Weight of the past….
As the boys ran ahead, chasing each other with laughter echoing through the garden, George walked up behind me. His presence was always steady, like a quiet strength I could lean on when things felt uncertain.
“They’re getting bigger every day,” he said, smiling as he watched them.
“I know,” I replied, crossing my arms as I leaned into him slightly. “It’s happening too fast.”
“They’re strong,” George said, his voice thoughtful. “Stronger than you think. But they’re going to need you more as they grow. You can feel it too, can’t you?”
I didn’t need to ask what he meant. There was something about Lucke and Simeon, something more than their royal lineage. I saw it in their eyes sometimes, a quiet intensity, a power they didn’t yet understand. And as much as I wanted to keep them shielded from that world-from their fathers and the bloodline they carried-I knew it was only a matter of time before it caught up to us.
“I can,” I admitted softly. “But I’m not ready for them to know. Not yet.”
George nodded, understanding without needing more words. He had always been by my side, guiding me through the darkest moments and helping me rebuild from nothing. Without him, I wasn’t sure I could have come this far.
“They’ll find out when the time is right,” he reassured me. “And when that time comes, you’ll be ready.”
I hoped he was right. But even with all the wealth and power I had accumulated over the years, nothing could truly prepare me for that day. The day when the past would no longer be something we could outrun.
As we stood there, watching the boys in the twilight, I found myself thinking back to the night the rain had started, all those years ago. George’s words still echoed in my mind-about the rain and the children’s connection to it. It was strange to think how far we had come since then. We had faced so much, lost so much, and yet here we were, standing stronger than ever.
But a small part of me knew that this peace wasn’t permanent. It was like a calm before the storm. One day, Simon and Lucas would learn the truth about their sons, and when that happened, everything would change. I had kept them at bay for years, hidden in plain sight, but royal blood had a way of calling out across kingdoms. I could only hope that when that moment came, I had the strength to protect what mattered most.
Until then, I had to live in the present, savoring every moment I had with my boys. They were my world, and no matter what the future held, I would fight with everything I had to keep them safe.
As the stars began to dot the sky and the boys finally settled down by the pond, George looked at me, his eyes filled with quiet determination. “We’ve come this far, Ashley,” he said. “We’ll face whatever comes next, together.”
I nodded, feeling a mixture of hope and trepidation. Whatever the future held, I knew one thing for certain, I would never let my sons fall into the hands of their fathers, no matter the cost.
For now, we had peace. And for now, that peace was more than enough.
On one fateful day, we were all preparing to leave for an outing-one very important event that was going to be attended by key figures from both the business and political sectors across the world. Personally, I had been invited as a nominee for a category in the event, so it was only logical that I attend. As an extension of their support-which I knew I was definitely going to need-George and the kids decided to come along with me, and so we all got ready to leave quickly.
The drive to the location was about four hours round-trip, so we left early to ensure we wouldn’t arrive late. As we passed through cities and towns during the drive, I instantly cringed the moment we entered a town that shared borders with the royal house. The two places were so close that I could even see the mansion from where we were. I cringed, curling up in my seat as six years of memories I had worked so hard to let go of flashed through my mind within seconds. George noticed this and quickly came to my rescue, gently wrapping his hand over mine to help calm my nerves.
“It’s fine, okay? It’s very normal for you to feel this way because you are a wolf, after all. Trust me, this doesn’t make you any less of the strong woman you’ve become,” he whispered gently, and I nodded, taking a deep breath and getting myself back together. Luke, who had been paying close attention, suddenly did the exact same thing George did-wrapping his little hand around mine. I laughed out loud, looking at the sad expression on his face when he realized his hand couldn’t cover mine the way George’s had.
“Oh my goodness, why that face, baby?” I asked, giggling as I gently stroked his chin. He didn’t respond, just stared silently at both George and me, as if contemplating what to say.
Once we passed the place, a wave of relief washed over me, and I regained my strength. The rest of the drive felt much better, and it was only a matter of time before we finally arrived.
I hadn’t even taken three steps before the media personnel and reporters flooded me as I got out of the car. The flashes of more than 20 cameras hit me from different angles as the reporters asked a million questions all at once.
“Madam Ashley, is this your husband?”
“You have two children? Is there any reason why you chose to keep them hidden from everyone?”
“It’s amazing to think you’ve achieved so much despite being a mom of two! Care to share how you do it?”
“What were some of the difficulties you faced as a woman starting from scratch in the business industry?”
“Is it true that you were involved with the commissioner a month ago?”
“Some people reported seeing you with Kings Lucas and Simon years ago. Please share your relationship with them.”
These and more were the questions thrown at me the moment I stepped out of the car. I had originally planned not to respond, but the moment that last question was asked, I nearly lost my composure. My first instinct was to respond, but after thinking about it for a moment, I decided to hold my peace. I did this to avoid entertaining unnecessary questions that might push me to say something detrimental to my reputation. Without saying a word, I continued on my way inside with George and the kids, ignoring all the reporters. I knew it would only be a matter of time before they gave up and left.
“Wow, that was nerve-wracking,” I said as we finally got inside, heading to my designated table. The boys were well-behaved, and I couldn’t have been more grateful for that, especially while the reporters were being such a pain.
The event had many top personalities in attendance, and thinking of how far I had come, I couldn’t have been prouder of myself. Halfway through the event, my category was called out for the awards, and I grew nervous as the other nominees were mentioned. My anxiety spiked when I heard my name, and both Luke and Simeon looked at me with soft smiles. Luke gave me a thumbs-up, helping to calm my nerves as I prepared to hear the result.
“And the winner is… Ashley Washington!” the host announced. Applause filled the air, but it took a moment for it to register that my name had been called. George had to tap me and call my name twice before I finally snapped out of it.
“Ashley! You won!” he exclaimed, and I jumped out of my seat, walking toward the stage with a wide smile.
Holding the award, I was allowed to say a few words to the audience.
“Wow, I am honestly beyond speechless right now,” I began, looking down at the award in my hands, a symbol of all the hard work it took to get here. It felt so good knowing that all the years I had invested in myself, my business, and most importantly, my sons, had not been in vain.
“Thank you so much, everyone, for your support. I can’t express just how grateful I am for this. Above all, I am thankful for my family, who never cease to support me in everything I set out to do. Behind all of this, I am just a woman supported by three of the best people the world could have given me. Thank you all, and have a good night,” I said, waving at the audience as I returned to my seat with the award in hand while everyone applauded.
As soon as I sat down, the boys yelled out in celebration, and I had to shush them since the room was quiet.
“Congratulations, Ashley. You totally deserve it,” George said with a smile.
“Thank you,” I replied, smiling back.
The event continued with other categories being announced before it was time to relax, mingle, and enjoy the music. I spent time conversing with a few people of the same caliber, enjoying the evening with a glass of wine in hand. Looking over at George, who was speaking with some influential people who had recognized his work, I couldn’t help but smile. He had the boys with him the whole time, giving them attention whenever they needed it, even though they demanded quite a bit of it. He never once looked burdened, and my heart melted as I watched him.
As more people approached George, I decided to take the boys off his hands so he could focus.
“George, why don’t you let me take the boys? You have more and more people coming over to talk to you.”
He shook his head. “Don’t worry, I’m fine.”
“Well, I’m insisting,” I said firmly. “This is a chance to put yourself out there even more, and I’m not going to let you handle the boys all night. Come on, boys, let’s go outside and get a treat,” I said to the twins, who eagerly agreed. I smirked at George, and he laughed.
“Fine! You win.”
“What’d you think?” I replied playfully, before leading Luke and Simeon outside. I had planned to get them some dessert, but as I turned to look for the dessert table, they both ran off from my side.
I looked left and right, but they were nowhere to be found. The first emotion that hit me was fear. I scanned the area, but after two minutes of searching with no sign of them, I started to panic. I was about to find George when I bumped into someone. The scent of his cologne hit me, and nostalgia rushed in. I looked up and met the eyes of someone I had been trying to hide from for years.
“You!”
Standing face to face with Simon, I expected to feel fear, but what surged through me was anger-fierce and undeniable. We stood there, silent, staring at each other, the weight of the past thick between us. Words pressed against the back of my throat, desperate to escape, but I couldn’t bring myself to speak. Oddly enough, our silence seemed louder than any argument we could have had.
I hadn’t even begun to process seeing Simon when, suddenly, Lucas appeared from the crowd, as if the universe had conspired against me.
“Ashley?” Lucas’s voice cut through the haze, but my focus snapped to his arms, where he was holding both Luke and Simeon. Fear gripped me like a vice, tightening around my chest.
“Mommy!” Both boys shouted in unison, their voices pulling me back into the present. Everything around me went still. The once-bustling noise of the event faded into a distant hum as I locked eyes with my children.
Simon and Lucas turned their questioning gazes toward me, their expressions unreadable, but I couldn’t bring myself to meet their eyes. Panic rushed through me. Without a word, I hurried over to Lucas, gently but urgently taking my children from his arms.
I could feel the questions brewing in the air around me-questions I had long dreaded, questions that I knew were inevitable. I had been preparing for this moment for years, mentally rehearsing what I would say, how I would act when faced with their fathers again. But now, standing here, I felt utterly unprepared. Every word, every plan I had made slipped away, leaving me hollow and frozen.
All I could do was clutch my boys tightly to my chest, as if holding them close could protect us from the storm that was about to break.