Chapter 2

After seven years,

Tiredly, Zelda bent a little, before she strapped the platter of cookies into the oven, before tamping it shut. She leaned against the counter, before strapping away her gloves. She wiped away the strand of sweat that flashed through her face,

She gazed around the room, unusual, weird. It was quiet, her house was never quiet, but today was different, it was soothing to the ears.

"Mommy!" Grasp of breaths were heard upstairs, before a frail figure ran towards her, her tiny hands moving towards her face. Zelda leaned in, and the little girl squeezed her face gently, her face shining radiantly.

Zelda sighed a bit, bending down a little, before she tucked her daughter's hair gently, she stroked her face, before muttering. "What is it, Layla?" She asks, her voice soothing as lemon.

The little girl tried to grasp for breath, before inhaling the warm smell of cookies, it tensed her down a bit, and she sighed. "I am hungry, Mommy."

"I know." Zelda pulled the little figure closer to herself, inhaling the warm scent of soap on her hair, like fresh cinnamon. 

"Mommy!" Another tired voice sounded from upstairs, but the figure walked gently over to her, before facing her. "Don't I get a hug too? It's not fair hugging only Layla." The little girl said, before she passed her twin sister a dirty look, something that Zelda considered sweet. The two stared at themselves hardly before concentrating back to her.

Zelda sighed, before leaning on her counter, she pressed her lips forward, "Breakfast will be ready soon Kayla, and when it is. We can all have a hug." She massaged her temples slowly, her voice cracking.

She was exhausted, her voice draped of tiredness, her gentle eyes hued of 

The two looked at her for a bit second, before they nodded their heads, heading towards the couch.

Zelda sighed, before her hands moved over to the cup of milk, and then, she took a grasp of liquid into her throat, seven years, seven tired years that she had given birth to her twins, she had completed her college years being pregnant, she had moved to another state, her cell phone ticket, and hurriedly she peered at her.

The feeling was sickening enough, she stared at the twins who obviously were having a banter on the couch,  

Their blonde hair shined more darker than usual, they were alike, no doubt, but something had kept them apart, they were different, unlike Layla whose eyes were toned with a hint of amber, Kayla's was blue, uncomfortably blue, yet alluring. 

A text from her best friend, Maya,

Maya: Ready for work?

Zelda: Nope.

She tucked the phone back into her pockets, just another minute, she would be tattering the hot cookies out of the oven.

She sighed, batting her eyelids slowly, before she rested on the counter.

                             • • •

After waving her kids goodbye at school, and telling them not to get in fights, Zelda boarded a taxi down to her workplace, she wanted to say to her parents, 'I am making money by simply cooking.'

"Zelda?" Maya sounds from behind, walking towards her, her dark auburn hair was gently swiped across her face, and her body toned a lighter hint of white. "You dare not respond to my messages, are you out of your mind?" She pouted.

Zelda ignored her, and focused on the plates on the table. "Maya. Can we just work?" She hushes her, 

Maya rolled her eyes playfully, before gazing elsewhere, her eyes flashing with humor, "I heard the head chef talking about some kind of promotion," She trailed off when Zelda wasn't looking at her. "For you."

"Me?" Zelda had said, now looking at her.

"Yes, you." Astonishment washed over her face, and she placed the spatula on the counter. "Zelda, you have been working here for six freakin' years, you deserve a promotion, a big one at least."

"Maybe." Zelda didn't want a promotion, she just wanted to earn decent money, and be able to feed her kids, her life, the only reason she was still living was because of her cute adorable but annoying kids.

The door chimed open, and the manager of the restaurant Mr. Stewart walked into the kitchen, he turned to face Maya, his face rigid. "Can I speak to Miss. Zelda?", "Alone,"

Maya shrugged her shoulders, casting her a look of 'I told you, just wait and see,' before she flipped the door closed.

Only when she was gone did he begin. "Miss. Zelda," 

Zelda waited, waited for him to speak, because it felt like every passing minute was ticking by, the atmosphere was suffocating, and yet, it was tense.

"Have you heard of the Harts?" He said, his tone rigid.

Zelda squeezed her face slightly, Hart? Hart? Hart? The name popped a slight memory in her brain, they were one of the prestigious families, the name carried significance, it carried worth, so, who in the hell wouldn't know the Hart?

"Yes Sir. I am well familiar with them." She stood in her steps.

"They are buying our restaurant, well, Nicholas Hart, he's buying our restaurant."

The color drained from her face, and she managed to breathe, "Does that mean... I am fired?"

"Not exactly," He is chortling right now. "He's planning on expanding the restaurant to other countries, so..." He gazed into her eyes. "You are promoted to the Head chef, but you will be based in New York."

She froze. Her lips parting slightly. In Horror.