“Haze?”The soft call reached Gia’s ears, making her smile. Only one person in the world called her by that name. Knowing Raven was nearby filled her with strength.“Wake up... Two angels are waiting to meet you.”The whisper stirred Gia awake.Raven’s face hovered above her, his eyes red and swollen. Gia didn’t need to ask why he had been crying—she knew Raven only shed tears for those closest to his heart.Gia lifted her hand, though it felt impossibly heavy. The anesthesia likely hadn’t entirely left her system.Seeing Gia reaching out, Raven caught her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it gently. “You are the most extraordinary woman, and I will never regret choosing you,” he whispered.“They... are...” Gia’s throat felt dry, her tongue felt heavy; her words caught in her throat.Raven quickly grabbed a bottle with a steel straw from nearby. The nurse, Vero, had prepared it earlier.Gia greedily sipped the water from the bottle.“Slow down. No one’s going to take it from yo
“Before heading home, I want to talk to you later. Please come to my office, okay?”Vero leaned her head into Gia’s room as she spoke. A smile appeared on her lips when she noticed the chaos inside.“Okay,” Gia replied briefly, focusing on handling Freya, who was persistently feeding even though her sibling was starting to get restless, waiting their turn. Nearby, Sophie paced back and forth, organizing the supplies they were bringing home, with Marlow helping her.Raven cradled Alrix, patiently waiting for his turn to eat. Fortunately, the baby stayed calm in his arms, squirming slightly but not crying. If he cried, Freya wouldn’t sleep—such was the reality of having twins. When one cried, the other would likely follow."What’s this about?" Raven asked, curious about Vero’s odd request. Everything seemed settled, and they were supposed to leave soon.Gia shook her head in answer, unwilling to disturb Freya, who was finally dozing off. Her eyes closed, and her lips released Gia’s ches
Gia slowly lay down on the bed with Sophie’s help. Marlow and Sophie naturally followed Gia back to Ranallo’s residence, where they planned to stay. Matteo didn’t mind; he welcomed anyone close to Gia.“I know he’s your brother, but isn’t he a bit intimidating?” Sophie whispered, glancing at Matteo, gazing at the two babies in their cradle."That’s just how he is. Don’t worry; he won’t hurt me or them,” Gia replied, smiling at Matteo.In moments like this, Matteo looked like a teddy bear to her—big like a bear but soft and gentle when touched. Feeling Gia’s gaze, Matteo nodded with a faint smile.“I never thought I’d meet someone even more unreasonable than Raven. That is shocking for me," Sophie commented, arranging Gia’s blanket.“Men like that are rare… and somehow, they always seem to gravitate toward me,” Gia chuckled.“You must have a hidden magnet for cold men buried somewhere in your body,” Sophie joked, her grin wide.“Hmmm... I didn’t expect your brother to be someone quite
Gia stretched her arms and body as crying pierced through the night again.Before she could get up, Raven stopped her. “I’ll take care of it. You just go back to sleep.”"They’re crying at the same time, Raven. You won’t be able to handle it alone,” Gia said skeptically.“I’ll manage. If I need help, I’ll call you. Now rest,” Raven insisted.Though doubtful, Gia relented. From her bed, she watched as Raven tried to handle the twins’ cries.First, he warmed two bottles of breast milk Gia had pumped earlier that day.Next, he checked their diapers. Awkward but determined, Raven replaced the diapers with growing confidence. Gia figured he must have learned by watching Sophie or herself. She had never explicitly taught him, nor had she asked him to know.Gia had no need to learn the basics of baby care; as a nurse, she had handled countless newborns in the hospital’s maternity ward. Those skills were proving invaluable now.Despite the overwhelming cries of both babies, Raven remained cal
"Psychiatrist? There was a psychiatrist who examined me?” Gia asked in surprise.Raven nodded.“He could only make an estimation since he didn’t consult with you directly. His diagnosis was based on the story I told him. He also admitted his diagnosis might not be entirely accurate. But now, I’m convinced he was right.”"Why?"“I’ll explain from the beginning so you don’t get confused.”Gia nodded.“He said you’re experiencing a different form of depression and trauma. I strongly denied it at the time because you showed no signs of either.”"I’m not depressed!" Gia protested. Her life hadn’t been smooth, but she didn’t feel like she was suffering from depression.Raven raised a hand, signaling Gia to be patient and let him continue.“He said your sleep every day isn’t complete. You sleep, but your consciousness doesn’t fully shut down. You might not realize it, but according to him, part of you remains alert.”"I’m not alert!" Gia interjected again, refusing to accept Raven’s explanat
“Don’t hold it like that—you’ll hurt him. Hold him like this! Can’t you see? All you have to do is follow my example, yet you still mess it up!” Raven’s sharp criticism was aimed squarely at his newest nemesis, Matteo.Matteo’s green eyes glared at Raven, but he couldn’t argue back. Regarding handling babies, although their skills weren’t worlds apart, Matteo begrudgingly admitted that Raven was more knowledgeable. Matteo was, at best, a noob in baby care.Narrowing his eyes, Matteo studied the position of Raven’s hands as he cradled Freya. He adjusted his grip on Alrix accordingly, ensuring the baby stopped squirming in discomfort.To Matteo’s annoyance, Alrix immediately settled down after he followed Raven’s instructions. Matteo’s large hands’ gentle rocking lulled the baby into calmness, and his eyelids fluttered shut.Raven laughed silently, his mouth stretched wide in mockery, but no sound escaping. His smug expression screamed triumph. He wouldn’t dare disturb the peace now tha
What Gia meant by not having money was that she hadn’t handled any cash for the past few months.After being with Raven, Gia never felt the need for money—whether cash or credit cards. The last time she went shopping was with Rose in Eze.At that time, they paid for everything with one of Raven’s cards. Since then, Gia’s needs have been cared for, even before she asked.Gia never had to buy groceries; the fridge was always stocked—courtesy of Sophie, Raven, or one of the staff. She also never felt the need to purchase clothes.Clothes, shoes, and accessories were always available wherever she was. Gia had even stopped complaining about floral-patterned dresses like the one she was wearing now.Her makeup supplies were always neatly arranged on her vanity, even though she had never asked for them. Gia found it amusing. She should have felt rich after marrying Raven, but she never felt the need for money because Raven had already met all her needs before she even asked.Today, however,
Sophie pushed Raven and Gia out of the pavilion. “Stop worrying and just go already!” she urged.“But what if…”“I’ve had plenty of experience handling two stubborn babies. Look, one of them grew up healthy and was incredibly handsome.” Sophie pointed at Raven, her face brimming with pride.“I became handsome on my own. It has nothing to do with you,” Raven retorted.“Whatever the case, you grew up healthy and handsome, didn’t you? So taking care of two babies for a few hours is something I can handle,” Sophie replied confidently.“But Raven and Lonan weren’t babies at the same time. It’s different now. You’ll have trouble i
“Look at that!”Mette exclaimed excitedly, making Martha pause while arranging Mette’s hair. Mette leapt from her chair and approached Gia, who had just entered the room.Gia entered, already dressed in the party attire Sophie had prepared for her. Sophie had instructed her to style her hair and makeup to perfection. The makeup was soft and subtle, enhancing Gia’s beauty without being overwhelming.Gia wore the red dress Sophie had selected the day before. It was slightly longer than knee-length and had open sleeves. Detailed floral embroidery and sequins adorned the V-shaped bodice extending to her waist.The dress gave Gia an intimidating aura and amplified her presence. Her petite frame seemed taller by a few centimetres, making her appear more striking than usual.Perhaps that added height was due to the high heels she wore. Though not as extreme as the killer heels from a few days ago, they were still tall enough. More importantly, Gia felt comfortable in these moderately high he
Gia brushed off the clumps of dirt stuck to the hem of her pants. She then rubbed the soles of her shoes against the grass to dislodge the muddy soil clinging to them.It rained heavily last night, leaving the ground today covered in leftover mud. However, the mud didn’t pose a problem for Mette.Mette’s schedule today involved attending another charity event. Unlike yesterday’s event, which focused on illnesses, today’s organization was dedicated to environmental conservation and sustainability.At the event, Mette donated a significant sum of money to purchase tree saplings to be planted worldwide. The donation was enough to buy millions of saplings.Mette had to step onto the soil and plant a tree in a designated spot as part of the symbolic donation ceremony, including documentation and other formalities. This was why Gia’s shoes and pants got dirty.Once the event concluded, Gia was responsible for cleaning Mette’s shoes, which were in a similar condition.Earlier, a rather amusi
When Gia received Natalie’s schedule for Mette, she didn’t pay much attention. That was a mistake because the schedule for the visit was packed, and Mette enthusiastically followed every event, as she was used to such a busy pace.Once the official welcoming ceremony at the palace was over, Mette and Haakon parted ways. Mette accompanied Queen Silvia, while Haakon had separate engagements with King Gustaf.Matteo was supposed to shadow Haakon, staying true to his undercover role. However, Matteo chose to stay with Gia due to their unique situation. Haakon’s actual bodyguard didn’t comment on Matteo joining Mette’s entourage instead.After just two events, Gia’s feet began to protest. Her admiration for Natalie soared as she watched the girl stand all day in those shoes and still move effortlessly. Meanwhile, Gia’s toes were starting to burn, screaming for freedom.The bad news was that Mette’s schedule was only halfway done. They were attending a luncheon hosted by a brain cancer rese
"Yes. Just a few days ago,” Gia answered smoothly, without hesitation. Quite convincing.“And you?” Martha pointed at Matteo. “What happened to Dion?”Gia didn’t know who Dion was, but based on the context, he seemed to be Haakon’s usual bodyguard.“He’s sick. Resting,” Matteo answered coldly and briefly.The sunglasses hid almost all of his facial expressions. The other bodyguard glanced at Matteo. He surely knew it was a lie, but he didn’t interfere.“Really? I didn’t know he was sick. He seemed fine yesterday,” Martha said, looking surprised. She trusted Matteo but was puzzled by the sudden illness.“A severe flu,” Matteo added to clear Martha’s remaining doubts.“What about Natalie?”After hearing Matteo’s reasonable explanation, she turned back to Gia. This time, Gia knew that Natalie was the name of Mette’s usual assistant.“She had a sudden family emergency. They couldn’t be left alone. She left unexpectedly yesterday.”Gia inwardly groaned as she realized she had unintentional
Svvere laughed as he listened to Gia’s criticism.“It’s not pleasant at all. I hate it too,” Svvere said.“Does it have to be like this every year?” Gia questioned the gloomy tradition, secretly wishing Svvere didn’t have to go through it annually. It would be too sad if he did.Svvere nodded with exaggerated enthusiasm. “It’s annoying, isn’t it? But thankfully, Mamma replaced it with another party.”“What do you mean?”“When the formal party ends, Mamma hosts a second birthday party the next day. It’s more relaxed, with just cousins and a few close relatives attending.”“That’s wonderful!”Svvere nodded and smiled, knowing the additional party was meant to cheer him up. No wonder he grew up to be such a cheerful young man despite enduring such odd traditions. Mette had ensured that Svvere’s childhood was as normal as possible.Gia’s admiration for Mette grew a little more. At first, she had judged the family for holding such a stiff and formal birthday party.But while they adhered t
Gia hugged Al one more time before handing him over to Marlow. Sophie and Marlow would take care of them. Eventually, Marlow was summoned back to Geirangerfjord, leaving Sophie unable to handle them alone.Fortunately, Al and Frey no longer relied heavily on breast milk since they ate complementary foods. The frozen breast milk supply was also enough to last for a week.Frey immediately reached out his hand as soon as Gia freed hers. He always felt jealous whenever his older brother received more attention, whether from Gia or Raven.Sensing Gia’s unease, the little girl nestled her head against Gia’s neck and wrapped her arms around it in silence, offering comfort and reassurance.“I’ll be back soon, sweetheart. Wait a little longer. I’ll bring Daddy home,” Gia whispered.Frey missed Raven the most. He often cried and became fussy at night, his only way to express how much he missed his father. Gia understood the meaning behind those cries, which made her feel even more devastated.W
“I think this works,” Sophie said, pulling out two suits—one in blue and the other in black. "Go ahead, try them on."Gia nodded obediently and took the two suits into the fitting room. She complied because she understood the necessity of it all. After checking herself in the mirror twice, Gia finally nodded. The suits Sophie had chosen fit her petite frame perfectly."How is it?" Sophie asked."I think they’re fine," Gia replied."Great! Now all we need is to find a party dress.” With quick movements, Sophie handed the two formal suits to the sales assistant for processing."Add these too," Sophie said, pointing to two more outfits she had picked earlier.Gia was already content with the first two suits, but Sophie thought two were far too few. There was no point in arguing with Sophie about the number of clothes. Gia had to comply, or things would drag on unnecessarily.After paying for the purchases, they moved to another boutique specializing in evening and cocktail dresses.Choos
While waiting for Haakon, they enjoyed lunch. Al and Frey needed extra attention during the meal. Mette happily took over Sophie’s role and helped feed Frey. Matteo, on the other hand, wasn’t exceptionally skilled at this.It was clear that Svvere adored Freya. As he sat beside his mother, watching her feed Frey, his eyes never left her. Several times, Gia noticed him gently stroking Frey’s head with affection.Svvere even tried feeding Frey himself, though his hands were clumsy. When he succeeded, he clapped his hands like he had just won a prestigious competition. Frey’s laughter matched Svvere’s excitement, filling the room with joy.Seeing this warmed Gia’s heart a little. She truly hoped that Haakon would provide the answer she was longing for.“She doesn’t want to anymore. You don’t need to force her,” Gia explained, noticing Svvere’s sad expression when Frey refused to open her mouth again.“Is she full?” Svvere asked.“And she’ll probably feel sleepy soon,” Gia replied, explai
Mette’s residence was just as Gia remembered it, though perhaps a bit livelier now that flowers were beginning to bloom in the garden in front of the house. The last time she visited was during autumn when the garden looked much barer.“He’s the prince of Norway?” Matteo still seemed unable to believe that Gia could be close to someone of such stature. He had underestimated Lindgren’s influence before.Gia nodded. “Haakon, Mette’s husband, is the heir to the throne of Norway.”“Let’s see how this unfolds,” Matteo ended the discussion as the car stopped.Al clung tightly to Gia as they got out of the car. The boy always seemed uncomfortable in unfamiliar environments. On the other hand, Frey didn’t seem to care—especially since he was fast asleep in Matteo’s arms.The staff welcomed Gia the first time she visited. Today was special. She saw Mette standing at the main door; naturally, Svvere was with her.“Gia!” Svvere shouted, running toward her. The noise disturbed Frey, but Matteo ca