บททั้งหมดของ THE BOSS'S FORBIDDEN TWINS : บทที่ 41 - บทที่ 50

ElenaThe text from Margaret comes at 7:42 AM on Tuesday.Damien's attorneys responded. He's agreed to meet. Thursday, 2 PM, at his office. Neutral territory with legal representation present. Prepare the twins. This is happening.I stare at the message while my coffee goes cold.Thursday. Two days.In two days, my children meet their father.In two days, I see Damien Blackwood for the first time in five years.I'm not ready. Will never be ready.But ready or not, it's happening."Mommy, you're making that face again."Luna stands in the doorway of the hospital family lounge, already dressed, hair in lopsided braids she insisted on doing herself."What face?""The worried face. The one you make when you're trying to figure out how to fix something that can't be fixed."Four years old. Four. How is she this perceptive?"I'm fine, baby. Just thinking.""About our daddy? About the meeting?"I should ask how she knows about the meeting. But these are my children. They probably read my ema

ElenaWednesday morning, I wake up with twenty-four hours until the meeting and a to-do list that's mostly "don't have a complete breakdown."The twins are unusually quiet at breakfast. Luna pushes her pancakes around her plate. Lucas has barely touched his orange juice."You two need to eat," I say gently."Not hungry," they mumble in unison."Nervous about tomorrow?"Luna nods. "What if he takes one look at us and says we're not his?""The paternity test will prove—""I don't mean prove-prove. I mean what if he looks at us and wishes we weren't his? Like he's disappointed."Four years old and already understanding rejection on a level no child should."Then he's a fool. But baby, I don't think that's going to happen. I think he's going to see you and realize exactly what he's been missing.""While planning a wedding to someone else," Lucas mutters."That's... complicated.""Everything with him is complicated," Luna says. She sounds so much older than four. "Mommy, can we ask you som

Elena The morning of the meeting, I throw up twice.Once at 6 AM when I wake up. Once at 7:30 after attempting breakfast.The twins watch with concern."Mommy, are you sick?" Luna asks."Just nervous, baby.""Us too. Lucas threw up already."I look at my son, who's pale but defiant. "I'm fine now. Just needed to get it out."We're a mess. All three of us.My phone rings at 8 AM. Andre.I haven't spoken to him since the kiss. Since he walked away. Since everything imploded.I almost don't answer.But the twins are watching, and I need to be an adult about this."Hello?""Elena. I heard about the meeting today. With Damien." His voice is tense. "How are you holding up?""How did you—Sophia told you.""She's worried. So am I. Elena, do you want me there? I can be in the city in four hours. I can come to the meeting, or wait outside, or—""No. But thank you for offering.""I don't like the idea of you facing him alone.""I'm not alone. I have Margaret. And the twins. And honestly, Andre,

Elena The paternity test takes fifteen minutes.A simple cheek swab. Clinical. Efficient. Reducing five years of denial to a cotton stick and a lab report that will take seventy-two hours to process.The technician is professional, kind to the twins. "This won't hurt at all. Just open wide... perfect. All done!"Luna examines her swab curiously before it's sealed in a tube. "That's my DNA?""Part of it," the technician confirms. "The cells from your cheek contain all your genetic information.""And it'll prove we're Mr. Blackwood's children?""If you are, yes. The test is 99.9% accurate.""What if it says we're not?" Lucas asks quietly.Damien, standing in the corner of the small medical office, goes rigid."It won't," I say firmly. "Because you are.""But what if—""Lucas." I crouch down to his level. "The test will prove what I've been saying for five years. You are Damien Blackwood's children. Nothing changes that. Not a test. Not his doubts. Nothing."I don't look at Damien when

Elena The seventy-two hours waiting for test results are the longest of my life.Damien texts every day. Sometimes multiple times.Can I take the twins to lunch?There's a science museum exhibit Lucas would love. Can I bring them?Luna mentioned she likes art. The children's gallery is having a special program Saturday.Every request goes through me. Every interaction supervised. Every moment documented because Margaret insists—"Protect yourself. He could still turn on you."But watching him with the twins, I don't see someone planning to turn.I see a man genuinely enchanted by his children.Which makes me hate him more."Why are you angry?" Sophia asks on day two. We're in the hospital cafeteria while the twins visit Grandmother Rosa."I'm not angry.""You've been stabbing your salad for five minutes. Either you're angry or that lettuce personally offended you."I set down my fork. "He gets to show up and be the fun dad. Take them to museums. Buy them things. Make them love him. Wh