Chapter 9

No one woke River and Stone up for school or reminded them about homework. The two children did whatever they wanted at home, staying up late playing video games and sleeping until noon.

Their school bags sat untouched in the corner. Homework assignments piled up on their desks, forgotten. The house felt different without my constant reminders and structure.

Sage and Kael slept in the same bed, holding each other every night. The master bedroom had become their shared space, with Sage's belongings scattered across the dresser and her clothes filling half the closet.

If they slept in too late, the boys would burst into their room without knocking.

"Dad! Sage-mom! You're still sleeping?" River would jump on the bed, bouncing between them.

"Yeah! It's already past ten!" Stone would add, crawling under the covers with them.

Each time, Sage would blush and hide in Kael's arms like a fragile little bird. She would pull the blanket up to her chin, acting shy and embarrassed.

"You two are such troublemakers," she would giggle, triggering Kael's protective instincts.

He would wrap his arms around her more tightly, shielding her from the children's playful attacks. "Leave Sage alone. She needs her rest."

The domestic scene felt natural to him. This was what a real family looked like. Warm, affectionate, uncomplicated.

Soon enough though, reality intruded. Kael had to return to work, and River and Stone had to go back to school. The vacation period was over, and responsibilities couldn't be ignored forever.

"Don't worry, leave it to me. I've got this." Sage stood in front of the mirror, adjusting Kael's tie with careful precision. She smoothed down his collar and brushed imaginary lint from his shoulders.

When she finished, she rose on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek, just like a real married couple would do.

After seeing Kael off at the front door, Sage closed it behind him and leaned against it for a moment.

She hadn't even reached River and Stone's room when both children came running out, already dressed in their school uniforms.

"Sage-mom! Sage-mom!" They had gotten themselves ready without any prompting, something that had never happened when I was in charge.

They hugged her legs tightly, one on each side. "We got up by ourselves! Sage-mom, we saw you kiss Dad. We want kisses too!"

Their faces were bright with excitement, looking up at her with adoring eyes.

Sage crouched down helplessly, her expression soft with affection. She gave each of them a gentle peck on the forehead. "There, happy now?"

River nodded with a wide grin. "Yes! Thanks, Sage-mom!"

Stone hugged her back and planted a wet kiss on her cheek. "Let's go to school! I want all the kids in my class to know I have a better mom now!"

The two children took Sage's hands eagerly as they headed toward the car. They chattered excitedly about their plans for the day, about how they would show off their new mother to their friends.

They walked around the campus when they arrived, introducing Sage as their new mom to everyone they met. Teachers, other parents, classmates - everyone got the same enthusiastic announcement.

"This is our Sage-mom! Isn't she beautiful?"

"She's so much better than our old mom!"

"Look how pretty she is!"

Only when the school bell rang did they reluctantly say goodbye, waving enthusiastically as Sage drove away.

Sage finally returned to the mansion. The moment she walked through the front door and confirmed she was alone, her gentle smile completely disappeared.

Her face twisted into irritation, all pretense of maternal warmth vanishing instantly.

"School starts so damn early, and I have to drive them there. I've been running around all morning and haven't even had a bite to eat!"

She threw her purse down on the entrance table with unnecessary force.

"And I have to pick them up this afternoon too. Can't we just hire a nanny to do this crap?"

Sage kicked the coffee table and shouted impatiently toward the kitchen, "Get me some food now! I'm starving!"

A maid rushed out of the kitchen, looking startled by the sudden change in Sage's demeanor. She had been expecting the sweet, gentle woman who had left with the children.

"What would you like to eat, Miss Sage?" the maid asked carefully.

"I don't care! Just make it fast!" Sage snapped, collapsing onto the sofa.

The maid hurried back to the kitchen and immediately got to work. Within twenty minutes, she had prepared a full breakfast spread - eggs, bacon, toast, fresh fruit, and coffee.

Sage finally took her first bite, but before she could finish chewing, the maid quietly approached again.

"Miss Sage, I'm sorry to interrupt, but it's time to pick up the young masters. They come home for lunch and a nap before going back to school in the afternoon."

Sage's fork stopped halfway to her mouth. "What? Already?"

"Yes, miss. Their lunch break starts in fifteen minutes."

Sage frowned deeply. "Doesn't the school have a cafeteria?"

"Well, yes, but the young masters are used to coming home for lunch. Luna Aria always-"

"Then that's settled! I just got back, and now I have to run out again. Don't I deserve a break?" Sage slammed down her utensils, sending them clattering against the plate.

Her face was flushed with anger. "I'm not their servant! They can eat at school like normal kids!"

The maid didn't dare say another word.

She quietly picked up the dishes and retreated to the kitchen, leaving Sage to fume alone.

Sage lounged around the house all day, watching television and taking a long bath. She painted her nails and tried on different outfits, enjoying the luxury of having nothing to do.

When the afternoon came, the maid approached her again, this time even more hesitantly.

Sage looked up from the magazine she was reading. "What now?"

"Miss Sage, the young masters' regular school day is ending. Time to pick them up," the maid reminded her.

The woman's voice was barely above a whisper, clearly afraid of another outburst.

"Fine, I know. Such a pain." Sage got up with obvious reluctance. "Make sure dinner's ready when we get back, and tell them I cooked it myself. Got that?"

Sage headed out to the school, checking her appearance in the car mirror multiple times during the drive. She wanted to make sure she looked perfect for any other parents who might see her.

River and Stone had been waiting by the school entrance for over an hour. Their teacher had stayed with them, growing increasingly concerned as other children were picked up one by one.

When they finally spotted Sage's car pulling up, their faces lit up with relief and excitement.

"Sage-mom!" They waved and shouted, running toward her. "Look, teacher! That's our new mom. We call her Sage-mom."

The teacher looked surprised, glancing between the children and Sage. "What about your previous mom? Luna Aria?"

River and Stone's expressions immediately darkened at the mention of my name. "That old mom didn't want us anymore. Actually, we didn't want her! Sage-mom is way better."

"Yeah! She's prettier and nicer and she doesn't make us eat gross vegetables!" Stone added.

Sage had walked over and heard what the boys said. She smiled sweetly at the teacher, slipping back into her gentle persona. "The children are just playing around. Aria has some things to handle out of town, so I'm helping take care of them for now."

"I see." The teacher nodded, though she still looked confused. "Luna Aria was always so responsible with little River and Stone. She never missed a pickup. I was wondering how she could possibly not want them."

The teacher's innocent comment hit exactly where it hurt. Sage's smile tightened almost imperceptibly.

"Yes, well, sometimes life gets complicated," Sage said with forced cheerfulness.

She made an excuse about traffic and quickly ushered the children to the car. The drive home was filled with their excited chatter about their day, oblivious to Sage's irritation.

When they arrived at the mansion, the maid had already prepared an elaborate dinner spread. Multiple dishes covered the dining table, making it look like a feast.

Both children's eyes widened in amazement as they entered the dining room.

"Sage-mom, did you make all this? That's incredible!" River exclaimed, his mouth dropping open.

"Our old mom only knew how to make gross health food," he added, climbing into his chair.

"Yeah, Sage-mom is the best!" Stone nodded enthusiastically and couldn't wait to sit at the table.

They threw their backpacks, shoes, and jackets all over the entrance hall floor without a second thought. Sage glanced at the mess they had created and her jaw tightened.

She turned toward the maid and barked orders in a low voice, "Are you blind? Don't you know how to clean up?"

Her tone was cold and sharp, completely different from the sweet voice she used with the children.

The children didn't notice the change in her demeanor and laughed along. "Dad pays you to serve us, so can you work faster? Sage-mom shouldn't have to remind you!"

The maid knelt down immediately to pick up River and Stone's scattered belongings without a word of complaint.

Just as she was gathering the last of their things, the front door opened and Kael's voice carried into the house.

"I can smell something amazing the moment I walk in. Did you make such a feast today?"