Liberation

FOUR YEARS LATER

New York City

Manhattan

A soft buzz echoed through the cabin of the private plane, followed by a pilot’s composed voice that announced smoothly, “Everyone, we have landed safely in Manhattan. We are currently taxiing toward the private hangar and expect to have the main airstair door open in approximately two minutes. Thank you for flying with us.”

Seated by the window on the left side of the plane was Marcus Ellington. He was resting comfortably in his plush leather seat with a stack of corporate files resting in his lap, but he hadn't processed a single word on the pages for the last hour

The moment the pilot's announcement cleared, Marcus lifted his gaze, his attention magnetically pulled toward the lady sitting across the aisle.

Jules Gates had been staring blankly out of the window for the longest time. She was deeply lost in her thoughts, her face framed by the golden stray sun rays that filtered into the cabin, illuminating the soft curve of her jaw and her striking side profile.

“We are here, Jules,” Marcus called to her after studying her for a few seconds in silence, and she turned instantly, her beautiful striking blue eyes piercing his hazel eyes, as her lips twisted into a small smile.

“Finally,” she muttered softly as her attention instantly shifted from him to the two kids, who were curled together across the wide seat beside them, fast asleep. The boy’s arm rested protectively over his sister, while her head leaned lightly against his shoulder.

“They didn’t even try,” Jules murmured with a chuckle, as a soft, amused breath escaped her.

“It is a relief they are asleep. Imagine the endless noise that this place would be filled with if they were awake,” Marcus turned to look at them too, his voice warm with love and tenderness while staring at his beautiful children.

Jules then rose to her feet and made her way toward them gracefully, the fabric of her red dress falling effortlessly around her as she squatted beside the kids, her fingers brushed gently through Eleanor’s hair first, smoothing a stray strand away from her face, before moving to touch Eric's forehead.

“Wake up, kids,” she said softly, and they stirred almost at once, their beautiful dark blue eyes parting almost immediately.

Eleanor shifted with a small frown, her lashes fluttering as she struggled awake, while her brother groaned quietly, pulling his arm back and rubbing at his face.

“Are we there already?” he asked, his voice still heavy with sleep.

“Did we arrive?” Eleanor added, blinking slowly as she tried to focus.

“Yes. We’re here,” Jules answered with a smile, as she tugged their cheeks, and they sat up almost immediately, their earlier exhaustion forgotten in a second.

Instantly, they both reached for her as their hands slipped easily into hers, and then she pulled both of them up. The flight attendant had already opened the door to the plane, and Marcus was just waiting for them to get ready before he stepped down the air stairs ahead of them

A Rolls-Royce Cullinan pulled up smoothly before them after they made their way down, and the chauffeur stepped out without delay, opening the rear door instantly.

“Go on,” Marcus signaled to the kids, and they hurried forward, their earlier drowsiness replaced entirely by excitement as they climbed into the car, their voices already overlapping again.

Jules stepped aside as the attendants began unloading their luggage, her gaze drifting briefly toward the neatly arranged rows of cases being brought down. Then, another second vehicle, a Bugatti Galibier, rolled in behind the first, as the luggage which belonged to her was directed toward it.

“That will take you home,” Marcus informed her, his eyes sparkling radiantly, and Jules turned to him without hesitation and wrapped her arms around him in a brief, warm embrace.

“Thank you so much, Marcus. I will see you and the kids later,” she said, pulling back just as easily, and then turned to leave when the car door opened again.

“Aunt!” The twins called in unison and came rushing back out, their faces filled with confusion and mild urgency.

“Why aren’t you coming with us?” Eleanor asked, her brows knitting slightly.

Seeing them and how cute they ran, Jules let out a soft laugh, shaking her head lightly, and clasped their cheeks in her hand, “I have my own place now,” she explained, “It is new, and I want to see it first.”

The two exchanged a look at what she had just said, and they instantly concluded that she was not convincing even if they did not utter it.

“But we have our house too,” Eric pointed out, “And it has so many rooms.”

“And you should come with us,” Eleanor added quickly, her fingers curling around Jules’s hand again, “Why won’t you stay?” She pressed further.

Jules kissed her teeth in confusion at the kids that were trying to convince her, as her helpless gaze landed on Marcus who just grinned and shrugged that he had no say, and then to the kids while taking in their hopeful expressions. The way they looked at her made her soften almost instantly.

“…Alright,” she conceded affectionately with a beaming smile, “I will come for a bit.”

The kids screamed happily immediately and jumped joyfully, as Eleanor turned to Marcus, “Daddy, she is coming!” She chimed and then whispered something into her brother's ear.

Marcus said nothing and just continued to smile as he informed the driver of the second car that he was to follow them first, and then began to walk behind Jules and the two kids, who were all over her as they made their way into the car.

After they all settled in, the car began to move, and the twins soon got engrossed with the animation they were watching right before they slept as silence settled in the air.

Jules remained calm and collected, her gaze shifting back to the window as she stared out at the passing scenery without saying a word, while Marcus, who was also at the other side of the back window, looked ahead.

It was in this quiet stretch of the drive that Eleanor looked up, her bright and sharp eyes moving between the two adults with a deeply curious and observant expression.

“Why are you both so quiet?” she asked, and they both turned to look in her direction instantly, barely having an answer.

Then, Eleanor's gaze shifted directly to Marcus, her small brow raising, “Daddy, why aren’t you telling her to stay with us?”

Marcus, caught completely off guard by his precocious daughter, let out a soft exhale, shifting slightly in his seat, “Eleanor…”

“Our house is big, and we have seen it from the pictures Daddy showed us,” she pressed on, a knowing, insinuating smile playing on her lips as her attention snapped right back to Jules, “It will be better not to waste rooms.”

Jules blinked, genuinely surprised by the little girl's forwardness. A soft, breathless laugh escaped her as she quickly tried to wiggle her way out of the corner she had been backed into, “I just got here, Leanor dear,” she said jokingly, keeping her tone light, “Let me settle in first.”

“Aunty needs her space,” Marcus finally came to her rescue as he cleared his throat sharply, adjusting his posture to draw his daughter's focus away from Jules.

Eleanor leaned back against the plush leather, looking entirely unconvinced by what she had just been told. However, the momentary distraction passed, and she quickly transitioned into another thought that had been weighing on her mind since they landed.

“I don’t know if I like this move,” she admitted, her voice dropping its playful edge and turning a little anxious, “Everything is new. I will have to make new friends, go to a new school, and find new favorite spots. The list is endless,” She sighed dramatically, crossing her arms.

“You will be fine,” her brother, Eric, said quietly from beside her, “You always adjust.”

“I am not worried about me,” Eleanor snapped, turning to him sharply, her eyes dancing with a flash of subtle irritation, “I am worried about you. What if you don’t make any friends until the end of the school year?” She rolled her eyes, letting out a huff.

“I will manage. I always do,” he responded evenly, completely unfazed by her burst of energy.

Eleanor shook her head, instantly losing interest in his calm demeanor, and turned her attention back to Marcus, “Daddy, I hope we will have no tutors this time around?” she asked, widening her eyes and blinking up at him as cutely as she possibly could.

“We will discuss that later, Eleanor,” Marcus responded, his lips twitching as he suppressed a laugh at her terrible, utterly transparent attempt to look innocent.

“And I want a new violin,” she continued seamlessly, barely pausing for breath, “A better and bigger one this time.”

“You say that every single time,” her brother muttered under his breath.

“No, I do not!” she shot back defensively, “I just think… I might want to be an opera singer instead,” She turned her head toward the front seat again, looking directly at Jules, clearly expecting her to weigh in on the matter.

“You can be anything you want, sweetheart,” she smiled again, as she watched Eleanor’s thoughts manifest into words that flowed endlessly, one after another, her voice filling the space with an energy that was impossible to ignore till they arrived at their destination.

…..

The heavy, matte-black plated gates parted with a silent, mechanical glide, and the cars rolled onto the long, private pathway of manicured walls of deep green boxwood, pruned to sharp, artistic shapes and angles.

Steps away, water cascaded down a multi-tiered feature of black granite, bubbling softly into a basin of white pebbles as the faint scent of blooming jasmine mingled with the crisp aroma of treated water.

And just at that moment, a massive mansion revealed itself at the next turn to the right. It towered against the blue sky, built from pure white stone and charcoal rock like a stack of giant blocks, with a flat bronze roof crowned at the top.

Giant, silver-tinted glass walls shone like mirrors and reflected the drifting clouds, and at the entrance, two tall stone pillars framed a massive, brushed-gold door. Bright LED lights hid under the white steps, making them float over tiny streams of water flowing through the stone floor.

“This house is magnificent compared to our last house,” Eleanor whispered to her brother, as the car pulled to a stop, and they were out almost immediately.

At the entrance, a woman, Mrs Agnes, the new head maid stepped forward with a welcoming smile, “Welcome home, sir and ma. I am Agnes and the head maid.”

She ushered the twins inside and the moment they crossed the threshold, a perfectly lined row of maids and butlers bowed their heads in flawless, synchronized respect. With a quiet nod from Agnes, the staff immediately moved out toward the driveway to handle the luggage.

The twins disappeared almost as quickly, their laughter echoing through the cavernous foyer as they rushed deeper into the house to claim the best bedrooms, and Jules watched them go, her expression softening tenderly.

“You should go,” Marcus said beside her, “You look exhausted. You need to rest.”

Jules hesitated, her gaze lingering down the hallway where the twins had vanished, “I don’t want to make them feel bad,” she said softly, her eyes studying the beautiful house, “How did you already have everything about this house planned so perfectly? It is so beautiful,” she finally mentioned.

Marcus smiled at her words, “My mother,” he admitted, his voice dropping slightly, “She wanted to help me get everything in order before we finally returned, and I didn't even tell her we were coming today.”

“I am sure the kids would soon love it here,” Jules mentioned again, as Marcus studied her for a second, his eyes lingering for a few seconds, and then nodded, as he seamlessly ushered her into her house.

“So about accompanying you to the gala,” Jules suddenly interrupted, taking a breath as she looked around the secure, breathtaking interior of the mansion, “I think I am ready to appear in public places now. I will go,” she told with a small voice, and Marcus smiled, his eyes lighting up at her agreement.

But as they stepped fully into the grand foyer, he turned to ask her again, “But I thought you said you weren’t ready. Please you do not have to pressure you….. ”

“I’m ready, Marcus,” she interrupted his hesitation, “I really am.”