All Chapters of THE BOSS'S FORBIDDEN TWINS : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Elena"I can't believe this is you talking. The man who fought for me—" My voice breaks."That man was a fool. Blinded by attraction. By the illusion of connection. But I see clearly now. You're just like Jasmine. Just like every other woman who's tried to use me. Except you're more calculating. More patient. More convincing.""I'm nothing like Jasmine!""You're exactly like her. She pretended to love me too. She played the perfect partner too. And then I found out she was sleeping with my business partner, stealing company secrets, planning to destroy me from the inside. So forgive me if I don't take your protestations of love seriously."That has nothing to do with me—""It has everything to do with you! Because it taught me people lie. Manipulate. They'll say and do anything to get what they want. And what you want is access to my money through this convenient pregnancy.""I want you! I want us! I want—" My voice breaks completely."Well, you can't have me. Or us. There is no us.

ElenaThe bus pulls into San Esperanza at 4 AM, depositing me in the small plaza where farmers are already setting up for the morning market.Home.The word feels strange after months in the city. San Esperanza is the opposite—small, quiet, unchanged. The same cobblestone streets I ran on as a child. The same church bells that wake the village at dawn. The same mountain range watching over everything like a guardian.Safe.I hire old Miguel's taxi—the only taxi in the village—to take me to Grandmother Rosa's house on the edge of town."Elena Martinez? Is that you?" Miguel peers at me in the mirror. "Your grandmother didn't say you were coming.""It's a surprise.""At four in the morning?" He chuckles. "City life not agreeing with you?""Something like that."By the time we pull up to the small house with its blue shutters and flower boxes, the sky is starting to lighten."Welcome home, Elena."I use the key I've kept on my keychain for years. The house smells like cinnamon and wood sm

ElenaAfter lunch, while the twins “help” with baking — which really means eating chocolate chips and coating the kitchen in flour — a knock sounds at the door.Dr. Andre Castellano stands on the porch. Medical bag in hand. Warm, genuine smile.“Elena. I was in the neighborhood, thought I’d check on Rosa.”“She’s resting. Had a busy morning with the twins.”“May I?” He gestures inside.I step aside to let him in. Andre has been Grandmother Rosa’s doctor for three years, ever since old Dr. Menendez retired. He’s good at his job — thorough, patient, kind.He’s also been subtly courting me for the past year.And the twins adore him. He brings them books, helps Lucas with science projects, teaches Luna the names of every herb in our garden.He’s perfect.Stable. Present. Safe.Everything Damien isn’t.And yet…I feel nothing.“Uncle Andre!” Lucas barrels into him, grinning and covered in flour.“Lucas! You’re a mess—is that chocolate?”“We’re making cookies! Want to help?”“I’d love to, bu

ELENAThat afternoon, I'm working in my office when I hear whispering outside."—if we can find out his name, we can Google him—""Mommy doesn't let us use the computer without supervision.""Then we'll ask Abuela to help us research. She doesn't know what we're researching.""That's sneaky.""That's strategic."I open the door. Two guilty faces look up at me."Office. Both of you. Now."They file in, sitting in the chairs across from my desk like tiny executives being called to account."We need to talk about this daddy investigation you're conducting.""We're not investigating," Lucas says. "We're just curious.""Luna's notebook says otherwise. 'Operation Find Daddy.' That's not curiosity. That's a plan."Luna glares at her brother. "I told you we should use code names!""Focus, please." I take a breath. "I understand you want to know your father. That's normal. Natural. But there are things about the situation you're too young to understand.""Try us," Lucas challenges.So I do. As

Elena "I've loved you since you came back from the city, broken and pregnant and determined to build a life anyway. I've loved watching you raise those incredible children. I've loved your strength, your intelligence, your refusal to let circumstances defeat you.""Andre, I care about you, but—""But you don't love me. I know. You're still in love with him. With Damien. Even after everything." He smiles sadly. "I've known for a while. The way you get quiet when the twins ask about their father. The way you never talk about the city. The way you've built this entire life around avoiding any situation that might lead to seeing him again.""That's not love. That's self-preservation.""Is it? Because from where I stand, it looks like a woman who's still so affected by a man that five years and hundreds of miles can't create enough distance."I can't argue. Won't argue.Because he's right."I don't want to love him," I whisper. "I want to hate him. To be over it. To move on.""But you can