Six years later in country A
The warm, yellow light bathed the interior of the house.
A slender figure moved gracefully in the kitchen, busy preparing dinner for the family.
Sampson Herbert sat on the sofa in the living room, his gaze fixed on Dolores Flores, who was engrossed in her kitchen tasks. Simona Flores crawled towards Sampson and asked, “Uncle, do you like my mommy?”
Sampson jolted. Every time he heard that name, it stirred up a whirlwind of emotions within him. Dolores refused to acknowledge his feelings and treated him solely as a brother.
Yet, these two kids affectionately called him uncle.
And they were simply adorable.
With their big round eyes, tender fair skin akin to spring, and curly eyelashes that fluttered like porcelain dolls.
Sampson picked up one of them and made his way to the kitchen.
He stood before the kitchen entrance. “Lola.”
Dolores glanced back, a smile gracing her face. “Are you hungry? Dinner will be ready soon.”
Sampson remained silent; his gaze fixed on her with an emptiness that echoed deep within.
Six years ago, Dolores had made the decision to forgo anesthesia and keep the baby. Sampson had no choice but to agree.
However, he had one condition-they would leave the country and return to A country.
Dolores accepted, and with Sampson’s assistance, they took Jessica Lennon along with them.
Six years had come and gone.
“I’ll be heading back to the country in a couple of days.”
Dolores paused momentarily, stirring the soup, as the pain from six years ago resurfaced in her thoughts.
Pretending nothing was amiss, she didn’t turn around. “What’s going on?”
Sampson remained fixed on her back. “Well, my sister is engaged.”
Bang!
The spoon slipped from Dolores’s hand, shattering into countless pieces as it hit the ground.
She quickly bent down to gather the fragments. “He has nothing to do with me anymore.”
Six years had been long enough for her to forget that man ever existed in her life.
Now, all she wanted was to care for her two children.
Yet, she couldn’t help but feel perplexed. Wasn’t Matthew Nelson marrying Helen White six years ago?
How could he suddenly become Sampson’s sister?
She looked at him, her gaze filled with unspoken questions.
Sampson met her gaze and pursed his lips. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”
Dolores furrowed her brows. “What are you keeping from me?”
As soon as the words left her lips, she had a sudden realization and widened her eyes as she voiced her suspicion. “Helen is your sister?”
“Yes.” That year, Sampson had assisted Dolores in investigating the incident that occurred that night and had discovered Helen’s involvement. He delved deeper and unearthed the truth about Helen’s role.
He had never been fond of dishonest individuals, much like Helen. It just so happened that Helen was also in A country, leading to their chance encounter.
They had no interaction, but it was the suspender skirt she wore, revealing a green birthmark on her shoulder, that caught his attention.
His long-lost sister also bore the same birthmark.
To confirm his suspicions, he conducted an extensive investigation into Helen’s background. He discovered that Helen had grown up in an orphanage without her parents. Initially driven by curiosity, Sampson sought to learn more about Helen, given her shared birthmark with his lost sister.
But upon discovering that she was an orphan, Sampson entertained the thought that she could be his long-lost sister. He began secretly following her, collecting samples of her hair and saliva to conduct a DNA test.
The results confirmed that she was indeed his sister.
He knew her secret and was aware of her affection for Matthew Nelson.
However, Sampson kept this information to himself, never uttering a word to Dolores.
Sampson gently placed Simona down to play in the living room.
Simona nodded and toddled off with her short legs. “I’ll wait for my brother to come back. I want to play with him.”
“Hey, slow down. You might fall,” Sampson cautioned, tugging her arm. “Take it easy.”
Simona pouted, clearly unhappy.
Sampson released his grip and playfully pinched her little nose. “Behave,” he said, before entering the kitchen and squatting beside Dolores, taking her hand in his. “Let me take care of you, okay?”
“I have two kids-”
“I don’t mind…”
“But I do.” Dolores gazed at him. She didn’t want to rely on anyone to care for her children.
He knew that Sampson’s family would never accept her.
Moreover, she had made a promise to Mrs. Herbert that she would never be with him.
Dolores offered a smile and released his hand. “Go to the living room. Dinner will be ready soon.”
Sampson’s heart sank. Although he had initially seen her as his sister, these six years had caused him to fall deeply in love with this courageous and determined woman.
He couldn’t comprehend why she rejected him so fiercely, leaving no room for any hope.
“You like someone else, don’t you?” he guessed. “That man is Matthew, isn’t it?”
Matthew was the only man who seemed to be around her.
“No!” Dolores swiftly responded, as if eager to prove she was telling the truth. “If it weren’t for you, I would have long forgotten about that person.”
“Then…”
“Mommy!” Simona interrupted as she rushed in and embraced Dolores’s neck. “Mommy, when will brother and grandma be back?”
Simona’s entrance disrupted their conversation.
Dolores didn’t want to dwell on the topic anyway.
She glanced at the clock and lifted Simona into her arms. “School ends at 6:30, and it’s 6:20 now. They’ll be back soon.”
Setting Simona down, Dolores said, “Come on, be good. The kitchen is a dangerous place.” She extended her hands for Simona to see. “Look at mommy’s hands. Are they dirty?”
Simona blinked her big eyes. “Dirty.”
“Then are you going to listen to mommy?”
“Yes.”
Simona looked down, her expression saddening. Dolores sighed and planted a kiss on her forehead. “Mommy will give you a bath tonight, alright?”
Simona’s eyes sparkled. “Okay.”
Dolores had little time to care for her children as she worked during the day and studied at night.
Jessica took care of bathing the kids.
Dolores’s condition had been managed through Sampson’s treatment. If she avoided triggers, she could live a normal life like everyone else.
Jessica handled the childcare, allowing Dolores more time to focus on her studies. Dolores used to be a fashion designer, and it took her several years to obtain her diploma. She secured a position at LEO through her talent and hard work.
She excelled in her field, winning numerous awards for her exquisite designs. She even had the opportunity to create a wedding dress for the daughter of Country A’s leader, leaving the entire nation in awe. Now, she held the position of chief designer at LEO and owned some shares in the company.
Finally, Jessica arrived with Samuel during dinner.
Samuel was around five years old, but he possessed an extraordinary memory and exceptional mathematical abilities. He had a remarkable aptitude for numbers. Dolores, of course, encouraged and nurtured his talent.
Surprisingly, Samuel proved to be worthy of his talents and passed the entrance exam for AC University.
AC was a renowned global institution known for its excellence in the field of computer science.
The electronic chips and processing systems developed there had gained widespread popularity worldwide.
In contrast, Simona had fewer talents of her own and was an average child. However, she was undeniably adorable and lovable.
Seeing Samuel return home, Simona joyfully ran towards him. “Brother-“