3

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Their car halted next to the Grevens Park an hour after. Avery sat on a bench, her mind clouded with piled up paperwork. She watched her kids as they ran around with Alnos. Ria chased her brother, while Raymond kept darting between the slides and swings.

Avery closed her eyes briefly, soaking in the peaceful moment. Alnos had done his best to keep things light-hearted, joking with the kids, helping them climb the jungle gym, and keeping the conversation light when she couldn’t bring herself to participate much.

It was obvious Avery's mind was elsewhere, and every time Alnos looked at her, it was hellish for her. In the end, Avery couldn't bring herself to hurt Alnos.

Once Ria and Raymond were settled on the grass playing with other children, Alnos soon joined Avery on the swing. Alnos, sitting beside her, slowly reached out, his hand brushing against hers. “Avery, the children are happy and they are fed. It's just us alone today. Should we give ourselves some privacy?”

Avery pulled her hand back at the sudden shock of ‘privacy’. She sighed deeply, looking down at her lap. “Alnos, I feel like I'm using you.” 

“Is this about Luca?” 

“Hear me out first. Luca is insignificant to me. I barely recognize how he looks like or what he sounds. It is about us. Can't we be friends?”

Alnos looked at her, his heart thumping harshly . It was one thing she rejected him because she didn't think it'd work between them and there was another, rejecting him because she was still in love with the bastard, ruthless father of her kids. 

“So this is not about Luca?” He paused, his eyes briefly monitoring what the twins were up to before resuming. “Do you like Luca? Luca, my brother who made you kneel in the snow for about two and a half days when you were pregnant for him. I pleaded on your behalf until he let you go. I can't believe you!”

Avery inhaled, staring at Alnos rage at her. “This is not about Luca! He has not been in any equation. It is me. I don't want to go into any relationship. Look at the kids, they are happy they didn't get to know that their father is a ruthless Alpha. Alnos, you’re a good guy, in fact, you’re a great guy... but—”

Alnos cut her off gently before she ruined any more of the progress he made with her. “I’m not asking you to marry me, Avery. I’m just saying we can take baby steps. No pressure. A small dinner, not with Ria and Raymond, but us alone. We could take walks, like you said you love watching the stars.”

He paused, ruffling his hair. “The kids will be fine. We can drop them off with the nanny or Cristina, your friend. Any one works out.”

“You’ve thought all of this through, haven’t you?”

Alnos smiled, a soft laugh escaping his lips. The least he would do is to convince her until she gives in. “Of course I have. I wouldn’t, if you weren’t Avery—the kickass.”

She smiled back, though her thoughts were still the opposite of what she wanted. Sensing she needed some space, Alnos gave her a gentle nod before standing. “I’ll give you a moment,” he said, walking toward the kids who were giggling by the trees, leaving Avery to sit in her thoughts.

“Mommy!” Ria’s voice snapped back to the present, and she opened her eyes to see her daughter running toward her with a wide grin on her face. Avery smiled softly and patted the spot beside her.

“What’s up, sweetheart?”

Ria plopped down beside her, giggling. “Raymond’s trying to race Uncle Alnos, but he’s going to lose.”

Avery laughed lightly, her heart feeling a little lighter. Watching Alnos with her kids made her realize just how much he had sacrificed for them—for her. He’d been there through thick and thin, but Avery couldn’t bring herself to make the leap he wanted. Her heart, still scarred from Luca, refused to let her go any further other than friendship.

As she watched Raymond run, the laughter and chatter of the park from Alnos and Raymond suddenly grew distant. Something felt...off. She looked around, scanning the playground, but couldn’t see Raymond.

“Raymond?” Avery called, standing up, her eyes darting over the park. “Raymond!”

Ria stood beside her, concern quickly spreading across her small face. “Mommy, where’s Raymond?”

Avery’s heart raced. Her eyes searched frantically. “Alnos!” Alnos turned from the swings, his eyes following hers when he realized Raymond wasn’t in sight.

Avery felt her breath catch in her throat. She began moving quickly, and scanned every corner of the park. Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of Raymond near the far end of the park, standing next to a man dressed in a brown coat. The man’s back was turned, his tall, lean figure about six feet tall, his silhouette hauntingly familiar.

Without thinking, Avery caught up with Raymond and Raymond smiled sheepishly and ran back to her, grabbing her hand. “Mommy! I won Uncle Alnos. I won him and I met this kind Uncle. He helped me stop the bleed on my mouth”

Avery's eyes trailed down to the small bleed on Raymond's mouth perhaps from his fall. She exhaled, kissing the spot. “It’s just a scratch, let's go home, Raymond.”

 Rather than following her when Avery said the word, home, Raymond excitedly pulled her over to the man who was now on the bench. “I got you a gift for mother's day, Mommy. I got you a husband! Look, Mommy! Didn’t you say Daddy was heavenly gorgeous? I found a man that fits your description perfectly! And see...” 

Raymond pointed to the man’s wrist. “He has the half-moon bracelet you told us about, the one you said Daddy wore!”

Avery’s breath hitched in her throat. Slowly, she lifted her eyes, her entire body freezing in place as she looked up at the man standing before her.

Luca D’Addario.

The same man she had run away from five years ago.

Her mind went blank, her heart slamming against her ribcage. She swallowed hard, muttering words. “Raymond...” she managed to say, pulling her son closer to her chest, her fingers trembling as she held him.

Luca’s eyes never left her as he went back and forth between the child in her arms and Avery. He was shocked to see Avery alive after she was proclaimed dead five years ago. This wasn't enough shock to him, the blow was that she was standing with a boy having identical features as him.

He wasn't blind to miss the striking blue eyes and brown hair Raymond had. It was more of staring into his own reflection, just that his reflection had a blend of Avery's nose bridge and her lips. 

When was she pregnant? How come he didn't know that? And most of all, Alnos declared her dead, how was she still alive?

“Avery?” Luca rose from his bent posture, his hands in his pocket. He slowly approached her, afraid that she might disappear if he made one wrong move. 

“Don’t you dare come closer Luca.” Avery's hands tightened around Raymond's as she stood there observing Lucas's next move. She expected something to happen but he just stopped there, laughing lifelessly in front of her. 

Luca stood there, silent for a moment, his gaze never leaving hers. So many thoughts ran through his head but before he could respond, a small girl came running to him. “Daddy! Mommy has been looking for you. Where did you go?”

Avery coughed at her little remark, her body stiffening as Isabella came running after the little girl no older than four. She perched her on her hips, her mind not even recalling that there was someone else standing there.

“Did I miss something?” the woman asked, her tone playful. She glanced between Avery and Luca before turning her attention back to him. “Honey, I think I am seeing dead people. Isn't that Avery there?” Her smile faltered slightly as her gaze met Avery’s. “How is she standing right in front of us?”

Avery swallowed hard, her heart pounding in her chest. She forced a tight smile, masking the wave of emotions that threatened to crash over her. She gently released Raymond and stepped away.

“Congratulations on your kid. As for Avery, she died. I’m Emma. Have a nice day.” She held her chin high, her eyes fixed on Luca’s shocked expression. “Let us go Raymond. Mommy is uncomfortable when you run off claiming another woman's husband as your Daddy.”,