Chapter 7: Back to New York

The hum of the airport surrounds Lila as she pushes the luggage cart toward the arrival area, her eyes scanning the bustling crowd for any sign of her parents. Ava and Liam are already a few steps ahead, eager to explore the new surroundings.

“Mommy, is this New York?” Ava asks, her voice filled with awe as she looks up at the towering airport ceiling.

“Yes, sweetheart,” Lila says, her smile soft. “We’re home.”

Liam doesn’t respond immediately, but his sharp gaze darts around the terminal. At just five years old, he’s already developed an intense curiosity, constantly observing his environment like a little detective. His toy car is clutched tightly in his hand, but his eyes are scanning for something else—perhaps someone.

“Where’s Grandpa and Grandma?” he asks, his small voice tinged with impatience.

Before Lila can respond, a familiar voice cuts through the air. “There they are!”

Lila turns to see her father, Robert Montgomery, walking toward them with his usual confident stride. Behind him, her mother, Lyra Montgomery, follows, her eyes immediately spotting her grandchildren. The moment their eyes meet, Lila feels a rush of warmth and relief—no matter how far she’s been, her parents are here now.

“Grandpa!” Ava shouts, breaking into a run and throwing herself into Robert’s arms.

Robert scoops her up easily, his face lighting up with a grin. “You’ve gotten so big, my little princess!” he laughs, twirling her around in his arms, sending her into fits of giggles.

Liam, more reserved, takes a few tentative steps forward, still holding his toy car. Robert, sensing the tension in his grandson, drops to one knee and holds out a hand. “And this must be Liam, the future engineer,” he says with a smile, his voice warm and inviting.

Liam hesitates for a moment, his expression serious, but then he takes Robert’s hand. “Hi, Grandpa,” he says, his voice low but polite.

“You’ve got the same eyes as your mom,” Robert says, smiling with pride. “Sharp and full of curiosity.”

Liam nods, his face still stoic, but Lila can see a hint of satisfaction in his eyes.

Lyra steps forward next, her arms opening to welcome her daughter. Lila steps into the embrace, and her mother holds her tight, her voice thick with emotion.

“Lila, why didn’t you tell us sooner?” Lyra whispers, pulling back slightly to look at her daughter’s face. “We’ve missed you so much.”

“I had my reasons, Mom,” Lila responds softly, glancing at the kids as they interact with their grandparents. Her mind races for a moment. She’d always been careful to keep her distance from her past life in New York, but now that she’s here, it feels impossible to ignore it.

Robert waves off the small talk. “Let’s get going, then. It’s a long drive, and we’ve got plenty to catch up on,” he says, gesturing toward the exit.

Lila nods and follows them toward the car, feeling the weight of years of separation melting away, even if just for a moment. The kids, meanwhile, are bursting with energy, chattering away with their grandparents as they walk toward the waiting limo.

Once inside, Ava and Liam immediately start talking about their plane ride. Ava animatedly recounts how she got to sit by the window, while Liam listens quietly, his toy car still in hand. Lila smiles at their excitement, but there’s a gnawing feeling at the back of her mind that she can’t shake.

As they drive through the streets of New York, Lila looks out the window, letting her thoughts drift. Everything around her is so familiar yet so distant. It’s been years since she left this place, but it feels as if she’s never truly been gone.

Then, her eyes catch a flash of a massive billboard.

Her breath catches in her throat.

There, in towering black and white, is Adrian. The ad promotes Hale Industries, his company—“Leading the Future”—with his face staring down at her from the large screen, his expression cold and calculating. Beneath the image, the bold letters tout Hale’s position as the industry leader, and the confidence that exudes from the ad sends a shiver down Lila’s spine.

It’s strange—seeing him here, in the city where everything started. Where they started.

Before she can stop herself, she’s frozen, her hand gripping the edge of the seat as her thoughts spiral. Why does this still affect me?

Ava, who has been gazing out the window too, suddenly bursts out, “Look, Mommy! That man is handsome!”

Lila blinks, startled, her attention snapping to her daughter. Ava is pointing at the billboard, clearly fascinated by the man on it, her face lit up in excitement. Lila’s heart skips a beat as the words register in her mind, and her pulse quickens.

“He looks just like Liam!” Ava exclaims, her voice filled with innocent enthusiasm. “Handsome like my brother!”

Lila’s breath catches in her throat. She slowly turns her gaze from Ava to her parents. Robert coughs uncomfortably, exchanging a glance with Lyra. The atmosphere in the car shifts, awkward tension rising as they realize what Ava has said.

Liam, who has been unusually quiet up until now, stares out the window, his face impassive. He says nothing, but the sharpness in his gaze suggests he’s processing something deeper.

Lila feels a knot tighten in her chest. She forces a smile and gently redirects the conversation, “Enough, Ava. Let’s talk about something else.”

Ava pouts slightly but nods obediently. Liam doesn’t speak again, but the air in the car feels heavier now, charged with unspoken thoughts.

As the limo pulls into the long driveway of the Montgomery family villa, Lila tries to push the lingering unease aside. The familiar grandeur of the villa looms before her, but her mind is still racing, her thoughts unsettled.

But right now, she needs to focus on why she’s here. To rebuild what was lost. To fight for the future.