Chapter 5 Arrival

*5 years later*

“Mom! Mom! I want that!” cried a little girl around four years old, pointing excitedly at a picture of ice cream outside a restaurant. Her big, round eyes sparkled with excitement, enhanced by her bright blue irises.

Suddenly, a small hand grasped the girl’s hand to hold her back. “Lily, don’t bother Mom. We can buy it later, okay?” replied a calm boy who looked just like the girl. His steady demeanor made some onlookers think he was older than he appeared.

Between the two adorable twins, a beautiful woman in elegant attire held their hands, smiling down at them. She knelt before her children and said, “Liam is so understanding,” she praised. Then, she turned to Lily, gently stroking her hair. “Just be patient, sweetheart. After we get to the apartment and unpack, I’ll take you to get ice cream, okay?”

Lily looked a little downcast but nodded slowly. “Okay, Mom.”

That response made the woman smile warmly. “Good girl.” She took both children’s hands again as they walked out of the New Santerra airport arrivals area.

Suddenly, a loud voice called out, “Ms. Evelyn Sinclair?” The woman with the two adorable twins turned.

Yes, the stunning woman was none other than Evelyn Collins, now known as Evelyn Sinclair.

Five years had passed since she left New Santerra at her father Richard Collins’s command. She never imagined returning with the two twins she had raised alone.

If it weren’t for her friend’s recommendation from overseas, Evelyn wouldn’t have thought of coming back to the place filled with painful memories.

As she approached, a man in a black suit and white shirt greeted her politely, “Hello, Ms. Evelyn. My name is Eddie. I’m the driver Ms. Anita sent to take you to your apartment.”

Hearing her friend’s name mentioned, Evelyn nodded gently. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Eddie.” She turned to her children. “What do you say when you meet someone new?”

“Hello, Uncle Eddie!” the cute twins chimed together.

Seeing the children’s polite behavior, the middle-aged man smiled and bowed slightly. “Hello to you too.” He looked at Evelyn and asked, “Is this all your luggage?” He noticed the porter behind her, carrying two small suitcases.

Evelyn nodded. “I left most of my things in case I needed to go back.” She asked her twins to wait while she approached the porter to give a tip. “Thank you, sir.”

While Evelyn and the driver handled the luggage, Liam and Lily teased each other, eventually leading to a playful chase as they ran around to pass the time.

At that moment, a tall man stepped through the arrivals gate. His fitted gray suit accentuated his striking figure. Although his eyes were hidden behind sunglasses, his sharp nose and thin lips caught the attention of several women nearby, making them blush.

“Who is that guy?”

“He looks like a model!”

“Is he a foreign celebrity? You rarely see a guy this tall in New Santerra!”

Several comments floated around from women in the area. No one could deny that the man was incredibly handsome and captivating.

Ignoring the gazes on him, the tall man checked his phone. “What’s our schedule today?” he asked flatly.

Next to him, a similarly dressed man opened a notebook and explained, “We need to meet with the branch representative of Dean Group in two hours to discuss the declining annual report. We also have a meeting about tomorrow’s interviews.”

With confidence, Adam issued his command, “Let’s go back to the residence first; I have a few things to take care of before—”

“Ah!”

Adam’s words were cut off when something bumped into his leg hard. He looked down and saw a little girl in a sweet white dress who had fallen to the floor. He quickly realized that she had collided with him.

Adam removed his sunglasses and bent down slightly, reaching out his hand. “Are you okay—”

“Sorry!” A boy suddenly appeared, blocking Adam from touching the little girl. “My sister didn’t mean it; we’re sorry!” the boy exclaimed, bowing politely.

Looking at the boy’s face, Adam found himself speechless. Whether it was just his imagination or not, the boy’s features were strikingly similar to his own. Not to mention the blue eyes both children had…

“Lily! Liam!” a worried voice interrupted Adam’s thoughts. A woman in elegant attire hurried over to the twins. “Are you okay, sweetheart?” she asked, helping the little girl up.

Lily’s eyes looked teary, but she shook her head and pouted. Her arms stretched out, asking her mother for a hug.

Once the woman ensured her daughter was alright, she picked her up while grabbing her son’s hand. She quickly turned to apologize to the man her daughter had bumped into. “I’m so sorry, sir. My daughter wasn’t careful—”

When their eyes met, the woman froze. Adam stood still as well, not only because of her striking beauty but also because a familiar scent wafted into his nose. He stared intently at her, trying to piece together who she was.

In his heart, Adam thought, ‘This woman....’