Ella leaned back against the soft cushions of her couch, her laptop perched on her lap. The gentle hum of the twins’ laughter carried from the living room, a soothing melody that warmed her heart. The past few weeks had been tumultuous, but here in this moment, with her boys safe and happy, she felt a rare sense of peace.
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard as she tried to focus on her work. Yet, her thoughts kept drifting back to Ethan and everything that had happened. Could I really let go of everything? she wondered.
Ethan had been manipulated just as much as she had. She couldn’t ignore that. Yes, he had known some things, but so much of what had occurred was orchestrated by Tania. Ella sighed, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
Her boys deserved a complete family. For years, she had worked hard to be everything for Leo and Liam, but the idea of them having both parents her and Ethan together was tantalizing. The image of a future where they shared birthdays, holidays, and milestones flashed in her mind.
But the scars of betrayal were still fresh. Could she truly trust Ethan again?
Ella shook her head and smiled faintly. “I just want to focus and enjoy these moments with my kids,” she murmured.
Her thoughts drifted to Tania. She hadn’t heard from her sister in weeks. What could she possibly be up to? The person Tania had become was unrecognizable, driven by jealousy and envy. We were so close once, Ella thought. But now… She sighed again, closing her laptop.
“She made her bed. Now she should lie in it,” Ella whispered to herself, resolving to let the past go, at least for now.
She decided to check on the boys. Peeking into the living room, she saw them sitting cross-legged on the floor, engrossed in a cartoon, their bickering interspersed with bursts of laughter.
“Are you boys behaving?” she teased, walking in.
Leo looked up, grinning. “Of course, Mommy. Liam started it, though.”
“Did not!” Liam shot back, sticking out his tongue.
Ella chuckled, ruffling their hair. She kissed each of their foreheads before heading to the kitchen to prepare lunch.
Minutes later, Liam padded into the kitchen, his mischievous smile giving him away. “Need help, Mommy?”
“Sure,” Ella replied, handing him a bowl of flour.
Before she could react, Liam flicked a handful of flour at her, dusting her face and hair.
“Liam!” Ella exclaimed, laughing despite herself.
The kitchen erupted into chaos as Liam tried to dodge her counterattack. By the time Leo entered, the scene was a comedic mess Ella and Liam both covered in flour, giggling uncontrollably.
Leo froze for a moment, then burst into laughter.
“Oh, you think it’s funny?” Ella asked, sharing a conspiratorial look with Liam.
“Uh-oh,” Leo said, realizing too late what was coming.
Before he could escape, Liam and Ella pounced, rubbing flour all over his face and clothes.
For a moment, Leo stood stunned, but then he grabbed a handful of flour and launched it back.
The afternoon turned into a whirlwind of laughter, flour flying through the air as the three of them waged a playful food fight. When the chaos finally settled, all three were out of breath, their cheeks flushed with joy.
“Okay,” Ella said between giggles, “truce! Let’s clean up before this kitchen becomes a disaster zone.”
The boys groaned but agreed, grabbing towels to help her tidy up.
Across town, Ethan sat on the floor of his living room with Grace, a board game spread out between them. Her face was scrunched up in concentration as she decided her next move.
“Daddy,” she asked suddenly, her voice hesitant, “are Liam and Leo my brothers?”
Ethan paused, taken aback by the question. Grace had been asking more and more about Ella and the twins lately.
“Well,” he began carefully, “yes, they are. Does that make you happy?”
Grace nodded, then hesitated. “Does that mean… Aunty Ella is my mommy?”
The room seemed to hold its breath. Ethan stared at his daughter, his heart aching for the confusion in her eyes.
“No, baby,” he replied softly. “Not unless you want her to be.”
Grace’s small fingers fidgeted with the game piece in her hand. “I’m scared, Daddy,” she whispered. “What if she’s like Mommy?” Her voice trembled. “What if she hurts me or my brothers like Mommy did?”
Ethan’s chest tightened. He pulled her into his arms, holding her close as tears pricked his eyes. “No one will ever hurt you or your brothers,” he promised, his voice firm. “Not Mommy, not anyone. I won’t let that happen.”
Grace looked up at him, her eyes wide. “Even Aunty Ella?”
“Even Aunty Ella,” Ethan reassured her. “She would never hurt you, sweetheart. I promise.”
Grace nestled into his embrace, her tiny arms wrapping around his neck. “Okay, Daddy,” she said softly. “I trust you.”
Ethan kissed the top of her head, his resolve strengthening. He would do whatever it took to protect his children from Tania, from the ghosts of the past, and even from himself if necessary.
Ethan held Grace tighter, his jaw clenching as a surge of anger coursed through him. The weight of Tania’s betrayal was a constant shadow, but the thought of how deeply it had scarred Grace was unbearable. He had once believed, naively, that Tania would at least spare her own child from her manipulations. He had been wrong terribly wrong.
He closed his eyes, stroking Grace’s hair as his mind replayed the moments he had ignored, the red flags he had chosen to dismiss. For years, he had hoped that somewhere within Tania’s hardened exterior, there was still a semblance of maternal love. But the fear in Grace’s voice, the uncertainty in her eyes, shattered that illusion completely.
“I’ll never let her near you again,” he whispered fiercely, almost to himself. “Not you, not Liam, not Leo. She’ll never hurt any of you again.”
Grace shifted in his arms, her small hands clutching his shirt. “Daddy?”
“Yes, sweetheart?” Ethan replied, his voice softening as he looked down at her.
“Can we be a family?” she asked, her eyes filled with a mix of hope and trepidation. “You, me, Liam, Leo, and Aunty Ella?”
Her question caught him off guard, and he hesitated. He wanted to give her a simple, reassuring answer, but the complexities of his relationship with Ella loomed large in his mind. They were taking small steps toward rebuilding trust, but the road ahead was uncertain.
“We’re already a family, Grace,” he said gently. “It might not look like what you see in stories or on TV, but we are. And as long as we’re together, that’s what matters.”
Grace nodded slowly, as if weighing his words. “But I want us all to live together,” she murmured. “Like real families do.”
Ethan’s heart ached at her innocent wish. “We’ll figure it out,” he promised. “One step at a time.”
Grace gave him a small smile and rested her head against his chest. “Okay, Daddy.”
As she settled against him, Ethan’s mind raced. He knew that fulfilling Grace’s dream wouldn’t be simple. Ella had her own fears and reservations, and he couldn’t blame her. He had made mistakes-mistakes that had cost them years of happiness. But for Grace, and for Leo and Liam, he was determined to try.
His thoughts turned to Tania again, and anger flared once more. How had he allowed her to stay in their lives for so long? He had believed that after her lies were exposed, she would retreat. Instead, she had continued to manipulate, to hurt. He remembered the bruises on Grace’s spirit, the way she had flinched at harsh words, the nights she had cried herself to sleep.
“I won’t let her shadow touch you again,” he muttered under his breath.
Grace looked up at him, her brow furrowing. “What did you say, Daddy?”
Ethan forced a smile. “Nothing, sweetheart. Just thinking out loud.”
“Are you sad?” she asked, her voice small.
“No,” he replied, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “Just thinking about how lucky I am to have you.”
Grace giggled softly. “I’m lucky to have you too, Daddy.”
Her words, simple and sincere, were like a balm to his troubled heart. He kissed her forehead, silently vowing to shield her from every storm that life might bring.