CHAPTER THREE: Five Years Later

"Jael, stop pulling Jersey's hair!" I groaned as I gently separated my two troublesome kids.

"But Mom, she started it!" Jael protested, crossing his arms.

I just don't know why he's so stubborn because I wasn't like that neither was his father, but he’s… a jerk, and I won't allow Jael to be like him.

"Did not!" Jersey retorted, sticking out her tongue, and the two began fighting again.

"Alright, alright, enough," I sighed, trying to suppress my own laughter as I pulled Jersey into my lap, trying to keep her away from Jael. "Let's all sit down and eat breakfast, okay?"

The twins exchanged mischievous glances before settling down at the table. Once I noticed they were no longer fighting, I went to the kitchen and brought out the food and dished it out for them. Jersey’s a light eater, but Jael can eat the entire building.

Well… he’s a boy, and he needs to eat a lot to get strong energy full of a six-pack and a well-structured body.

I gently pat their heads as I watch them eat and then take my seat,  joining them. Just then, they started fighting again about who would have the most eggs. I didn't even bother to interfere as I kept smiling, watching their drama. 

They're the only joy in my life. Five years had passed since my world had been turned upside down. Now, I nestled in the quiet town of Ohio and found myself navigating the challenges of single motherhood, which brings me nothing but joy every time I look at my kids because they’re the ones who kept me going. They got everything they needed including a caring father.

“ Mom, is Maverick not coming home today?” Jersey asked.

“ Yeah, he got a lot of lives to save and will be a little busy for a while but he will be home soon.” Hearing that, they beamed with joy.

After finishing their food, I checked the time and it's already past seven,"Alright, Jael and Jersey, time to get ready for school!" I said as I cleared the plates from the table and ushered them to gather their belongings.

"But Mom, do we have to go?" Jael groaned, dragging his feet as he reluctantly grabbed his backpack.

Here we go again, our little school skipper who always doesn't like going to school but likes eating and watching cartoons a lot.

"Yes, sweetie, it's time for school," I replied with a patient smile, gently nudging Jael along because the last time I was impatient with him, I went through hell as he defiantly refused to take a step, and Jersey also refused since Jael wasn't.

With my hands full, as I was carrying their lunch boxes and also bags and files, I ushered the twins out the door and into the car. After dropping them off at school, I made my way to my workplace, where I worked as a secretary at a small delivery company.

After a long day, I got permission from my boss, as he’s already aware that I needed to pick up my kid, and that’s why I always get a lower pay since I left work earlier. I quickly went to pick them up, and then we headed home.  The drive home went really silent as noise filled everywhere as they both sang the songs they’re taught at school. Upon arriving home, I saw a brown folder at my doorstep, I picked it up and entered the house.

Dropping the folder on the table, I went to the kitchen and started preparing dinner while I also kept checking on them to make sure they didn't spoil or destroy anything.

After dinner,  I gave the two of them a night bath before putting them to bed. I watched as they drifted off to sleep, then I tiptoed out of their room and went to the living room.

Finally, I'm free from today…

I picked up a glass of water and gulped it down. Heading back to the bedroom, my gaze landed on a paper that was already torn into pieces.

Checking it, I wondered which paper it was  but then I remembered that I received a brown folder and those two troublesome kids must have torn it into pieces.

"Those two..." I groaned in frustration as I got no Idea how to glued it together.

Taking my seat, I placed it on the table and I began to arrange the pieces together, trying to make it whole again.

“I think this one should be here,” I placed the last piece together and in front of my lies a DNA test results of my dad and I.

Checking the results, it clearly stated 99.99% not biologically related and I scoffed at what this was trying to imply. I let out a small laughter as this seems so crazy right now. Then my gaze landed on the brown folder that the report was originally in. I stood up and picked it up, returning to my former position, I began to check the rest of the content and it also includes the DNA test results of Mary and mom and it also shows that I wasn't biologically to them.

“This is really getting crazy…”

I checked the results again thinking maybe I was just too tired not to see the content verry well but it's still showing the same thing. My gaze landed on the fourth results and on checking it, it’s a DNA result of me and someone that I don't even know and it clearly shows 99.99% biologically related.

A letter was attached to it and as I read the content of the letter, my hands trembled, my eyes became blurry as a light headache hit me. I took a deep breath trying to compose myself but it's not working as tears streamed down my face.

The letter said, my  parents aren't my real parents, and my real parents were killed by Cassius's family, our company was merged with theirs immediately after they died.

I tried so hard not to believe all this because my parents took good care of me and they gave me no room to even think that they’re not my real parents. But thinking about what they did to me just because of my actions, I started having a second thought.

I stood up and brought out my laptop and searched for Marcus Blakes and in front of me showed a man that I barely even knew, with his wife and holding a child that definitely looked like me when I was just ten years old.

Tears streamed down my face as I read the report which said they died in fire and there was no survivor. This definitely couldn't be fake as the news on the internet was posted 18 years ago. I sobbed silently with my hand covering my mouth so I won't wake up the kids.

“Life has totally been unfair to me, how can this be?”

Now everything's clear to me. This was the reason why those two sent me away and even tried to kill me. Just because I wasn't their biological daughter? How could they do this to me? I covered my hand with my palm as I tried to suppress sobs. I quickly stood up, picked up my phone, and called Maverick, telling him everything that happened.

"Emelia, you need to calm down right now. What if what you saw is fake?"

"No, I'm sure it isn't because I just saw my childhood picture on the internet.”

“ I can't remember anything, my head is blank and I don't really know why I can't remember my own real parents,”

“ it must have been a trauma, I think you have memory loss because of the fire but we need to find the source of this,”

“ No, I'm not curious about whosoever sent this to me. What I'm curious about is why everyone did this to me, why the Aldridge family killed my parents, why the people who raised me tried to kill me and why I have to endure everything with my kids alone while Cassius is enjoying the best of his life.” I lamented, as tears flowed uncontrollably. 

Wiping my tears away from my face, i stood up from my seat, “ I believe they all owned me an answer for their action, and i won't rest until I get to the bottom of this and make everyone of them pay,

“ Wait.. you are not thinking of barging into their house and asking them why they killed your parents!” Maverick screamed out, “ Emelia, do you know who we are talking about here? The Aldriches, the most powerful and wealthy family in the world. You got no idea the amount of authority and power they wield, so you better come back to your right senses now,”

I laughed at Maverick's words. Why would I barge into their home and asked them such question when I wasn't seeking death. 

“ No, I won't do such. Just trust me but you know what? I'm going back on the first flight tomorrow. " I said, determined to dig into the truth and get everything back.

“ But I think we need to check the facts before you take any drastic step. You don't know who sent you that message nor do you know anything about that family and just going there without any plan, might be dangerous.”

It's true I don't know anything about them but I would infiltrate that family and gathered all information about them, I would make them pay for what they did to my family and  the so-called parents of mine would also pay for trying to kill me just to protect their daughter's happiness.

“ No, I have made my decision. Please don't stop me.”

"If you need anything, don't forget to call me," Maverick said in a low tone as he realized that there's nothing he could do to change my mind.

Maverick was actually the one who saved me on the plane. If not for him, I would have died from the poison that my mother put in the food she gave me.

I was really grateful for his support over the years because I wouldn't have survived with the kids only on a meager salary that doesn't even pay my bills, let alone take care of the kids. But now, I need to fight for myself. I need to stop being weak and stand on my toes as everyone just kept taking me for granted and disposing me like a trash. I won't lose to anyone again and I’ll get everything back, every single penny back.