Maybe Lola had manifested this a very long ti ago.
With everything that had happened in her life, she always carried this lingering thought — the quiet wish to disappear. Not in the sense that she wanted to die, but rather, to erase Lola Young. That was why everything — her company, her pen na — was built under a different na.
Lola Young had lived a life full of hardships, and even at the height of her happiness and career, the devastating truths about her past almost broke her. To be honest, she didn’t know how she could’ve handled it if Atlas and the twins hadn’t been there.
So, she was grateful.
Grateful that even after all of it, she had people she could lean on this ti. People who would catch her and soften the impact of her fall.
Surely, she had co a long way.
It wasn’t as easy as she had imagined, but now she could finally see the result.
"Ready?"
Atlas’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts. She peeled her eyes away from the window of the private plane and turned to the man seated beside her.
The corners of her lips lifted into a smile as she nodded. "Mhm."
"I thought you’d see that director," he pointed out, making her chuckle. "You won’t?"
She shook her head. "I told him I’d quit the role."
"Are you sure?"
"Mhm." Lola pressed her lips together thoughtfully before eting his eyes, her smile widening. "I’m already glad I got to play the role, but since I’m a mascot, I found them an easy replacent."
Atlas studied her quietly for a mont before murmuring, "I can wait for you."
But she shook her head again. "No, it’s fine. It’s a dream co true to play a role that’s close to my heart. But right now, my dreams and ambitions are different."
"I loved acting once," she added, holding his gaze. "But I love sothing else more now, and I want to focus on that — on rebuilding myself, and learning to live in your world."
Silence fell between them until Atlas finally nodded in understanding.
He didn’t want Lola to completely abandon everything she’d built for him and the children. If she wanted to continue her work, he would support her wholeheartedly. He would never restrict her in any way.
However, Lola had already decided to leave everything behind. She had spent the entire day settling everything, from the most important to the least. And if he were being honest, it surprised him. He didn’t expect her to move that quickly.
But it seed... Lola had planned this long ago. One way or another, she would have disappeared from the world of Lola Young. It just so happened that now, she knew where she would disappear to.
Lola rested her head on his shoulder, slipping her hand into his.
"Atlas," she called softly. "What should I expect from your family?"
Atlas raised a brow. "You have expectations?"
"Haha." She chuckled, shrugging lightly. "Honestly, after Penny and Slater disappointed so diabolically, I don’t know."
She looked up at him and smiled. "But I still think I should ask, right?"
"You’d be setting yourself up for further disappointnt by expecting," he said without hesitation. "However... you’ll get along with them."
"You think?"
"I know." He nodded firmly. "Just be sure to watch out for one particular person."
Her brows rose, eyes swirling with curiosity. "One particular person?" she repeated, already forming a few guesses in her head.
"Aunt Jessa," he answered before she could ask further. "She’s the one who raised Penny — and her daughter, Yuri. That’s why they’re like that."
"Penny isn’t that bad," Lola quipped. "It’s just that I had high expectations, but... my disappointnt isn’t all that bad." She grinned. "But Yuri? I’ve never heard of her."
"Because she’s practically trying to be dead." Atlas frowned as he thought about it. "I told her to co to Novera since I needed her help, but until now, no word from her."
A little distracted, Atlas narrowed his eyes. "I wonder if she died."
"Baby, I think you should calm down," Lola said softly, snapping him out of his thoughts. "I’m sure she has a good reason."
He doubted that, but Atlas didn’t dwell on it for long. He knew that woman — Yuri — would crawl out of whatever rock she was hiding under eventually.
"As for my mother, she can be a little too much sotis, but you’ll be fine." He gave her a small smile. "They’ll like you for who you are. I’m sure of it."
Lola pressed her lips together, suppressing a smile. "They’ll like because I’m your fiancée and basically your baby mama."
"No." Atlas shook his head, dead serious. "They like because they have no choice. I’m their kid at the end of the day. I ca from them."
Lola blinked. She was only joking, but his serious tone made her face contort slightly.
"Really?" she leaned forward. "They don’t like you much?"
"No, they like very much," he corrected, his expression unreadable. "It’s just that their affection cos from the fact that they have no other option."
"Goodness..." she muttered, hugging his arm tightly. She wasn’t sure whether to laugh or feel bad for him, but knowing Atlas, she was sure it wasn’t as tragic as he made it sound.
She didn’t dwell on it and rested her head against his shoulder again. As silence settled between them, a faint nervousness began to creep into her chest. She hadn’t felt it monts ago, but now that the topic had co up, she couldn’t help it.
Deep in her heart, she knew the Bennet family were good people — at least, not like the Youngs.
I hope things will be fine, she told herself. I don’t want them to dislike .
They probably wouldn’t, but that small fear was natural. The fear of wanting to be accepted by the family of the man she loved.
Much to Lola’s surprise, when they finally landed and walked toward the arrivals area, the first thing she saw was a group holding up boards with the twins’ nas written on them.
"Grandpa~! Grandma~!"
The twins’ faces lit up the mont they spotted the familiar figures. Without hesitation, they skipped toward an elderly couple who opened their arms wide to embrace them.
anwhile, Lola’s steps slowed as she studied the group. Penny and Slater were already there — the two had caught an early flight that morning. Penny’s husband stood beside them, chatting with another woman.
Lola’s gaze moved to the elderly couple hugging the twins, then to another older lady standing close by. Her eyes finally landed on two younger won — around Penny’s age — who smiled warmly as they approached.
When the couple turned toward them, Atlas’s parents, Allison and Charles Bennet, smiled brightly. Despite the wrinkles lining Allison’s face, her beauty still carried a gentle, dignified grace.
Allison lowered Second to the ground and stepped forward.
"Uh..." Lola cleared her throat, her heart fluttering nervously. She didn’t even know what to say. But before she could think of anything, Allison had already closed the distance and wrapped her in a warm embrace.
Lola froze for a second, brows raised at the unexpected gesture, only for Penny to chirp, " too!"
And just like that, another weight joined in. Not just Penny, but the two younger won — Nina, the Bennets’ adopted daughter, and Kiara, their other daughter-in-law — joined in as well, enveloping Lola in a welcoming group hug.
When they finally pulled away, Allison held Lola’s arms and smiled warmly at her.
Then, from behind the group, a man’s deep voice resonated through the crowd.
All of them turned at once, and their gazes fell on Charles Bennet, standing tall and composed beside Chacha.
"Welco ho, Lola."
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