Masuk~Sienna~The morning air is crisp, carrying the faint scent of blooming jasmine from the neighbor’s garden. I take a final look in the mirror, smoothing down my sundress. I feel a flutter in my stomach that has nothing to do with the three dressed toddlers currently babbling at my feet. We are all dressed and ready, the triplets looking like little dolls in their matching sets.Right on time, a familiar, deep knock sounds at the door.When I open it, Norman is standing there, looking effortlessly handsome in a casual button-down and dark jeans. The moment he steps inside, the energy in the room shifts. Noah, who is usually wary of strangers, lets out a sharp, happy squeal and reaches his chubby arms upward. Even Naysa and Nyomi stop their tug-of-war over a teething ring to stare at him with wide, recognizing eyes.They are starting to get use to him. "Hey, there," Norman rumbles, his voice softening into a tone he only uses for them. He leans down, greeting each one of them by name,
~Sienna~The hospital room feels smaller today, filled with the sharp smell of medicine and the quiet hum of the machines. I am sitting in a hard plastic chair next to my mother’s bed. She looks a bit better, but her face is still pale against the white pillows. We are talking about the babies, how Noah has started to babble more and how Naysa is getting so strong. I try to keep the mood light, focusing on her health and the triplets, making sure she knows that everything at home is under control.Suddenly, there is a knock at the door. Two men in delivery uniforms walk in, their arms full. I watch in surprise as they start placing things down on the small table and the windowsill. It isn’t just flowers, though the bouquet of white lilies is huge. They bring in baskets of expensive fruit, bottles of high-end health tonics, and rows of vitamins and supplements. My mother and I just stare at each other, confused by the sudden mountain of gifts."Sienna, what is all this?" my mom asks, l
~Sienna~The house is quiet, the kind of heavy, midnight silence that usually makes my skin crawl with anxiety. But tonight, as I lie alone in my bed, the silence feels different. It’s thick with the weight of everything that happened today. I stare up at the ceiling, watching the faint shadows of the tree branches outside dance across the plaster.It feels too good to be true. That’s the thought that keeps looping in my mind, a broken record of hope and fear. Norman was here. He held the babies. He looked at me with eyes that didn't just see a distraction or a secret, but a woman he wanted to build a life with. The divorce papers are signed. Liliana is behind bars. The wall I built between my past and my present has finally crumbled, and for the first time in a year, I don’t feel like I’m running.But a part of me is terrified. I keep waiting for the alarm clock to go off, for the cold Chicago wind to wake me up in that tiny apartment where I first started this journey, alone and pre
~Sienna~The knock on the door comes late, a low and steady sound that vibrates through the quiet foyer. I check the peep-hole, my heart doing a little flutter when I see Norman standing there. When I open the door, the cool night air rushes in, but it’s the look on his face that stops me. He looks tired, truly weary in a way I’ve never seen, but there is a spark of fire and excitement in his eyes that makes him look younger, more alive.I step back and let him in. The house is peaceful, the only sound being the soft hum of the refrigerator. It’s just the two of us now. Nova had left an hour ago to finally get some sleep in her own bed.Norman stands in the middle of my living room, looking around at the arranged and neat space, unlike how messy it would be if the kids were there. "Where are they?" he asks, his voice low."They’re asleep in their cribs," I whisper. "They went down about thirty minutes ago."He looks at me, a silent plea in his gaze. "Can I see them? Just for a minut
~Norman~Each step toward Liliana’s hotel room feels like I’m walking toward a final showdown. Behind me, the elevator doors just closed on two undercover officers. They are waiting for my signal to move in. They’re only giving me this chance because of my name and the evidence I’ve already given them.I reach the door and don’t wait. I knock three times, loud and sharp. The sound echoes down the quiet hallway.The lock clicks, and the door opens. Liliana is standing there, surrounded by the bright lights of her fancy room. She looks perfect, her silk robe is tight, and her hair is done up like she’s going to a party. When she sees it’s me, a slow, mean smile spreads across her face."Norman," she says, her voice sounding fake and sweet. "I wondered how long it would take for you to come crawling back. Have you finally realized that your little girlfriend isn't worth losing everything?"She turns and walks back into the room, sitting on the couch. She crosses her legs and leans back,
~Norman~The early morning light filters through the floor-to-ceiling windows of my penthouse, casting long, sharp shadows across the marble. Usually, the silence of this house is something I crave, a sanctuary from the noise of the boardrooms and the constant hum of the city. But today, the silence feels empty.I set my coffee cup down on the desk and lean back, staring at the digital clock. It’s early, but not early enough. My mind is already across town, in a small house that smells of lavender and baby powder.Three of them.The thought still hits me like a suffocating blow to the chest, but for the first time in years, it’s a blow that brings life instead of taking it. At my age, I thought the chapter of fatherhood was a closed book, a legacy already written through Nova. But fate has a strange way of correcting your path. Three more lives. Three more chances to be the man I should have been the first time around. I find myself smiling at the wall, picturing Nyomi’s determined lo
~Sienna~The sound of a zipper sizzle in the air, Nova’s hurried footsteps pad loudly around the room. I can’t hide the delightful glow in my heart, a hidden joy over the fact that Lilian is finally leaving. She’s going back to whatever hellhole she crawls out of. Nova is leaving with her. My ch
~Sienna~My feet pad softly across the floor of Norman’s room as I put on my earrings. Norman appears from his walk-in closet, dressed in his black suit and white shirt. He’s holding a black tie in his hand, walking to me as I put on my heels. “Want to help me out with this?” he asks. For a seco
~Sienna~Norman parks the car and I get out, hurrying into the house to pack my stuff. I still can’t believe it.I’m going to be spending the night in his house. We are going to be sleeping together, have breakfast and leave for work together. Holy shit. This is mind blowing. God, I want this. I
~Sienna~ I can only roll my eyes as I enter Nova’s car, trying to eat off the melting ice cream in my hand.The car roars to live, and I rest against the car watching as she drives to wherever she has planned. This isn’t how I pictured to spend my weekend after all the chaos that encompasses the







