Chapter 1 Two Years Later

Stephanie walked in the meeting room and started the meeting immediately. She wanted to end it in the afternoon before she and her twins headed to Iceland, meeting Martin there. Martin is having a week-long meeting in London, while she has a meeting in New York. The twins, Mia and Sophia, they’re missing their daddy so badly and Stephanie came up with a short holiday idea, which Martin agreed and decided to go to Iceland. He thinks it is good to bring them closer to nature and Iceland is located in the right place between London and New York. 

In 2 and half hours, they stopped for lunch time. Liam was about to ask Luke to get lunch together but Luke's eyes stared at him, telling he had other things. Liam glanced at Stephanie and he suddenly understood. Luke smiled and as soon as his best friend left, he walked toward Stephanie, who just finished talking with Nathan. Stephanie smiled when Luke approached her but then her phone rang.

“Yes!” 

“Oh, you guys came back? Okay! I will go upstairs soon,” She said as she ended the call

“Luke” She greeted him

“Rei…..” His voice was deep, then he added, “Lunch with me?” 

“Ahmmm, I’d love to but I can’t. My babies are upstairs and I plan to get room service, you know, we have no time with our tight schedule. I really want to end it around 4 so I can head to the airport after that,” She explained

“The twins here? I’d love to see them!” Luke said

“You can come with me to the suite. How about having lunch together there?” Stephanie offered

“What do you like to eat?” She added

“Well, good idea. But, Martin……Will he be….” Luke was little worried but the Stephanie cut him 

“He is in London. We will meet later, I’ll bring Mia and Sophia to Iceland for holiday with him,” Stephanie explained 

“Don’t worry too much about him. He has changed. He knew we’re good friends now. Let’s go upstairs!” Stephanie smiled and walked in front of him

“No need to order room service, I’ll ask James to order. What do you like to eat? Also the twins, what is their favorite food?” Luke said as he walked next to her

“Seafood, just like their mommy,” Stephanie laughed and Luke smiled immediately. He really loves seeing her smiling and it still gives him butterflies. 

He took his phone and texted James, ‘Get the best seafood in the area. Make the chef and his staff deliver it to Stephanie suite. I want it in 30 minutes!’

Stephanie and Luke arrived at the 4015 suite and she opened the door. Luke saw two girls smiling happily seeing their mommy. 

“Mommy……” They said together 

Stephanie smiled and said, “How’s the sightseeing?”

“We saw a big statue. It was sooo big, mommy!” Mia answered her

“What is it called?” Mia asked Sophia

“The Statue of Liberty, right?” Sophia turned to Dana, her babysitter and Dana nodded 

“Who is he?” Sophia then asked Stephanie as her small finger pointed out Luke

“Uhhh, uncle is so handsome!” Mia left Stephanie, walking toward Luke

“Yeah but still, daddy is more handsome! Daddy is the most handsome man in the world, right mommy?” Sophia said loudly

Stephanie smiled hearing it, she turned to Luke and saw Luke smiled as he shaked his head, showing disbelief. Luke then squatted, making him closer to Mia. 

“Hey, beautiful girl!” Luke greeted Mia

“Uncle don’t listen to Sophia, she is so mean. She is more like daddy, uncle Nathan told me,” Mia whispered to Luke, making Luke smiled and glanced at Stephanie

“And you, like your mommy?” Luke asked 

“I am,” Mia made a cute smile 

“What are you talking about?” Stephanie asked Mia and Luke

“Hmmm nothing! It is our secret, right uncle?” Mia turned to Luke and Luke nodded

Stephanie smiled, then she said, “So, Mia and Sophia, this is uncle Luke. He is a mommy friend, mommy has work to do with uncle Luke.” 

“Like uncle Nathan?” Sophia asked

“Yes!” Stephanie answered shortly 

“Uncle, which one you’ll choose, me or Sophia?” Mia suddenly asked Luke

“What?” Luke asked as he didn’t understand 

Stephanie laughed. She added, “So, both of them are competing, who's on their side!” 

“Yes, uncle Nathan likes me, he is supporting me, but uncle Jacob likes Sophia more,” Mia explained

“You like me more, right?” Mia winked her right eye at Luke 

“Eh, I don’t care! I have daddy on my side! He likes me for sure,” Sophia said arrogantly 

Luke smiled after hearing that, ‘She is the copy of Martin!’

“How about I choose your mommy’s side instead of both of you?” Luke teased them

“No way!” Mia shouted 

“No, mommy is daddy’s. You can’t do that!” Sophia told Luke 

“Alright, stop it! Both of you aren’t hungry?” Stephanie ended the argument and tried to change the topic

“I am! Let’s eat lunch, mommy!” Mia  

“I am hungry too!” Sophia murmured

“So, uncle Luke already ordered us lunch, we will eat here, okay?” Stephanie told both of them 

“I want to eat out, not here!” Sophia protested 

“Baby, mommy has a tight schedule, and needs to go back to the meeting in an hour,” Stephanie tried to explain 

“Yeah me too! We spent lunch at the hotel all the time. The whole year….ughhh!” Mia added 

“But, at least you guys eat it with mommy or daddy right? Better than eat alone at home, I guess!” Luke said as he sat on the sofa

“Yeah….” Sophia answered shortly 

“Come here! Tell me what do you want to eat? Do you have a favorite food?” Luke called Mia and Sophia who were sitting next to Stephanie

It didn’t take long for Luke to be close to both of them. Sophia sat next to him while Mia comfortably sat on his lap. It was around 15 minutes later, someone knocked the door and it was James with the chef and some restaurant staff delivering the lunch. They brought three trolleys inside and the staff quickly moved the dishes from the trolley to the dining table. Stephanie booked a big suite which consists of 3 separate bedrooms complete with living room and dining table. Mia and Sophia became cheerful as soon as they smelled the food. 

“Mmmm, seafood…..I love it!” Mia said with happy face

“Uncle, how do you know our favorite food before we answer your question? Did mommy tell you?” Sophia asked Luke

Luke smiled, then said, “I knew your mom very well, so I guess both of you shared her favorite food!” 

Stephanie smiled hearing what Luke had said. Then, she gave a code to the babysitters, Dana and Julia, to help Mia and Sophia seated on the dining table. She sat in front of Luke and she told Luke that it is okay if the chef and the staff left, give the four of them privacy. Luke glanced at James and soon, James and the rest of them left. 

It warmed his heart, seeing Stephanie and her kids looked happy eating the food. He secretly happy seeing them enjoy the food. Dana and Julia helped the twins to eat and Stephanie and Luke had a light conversation during the lunch. It was half an hour later they finished and Luke called James to tell the restaurant staff to clean up the dining table. 

“Babies, are you happy with the food?” Stephanie asked her child

“It is delicious mommy,” Mia answered 

“Good! Say thank you to uncle Luke then,” Stephanie asked 

“Thank you uncle Luke! You’re the best!” Mia said with a big smile on her face

“Thanks uncle!” Sophia said shortly 

Luke smiled at them, his mind went away, ‘These two kids….’      

“It won’t be the first and last time. Next time, we will get something more, okay!” Luke finally spoke up

“Yayyyy!!” Mia looked happy

“Alright! Mom needs to go back to meeting with uncle Luke, both of you stay here okay, play with Dana and Julia!” Stephanie told the twins

“Mommy…..” Sophia protested 

Stephanie squatted and touched Sophia’s face, saying “baby, we need to leave this afternoon. If the two of you went out, then Dana and Julia can’t pack our things, then we will be late to the airport.”

“Where are we going later? Another business trip, right?” Sophia looked sad

“Hmmmm NO! We’ll go on holiday with daddy. Short holiday, you will like it!” Stephanie told Sophia

“WHAT? I miss daddy! Mommy, you’re not lying right?” Sophia’s face suddenly changed. She looked happy and excited

“I miss daddy too, mommy!!!” Mia added as she came closer to hug her mommy

“We will meet daddy soon! So, be nice, okay! Do whatever Dana and Julia said,” Stephanie asked them 

“Okay mommy!” Mia smiled brightly 

Stephanie hugged her child and then got up, leaving the suite with Luke. 

“Luke, thanks for the lunch!” She said as both of them entering the elevator

“Don’t mention it! I love seeing the three of you smiling,” Luke said to her. However, deep down in his heart, he couldn’t help but feel sad for himself. Seeing Stephanie and the twins love Martin like that, somehow he is jealous. 

‘How it looked like if Rei ended up with me and the twins are mine?’ 

‘Life isn’t fair….’