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 thoughts far away. “Actually, he didn’t seem to want anything. He seemed surprised to see me after so long,” I commented, looking at my face in the mirror. “Yes, your meeting may not have been planned out, but I bet he won't miss the chance to hurt you again,” she objected. I frowned and turned to look at her. “Why do you think that? What harm would he want to do to me?” I tried to think about it. “I don't know, but I'm sure he'll do something bad. He already hurt you once, Lilie, and I'm sure he'll do it again. Watch out, girl,” my friend said, looking so worried. She actually had a very high sense of protection towards me since the day I told her about my old relationship and how it had ended. April was an excellent friend, she was neither thin nor fat, her hair was curly, and she worked in a snack bar in the center of the town. She wasn't married and only lived in a few ways, and at that point in her life she had already given up believing that love existed, maybe that's why she wasn't inclined to believe in a possible regret coming from Jensen. “Just chill, April. It was just this sudden shock after not having seen him all this time, it's not like I was going to give myself into his arms or something. I'm fine,” I told her with a smile and went back to brushing my hair. “You should have seen the kids saying they found me a boyfriend and bringing their dad to be my boyfriend. It’s your fault that you’re putting these thoughts in their heads.” I rolled my eyes when I remembered that. “Are you going to tell him he’s the father of your triplets?” she asked, getting straight to the point. I sighed, choosing not to look at her. I was afraid of that. “I'm not worried about it, April. He rejected my pregnancy, so he has no rights over the children,” I said, choosing to think that way. “But what if he is?” She insisted. “From what you told me, he is rich and powerful. What if he wants to take the children away from you?” My daughter saved me from answering that one by opening the bedroom door and peeking inside. “Mommy, Officer Finn is here. He brought you a huge bouquet,” she said, looking surprised. "What?" I was confused. Did Finn bring me flowers? “Oh my God, this is perfect,” April cheered happily and ran to the door. “Ruby, honey. Tell Officer Finn that Mommy is getting ready to look beautiful for him,” she said, and then closed the door when the girl nodded and ran out, obeying the older women. “What are you doing, April?” I asked without understanding anything. “I'm giving you a push for something you should have done a long time ago,” she said, going to open my closet and choosing a dress. “We both know that Finn Sawyer has been in love with you for a long time. He is handsome, kind, and honest; the perfect guy for you. You have to start hanging out with him more, go on a date with him. You get a good boyfriend and your ex-husband, that loser, will stay away from you! Got it!" she exclaimed, pulling out a pretty dress from my closet. “Put on that dress. Red looks good on you.” She handed me the piece of clothing. “But I wasn't even planning on going out today, April,” I hesitated, shrugging. “Get up from that chair, Lilian Smith. Are you really going to keep your future boyfriend waiting?” she pressed me, pulling me by the arm. “You’re so crazy,” I grumbled, but I picked up the dress and went to get ready. ****** A while later, I was in front of Finn, already dressed and ready. He was wearing casual clothes and actually had a large bouquet of flowers in his hands, the same bouquet that he had made at my flower shop, that is, I was the one who had made the bouquet. He had said it was for his mother, but apparently he had fooled me. “You really know how to play tricks, Finn,” I said with a smile, holding the bouquet in both hands. “If I said the flowers were actually for you, it wouldn’t be funny,” he replied with a chuckle. “I also made a dinner reservation at Milo’s for both of us, if you don’t mind coming with me, of course.” “She doesn't mind, yes. She even got ready for you.” April was quick to respond, making me laugh and shake my head. She was impossible. “Of course, I'll love it,” I finally replied to Finn. Maybe I really needed to get out a little and not think about who I shouldn't. I went to put the bouquet in a vase of water to keep it fresh for longer and then went to hug the triplets. “You guys behave, okay? Mommy is going to hang out with Officer Finn for a bit,” I told them, giving them little kisses. “But what about your boyfriend?” Rory asked looking confused. “Finn has a cool police car, but he's not your boyfriend, Mom,” Ryan added. "Who?" I heard Finn ask. “Oh, my God, you little brats,” April lightly tugged on their ears, which made them laugh. “Go quickly, Lilian. They are fine with me and Sadie.” She pointed to the nanny, who was making more milk for the children. I sighed and nodded. “I'm counting on it,” I said, grabbing my purse and heading over to the officer. “Did I hear the boys talking about a boyfriend of yours?” he asked being curious "Oh no. They're just kidding,” I told him. “Shall we?” “Of course,” he replied, smiling at me. But when I went to open the door, we were met with none other than Jensen Grimes standing there at the door looking like he was about to ring the doorbell. “Jensen?” I gasped, surprised. He looked at me and Finn and frowned. “Are you guys leaving? Good, then I'll go with you,” he said.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
Lilian POVI was surprised by how excited the kids were about it. With the help of the nanny, they got ready while I prepared the picnic basket. I decided to take sandwiches, fruits, sweets, cakes, juices and soft drinks. I brought enough food because I knew the children loved to bite into something all the time.At that moment, when I was preparing the food basket and the children were in the room with the nanny, Jensen was sitting on my sofa, throwing some indiscreet glances in my direction.“Umm, I'll warn you, Mr. Billionaire. If you think this won't take long, I'm sorry to tell you that you are very mistaken,” I told him as I made the sandwiches. “There are three children with a lot of energy, so it takes a whole preparation process just to do something as simple as going to the park with him.” My lines were ironic. Taking care of three kids was not easy at all, it was far from it, in fact. I really had no time for almost anything.He was just chuckling and shaking his head, as i
Lilian POV“Jensen, I present to you April Monroe, my best friend. April, this is Jensen Grimes, my ex-husband,” I said, formally introducing them to each other.“Wow! That was totally unexpected... Like, what the heck?” she stammered, taking a few steps back in shock, and then grabbed my elbow and pulled me into the kitchen. “Girl, was that the man you married?” She sighed, completely frantic.“Yes, it was him,” I shrugged. “And why the hell did you divorce him?” She was freaking out.“He’s just a pretty face, okay? He's nothing but an asshole,” I said, playing with a strand of my hair."Okay. But, I mean... Girl, for a guy like that, I would be tempted to let it go, you know?” She giggled. “Pretend I don’t see anything and stuff.” She elbowed me lightly in the arm. “What a hottie guy, honestly…” she melted as she looked at Jensen with a face of anguish.“Besides, he’s filthy rich,” I told her with a laugh.My friend almost passed out at the revelation. “Good heavens! You're so luck