towards the gate and pulled it open. I stared at the redhead, as she stood there with her car parked to the side. I tilted my neck staring at her, and within seconds, she was walking toward me"Where's Matilda?" She roared, standing right in front of me, staring at me like she was looking at the most disgusting thing ever.I never liked
[Matilda]I felt utterly humiliated and insulted to my core. What did I ever do to Kaden to deserve this? Did I want to leave this minute, without entering that room or touching anything in there, of course I wanted toBut I knew I had some important items that belonged to my late parents in my closet. I took a deep breath when I suddenly felt a warm hand on my shoulder."It's fine," Julia cooed next to me. I was surprised when I saw her walk in here because I knew Kaden had specifically banned her from entering his house.I wiped my teary eyes and turned towards her. "How did you get in?" I asked softly"I don't think that's what we should be discussing right now, go pack your bags, and let's leave this place!" Julia said. And my eyes shifted as I noticed someone running towards me from the other direction"Ma'am, are you alright?" Zia, one of the maids asked me, breathing heavily as she stared back and forth, her brows creasing in a deep frown. Zia was one person I was a bit close
[Matilda]My heart was pounding as we stood outside Julia's washroom. Julia and I had gone directly to the pharmacy to get the test strips after I showed her how late I was.My heart was racing as if I had run a marathon as we waited outside the washroom for the test strips to read "I think I should go check it out!" I mumbled, staring back at Julia, who had her gaze on me."You should!" Julia said, I nodded and headed right into the washroom. With each step I took, my heart was almost ripping out of my chest.I walked over to the sink, my jaw clenching hard as my eyes darted to the four test strips that I lined on the sink. That's right, I had gotten four of itMy heart pounded as my eyes darted over the test strips. My breath caught as I stared at each one. What the fuck...? My hand moved on its own, snatching the strips as I dashed out of the washroom"Oh my God, Julia, you should see this!!" I screamed and ran into Julia's bedroom. She shot up from the bed immediately and walked
[Matilda]"But I think there's a problem!" I said to Julia, watching her brow furrow."What do you mean?" "Doctor Ruben attended to me earlier, and I recall him telling me that my blood sample had been sent to the lab and that I would have the results by tomorrow," I said and Julia cursed out loud, digging her fingers into her scalp"Shit, this is not looking good right now!" Julia cursed, pacing around her room before coming to a halt."We have to be in his office first thing tomorrow morning, we can only hope he hasn't told Kaden about it, because they must have detected it from your blood sample." Julia gritted out the words, making my heartbeat quicken."What if he has contacted Kaden about it?"~~~~~~~~~My heart was beating as we stepped out of the car, it was barely 7 a.m., and I was not sure if what we were about to do would make any sense. I felt a heavy weight settling into my chest.What if he had already told Kaden about it? Will he look for me and hold me up until I giv
[Matilda] "Tilda, what exactly are you talking about?" Julia snapped We had returned home from our visit to the hospital, and I told Julia everything that happened in Doctor Ruben's office, but that was not the reason she was staring at me like this. "Julia, I have to go!" I mumbled as I curled up on her bed I told her about my plans to leave New York, yes, I knew I had no idea how that plan would work out, but staying here in New York seemed like torture, I couldn't guarantee not running back to Kaden, which was one of the reasons I needed to leave. I need to put the past behind me and move on. I doubt that I will be able to move on if I stay back here "You don't know anyone in Miami, so what are you talking about?" Julia growled. She knew I had already made up my mind to leave, and that was why she was upset. "Julia, I was fifteen when my parents died, I had no one, but I survived and I'll do it again, so this is nothing new to me, I'm not sure how, but I will survive!" I mumb
[Matilda]Six years laterThe air in the hall was thick with anticipation as I clung to Leo's huge hand for comfort. My gaze never left Aiden, standing on stage with nine other kids.My gaze shifted to Austin, who was cradled on Leo's lap, his eyes fixed on the stage, a smile was playing on his face as he stared at his twin brother on stage"Are you okay?" I bit down on my lower lip as I stared at the man sitting on my right side, clutching Austin tightly as he squeezed my hand. I gave Leo a faint smile and nodded, attempting to brush off the anxiety that was consuming me.My eyes shifted back to the stage, my eyes swelled with pride as I traced Aiden's figure in line with nine other kids, all waiting in anticipation on the stage for the results of their hard workThis competition was more than just a Maths competition. It was an opportunity for young talents to explore, gain exposure, and show the world what they are capable of.I glanced around the hall, the faces of other parents a
[Matilda]New York City?The word echoed in my ear over and over as my eyes locked on my baby on stage.The audience was cheering, but I could barely hear them over the roar in my ears. New York City? My chest tightened as a chilling wave of panic surged through meWhy New York City?Why?"Tilda!" My breath caught as I felt Leo's hand on me. "You've been called on stage!" He mumbled, and I batted my lashes, my gaze returning to the stage."Would the family of Aiden Miller, please join us on stage and celebrate this incredible achievement."I shook myself out of my trance, blinking quickly as I walked over on my shaky legs. My heart was pounding in my chest, and all I could think about was this wonderful opportunity for my son to attend the best academy on a fully sponsored scholarship. But New York City?I stood next to Aiden, barely able to control my emotions. He was still smiling, unaware of my inner turmoil. The woman handed me an envelope as she turned to face me"This envelope c
[Matilda] "Does it have anything to do with Aiden and Austin's father?" My jaw clenched as Leo's eyes fixed deeply into mine, scanning mine as if waiting for me to admit what he had just asked.I bit my lower lip and turned away from Leo, my eyes darting around my small kitchen."No, It has nothing to do with that. Leo, I just don't want to," I mumbled softly.Leo has asked me about Aiden and Austin's father several times over the years, but I have always declined to talk about it. I know he sees how I react whenever he brings up the idea of me moving my business to NYC, and I'm sure he was connecting the dots.But my life with Kaden is one thing I didn't want to talk about or what I went through in his hands. Talking about it was like opening a new wound deep within me. It even felt more challenging when my twin boys were exactly a younger version of him.Austin and Aiden had asked me several times why I got sad whenever I look into their eyes. I would immediately smile it away, te
[Matilda]"What... what happened?" My heart slammed against my ribs, I pressed the phone tighter to my ear, straining to hear Ella"Ella I can't hear you, say something!" I growled, dropping the pan with a loud clatter"Ma'am, it's Aiden, he's...he's been vomiting and his body is so hot, I don't know what to do," Ella's voice was breathless, panic raising every word. "I tried cooling him down with a cold towel, but it's not working, it's just getting worse,"A sharp breath left my lips before she could finish, I was already ripping my apron off"Everything okay what's wrong?" Julia's voice cut in as she stepped in front of me"Ella please stay with him, I'm coming right away!" I hung up the phone, my eyes darting around for my car key, my fingers trembled as I patted the counter, my pocket —where the hell was it?"Talk to me, what happened?" Julia grabbed my shoulder, keeping me in place"Aiden—he's sick," I choked out, my pulse hammering in my ears. He was fine this morning before I
[Matilda]The upcoming baking showcase was fast approaching and I would say I was becoming a bit excited about itIt's three days away and managing my bakery which has somehow turned into the neighborhood's daily obsession and perfecting the signature desserts I planned to bake live, I barely had a second to breathe The two part-timers I had interviewed a few days ago weren't exactly what I was looking for and I ended up not hiring them. Now, I could only hope I'd find someone soon because handling everything alone was tearing me out "Are you done?" Julia's voice snapped me out of my thoughts as she strolled into the mini kitchen of my store. She had dropped by to help me out since today was her off dayI had closed the bakery for the day but I needed to practice for the baking showcase. They say practice makes perfect, isn't it? And while I believed in my skills, this wasn't just any event. It was an exclusive showcase featuring NYC's top pastry chefs "What's on your mind, young w
[Matilda] My stomach dropped. My eyes darted from Leo to the kids who had their eyes fixed on the food "Let's talk later!" I mumbled and Leo's eyes narrowed before he nodded, turning his attention back to his food I bit down on my lower lip as I tried to take another bite of my food but my appetite was already messed up. I could see Leo from my peripheral vision staring at me now and then Once we were done eating, I cleared the plate. Leo who I knew was eager to know the reason the kids weren't going to school, helped me out as we cleared the dining. I could feel his eyes boring into mine but I didn't say a word to him as I focused on washing the dishes "You're not saying anything?" Leo's voice pulled me out of my trance. I ignored him, wrapping a few left over the nanny would warm up for the kids later I turned to Leo who had his eyes fixed on mine, his brows creasing together "Why are my boys not going to school? Did something happen at school?" I took a deep breath, swallowi
[Matilda]The next day"Mummy someone's at the door, I think it's our teacher!" Aiden's voice rang out from the dining roomI frowned, glancing at my watch. It was only 7 am. The teacher and Nanny weren't supposed to arrive until 9. Why would they come this early? I wiped my hands on the napkin and quickly carried the kid's breakfast to the dining before heading toward the doorAs I stepped into the living room, my feet frozeCould it be...?" My heart pounded hard in my chest as the thought of who it could be crossed my mind. It can't be Kaden right?The doorbell rang again, snapping me out of my trance. What am I even doing, when I can just check through the peepholeI wiped my sweaty palms against my dress and stepped closer. Pressing my lips into a thin line - I peeked through the hole — only to find nothing My brow creased even further as I stared again and still no oneIf this happens to be Kaden, I would fucking call the authorities on him. I gripped the door handle, pushing
[Matilda]"Mummy, why are we not going to school today?" Aiden asked me as I set their breakfast on the table. His big silver eyes, locked onto mine waiting for an answerI hesitated, glancing at Austin who was already digging into his food, completely unbothered. Taking a slow deep breath, I pulled out a chair and sat down"Because you're going to be schooling from home for now baby," "Really?" Austin perked up instantly, his face lightening up. "Does that mean I can watch swimming sessions and Spiderman at home, yeah!" He grinned, stuffing a forkful of pancake into his mouth Aiden's brows pulled together, his lips pressing into a pout. "But Mummy I don't want that. I want to go to school so I can see my friends," His voice carried a stubborn edgeGod, I knew this would be hardCall me a coward — I wouldn't mind, but was I scared of what Kaden could do? YesI could report the incident that happened last time to the school and make sure my kids are protected. But his last words befo
[Kaden] My fingers tapped against the bar counter as I tilted my neck from side to side trying to shake off the tension tightening my muscles "They are better off without a father," my jaw clenched tightly as Matilda's words echoed in my head She's fucking playing with fire and I'll make sure it burns her deeply I'll make sure she never sees Aiden and Austin again. She'll know exactly how it feels "So what exactly are you trying to say?" Ryan snapped, pulling me from my thoughts. "And could you stop fuming? This is the mother of your children for crying out loud!" His words made my jaw clench so tight, I could hear my teeth gritting Ryan will always find a way to defend her. Even after I laid everything out —told them exactly what happened a few hours ago, he was still on her side I exhaled sharply, shifting my eyes to Mason who had been silent the entire time, before shifting my gaze back to Ryan "Did you just say mother of my kids?" I growled, and Ryan raised a brow at me l
[Matilda] "Fuck off!" I shoved my hand away from the bastard in front of me and pushed my door open. I stepped in and banged the door shut My heart was thumping as I clicked on the door, making sure it was locked. I took long strides towards the stairs, heading straight to my room The moment I reached my bed, my body gave out, and I collapsed onto the mattress. Tears poured down my face, ragged sobs shaking my entire frame "No!! No!! This isn't happening!" My heart pounded louder in my ears, as I clutched my chest tightly. He did... He did a DNA test. How could this man? How did I not think about this? My vision blurred as the words on that paper burned themselves into my brain, looping over and over like a curse Paternity test between Kaden Donovan and the twins, Aiden and Austin: 99.98% What does he mean by the hard way? Would he forcefully try to snatch my children from me? I know Kaden Donovan would likely walk out freely with anything, but this isn't happening I d
[Kaden]"You're insane, I said they are not...," Before she could finish her statement, with a flick of my wrist, I threw the envelope to her, watching as it landed on her feetHer eyes darted to it. She stared at me and then back to the envelopeI could feel my anger burning as I chuckled"Go the fuck on and check what that is, you fucking selfish thing!" I roaredShe inhaled deeply, her eyes flickering back to me again before she snatched it off the ground, rolling her eyes, she tore the envelope immediately. Her eyes scanned the paper, a mixture of shock and disbelief danced in her orbs but the next thing she did suddenly caught me off guardShe threw her head back, her hand tightening on the paper as she laughed hysterically, making my brows crease together"This is insane, oh what the fuck is wrong with this man!" Tilda scoffed, shaking her head as she stared back at me. "You think I'll give you a listening ear for this trash. Tell me, since when does DNA happen without both par
[Matilda] "I've been trying to reach you since last night!" I leaned my back on the kitchen cabinet, with my phone pressed on my ear "Sorry love, I'm here now!" Leo mumbled. I could tell he already knew what I was about to ask "Tell me you don't know what I'm about to ask you? When did you do all of that without my knowledge?" I asked and I heard him chuckle "Tesoro, What are you talking about?" "Don't do that Leo, when did you register me on a baking show without letting me know? I got the call yesterday and your name was mentioned so don't lie to me about it," I mumbled and that was when he chuckled loudly "A few days back! I heard of it from a business partner of mine and well I had to fix in one of the most pastry chefs I've ever seen!" My face turned crimson shade as Leo mumbled making me bite down on my lip "I got their message after the call and it doesn't look like an ordinary competition Leo, how did you manage to get me a slot in it? It looks like a show high-e