CHAPTER 135
LILY’S POV
Night approached fast and seemed to linger longer than usual. It felt like an eternity waiting for daybreak.
I couldn’t sleep. I kept rolling and twisting on the bed, the ultimatum Liam and Lila had given me replaying over and over again like a horror movie in my head.
What happened today has shown me they were growing fast and no longer the little kids I want them to be for me forever. Did they really mean what they said? Will I lose them forever or where they just making it up so I can get back with Robert? They were just nine; where would they go if they left home? Who will take care of them? We had no family relatives or anyone close enough for them to stay with, so how do they plan to survive on their own?
The fear of losing them was overwhelming. I had experienced it firsthand for a short while and didn’t want to ever again. If I lost them forever I might just go crazy or worse, drop dead from the sheer agony of that. I don’t want that happening. I can’t let it happen but at the same I don’t want to get back with Robert. What do I do to make them stay? What do I do to make them realize Robert wasn’t good for us and we were better off as we are without him?
All that thought daggered my mind, leaving me restless, flustered and worse of all, afraid. They had given me one week. In the blink of an eye, that will come and pass, a clear indication time wasn’t on my side. I must do whatever it takes to erase that thought from their mind and bring them back to their senses.
Even though they were my kids, and more than anything in the world I wanted to spend the whole day with them, I couldn’t. So anything was possible. They could run away from school or when I wasn’t home or least expected. With Nana Mae gone now, there will be no one to watch over them for me.
I wondered if they had given Robert the same ultimatum. If he truly loved them as much as he claimed, he would do everything in his power to talk them out of this madness because with me, in this house, was the safest place they could ever be.
Sitting up at the edge of the bed, I grabbed my phone from the nightstand and placed a call to Jane. I couldn’t think of anything else to do or anyone else to confide in during this difficult moment. I had promised to call her back and fill her in on everything that happened with Robert after Noah walked in on our conversation, but I hadn’t had the chance. Though it was past midnight, I hoped she would pick up.
Luckily, she picked on the last ring, just when I was about to give up. But from the sound of her voice, I could tell I had woken her.
“Hey baby girl…” she stifled a yawn.
“Hey Jane,” I squeaked, feeling bad for having woken her. “Do you have a minute?”
“Yeah…yeah…” Her deep sleepy voice rose a bit alarmingly as if the drowsiness was shaking off from her I heard the sound of the bed dipping as she got up from it. “What happened?…”
“Nothing to worry about, okay?” I reassured her, hoping to ease any tension before it took hold.
“Okay,” she responded, sounding more relaxed now.
Hoping to get a grip on myself, I blew out a loud exhaustive breath before telling her everything. She listened most attentively and I was glad I had someone like her I could share my problems with.
She sighed heavily after listening to my story.
“Well, it’s not your fault he found you guys and the kids are acting that way,” she said in an attempt to make me feel better. “If he won’t stay away completely, I suggest you get a restraining order.”
Sadly, it was the same suggestion Noah made and I ended up telling her the exact thing I told him. Having stood by me throughout my court trial and witnessed how brutal and manipulative Robert and his family members were, she understood.
“Then I’ll advise you to get a bodyguard. Those two men your boss hired earlier will do. The mere sight of them will definitely make Robert pee his pants.”
She made another suggestion, and I barely held back a chuckle. That was the first time in hours I was doing that, lifting my spirits a bit.
I hadn’t exactly thought about that but now that she mentioned it, I might give it a thought. I was pretty sure Noah would welcome the idea. He was more than ready to do anything that would keep Robert away from us.
“I’ll give it a thought and tell Noah about it,” I said, adjusting on the edge of the bed.
“But Lily, you have been seeing him for a while now. Do you know he’s really sorry or just faking it?” She asked solemnly.
I let out a sigh, her question putting me in a bit of a tight spot. “I want to believe he’s faking it and just here to take my kids from me but… I don’t really know. He even got into a fight with Noah. He took the kids from school. If he really wanted to take them away from he would have disappeared with them but he brought them back home.”
“I don’t think his intentions are entirely bad. Maybe he truly wants to make amends. But that man really hurt you, girl. So if you’re going to forgive him, I suggest you think twice about it and make sure he suffers before regaining your trust.”
She said, making me twist my lips wryly and stare into space. Does she really think I’ll forgive him? Can I? Do I really have the heart for that?
“I’m not sure the kids mean what they said,” she continued. “So don’t fret over it. They probably just said that because they want their daddy and for you two to make up. Think carefully, girl. It’s your life, your decision to make. If you don’t have the heart to forgive Robert then I’ll suggest you get shared custody of the kids. Just know that whatever decision you make, I’ll always stand by you.”
“Thanks,” I said, suddenly emotional. My voice was filled with gratitude, almost on the verge of tears due to the overwhelming support and understanding she offered.
After we said our goodbyes and ended the call, I kept my phone back on the nightstand and popped out a deep breath, rubbing my face. Still feeling restless and unable to sleep, I stepped out and headed for the kids’ room.
They didn’t come out after that argument at the dining table and had shut their door so I wouldn’t enter. I had kept pleading for them to let me in and hear me out but they didn’t. Eventually, I became tired and gave up. They must be fast asleep by now.
As I grabbed their door handle and jerked it, I was relieved and glad the door opened, showing they had unlocked it. They shared a room for now. Once they hit puberty, they’ll have to get separate rooms meaning we’ll have to move into a bigger house because I can’t have them sharing a room at the stage.
I stepped in quietly and gently shut the door so as not to wake them. It warmed my heart to see them sleeping soundly on their different beds. I planned on staying a little longer because watching them made me feel at ease, filling my heart with joy.
I saw some empty packs of potato chips and other snacks from the refrigerator littered on the floor and on top of their nightstand. They must have been very hungry and couldn’t hold it any longer. I hadn’t noticed when they came to the kitchen to get them, but I was glad to see they at least had something to eat before going to bed.
“Kids.” I shook my head, holding back a chuckle as I began picking the empty packs.
However, I stopped seeing that Liam was holding a wrap of paper in his hands while asleep. My brows furrowed as I wondered what it was and the reason he was holding onto it even while fast asleep.
Reaching out, I carefully took it from him so as not to wake him. He murmured and shifted slightly on the bed but didn’t open his eyes. From the serenely peaceful expression on his face, it seemed like he was having a good dream. I wondered what he could be dreaming of.
Opening the paper and peering into it, my eyes bulged out in shock on seeing it was a DNA test result, confirming Robert was their biological father. So Robert had taken their DNA sample. That was how he managed to convince them he was their father in such a short time?