ROMAN’S POVAs I left the office, the usual hum of downtown traffic and the low roar of engines echoed around me, but my thoughts were somewhere else entirely. My conversation with Ruby was replaying in my mind, a reel I couldn’t shut off. Her words, the tension in her voice—they gnawed at me. No amount of reasoning could make that feeling go away.I walked briskly to my car, contemplating if I was harsh with my decision to go to court. What if it was up to the kids to decide? They barely know me; I barely know them.A part of me told me I was doing the right thing, while the other part insisted I just shot myself.I couldn’t wait any longer—I needed to see the kids myself. Without Ruby there to complicate things, to add more barriers between us, I could finally see them as they were. My kids. I had to know them for myself, beyond stories, beyond pictures and reports.Before I knew it, I was pulling up at their school, the brick building coming into view. I parked by the curb, watch
CHAPTER 29“Is it true… are you our daddy?”The question hit like a stone dropped in a quiet pond, leaving ripples I couldn’t ignore. My hands tightened on the steering wheel, my grip unconsciously whitening my knuckles. Outside the car window, the world blurred—a haze of trees, cars, and pedestrians all becoming a distant hum. For a moment, I couldn’t find my voice, my mind spinning to sort out what to say.I took a deep breath, glancing up to the rearview mirror where I could see their faces staring back at me, both sets of wide, expectant eyes fixed on me, searching. They wanted answers, and I could feel the weight of their silent questions, pressing against me like the air in the close confines of the car.“Who told you I might be?” I asked carefully, doing my best to keep my voice steady, though my heart raced at a pace I hadn’t felt in years.Ruby shrugged, casting a quick glance at her brother. Rhett looked away, his cheeks tinged pink with embarrassment. “We just… figured it
I finally settled for a simple scoop of vanilla, Rhett and Ruby took their time, inspecting every flavor as if each one held some hidden secret. I couldn’t help but smile as they deliberated, faces alight with excitement.“Do you want another?” I asked.“Not at all. We were just… you know.” Ruby trailed off with a smile. We found a spot by the large front window, the late afternoon sunlight casting a warm, golden glow across the small parlor. Rhett and Ruby were utterly absorbed, savoring each lick as if their ice cream might just disappear if they didn't enjoy every bite.After a few minutes, I decided it was time to break the ice. “So, I’m Roman, by the way… Roman D'Angelo,” I said, keeping my tone light.“Roman D'Angelo,” Rhett repeated in a quiet voice, nodding thoughtfully as if committing it to memory.“You have a nice name,” Ruby chimed in with a small smile, surprising me with the compliment.I blinked, caught off guard by her sudden warmth. “Ooo… thank you,” I managed, givin
RUBY'S POVI was knee-deep in paperwork, sorting through files on my desk, when my phone rang, Helen’s name flashing on the screen. I was about to say you don't have to tell me you're on you way home with the kids when I heard her frantic breathing from the other side of the line. The urgency in her voice hit me before I could even say hello.“I can’t find the kids, Ruby,” she said in a shaky voice. The words hit me like ice water.“What do you mean, you can’t find them?” I barely managed to keep my voice calm as a prickle of panic started to claw its way up my spine.“I don’t know!” Helen stammered. “I was supposed to pick them up, but they weren’t at the usual spot. I’ve looked around, asked a few teachers… no one seems to know where they went.”I knew I was going to be quite busy past their closing period so I had told Helen before hand to help pick Rhett and Ruby and I would pick them from her place on my way back from work.But this?I didn’t even bother responding—I grabbed my
My heart raced as I confronted Roman, my voice trembling with anger. "Don't play games with me, Roman. I know you took them. You have no right—no right—to pick them up without my permission."The line went silent for a moment, and I could almost hear the smirk spreading across his face."Ruby," Roman drawled, his tone dripping with amusement, "I don't have the kids. In fact, I don't even know where their school is."My grip on the phone tightened, frustration coursing through my veins. How dare he pretend to be innocent?“You and I both know that’s not true. You can find out anything you want. And I saw your car, Roman—I saw you put them in it.”“That could have been anyone,” he countered smoothly. “You know there are plenty of black BMWs around.”“It was you, Roman,” I snapped. “And don’t tell me it was a coincidence you were wearing the exact same clothes you had on earlier.”There was a small, amused silence on the other end, and when he finally spoke, his tone was carried a hint o
There was a long pause. Roman’s eyes narrowed, his face hardening, but he didn’t respond. The silence stretched between us, filled with all the words we weren’t saying.And then, a small voice broke through, shattering the tension.“Mummy!”I turned, catching sight of my daughter at the top of the stairs, her face brightening as she saw me. Roman and I both instinctively straightened, adjusting ourselves, trying to mask the intensity of the confrontation. Rhett’s voice followed close behind, excited but still groggy from watching cartoons.“Rhett! Mom’s here!” Ruby called out, her face lighting up with a big smile as she rushed down the stairs, her steps quick and light.The second she reached me, her little arms wrapped tightly around my waist. “Mummy!” she said again, her voice muffled as she pressed her cheek against me.I knelt down, hugging her back, breathing in the familiar, comforting scent of her. “Hey, sweetheart,” I said softly, my heart easing for the first time that day.
“I think we’ll be on our way now,” I said in a tight voice as Little Ruby approached, balancing both lunch boxes in her small hands.Roman followed us out onto the driveway, his steady presence making my skin prickle. I was ready to put this visit behind us, but Rhett had other plans.“Wait, Roman!” Rhett called, turning back. “Our stuff is in your car.”I frowned, glancing at Roman as he nodded. Without a word, he followed the kids to his sleek black car parked nearby. Helen and I trailed behind, keeping a small distance. Roman popped the trunk, and that’s when the chaos began.From the depths of the car, Rhett pulled out a massive, shiny red toy car. He grinned, his eyes sparkling with excitement as he held it up for me to see.“Mum, look! I got a new car!” he said, beaming.I scoffed, shaking my head. “Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me.”Before I could process the sheer size of Rhett’s new toy, Ruby emerged, dragging an equally enormous dollhouse. The pastel Blue structure had tiny
“Goodnight, loves.” I said this before closing the door behind me.I thought about heading back to the car to offload the mountain of things Roman had bought for them, but damn, I felt tired—physically and mentally. I decided it could wait until morning. My bed was calling, and I was too tired to resist.When I stepped inside, I instantly felt uneasy, like something was wrong. The air felt heavy and it was kind of hard to breathe. I shook off the feeling and reached for the light switch to turn on the lights.The room flooded with warm illumination, revealing nothing out of place. The same dresser stood against the far wall, and the faded floral wallpaper, though peeling in places, held no secrets. A nervous laugh bubbled up inside me, the kind of laugh you give when exhaustion toys with your senses.Just the weariness playing tricks. I said to myself.However, as I turned towards the bed, I abruptly stopped.He was there.My breath caught in my throat. “Shit! What the fuck, Roman?
Liam turned toward me with that reassuring smile of his, the one that always managed to make things feel lighter, even when they weren’t. “I’ll just be outside, alright?”I gave him a small nod. “I’ll see you in a bit.”He turned around and walked away. The door clicked shut behind him, sealing us in calm silence. For a brief moment, I let myself breathe, only to turn back and find Aunt Jean watching me. Her gaze—steady and probing—held something I couldn’t quite decipher.“He’s…” Jean began but trailed off as if searching for the right words.“Straightforward,” I supplied, offering her a faint smile.Jean nodded slightly, a knowing look flickering in her eyes. “Disciplined. Open. He has every good quality you could ask for in a person.”“He sure does,” I admitted softly, unable to hide the small smile tugging at my lips. I could still feel the lingering warmth of his presence in the room.“You two seem very close.” Jean's voice was careful, but there was a question in it that she di
RUBY'S POVLiam and I stood outside the hotel, waiting for the car we had ordered. The morning air was both clear and heavy. I tried to focus on the simplicity of the moment—the soft breeze brushing against my skin, the faint hum of traffic in the distance—but it was impossible. My thoughts were racing, my stomach in knots.“She’s going to be fine,” Liam said beside me.I looked at him, trying to take comfort in his calm demeanor. “I hope so,” I murmured.The ride to the hospital was quiet, almost painfully so. I watched the buildings blur past the window, every street corner bringing me closer to memories I’d buried for years. My fingers fidgeted with the hem of my coat, a nervous habit I’d picked up as a child. Liam sat next to me. His steady presence helped me stay grounded when my thoughts felt like they were going crazy.When we got to the hospital, the tall, white building stood in front of us. It looked cold and clinical. My heart sank as we entered the lobby, the antiseptic
RUBY'S POV The cab pulled into the city, and as the familiar skyline came into view, a tightness crept into my chest. I clutched my bag a little closer, staring out the window as the streets passed by in a blur of muted colors and ghosted memories.I was back.The place where everything began, where everything fell apart. The city that held every piece of me—the good, the bad, the broken. Each corner seemed to echo with memories of smiles, laughter, and heartbreak. It felt as though the air itself weighed heavier here, thick with the past.I blinked away the feeling and reached for my phone, dialing Liam’s number.“Ruby,” he answered almost immediately. His voice was warm, like a balm to my frayed nerves.“Hey. I’m here,” I said in a steady voice despite the emotions bubbling beneath the surface. “Is it still the hotel I told you about?”“Yeah, same place,” he confirmed. “I’m already here waiting for you.”I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. “Alright. I’ll be there
ROMAN’S POV I stepped into my apartment, the city lights bleeding in through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, the last thing I expected was Kai lounging on the couch. ]He had his feet kicked up on my coffee table, a glass of whiskey in hand, looking entirely too comfortable for someone about to deliver bad news.“Kai,” I said flatly, tossing my keys onto the counter.“You’re late,” he replied, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. His tone was light, but the tight set of his jaw betrayed his usual bravado.“What is it?” I asked, already sensing something was off.“You asked me to be here in an hour… remember?”Kai reached for a tablet sitting on the table and handed it to me without a word. The screen came to life under my touch, displaying grainy security footage from the airport. My stomach twisted the moment I saw her—Ruby—walking through the terminal. She was holding Rhett’s hand while Little Ruby clutched Helen’s. They were laughing, bags and boxes trailing behind them
“Stay where you are. Watch them, but don’t let her see you. Text me the flight details as soon as you can.”“Alright,” Kai said before the line went dead.I set the phone down, my hand shaking a bit from trying to control my feelings.I slammed my hand against the desk, the sound echoing in the quiet room. Ruby wasn’t going to do this. She wasn’t going to take my children and disappear.I took a moment to collect my thoughts. Ruby had made her decision, and realizing that she was leaving with the children filled me with an unexpected sense of urgency. I pushed my chair back and stood up, pacing to and fro. The walls felt like they were closing in on me, and I needed to breathe. I glanced at the clock on the wall; it was nearly 7 PM. If they had already checked in, they could be boarding any minute. I had no time to waste… PING!The sound of my phone drew my attention back to the device laying on the desk. It was a text from Kai, short and to the point: “Flight 237 to Howling Heights
“There’s something else.”“What?” I asked almost immediately.“You asked for updates on the other business contracts,” he said in a neutral tone, careful not to overstep.I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the polished wood of the desk. “Go on.”Drew’s eyes flicked down to his tablet. He scrolled briefly before meeting my gaze. “Three of the contracts were declined—two in Paris and one in New York. Seven were approved, and the rest are still pending, awaiting signatures or further negotiations.”The numbers rolled over in my mind like a slow wave, and I nodded thoughtfully. “Not bad,” I said finally, though the rejections nagged at me. “Looks promising.”Drew’s shoulders eased, a subtle but telling shift in his normally rigid posture. He wasn’t the kind of assistant to show cracks, but I could read him better than most.“Anything else?” I asked, leaning back in my chair. The leather creaked softly under the shift of my weight.“Nothing else for now,” Drew said with a slight shake o
ROMAN'S POVThe weight of the day's reflections hit me as I leaned back in my chair. The shadows from the large windows stretched across the glass table in front of me, mimicking the tangled mess of emotions swirling in my head.I couldn’t stop thinking about the kids—Rhett and Ruby. Their warm, unguarded smiles, the way they talked with such enthusiasm, their innocent eyes brimming with curiosity—it all struck me in a way I hadn’t expected. When they held my hand or threw their arms around me in a hug, something inside me shifted. For a few fleeting moments, I felt connected—truly connected—in a way I hadn’t in years. As I watched them play and laugh, their happiness was so pure that it made me face the huge gap I had let form between us.I’d failed them. Not as a provider or protector, but as their father. How had I let myself drift so far from something so vital? "Dad" was a heavy title to carry, one I had not done right in years… I hadn’t done at all. I’d missed too much—birt
“You're traveling alone… right?” Rhett asked, staring at the packed bags, his protective instincts kicking in.“Yeah… I sure am,” I replied, my voice firm but gentle.“But you also packed our bags,” Rhett said, his eyes narrowing slightly as he pieced together the puzzle.“Umm…” I paused, looking back at the bags, my heart heavy with the weight of my words. “Yeah I did. While I’m gone, you two will be staying with Aunt Helen,” I added, glancing at Helen, who smiled reassuringly, her presence a comforting shield against the storm.The kids’ faces brightened slightly at that, the thought of spending time with Helen lifted their spirits. “Aunt Helen is the best!” little Ruby declared, her small voice filled with genuine enthusiasm.Helen laughed, her eyes sparkling with warmth. “You bet I am! We’re going to have so much fun!”“But you’ll come back soon, right?” Rhett asked, his voice quieter now, a hint of worry creeping back into his eyes.I reached out, placing a hand on his. “Of cours
Helen and I sat back on the couch, exhausted but relieved to have the packing nearly done. A small mountain of boxes and travel bags stood stacked neatly on one side of the living room."Thank you so much for doing this," I said, putting my hands on my hips as I looked over the pile, the upcoming trip was weighing heavily on me.Helen waved it off, falling back dramatically onto the couch as if the effort of packing had drained her completely. “It’s all good, Ruby. That’s why I’m here. Besides, you know I can’t resist a good packing challenge.”I chuckled and joined her, collapsing into the chair beside her with a grateful sigh. We both looked at the pile of luggage quietly for a moment, the room filled with the unspoken tension that hung between us like a thick fog.“It’s a lot,” Helen finally said, shaking her head as she gestured toward the mountain of bags. “I mean… it’s just a week trip, right?”“Yep,” I muttered, the worry creeping into my voice despite my best efforts to sound