Ben looked at her with a soft smile. “What would I do without you?” he asked quietly. Valeria pretended to think, scrunching her face. “You’d probably starve to death,” she said, then stuck her tongue out at him. Ben sat up and laughed out loud. “You’re right. I’ve always loved your cooking. But how about a goodbye dinner?” he asked next. “This isn’t goodbye,” Valeria replied. “And sure, we can have dinner. The four of us,” she added. “But…” she said before Ben could interrupt. “I know you’re feeling lazy today. I can see it all over your face,” Ben said, getting up and walking to the fridge for some water. “Who wants pizza?” he shouted. The twins came running in, yelling, “Me! Me! Me!” Valeria looked at them in surprise. Chocolate was dripping down their chins, their shirts were stained, and their once-clean hands were now sticky brown thanks to the heavenly mess of cupcakes. What had she been thinking, giving them a whole plate of cupcakes? Behind her, Ben burst into laught
“Kids!” Valeria shouted in panic when she saw the two children pulling each other’s hair. She rushed to pull Emily away from Ethan before the little girl could scratch her brother’s eyes. With a heavy sigh, she finally managed to scoop Emily into her arms, away from Ethan. “What happened?” Valeria asked, giving them both a sharp look. “He ate my ice cream,” Emily whined, trying to lunge at Ethan again. Valeria held her back and turned her gaze to Ethan. “Why is it yours? Your name’s not on it,” the boy argued. “And I’m pretty sure it’s not yours either,” Valeria said, narrowing her eyes. “Go to your room, Ethan, and do your homework. And you, young lady, will be doing yours in my room. Got it?” Emily nodded and dashed off to her room, followed closely by Ethan, the two of them shoving each other to see who could get there first. Valeria shook her head at their antics. What on earth was she supposed to do with kids like them? She returned to the kitchen and began choppi
Inside the office, Ben sat staring at a pile of documents. Sean frowned at the sight of him. Ben looked unwell. A thin beard had grown on his usually clean-shaven face. His hair was messy, as if he'd been running his hands through it repeatedly. The top two buttons of his shirt were undone, and his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. His clothes were clearly not fresh. "You look like crap," Sean said, taking a seat across from him. He expected Ben to snap back with his usual sarcasm. Instead, Ben let out a small chuckle. "So, what did you want to talk about?" Sean asked, settling into the chair opposite Ben. Ben didn't answer right away. He stared at Sean in silence for a few seconds. Just as Sean was about to lose patience, Ben moved. He opened a drawer, pulled out a manila envelope, placed it on the desk, and slid it toward Sean, then looked back at him. "This," he said, nodding at the envelope. Sean took a deep breath, picked up the envelope, opened it, and read its conten
Sean woke up still wearing the workout clothes Jenna had given him the day before. He changed his shirt and stretched his arms over his head. Then, he followed the smell of coffee and waffles coming from the kitchen. He leaned against the wall. Jenna was dancing to rock music while making breakfast. Sean smiled. That was exactly the kind of morning view he wanted to wake up to every day. "Good morning," he said with a smile. Jenna froze mid-dance, her back still to him. She slowly turned around, her face flushed. "Morning," she mumbled softly. "You dance really well," Sean teased. Jenna blushed even more and let out a small laugh. "Oh. Uh, thanks. I guess," she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Sean chuckled, still smiling at her. "Waffles?" Jenna asked, holding up a plate stacked with them. Sean shook his head gently. "The storm’s passed. I should take Olivia and Oliver home," he replied. Jenna glanced at the twins, still asleep on the couch. Their chests rose an
“Are you two dating?” Sean asked, his heart pounding. He was scared of the answer. “Well, if that’s what you think,” Valeria said softly. That hurt more than he expected. “What do you mean by that?” “It’s... complicated,” she replied. “Ben is like a protector to me. He’s always been there. He stayed with me when I cried for reasons I didn’t even understand, listened to me ramble about the smallest things that didn’t make any sense. He made me feel less alone.” Her smile was small, but sincere. Sean looked down and nodded slowly. A part of him felt angry that Ben had become such a big part of Jenna’s life. But another part of him was grateful. Not because Ben had taken his place, but because he had been there for the woman Sean loved when Sean couldn’t. He didn’t really hate Ben. He was just jealous. Jealous that Ben was there when Jenna woke up from nightmares. Jealous that he got to see her smile every morning. Jealous that the kids called him “Papa,” while they called Jenna “
A gentle but clear voice interrupted. “Do you want to come in and wash your face?” Valeria asked. Sean blinked, a bit confused. “Hm?” “You said something got in your eye. Want to rinse it off first?” Sean followed her gaze toward the small kitchen behind them. He nodded slowly. Oliver reached for his hand, and together they walked to the kitchen. Valeria’s house was small, but it felt warm and full of life. Every corner radiated Jenna’s presence, and that made Sean’s heart race. Emily trailed behind them. She might not share blood with Olivia, but the love Valeria gave her was real. Just as strong as the love Jenna had shown Oliver and Olivia. Just as deep. There was no difference between Olivia, Oliver, Ethan, or Emily. She had embraced them all with a mother’s warmth. “Don’t be scared of me, Liv. I’m a friend of Ben and Valeria,” Sean said, leaning down and gently touching Emily’s cheek. Emily nodded. Her eyes were clear, but she still seemed unsure. “Kids! Why don’t you t
Sean was lying on the grass one summer afternoon, wearing a sky-blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and white pants. His hand covered his closed eyes as he rested, enjoying the warmth of the sun on his body. A soft breeze brushed against his skin while birds chirped happily in the trees above. He let the world slow down for a while, trying to forget the weight in his heart. But then, his breath caught as a small weight landed on his stomach. “Daddy, Daddy! Mommy didn’t give me any chocolate,” his little daughter whined, pouting sweetly as she jumped onto him. Sean chuckled softly and pulled her close before sitting up. “You had some this morning, didn’t you?” he asked gently, brushing her hair away from her forehead. “Yes, but I want more,” she said, her brow furrowed and her eyes beginning to water. Sean looked at her tiny face, and something warm and aching stirred deep in his chest. He gently stroked her cheek. “If I could, I’d give you the whole world. But f
A group of teenagers lounged on the neatly trimmed grass, laughing and chatting as they soaked in the warmth of the sun during their break. Their lighthearted laughter floated through the air, a sharp contrast to the dark thoughts of a woman sitting alone on a bench tucked away in the corner of the park. She wore an expensive-looking blue outfit, complete with a hat, mask, and oversized sunglasses that covered nearly half her face. Sitting upright, she adjusted her glasses and let out a long sigh. The afternoon breeze played with her highlighted blonde hair as her mind drifted to the past. “Oh, those days were so beautiful,” she murmured to herself. “The only thing I used to worry about was which dress to wear to my party… and now?” She gazed into the distance. “Now I have to think about the future. My future… and my bloodline.” Her eyes narrowed as she looked back at the teenagers, a mix of longing and bitterness in her expression. “The only real way to secure anyone’s future i
“Stop zoning out on me, Val!” Sean said, noticing Valeria had spaced out. “Are you okay?” he asked, a confused look on his face. There was a hint of concern in his eyes. Valeria frowned. “Yeah,” she said, lifting her chin. Sean gave a small chuckle and shook his head. “Where do you live?” he asked again. “I don’t give my address to strangers,” Valeria shot back quickly. “But you know me,” he said casually. “No, I don’t. I just know your name—and knowing someone’s name doesn’t mean I know them,” she replied sharply. Sean’s smile froze for a second, but then it returned. “Fair enough. So… why don’t we get to know each other?” Valeria raised an eyebrow, clearly suspicious. “And why would I want that?” she asked, arms crossed over her chest. “You know you want to,” he replied with a smug grin—the kind that made Valeria roll her eyes. Men and their cocky smiles. “I know exactly what I want,” Valeria said firmly. “Exactly. That’s what I’m saying,” Sean replied, still looking enti