CHAPTER 111
ROBERT’S POV
~ Just then the door opened and a little girl of about eight years came running to her, shouting “Mummy! Mummy!” ~
The little girl clung to Lily’s side, staring at me as though I was a strange creature that appeared from nowhere.
“Mummy,” she called Lily that for the third time, looking up at her. “Who’s this man? Why is kneeling in front of you and what did he do for you to be screaming at him like that?”
Lily was irritated by her sudden presence. She looked away to avoid her gaze, hiding her flushed face and trying to steady her laboured breath.
Before Lily could get a grip, the little girl looked back at me again, her brows furrowing deeply. She was staring at me like I was something of interest. Something she was trying to understand.
She rested her chin on her tiny fingers, her face adorably scrunched in deep thought. She cocked her head at me, throwing a question. “Hey Mister, who are you and why do you look so much like Liam?”
“Huhh…” I grimaced in confusion as I couldn’t understand what was happening. Who was this little girl? Why was she calling Lily mummy and who is Liam?
“I can see you’re clueless,” she sighed, face palming as she shook her head in disappointment. “But I’ll explain better so you can understand. After that, you can tell me who you are and what you’re doing in our house.”
I was stunned by her boldness. She was sweet, kind and friendly and didn’t even consider the fact that I might be a thief or criminal before choosing to be nice to me. She reminded me so much of Lily’s mother who treated me so well the first time we saw me.
The little girl left Lily’s side and wanted to approach me when Lily suddenly grabbed her hand, drawing her back.
“What do you think you’re doing?” She scolded her harshly, pulling her towards the door to take her inside. “You’re becoming very naughty. Enough of your silly questions. Now, get back inside and finish your homework and don’t think of coming out here again.”
The little girl’s face twisted into a bitter frown, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. Her bottom lip trembled, and it was clear she was struggling to hold back the sob that threatened to escape.
“Lila! Get back here and finish your homework! I’m not doing it for you this time!” an energetic boy’s voice called out from inside the house, growing louder as its owner approached.
Seconds later, another child burst out of the door at full speed, nearly bumping into them. It was a little boy, also around eight years old like the girl, his energy radiating and features coming in full display as he skidded to a halt.
The moment our gazes met, I felt something like a spark ignite inside me. His brows furrowed in puzzlement as he glanced at the little girl whose name was Lila and Lily before looking back at me.
“Mummy, who is this man that isn’t Uncle Noah and why is he kneeling in front of our house?”
Like a bolt of lightning, it dawned on me, my jaw practically falling to the floor. They were my kids… our kids. The twins. That explained why they were calling Lily “Mummy.” That explained why the girl reminded me so much of Lily’s mother, and why I felt an inexplicable spark the moment I saw the boy. That was because they were mine. My flesh and blood. Ours.
My eyes gleamed like never before. The joy I was feeling right now on seeing them was indescribable. It made my heart swell to the point it could burst out of my chest.
I was in the delivery room with Scarlett when she gave birth to Jake. After the nurse cut the umbilical cord, we both held tiny Jake in our arms and listened to his first cry. It was pure magic, hearing the sound of new life fill the room. At that moment, as I stepped into fatherhood, I felt like the happiest man alive.
But that happiness died the moment I realized Scarlett was fooling me and Jake wasn’t mine. Though my love for Jake remained, the love and joy I was feeling now on seeing Liam and Lila was incomparable to the feeling I had in that delivery room.
These two adorable children were the best things I had created. The best things Lily and I have created together. The best things that could ever happen to us. The product of our love.
Liam with his brown ruffled hair and chocolate eyes was a miniature vision of me. I looked like that when I was his age. Lila on the other hand, with her sun-coloured long hair and large hazel eyes was a perfect blend of Lily and her mum. It was one of the greatest feelings in the world to know you have smaller copies of yourself who will eventually grow to replace you when you’re no more.
I can’t believe I wanted Lily to get rid of these adorable angels when she was pregnant with them. That decision will haunt me forever. I’m sure Lily will find it very hard to forget and let me anywhere close to them. Fuck…what have I done? It’s been nine years yet it felt like yesterday.
As if snapping out of a daze, I quickly got up from my knees.
“Lily, they’re my kids…they’re ours, please let me hold them…” I mumbled helplessly, unable to be coherent due to the rush of emotions and memories.
More than anything, I wanted to approach them. My family was right here in front of me. All I wanted to do was pull all three of them in for a tight, long-lasting embrace. After several years of being apart, I wanted us to reunite as a family. Reunite as one.
“Stay away from us and never come back here or else I’ll alert the estate security!” Lily shunned me fiercely.
She didn’t even wait for me to utter a word as she quickly pulled the kids inside and slammed the door in my face, leaving me to stand there in crushing silence, staring at the closed door as the weight of my past mistakes pressed heavily on my chest.