Lilian POV
In that unlikely moment when he entered the flower shop, it was as if the universe was playing a trick on me. After so long, he was there. Shocked, I backed away, almost falling to the ground. I was so focused and worried about my boys that the last thing I could think about at that moment was him. "Lilian…?" He spluttered, looking shocked to see me as well. "You…? What are you doing here?" I asked, still not understanding. The boys ran towards me, holding on to my leg. “We brought him for you, Mommy. He's your boyfriend now,” they said, all excited. "Oh, he's handsome," Ruby said, also smiling at the man. Oh my God… What was going on…? I didn't know what to do or how to react. “I saw them up on the hill, I thought they were lost, so I brought them back here. They are your children, right?” Jensen asked, his voice sounding calm, although he was still visibly surprised. "Yes, yes. They are my kids…” I replied, arranging my hair behind my ear, still in awe of the events. The children were talking about him, and I could only wonder what the hell was going on? Why was Jensen there, and what was he doing? After so long, I wouldn't even imagine that he remembered my name anymore. Rory was pulling on my arm, wanting attention. “Can you serve him apple pie, Mommy? He seems to be hungry, he was crying in his car,” the boy said, looking worried. Crying in the car? “Oh, poor thing. He must be so hungry,” Ruby commented, all moved. Jensen gave a little laugh that sounded more like a plea. I had to do something. “Have you guys done your homework today? Why don’t you go up to your room and catch up on the matter, huh?” I patted all three of their heads, and they nodded. “But you’re going to give him apple pie, right?” Ryan asked. “Remember, he’s your boyfriend.” “Okay, okay. I'll give him pie. Now go upstairs, okay?” I told them, and then I got the attention of Sadie, the nanny. “Please take them.” “Of course, Lilian,” the girl replied, and then took the children. “You guys come with me, and I’ll make you a snack too.” So she and the children went to the back of the store, which had the stairs that led to the small apartment upstairs where I lived with the triplets. “They demand energy, don’t they?” Jensen commented, still looking in the direction the children had gone. I gave an embarrassed laugh. “They love feeding people,” I commented, wiping my hands on the apron that was tied around my waist. My hands weren't dirty, they were just sweaty from the highly embarrassing moment. “They're lovely kids, I must say,” he commented, putting his hands in his pockets. “Thank you…” I couldn’t even look at his face, and apparently he couldn’t even look into my eyes since he was looking everywhere in the flower shop except at me. “Beautiful place here. Bold and friendly. I see nature following you everywhere you go,” he praised, making me chuckle. It had been so long since I heard his voice that I just didn't know how to act now. “I didn’t know you moved to Rustburg,” he commented. "Oh yeah. I needed to start over somewhere,” I replied, clasping my own hands. “Thank you for bringing the boys here.” I remembered to say thank you. “You’re welcome, it was a pleasure,” he replied with a small smile, and then turned around, intending to leave. I was torn. Years had passed, and I didn't know what to think of him. I still hated him for what he had done to me in the past, but I couldn't ignore the flutter in my heart when I saw him there. And now he was turning to leave, and maybe I would never see him again, or maybe it would take another five years for this event to happen. So that desire to want him to stay a little longer was clear to me. Should I invite him to eat the apple pie, just like the kids recommended? No… it wasn't good to hear my inconsequential thoughts. I had to put my hand on my conscience and remind myself that this man did not have a good character. He hadn't been a nice person... But before he reached the door, he turned back to me. “I'm in town for a few days, and I think the kids liked me. If you don't mind, I can take them to the park tomorrow afternoon,” he suggested. “In your company or in the company of someone you trust, of course.” He chuckled, which I returned. “Okay, maybe,” I replied, nodding repeatedly, my heart almost coming out of my mouth. "It would be great. See you tomorrow then,” he said, opening the door and leaving after waving lightly at me. When the door closed behind him, I had to hold on to the flower shop counter to keep from falling to the floor because my legs were so wobbly. I touched my cheeks with the palm of my hand. I was so hot, my heart was almost jumping out of my mouth. “Oh my God in heaven… what just happened here…?” I babbled to myself, having so many questions. Had Jensen Grimes just left my flower shop? Had Jensen Grimes really been there? And he was so… different from the last time we spoke. It had happened five years ago, but I remembered everything as if it had been yesterday. Oh, my God in heaven! I ended up remembering that hateful woman who was with him the last time I saw him five years ago. Were they still together? Well, even if they were, it wasn't something I should care about, right? My Goodness! And the triplets were saying he was supposed to be my boyfriend, little did they know that Jensen Grimes was their father…Jensen POVIt was really hard to believe that I had just met Lilian Smith, after I had been thinking about her and looking for her all this time. But there she was, as beautiful and adorable as ever, and despite being away from her for so long, she still made my heart almost fail just by looking at her.Five years had passed, but she didn't seem to have changed at all, her black, wavy hair still fell heavily over her shoulders, and her penetrating dark almond eyes that always looked at me with such scrutiny were the same—every detail of her face. The small nose and full but small mouth, the angelic and natural face that made me fall in love with her from the moment I met her. But I had lost it because of nonsense… I had lost my treasure.“I didn't know you moved to Rustburg,” I commented as she and I were alone in that flower shop after her kids and the kids' nanny had gone upstairs.“I had to start over somewhere, right?” She responded in a simple way, shrugging her shoulders. It was
Lilian POV"What? Was your ex-husband here? The one who demanded a quick divorce and kicked you out of his life like you were a bitch?” April Monroe, my best friend, asked loudly, sounding scandalized.It was already evening and I had already closed the flower shop, my children were in the small living room of my apartment drinking milk and eating their cookies while watching TV. April and I were in my room and I had finally told her that.But I hurriedly ran to close the door of my room so that neither my children nor the nanny could hear the insane screams of this crazy woman. “Stop shouting! The kids might end up listening to you,” I told her.She sighed heavily and threw herself into my seat. “I'm sorry, girl, but a situation like this is so sickening. What does he want with you, anyway? Hasn’t he hurt you enough?” she looked disgusted.I sighed, sitting in front of my dressing table. I had just taken my shower, and now I was brushing my long, heavy hair in front of the mirror, my
Lilian POVI stood still for a while as I looked at the man in front of me, standing there at my door. It was so random that I kept thinking about the possibility that one day, suddenly, Jensen Grimes would appear right here on my doorstep. He was watching me go to Finn with a bit of a frown on his face.“Jensen? What a surprise to see you here, I really didn't expect that,” I commented, giggling nervously at that event. “First at the flower shop and now here, it seems like today we don't stop bumping into each other, really,” Finn commented while looking at Jensen.“If I were a little bolder, I would even say you were following me,” Jensen commented, being polite.I looked from one to the other, curious about their interaction. “Do you already know each other?” I asked.“This gentleman ended up crashing into me earlier today while I was on my way to your flower shop,” Finn replied shortly, but not rudely.“Oh, okay. That's funny.” I nodded, reminding myself that it really hadn't tak
Lilian POVThe drive to the restaurant that Finn had reserved for him and me was somewhat silent and a bit uncomfortable, as my ex-husband was sitting by my side while driving his car and my suitor was sitting in the backseat. I didn't even know exactly how to interpret that, I didn't understand how things ended up in this state.Even this morning, if somebody told me that I would be between two gentlemen, feeling courted by them, I would probably laugh about it. I was the one who said I didn't want anything to do with men or have a relationship again, and now here I am, being courted by two knights. Milo’s wasn’t really a restaurant or anything like that, it was more like a snack bar, but it was very well known, and everyone went there. “I'm going to make an order,” Finn said as soon as Jensen and I walked into that pub. “Okay, thanks.” I smiled at him, and then he went to the counter of the place. “Was this the place he was actually taking you out to dinner?” Jensen asked once w
Lilian POVFor a moment, I didn't believe that Jensen had actually spoken those words at that moment. I was looking at him, trying to figure out what was wrong with him because he was being so inconvenient to Finn, humiliating him just because the police officer was a poor man.I looked at him, feeling bad about it. “Why are you doing this?” I whispered, feeling embarrassed. “Is this serious, Lilian?” Finn asked, visibly uncomfortable. “This is serious,” guys, you didn’t respond, ignoring me. “You’re not on her level. So all this is nothing more than something vain. You are only wasting your strength and resources, my dear friend.”“Jensen, please stop it,” I asked, feeling bad for Finn.“You really have a fine touch,” Finn said to me, looking a little disillusioned. “But I had no idea you could be this rich.”“I’m not rich, Finn. At least not anymore,” I said, correcting him. “I already said that my parents went bankrupt, and there was nothing left of my past.” That one I said, loo
Lilian POVWhen the food arrived, then he could eat. Honestly, he was complaining while eating because he wasn't satisfied with that food, which was the cheap and fast food.“This is definitely not healthy,” he said as I stuffed his mouth full of burgers. “Don't look at me like that,” he said. I shrugged. “I’m not looking at anything.”“Yes, you are looking. You’re looking at me like you’re going to scold me because I am judging your boyfriend,” He replied. “But am I not right to judge? What kind of man is this who takes you to fast food for a date? Is he so poor that he even couldn’t afford a proper restaurant?” He snorted and stuffed chips into his mouth. “That's definitely the last thing I care about, and he's not my husband,” I replied to him, and I drank my juice. “Of course the last thing you cared about, since you were always so humble with everything and everyone. But enough about charity,” he said, and he drank his beer. “But then? Do you already have a full belly? Can yo
Lilian POVThat night, when I got home, my triplets were already asleep. I was feeling a little unwell, so I took them all to sleep with me in my bed. I did that whenever I felt alone or when I was in those blue moments. Not only that, but I was feeling terrible now, maybe because I had just seen Jensen, and we had talked about things that happened in the past, and on the way back here, I kind of ended up thinking about things that happened that time. Now I find myself downcast. My babies were warm and cozy. I placed them all in front of me while lying down and put my arm around their bodies, protecting and hugging them, so I could sleep safely. “I want to be at peace with you, Lilian…” I remembered Jensen’s words when we were still at Milo’s. He wanted peace... He wanted all the resentment and remorse between us to end and for us to be at peace. What could that mean to me after everything he put me through? Yes, I no longer had a grudge against him because I didn't think he was re
Lilian POVI literally didn't believe it when Ruby told me that. Was Jensen Grimes at my home that early in the morning? And what was he doing here? Didn't he talk about everything he had to talk about last night? So what was his intention to come here to my house again, especially at this time of the morning? I was so shocked that I didn't even remember to put on suitable clothes since, like the children, I was still in my pajamas. So I went to the living room to ask him what he was doing in my house at this time. Jensen was playing with the boys, the kids had even forgotten the pancakes they spent the whole morning asking me to make. Now their breakfast was still there on the table, forgotten by them, as their new attraction had just arrived. I couldn't really explain why the hell the kids liked this man so much. Maybe it should be the father-child bond speaking loudly to them since, even though they didn't know it yet, Jensen was their biological father.Now the boys were sitting