Ro stilled, his shoulders sagging as he exhaled slowly. His voice dropped to a dangerous calm.
"Okay. I’ll leave. But rember, you said it yourself. Proof. That’s all I need, right? And when I have it... make sure you hide the twins well. Because the mont I prove they’re mine... you’ll never run away from again. Not this ti."
His eyes locked coldly with mine. For a chilling mont, it felt as though the whole room had narrowed to just that stare.
He stepped closer, closing the space between us until only a few inches remained. The weight of his presence pressed down on , making my chest tighten.
He didn’t speak, didn’t move—just stood there long enough for to feel my heartbeat pounding in my ears. Then, he turned away.
Ro walked to the door and closed it gently behind him, not sparing a single glance back.
My knees threatened to give way beneath . My eyes dropped to the floor, and only then did I realize I had been holding my breath the entire ti.
When I finally exhaled, the sound ca out shaky, as if the air itself was trembling inside .
I felt drained. Empty. I couldn’t believe I had practically dared him to prove his suspicions.
What if he already has sothing against ? What if he finds a way in?
But no. He couldn’t. He wouldn’t.
And even if he did... by the ti he found his proof, I would make sure the kids and I were long gone.
Still... the way his eyes had looked at before leaving... it haunted .
And for the first ti in years, I felt afraid.
I looked up only to find Egypt and Paris peeking from the doorway.
"Mommy... is he gone?" Egypt asked.
They didn’t look as cheeky as they had earlier. Instead, they had that small, guilty look kids get when they know they’ve gone too far. They looked sorry.
I couldn’t bla them. I didn’t want to ask whether they already knew Ro was their father, or how they felt when they first found out about it.
The one question I most wanted to avoid was whether they wanted him in their lives or if they were curious about him. Just imagining their answers made my chest ache.
I forced a smile and walked over to them, pulling both of them into a tight hug.
There were so many questions on how did they know, who possibly told them but for now I let the silence sit. I let myself hold them and breathe them in.
A little while longer, then we would leave.
Maybe it was best if we kept our distance from Ro, moved sowhere he wouldn’t find us. Maybe it would help the children forget.
Maybe it was ti to ask my family for help. To beg, if I had to. But would they agree? Just picturing their reactions made my stomach twist.
No... I didn’t know how I’d face my brothers and father. It’s been so long... maybe they don’t care about anymore.
"Mommy..."
Egypt’s voice pulled back. I realized I’d tightened my embrace without aning to. I loosened my arms and looked down at them, trying to gather a calm I didn’t feel.
"Mommy, I want to ask sothing..."
I turned toward Paris, caught off guard by the seriousness in her tone. Her little brows were drawn together, her lips pressed tight.
"W-what is it?"
My voice wavered despite my attempt to sound calm.
For no reason I could explain, a nervous chill ran through .
Paris hesitated, shifting her weight before finally eting my gaze.
"Mommy... is that man nad Ro... our father?"
It felt as if soone had poured ice-cold water over .
My chest tightened, and for a mont, I forgot how to breathe.
I blinked, not just once or twice, but several tis, trying to ground myself, trying to find words that simply wouldn’t co.
I had always feared this mont. I had a hunch they already suspected, and deep down, they must have pieced things together in their own innocent way. But hearing it spoken out loud by them made my heart lurch painfully.
I opened my mouth, then closed it again. My throat felt dry, my tongue heavy.
"H-haha... Egypt, Paris... how can you ask that? D-didn’t I tell you before... your f-father is a-already dead?"
I tried so hard not to stutter, but the way they looked at told one thing—they didn’t believe .
Egypt shifted beside Paris and lifted her chin, looking at with the sa piercing gaze. Now, both of them were staring at as if waiting for an honest answer.
"We know our father isn’t really dead, Mom. You don’t have to keep that lie..." Paris said softly, as though she was careful not to hurt with her words.
I swallowed hard. Was I really talking to a five-year-old right now? Their maturity terrified .
A part of wished they could just stay innocent a little longer, like other children their age, untouched by questions this heavy.
"We just... we just want to know, Mommy," Egypt added. "Because he looks like us. And when he looks at us... it’s not the sa as how other people look. Uncle Alpheus and Uncle Alfonso don’t look at us that way..."
How could they be this observant, this intuitive at their age?
Do they want to know him? Do they want Ro in their lives? Do they... already wish for him?
The thought sent a sharp ache through my chest. I wasn’t ready.
I didn’t know how to answer without shattering the fragile world I had built for them—or hurting them with a truth they weren’t ready to carry.
I crouched down in front of them, holding both their small hands in mine. My fingers trembled as I forced a smile, though my eyes stung with unshed tears.
"Paris... Egypt..." I whispered. "Did he tell you sothing? While I wasn’t here?"
The two of them exchanged a look, then shook their heads at the sa ti.
Relief passed through , though only for a second. I drew in a deep breath, trying to calm myself, to find strength in the lie I was about to repeat.
"That man... you don’t need to know whether he’s your father or not."
My voice cracked slightly, but I pushed through.
"He already has his own family. It’s not good for you to know him. It won’t do you any good."
I didn’t know if that was a safe answer, but the mont I said it, I saw the sadness flicker in their eyes.
It broke . I wanted to tell them the truth, but telling them would only hurt them more.
Maybe it was better this way. Maybe it was better that the truth didn’t co from —that Ro’s place in their lives remained buried in silence.
For now... things had to stay the sa.
The room grew painfully quiet after my words. Paris and Egypt didn’t argue, didn’t push further.
They simply lowered their eyes, their small shoulders drooping as if the courage they had built up to finally ask had been shattered by yet another one of my lies.
Paris fiddled with the hem of her dress, lips pressed tight, while Egypt leaned against her.
The sight pierced through . Children weren’t supposed to look that way—too burdened with thoughts about Ro being their father.
I wanted to gather them in my arms, take back everything I had just said, and tell them the truth instead. But my own lies hung between us like a wall I couldn’t bring myself to break.
That night, they went to bed quietly. No playful questions like usual. Just a soft, ’Good night, Mommy,’ and then silence.
I stayed by the door long after they closed their eyes, watching the rise and fall of their small chests. They looked peaceful in sleep, yet I knew their minds weren’t.
Lying awake in the dark, I felt the weight of their question pressing down on . I could almost hear it echoing.
Is the man nad Ro our father?...
I had told myself countless tis that I was protecting them. That it was better this way, safer. But tonight, for the first ti, I wondered if I was only protecting myself.
What would happen if the truth ca out? Would they still look at with the sa love? Or would they run toward him, leaving behind?
The thought made my chest tighten, fear coiling around .
Ro... is he also thinking of the twins right now? Is he happy knowing they’ve begun to seek the truth too? Or maybe... maybe he isn’t thinking of them at all.
Either way, the truth was no longer safe inside . Because now, my children had begun to seek it on their own.
Bzzzt... bzzzt...
The vibration of my phone startled , breaking through my thoughts. One single ssage lit up the screen—and it was enough to steal my breath away.
’Happy birthday, my princess! I hope you enjoy this day. By the way, this is your older brother in case you’ve already deleted my number :) I want to see you and celebrate your birthday with you. Can we et, please?’
My chest tightened. My older brother hadn’t ssaged in years. He had always been in Europe and never contacted since I ran away from them.
But this... this ant he might be close. Sowhere here. Just the thought filled with fear. And the one thing I had tried so hard to bury was now starting to haunt again.
Reviews
All reviews (0)