Chapter 7

“Why does everyone at school have a dad, but we don’t?”

Leviana’s small voice broke the quiet of the night. The living room lights were dimmed, leaving only the flickering glow from the television. Dirga, who was putting together a puzzle on the floor, looked up briefly, while Devano — the eldest of the three siblings — remained silent, his face serious.

“Teacher said,” Leviana continued softly, “a dad is someone who protects his family. But Mama never tells us about ours…”

Dirga snorted. “Maybe our dad was a bad guy,” he said carelessly. But Devano shot him a sharp look that made the boy lower his gaze.

“Don’t say that, Dirga. We don’t know anything.”

Silence returned. In the next room, Elara was fast asleep after a long day at work. The rain fell gently outside, making their small house feel lonelier than ever.

Devano stood and looked at the old laptop lying on the table. “We can find out,” he whispered.

Leviana frowned. “How?”

“Mama’s laptop. Maybe there’s a picture of him in there.”

Curiosity grew into courage. Devano walked quietly to the table and turned the laptop on. The screen lit up, revealing a simple wallpaper — a photo of the three of them as babies, cradled in Elara’s arms. In the corner of the screen was a folder titled Memories.

Devano clicked it open. Dozens of old photos appeared — a young Elara with her long hair, some pictures with friends, and then… one that was different.

Elara stood in a garden, smiling brightly beside a tall man in a gray suit with stormy blue-gray eyes.

Leviana leaned closer. “Who’s that?”

Devano swallowed hard. “I think… that’s Dad.”

The three of them froze. It was as if the world around them stopped moving.

Dirga slowly read the caption under the photo: Liam Ashford — Charity Gala, 2018.

The name burned itself into their minds. Devano typed it into the search bar: Liam Ashford.

The results appeared instantly — business news, magazine articles, and one large photo of the same man standing at a podium, surrounded by cameras.

“Liam Ashford, CEO of Ashford Group,” Devano read aloud, his voice trembling. “Married to Elara Wynters in 2018, divorced in 2019…”

Leviana gasped. “So Mama was married to him?”

“That means he’s our dad!” Dirga exclaimed, eyes wide. “Whoa… our dad’s rich!”

Devano didn’t answer. He zoomed in on the photo of Liam — and as his eyes met the man’s cold gaze through the screen, something stirred inside his chest. The face looked… familiar. The smile, the jawline, even the eyes.

He rubbed his own face slowly. “We really are his kids,” he whispered, barely audible.

Leviana squeezed her brother’s hand. “But why didn’t Mama ever tell us?”

Dirga muttered, “Maybe she didn’t want us to know.”

The three exchanged glances. In their young hearts, curiosity began to turn into determination.

In the bedroom, Elara stirred, hearing faint whispers from the living room. She opened her eyes, suspicion flickering through her tired mind. Her footsteps creaked on the wooden floor.

“Devano?” she called softly.

The kids panicked. Devano quickly shut the laptop and turned off the screen, while Leviana and Dirga darted to the sofa and pretended to sleep, pulling the blanket over them.

Elara appeared at the doorway, her hair messy, eyes still heavy with sleep. She looked at her children, lying still with even breaths as if they were fast asleep. She sighed and smiled faintly.

“You must be so tired today,” she murmured, tucking the blanket around them.

When her footsteps faded away, Leviana opened her eyes slightly. “That was close,” she whispered.

Devano nodded. “We can’t say anything yet. But someday… we’ll meet him.”

“How?” Dirga asked.

“We’ll search the internet again tomorrow,” Devano replied firmly. “If Mama won’t tell us, we’ll find out ourselves.”

They looked at one another in the dark, and in their eyes burned a small, steady flame of resolve. That night, for the first time, three young hearts shared the same secret — a secret that would change their lives forever.

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The next morning, the house buzzed with its usual routine. The smell of toast filled the air, mixed with the sound of children’s laughter in the small kitchen. Elara prepared lunchboxes while watching her kids fight playfully over chairs.

But this morning felt different. There was something distant in Devano’s eyes — something thoughtful, almost heavy.

“Dev, are you okay?” Elara asked, handing him a slice of toast.

Devano quickly smiled. “I’m fine, Ma.”

Under the table, however, he squeezed Dirga’s and Leviana’s hands — a silent signal between them.

While Elara talked about school and work, their minds drifted far away, to the glow of the laptop screen and the name that now echoed endlessly in their heads — Liam Ashford.

After breakfast, Elara left first. She kissed each of them on the forehead before walking out.

“Don’t forget to lock the door, okay? Mama’ll be home by evening.”

As soon as the door closed, Devano stood up. “It’s time.”

Dirga nodded and rushed to the table, opening the laptop again. The Memories folder was still there. The same photo of Elara and Liam filled the screen once more. But this time, they didn’t just look — they started to plan.

Devano typed a new search: Ashford Group Office, London City.

An address appeared: Crestview Tower, Floor 28.

“So that’s where he works,” Devano said quietly.

Leviana’s eyes sparkled. “If we go there, we could meet him, right?”

“Maybe,” Devano replied cautiously. “But we have to be careful. Mama can’t know.”

They looked at each other again, the glow of the laptop reflecting in their eyes. The world outside was far too big for them — but courage had already begun to grow, born from longing and questions they didn’t yet understand.

That night, before bed, Leviana stared at a small photo of the three of them beside her bed. She whispered softly, “I wonder what it feels like… to have a dad.”

Dirga, lying on the mattress beside her, murmured back, “We’ll find out, Lev. I promise.”

In the next room, Elara lay awake, staring at the ceiling with her hand on her chest. Something stirred in her — a quiet unease, a mother’s instinct that something was changing. Like a storm gathering beneath a calm sky.

She closed her eyes, trying to steady her breath, unaware that in the room next door, the three little souls she loved most were about to awaken a past she had buried long ago.

And that night, under their small roof, fate began to move.

Three children — bound by the same blood, the same heart, and the same emptiness — were ready to open a door that was never meant to be opened.

What they would find might bring them answers…

but also wounds they never expected.