(Anj’s POV)It was just past six in the morning, but the sky had already promised good but hot weather. If Finn did not come to find me last night, I wondered what Sky would do with our wailing children. My triplets were not only sensitive to their feelings or emotions, but when having nightmares, I would sometimes hear them talk they had the same bad dreams. The scent of the coffee filling my nostrils woke me up from daydreaming. When I raised my head, I smiled, seeing Dylan’s handsome face, holding a tray with three cups of coffee, and following behind her was Anya. She grinned at me, which I knew she had practiced many times before facing me.“I wonder why wealthy people have so many servants when they can do it by themselves,” Anya whispered as she sat, inhaling not the smell of coffee but the fresh air from the garden.After what happened last night, Dylan seemed to have forgotten his ‘Anya Mission’ because my beautiful cousin was holding a cup, sipping coffee. Instead of goin
(Anj’s POV)I closed my eyes hard, waiting for my bottom to hit the hard floor, but I didn’t. Dylan must have been standing behind me because he caught me just in time before I landed on the floor. Relief flooded me, forgetting thousands of scenarios that could have happened to me.Dylan, who had always acted as our elder brother, the pacifier, and protector whenever someone didn’t treat Anya and me right and with respect, had also caught the hem of Anya’s sleeve, stopping her from her plans.“Don’t stop me, Dylan!” Anya hissed, brushing his hand off. “I’ll erase the face of this woman. No one messes with my cousin.”“I know! No one messes with my friends!” He said angrily, holding her tighter. “But I don’t want to see you hurt too.”Whether Anya stopped or not, I didn’t know because my mind went blank for a few seconds. I was just standing, and my tears were rolling endlessly on my cheeks. What woke me up were the arms of my girls wrapping around my hips, crying, and calling my name.
(Anj’s POV)With three kids to check and afraid my children would throw a fit during their checkup, the doctor decided to let us all stay in Dr. Greene’s office, where his secretary asked us to stay. Dr. Sands was hoping to have them checked in her office, but after talking with Dr. Greene on the phone, we were now here, sitting on the couch and looking at her as she attended to my kids. “Who would like to go first?” She asked my children.Sitting on Dylan’s lap, Leyanne got down and walked to her.“You’re brave,” She smiled at her. “What’s your name?”She shook her head. “Leyanne Perry. My ear hurts, but not as painful as this early morning. From a scale of one of ten, it’s only three now,” she explained.I pressed my lips when Dr. Sands raised her eyebrows, nodding at her. “How old are you, Leyanne?” she asked as she checked her ear.“We just turned six, but Aunt Anya said we’re twenty,” She answered, grinning at her Aunt Anya.Steve couldn’t help himself from laughing, but instea
(Anj’s POV)When I was little, whenever Anya and I waited for Aunt Rose or Sister Grace to pick us up at school and see our classmates’ mothers meeting them at the main entrance or gate, I always imagined my mother walking on the pavement with a sweet and gentle smile on her lips, waving at me excitedly as she comes closer to us.I imagined my mother to be beautiful. Like other moms, her eyes would sparkle when she saw me, call my name ‘Angela’ like she was singing my name as she waved her delicate hand to get my attention, or maybe show a sweet treat for me for doing a good job in school. I dreamt of her sitting beside me to see what I did for the day and kissing my cheeks.As I grew up, I realized it would never happen, and that was why I always did my best not to fail in that department when picking up my children at school. But I finally understood why mothers smiled whenever they saw their children despite being tired from their long day at work. My girls, smiling and telling me
(Sky’s POV)When Dad asked my kids what my grandchildren wanted, they all jumped for joy, asking him to treat them with ice cream. We had to stop at the ice cream parlor we all went to before when I attempted to take the kids away from Angela.The staff at the counter recognized them right away. She smiled. “I wonder who Leyanne is?”Leyanne giggled, raising her hand and walking to her. “You remember me!” Her eyes widened in surprise.“Well, not every day I get to meet beautiful girls who look exactly the same,” she chuckled, smiling at Angela, then she turned to her again. “So, what do you like for today?”Lyra Helene came closer to her, covering her mouth for us not to hear her. “My Grandpa’s paying for our ice cream.”“Oh!” She exclaimed, smiling at my father. “Then, what do you like to eat today? As long as there are no peanuts in it, right?” She winked at Lyra Helene.My girls giggled, then looked at their grandfather, who looked happier after sharing his secrets and pain with us
(Sky’s POV)My forehead creased as I entered the bedroom, and I tilted my head, thinking whether I should ask Elenita to put a trampoline in the bedroom. Three girls were jumping on the bed while singing the Five Little Monkeys song, while Nitro barked with them whenever her body would lift.Their mother glanced at me, half-smiling as she looked at our children jumping and singing happily.“Sugar rush,” She mouthed.She breathed out when Leyanne finally stopped because our eldest seemed to be their signal when the two also halted and sat, but no one ran to me.I knew their day had been exhausting, but the sugar seemed to have worked on their little bodies, giving them lots of energy for tonight. “Mommy, is it the later time with Daddy?” asked Leyanne, who was still panting from jumping.My eyebrows raised because I had no idea what it was about.Angela made a swift look at me and nodded. “He’s here now, so I guess it’s the later time,” she said, sitting on the edge of the bed.I sat
(Sky’s POV)I didn’t know if I woke up or didn’t get a wink, but when I opened my eyes, Angela and the kids were still sleeping. I couldn’t believe Angela would be such a tease that after those searing kisses, she pushed me away and hid in the bathroom with the spare key with her. When she came out, Selene was already crying, looking for her mother and wondering why it was me beside her, not her beloved mother. Before getting up, I kissed my kids, but Leyanne, perhaps a light sleeper among them, opened her eyes.“Daddy,” she whispered, maybe checking if she was dreaming or not.“Yes, baby?” I uttered in a low voice, glancing at my still sleeping family.She smiled at me. “I love you, Daddy.”Her smile, words, and eyes, same as their mother’s, melted my heart. “I love you, too, Leyanne.”My daughter closed her eyes again, rolling to her slide, her arm stretching to reach Selene’s hand. I walked slowly, not wanting to disturb their sleep.After Aunt Eden suddenly popped up the other n
(Sky’s POV)“Good morning, Anj,” greeted Frank when she entered the study room.She smiled and raised her hand, showing Frank the car key she used to drive the children to school. Despite my offer to let the driver do it, she shook her head, explaining that it would only scare the children.“Where’s Sky?” she asked.Angela raised her eyebrows when she saw the folders on my table. I almost guffawed when she peeked to see if someone was sitting on my chair. I got up from the chair and took her hands, pulling her to me and wrapping her arms to my waist.“That busy?” She was still looking at the folders.“Nope. You are, Ms. Perry,” I said, kissing her forehead and taking one folder. “Frank, leave us for a while and make sure to lock the door when you go out.”“I’m going to the office, taking more folders from Catherine,” he informed me. “Should I tell Elenita to tell the maids this is an off-limit room?” he teased Angela when she turned her head to him.“Yes, please,” I smiled and waited
(Anj’s POV) Two years later… I glanced at Anya as she rubbed her baby bump. She hissed as she continued to touch her belly. “Dylan was so ecstatic about having a boy that I wanted him to carry our baby. This little one seemed to practice taekwondo inside my belly,” she complained. “I’m not sure if he’s practicing for the Olympics too early.” I chuckled, looking at my girls as they listened to Olivia playing the violin in the pavilion, and then my eyes went back to the three children playing on the sand. “Dayana!” yelled Anya at her daughter, startling me. “Good lord, don’t eat that!” “Relax, Anya. She was only smelling the shell,” I laughed. “Cloud, Rain,” I called my boys, shaking my head at my twins. They giggled and stood up, walking toward their sisters, leaving Dayana as she continued to play with sand. It has become our tradition to visit the Angela Island every year. Although this year was different without Steve, leaving us all last year just before his birthday. “I onl
(Sky’s POV)“I want to marry the Mighty Sky,” I remembered Angela saying dreamily.I looked at Frank, and as he smiled, I recalled telling him that night, ‘I’ll marry this lovely angel today.’“Are you ready?” Father Jesse asked, his eyes wandering at the small chapel I asked to build for this celebration before looking at me.I turned my gaze to him. “Yes, but Father Jesse, I have a question.” Not giving him a chance to talk, I asked him, “I came to you and asked for Angela, but you said you didn’t know her.”He chuckled softly. “You were looking for an Angela with red spots on her face, and you were describing her to me as if she was ugly. I didn’t know any ugly Angela. I only realized she was the same person you were looking for when I opened the envelope.”“My bad,” I smiled nervously, and Father Jesse patted me on my shoulder before entering the chapel.Olivia sat in front of the piano organ and began playing. The wedding organizer smiled at me, giving us the cue, and I walked on
(Anj’s POV)“Aren’t you scared of being on the plane with me?” Sky asked when his new private plane took off.I shook my head.“Then why do you have that long face?” he asked me again, pulling me to him.I placed one arm on his waist and rested my head on his shoulder. I felt him kissing my hair. “I convinced Anya and Dylan to go with us, but I guess she was having difficulty with her pregnancy.”“Have you experienced that with the girls?” he tilted his head to see my face.I craned my neck to look at him. “In my first trimester. It was hell,” I chuckled. “I couldn’t even make my own perfume, but after that, I could study and work again.”He heaved a deep sigh. “I should have been there. You shouldn’t have carried them alone.”I raised my head and reached for his lips, kissing him. “What would you do? Get one baby and put her inside your belly?” I teased him.“I wonder if men will like that,” he laughed at me, then he pouted, looking so cute. “I’m still mad at you. Why didn’t you want
(Sky’s POV)The luminance of the glow-in-dark stickers in the bedroom still shone vividly when Angela and I collapsed on the bed, panting and catching our breath as I pulled her closer to my body. The thought of dying in the plane crash still made me shiver, and I couldn’t imagine leaving Angela alone, raising our kids, and hating me for the rest of her life for not coming back to her. I kissed her again, not wanting to stop, but I knew she wanted to know what had happened.“I hate you, Sky,” she whispered as her fingers traced my cheeks down to the hollow of my throat. Her hand slid down, stopping her palm on my heart and closing her eyes as if to make sure my heart was still beating. “What happened to you?”“Frank and I didn’t expect it to happen. I was about to enter the cockpit when Leo called and reported someone saw Leonard escaping to Macau. I didn’t need a plane to catch him, so Frank and I got out of the plane but gave my pilot and his co-pilot a go when he asked me if he c
(Anj’s POV)Don’t blink!Don’t disappear!Sky claimed my mouth before I could say his name again. If this were a dream, I would probably hurt anymore who would dare wake me up. It was an intense kiss and hungry as if there was no tomorrow.I could feel the tears rolling on my cheeks, and I cried when Sky stopped kissing me and moved slightly away from me, pressing our foreheads together. It was one long second that I thought my heart had stopped beating again.“I love you, Angela!” He whispered, his lips reaching mine and planting a quick kiss.My mouth opened, hoping to utter words, but no sound came out except my sobs. The mixed emotions stirring in my heart and mind made me dizzy, and all I wanted was to be in his arms. Slowly, I raised my hand, placing my palm on his chest, feeling his beating heart.“Say something, pumpkin,” he sounded begging, but I was more afraid to speak.If only Sky knew the news almost killed me and broke my heart. If he only knew that the days without info
(Anj’s POV)“Angela!”My hand stopped from opening the door, and I turned to the female voice I rarely hear in this place. I saw Jocelyn smiling shyly at me, and behind that curve in her lips, there was tenderness in how she looked at me.“Yes, Jocelyn?” I asked, wondering what she wanted from me.“I wondered if our granddaughters could sleep in our room tonight,” she asked.Our room? My eyebrows raised. With Olivia? With Finn? With Steve?“Steve -” She heaved a deep sigh, blushing like a teenager. “Umm… He wanted to ask if the kids could sleep with us tonight.”“Ah!” I exclaimed, opening the door and finding my children, now in their pajamas, jumping on the bed as Anya read them a book.“Mommy! Mommy!” Lyra Helene called me.“Please, girls, stop jumping. You’re making me dizzy,” I smiled softly at them, stopping at the edge of the bed.The girls stopped jumping and ran to me.“Yes, baby?” I asked, brushing their hair with my fingers, starting with Leyanne, then Selene.“Mommy, Aunt A
(Anj’s POV)The large clusters of clouds had been hiding the beautiful and perfect blue sky for two days now. As I leaned my back facing the garden, I noticed that even the flowers were gloomy about the weather, and sadness loomed in the mansion.Elenita shared with me that it has never been this busy in Mars’ residence except when Freya died. In the kitchen, as she claimed her kingdom, the maids seemed to have never stopped cooking. It was only yesterday when Jocelyn came, hysterical with the news about his son was missing and could be dead somewhere. Steve, though looking tired, remained the strong head here at home, but when he saw his ex-wife, I saw him break into tears for the first time.After seeing Steve cry, I understood what he meant when he told me not to break down because when everyone saw him and Jocelyn crying, it was like looking at the top of the tower falling to the ground. All I wanted was to sit in the corner and wept, wanting to scream for Sky.Finn and Leo have n
(Anj’s POV)“Sky is alive!”It was what I wanted my heart to believe.After Sister Grace left, Aunt Rose came, giving me her warmest hug, and for a while, she cried with me. She sniffed as she moved away from me, her palms on my face as her thumb softly touched my cheeks, wiping the tears.“Have you eaten already?” She asked, and when I shook my head, she forced a chuckle. “I’m not asking you, Angela. I’m asking that little Sky in there,” she took my hand and placed my palm on my belly. “He might be hungry and tired. Or should I say, they might be hungry?”“They?” I released a brief laugh, tears rolling again. “Aunt Rose!”She smirked. “What? You’re a Mars now. You should have known the rumors about them.”“Rumors?” My eyebrows raised at her.Aunt Rose grinned at me. “They were wealthy because someone in the family always produced double. Steve has twin brothers, and you knew he has twins, too, right?” She pursed her lips. “I guess you broke the tradition of producing only two. They s
(Anj’s POV)After giving birth to two babies, the doctor asked me to push again. I remembered glancing at my sun and bright star before nodding to her. She was expecting another girl to come out, but she said it was as if my moon goddess helped me push her brother, but despite that, he still didn’t survive, and Selene almost didn’t make it.When I heard Selene’s first cry, I sobbed, wishing Sky was here. With three babies on top of my chest, I told my children that the sky was almost complete. My heart ached for Cloud, but with three babies, I had to live and wake up. They needed me, and with the thought of me being an orphan, I swore to my children that they would not lose a mother.“Mooommmmyyyyy!” My children wailed, crying as they tried to get into the bedroom. Nina has been stopping them because she thought I needed the time alone.I blinked, and my head turned, following the cry of my girls. My lips curved a sad smile as I opened my arms to them. I saw Nina wiping her tears, ste