5-Rose

I take a deep breath.

“Finally, we're here.”Six years.

That's how long it has been.

Six years have passed since I left this place.

Six years since everything changed.

"Mommy?"I look down.

Leona is staring up at me with wide, curious eyes.

“This is where you grew up, Mommy?”I crouch to her level.

“Yes, baby.”Her face lights up.

“I heard there's a massive fair here.”“There is,” Liam says, adjusting his little glasses.

“Every New Year.”My little professor.

I smile.

Then—

“Mommy, I need to use the bathroom.”I turn toward Leon.

The most mischievous of my three children is already shifting from one foot to another.

Anna laughs.

“You don't look like someone who wants to go.”“If you don't take me, I'm going to go here.”I stare at him.

"Fine."I sigh.

“Anna, I'll find you at arrivals.”“Okay.”

I take Leon's hand.

“Liam, Leona, stay with Aunty Anna.”“Okay, Mommy!”

I lead Leon toward the bathroom.

Then he stops.

“I can't go in there.”I look at the sign.

“The women's bathroom?”“Yes.”

“Leo, you're four years old. No one is going to care.”His lips press into a stubborn line.

“Then I'm not going.”“Leo.”

I close my eyes and take a deep breath.

This boy will be the death of me.

“If you go in there, I won't help you.”He folds his arms.

“I am a big boy. I can help myself.”I stare at him.

Fine.

“Go.”

He immediately runs toward the men's bathroom.

I lean against the wall outside.

“Good Lord.”A few seconds later, I hear his voice from inside.

"Hi!"Silence.

Apparently, that doesn't discourage him.

“Just imagine, my mommy wanted me to enter the girls' room.”I cover my face.

Why does he talk to everyone?

A deep male voice answers.

“Where's your mom?”Something about that voice makes me pause.

It sounds familiar.

Too familiar.

But I can't place it.

"Outside," Leon answers.

“Can you help me?”A pause.

“Mommy said if I get urine on my trousers, she's going to kill me.”The man laughs.

“I wouldn't take her threat lightly.”Leon giggles.

“Does your mommy also tell you she'll kill you?”Another pause.

“Not as much.”“So mine will stop?”The man chuckles.

“They never do.”“Even when I'm big like you?”“Especially when you grow up.”“Oh.”

Leon sounds disappointed.

I bite my lip to stop myself from laughing.

Then I hear him ask,

“Can you help me with my zipper?”A moment later, the man answers.

“There you go, little man.”“Thank you. Bye!”I straighten just as Leon comes running out.

"See, Mommy?"He puffs out his chest.

“I didn't get urine on my trousers.”“I see that.”I pretend I didn't hear anything.

“My baby has grown.”He grins.

I can't help laughing.

Then the bathroom door opens.

A man steps out.

The scent reaches me first.

Leather.

Amber.

My breath catches.

I look up.

The stranger standing in front of me feels strangely familiar.

Not his face.

Not exactly.

Something else.

Something I can't name.

"Hi," Leon says proudly.

The man looks down at him.

“This is my mommy.”“Hello.”

His voice.

That voice.

For a second, something inside me shifts.

Have I heard it before?

“Thank you for helping him.”Leon folds his arms.

“What do you mean, helped me?”I look down at him.

“Sure, you helped yourself.”My phone rings.

I glance at the screen.

Anna.

“Anna, we're on our way.”I end the call.

"Leo."“Yes?”

The man and my son answer at the same time.

I blink.

Leon looks up at the stranger.

“Your name is also Leo?”The man gives a small nod.

Leon studies him.

Then, unexpected, asks,

“Are you my dad?”My entire body freezes.

The man's expression changes.

I quickly grab Leon's hand.

“I'm sorry about him.”I force a smile.

“We have to go. Aunty Anna and your siblings are waiting.”I pull him away.

As we walk, I glance back once.

The man is still standing there.

Watching us.

I quickly turn away.

That can't be him.

It can't.

The man from that night couldn't possibly be this polite.

---

At arrivals, we move quickly through the process.

A driver approaches us.

“Miss Rose Jere?”I stop.

Rose Jere.

My late twin sister's name.

The name I've used publicly ever since I became pregnant.

I nod.

He takes our luggage.

“Thank you.”---

“Finally home.”Anna is already waiting beside the car.

I climb in and look around.

“I can't believe I'm back.”Anna looks over her shoulder at the sleeping triplets.

They were so excited about the trip that they barely slept.

Their first time traveling.

And somehow, their first trip had to be here.

“I'm glad you're here.”I give her a look.

“It's not like I had a choice.”She laughs.

“You're right. I dragged you here.”Anna has become my best friend.

The person who stayed with me through hell and back.

“You thought I was going to get married without my maid of honor?”“Wouldn't miss it for the world.”“And besides, not everyone gets to have Chef R.J. as their best friend.”She grins.

“I have to brag a little.”I laugh.

Chef R.J.

Four years of hard work brought me to where I am now.

And I couldn't have done it without Anna.

Or my children.

Speaking of children—

“Didn't Silven say he'd pick us up?”“He did.”Anna sighs.

“But he has a meeting with his father's old partner.”“Who?”

“Leon Creed.”The name makes me pause.

“I've heard rumors about him.”Anna raises an eyebrow.

"What rumors?"“That he had a secret lover.”She lowers her voice dramatically.

“She got pregnant and died with their twins.”I stare at her.

“And apparently, his family was responsible for their deaths.”“That's horrible.”“He vowed never to get married after that.”I shake my head.

“Sounds dramatic.”“Well, good thing I'm not asking for your opinion. I'm telling you.”I laugh.

Then Anna gives me a knowing look.

“But he's hot.”I roll my eyes.

“You should totally hook up with him.”“No men.”“Rose.”

“Besides, I already have two of my own.”She laughs.

“Yes, yes. The three of them are enough.”Then she looks at me seriously.

“But you need someone.”“I have you.”“Yes, you have me.”Her smile fades.

“But I can't always be there.”I look away.

She is right.

I know she is.

But after what happened six years ago, I don't think I need a man in my life.

I learned how easily one night can destroy everything.

I won't let another man do that to me.

---

The streets outside become unfamiliar.

I look through the window.

“Where are we going?”Anna smiles.

“I have a surprise.”“What surprise?”

“We're almost there.”A few minutes later, I see the sign.

Welcome to Valemont private estates.

My heart skips.

Valemont.

The place where the richest families lived when I was growing up.

"Anna…"She smiles innocently.

"What?"“What are we doing in Valemont?”“Patience has never been your strongest attribute.”“It has never been.”The car stops in front of a massive three-story mansion.

I stare.

Then I turn to Anna.

“Please tell me this isn't what I think it is.”She gets out.

I follow.

The driver unloads our luggage.

Anna holds out a set of keys.

“Welcome to your new home.”I stare at her.

"This?"She nods.

“Anna, I said a small apartment.”“And you sent me a million dollars.”She folds her arms.

“Who buys a small apartment with millions?”“I was going to sell it.”“What?”

I point at the mansion.

“It's too big for four people.”Then I notice something beside the house.

It looks like a café.

My eyes narrow.

“And what is that?”Anna smiles.

“I may have bought two estates.”I stare at her.

“And turned one into a restaurant.”“Oh God.”“Before you get angry—”

"Anna."“I—”

“I'm tired. The kids are tired. We'll have this discussion later.”A chorus of voices interrupts us.

“Is this our house?”I turn.

I don't know when the triplets woke up.

“We're going to live in a castle?”Leona's eyes shine.

“Do we each get our room?”“Ask Aunty Anna.”“Does it have a playroom?”Leon jumps in.

“And a gym?”“Ask Aunty Anna.”“Why do you need a gym?”“To grow big and strong so you stop scolding me.”I close my eyes.

Good Lord.

“Does it have a library?”“Ask Aunty Anna.”Then—

"Babe?"We all turn.

Anna's face lights up.

"Silven!"She rushes toward him.

They hug.

They haven't seen each other for almost two weeks.

“Silven, hi.”I give him a friendly hug.

Then the triplets run toward him.

"Uncle Silven!"He laughs and lifts Leona into his arms.

“Oh, you guys have grown.”"Hi, Princess."Leona kisses his cheek.

Leon immediately complains.

“Why do you always lift Leona?”“Because she's a girl, stupid.”Liam rolls his eyes.

I laugh.

Silven puts Leona down.

“How was the flight?”“Long.”

“Let me help you with those.”He reaches for the bags.

He's a good man.

And I'm genuinely happy for Anna.

She deserves someone like him.

I open the front door.

The house is even bigger inside.

“Can we see the rooms?”Liam is already halfway to the stairs.

“Sure, love.”The three children race upstairs.

"Careful!"Silven watches them disappear.

Then he turns to me.

“How have you been, Rub—”

He stops.

“Sorry. Rose.”I smile.

“I'm fine.”Anna rolls her eyes.

“This woman bought this mansion and dragged me here without telling me.”Silven looks at her.

“You didn't know?”I shake my head.

"No."Then I notice Anna suddenly looking toward Silven.

“Babe, didn't you say you were at a meeting?”“I was.”He smiles.

“The meeting was at the house opposite this one.”I stop.

My smile disappears.

"Opposite?"Silven nods.

"Yeah."I slowly turn toward the window.

My heart begins beating faster.

Anna looks at me.

Then she says the words that make my blood run cold.

“Leon Creed lives next door.”