(Red’s POV)“Red!” Aya panted. “Our baby… God, our baby,” she whimpered helplessly before she fainted in Gino’s arms.It must be the adrenaline rush because I ran like crazy toward my wife and carried her to the car, forgetting Violet was still there. Dante didn’t need instructions on where to go. As soon as I closed the door, he drove the car to the hospital as fast as he could.“Aya, talk to me.” I grabbed her hand, squeezing it, hoping she would respond to me. “Aya, please...” I cried, pressing her palm on my cheek. My world would crumble and shard my heart into million pieces if something terrible happened to her.“What happened, daddy?” Violet cried as she brushed her mother’s hair. “Is she hurt? Is the baby okay?”Hearing and seeing my daughter crying and panicking woke me up and reminded me that I should gather all the strength I had left for my family. I breathed in and out, calming my trembling body and trying to brush off the fear crawling in my veins.“Let’s hope she’s not
(Red’s POV)“Why did you bring the kids here?” I hissed annoyingly at Ariana.My six children sandwiched themselves on a couch, almost not moving except for their eyes as they watched the cartoons on a small television. Wilma and Dante went inside and stayed a while ago, but a few minutes later, they told me they would stay in the waiting area. Surely, they noticed how small the room was, and many visitors would be inconvenient for the patient.My sister cocked her head to the side, checking on my wife sleeping deeply. She heaved a sigh and looked at me.“If I don’t bring the rest of your children here, Red, without seeing their mother, I am telling you, The Sophia House would look like someone had died. I was thinking of showing them around the town and maybe... have some ice cream, but you said you got Aya a private room.”I sneered and wandered around the room. “This isn’t a city, Ariana. The big hospital is in the next town.”“Let them stay for a bit,” Ariana smiled, staring adora
(Aya’s POV)Ariana hissed annoyingly at Red, looking like she was ready to pounce at her brother. My husband only crossed his arms over his chest, leaned calmly on the wall, and smirked at her. I sighed and chuckled nervously as I placed the tray of cupcakes on the kitchen island in the common room.My six children were busy helping Gino and another guest blow out the balloons, handing the finished ones to Addie and Leslie as they decorated the area. A few guests who had just arrived earlier decided to join our little celebration and even helped in decorating. I knew that Addie and Leslie were as upset as Ariana because the three of them had been planning a gender reveal with fireworks and a great party, but Gino slipped, accidentally telling the children that we already knew the gender of our baby.As soon as we arrived at the B&B this morning, our kids did not stop bothering Red and me, wanting to know if they had a baby sister or a baby brother. For the sake of world peace, we deci
(Aya’s POV) “Can we name our baby sister now,” Green muttered excitedly as he ate his cake. Red turned his head to me, raising his eyebrows and asking me in silence if it was okay. I nodded, also excited about their suggestions. “Oh…kay…” He nodded slowly to them. “We’re open to suggestions,” he said, emphasizing the last word and glancing at the open main door when a familiar girl peered from the outside. “Can we do that later? We have guests.” Emily showed up at the door, smiling apologetically at us and glancing at the little girl she was with. For Rosie’s sake, I begged Red not to file a case against Emmet because on the day he ran toward me, he was not attacking; he was also trying to catch me. Violet smiled at Rosie, walking toward her and extending her hand to the child. “Hi, Rosie. Do you like cupcakes?” She nodded, her eyes wide as she looked interestingly at the balloons. She grabbed Violet’s hand and followed her toward the table. Red and I walked toward Emily, who st
(Red’s POV)“You... know that I am Scarlett’s...” I gritted my teeth, clenching my fists but trying to control myself from hitting Emmet’s face.Emmet met my eyes and slowly shook his head. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. When he opened his eyes, he looked at his sister.“Emily, why don’t you take Rosie home?” He begged and smiled sadly at his daughter.“I don’t want to go home yet,” Rosie pouted her lips, her eyes pleading with him to let her stay.“You should listen to your daddy. Go home, Rosie,” Blue said as he got off his chair. “I’ll play outside. Triplets, do you like to play with me?”This was the first time I saw my children push away another child. Ariana always said that my kids could be awarded for amiableness and friendliness, which she sometimes disliked because it sometimes ended up trouble for her wallet when my kids also wanted to treat others with ice cream or any treats. My twins, even Katie, the sweetest of our daughters, said nothing about Rosie. She got
(Red’s POV)“Did we do something wrong?” Blue blinked his adorable eyes at me. “I’m okay having a baby sister, I swear!” He said, raising his right hand. “It’s okay we lost the bet.”We were in the main bedroom, looking like having a story-telling class, when I asked them to sit on the bed while Aya and I sat, almost leaning on the bed’s headboard, facing the children.“No,” Violet answered without breaking her gaze at me. “Mom and Dad are going to talk to us about Emmet and Rosie... and mom... the Scarlett mom,” she muttered, emphasizing her mother’s name.Katie pursed her lips as she played with her slime toy. “Why is your mom also Rosie’s mom?” she asked, leaning forward to look at Violet and her round eyes blinking curiously at her sister.She leaned back when my eldest daughter pursed her lips. Katie’s eyebrows knitted as she thought, then she shrugged her shoulders and continued playing with her toy.Violet sighed. “I hope I know the answer to that question, Katie,” she muttered
(Aya’s POV)“Will I get a discount if I give referrals?” Miles smiled as he picked up his cup of coffee. His eyes wandered around the common room.“Even if you don’t give referrals, Miles. I’ll still give you a discount... or maybe have your accommodation for free,” I promised him.Miles chuckled. “I’ll call you when I have the time to hike,” he sipped his coffee and then put his cup back on the center table. “But before my hiking plans, I should close this case first.”He must be working overtime; his wide-set eyes looked tired but still focused on our discussion. I wondered if he had ever slept or had time to eat. When Red called Mike and asked them to come, they arrived in less than three hours at the lodge.It was almost midnight.“You should go home, Red,” Miles said, surprising us with his advice. “Bring the kids back to the villa and pretend for a while, at least for the kids, that everything’s normal between you and Scarlett.”“I think it’s too late for that,” I cut in and smi
(Aya’s POV)“Did you bring everything you needed?” Addie chuckled, asking me jokingly the same question she had the first time I got here in the villa in Rose Hills.I laughed as I get off the car, hating that I had to feel like my bladder was about to explode if I didn’t find a toilet right this minute. I had no intention of getting inside the villa, but Dante stopped the car in the driveway. I already had the chills, my tiny hair standing up, and my baby seemed to feel my need as it moved and kicked. I almost rolled my hair, seeing Scarlett standing in the doorway, waiting for her family.“I’m not sure I need them now, Addie,” I growled on the phone, thinking quickly about where the nearest restroom would be. “What I want now is to pee, and if I don’t, I’ll leak in Gino’s car… or worse, here in the porch!”“Then leak there first. I’m sure Scarlett won’t mind,” she advised. “Got to go, cous. We have a guest. Take care, okay?” she said, ending the call.“Why don’t you use the one nea