“I am so sorry….” Her cries of..... Whatever echoed the hallway, but nothing is happening to my heart. It's empty. It's too late to apologize. I don't feel anything for now.

“Do you know her?” Sierra was confused.

Nodding, she tried to hug me, but I took several steps away from her… Her comfort is a trap. And, touch is an illusion. She is not trying to comfort me but in reality, she is trying to hide her crimes… A crime that she committed, a crime that she continued to do and never plans to stop, until I caught her red-handed.

“I told you… She is trying to hurt Jace.” Annie run and pointed at me.

Behind my brave Annie, I noticed my so-called parents approaching us. Their eyes filled with water and the gesture changed into a vulnerable human.

Fake.

It's all drama.

“Sweetie… I am your mommy. Trust me.” I tried to control my tears and was concentrated on my brave girl. She didn't run away. She is courageous enough that she informed those adults… That, she thinks, will protect her and Jace.

“But she said you hate us,” Annie argued. Her tiny feet hit the floor with anger.

“She was lying.” Mother assured Annie.

I ignored Mother and looked at Annie. “No, I would never hate you…. Look at you, You are perfect. I have no reason to hate you.” I kneel in front of her. This is my part of suffering that I have to convince my child that how much I love her. “And, Jace is the bravest kid I have ever seen.”

“But she said I have his eyes. So, you will hate me.” Jace interrupted, but he was hidden behind my mother.

“No, baby… I would never hate you.” My eyes pleaded. “I love you… or Your eyes…”

He nodded but continued to hide behind my mother. The distance between my kids and me is equivalent to a death sentence. I am dying with every passing second. Why does it have to be this way?

“She is your mommy….” Mother held Jace wrist and brought him to me.

I hugged my scared baby and sighed with relief. He is fine, healthy… Scared but in my arms. He stiffened when I hugged him, but later relaxed and hugged me back when he heard me sobbing. He patted my shoulders with his tiny, soft hands.

“She doesn't love me.” Annie pouted and paraded on the floor with her tantrums feet.

She was glaring at me. This girl is like my time machine. She is exactly like Cherish, just in my version.

“I do love you, sweetie.” Calm. Soft. I tried. My heart is feeling the happiness. “You have to come to near me to get the hug.”

Biting her forefinger of left hand, she walked towards me with confusion. Her pretty face resemble hesitation... Mistrust. This is breaking my heart... Then thought of my kids not trusting me is crushing my little left soul. What if they never trust me?

Biting her forefinger of left hand, she walked towards me with confusion. Her pretty face resembled hesitation… Mistrust. This is breaking my heart. The thought of my kids not trusting me is crushing the tiniest soul left. What if they never trust me?

“Promise me, you would never hit Jace?” She mumbled, stopping in front of me.

Her question attacked me. For 16 years, I thought giving James, his desired family will sort the problem, but it never did. Now, I am stuck with something messier. I trusted Mother and tried to fulfil the desire of Son for James, hoping for the best but now, I realised what have I done.

I have involved 4 innocent lives who never asked for this life. Without thinking, that this will affect them, I desperately conceived the pregnancies. Now, they have a father like James and a mother like me, who wanted to use them to resolve her issue with their father.

Kids are not the solution to the problem. I had no right to drag them into this mess. They deserve a better life. I should have worked with James for them, but I chose silence. What have I done?

Crying at my decision, “Promise.” I said, and mentally, vowed to protect them at any cost.

“Pinky promise.” She took out her little finger and I locked my little finger with her.

She smiled, showing me her dimples… On her left cheeks… Just like Jamie, like mine.

Opening my arms, I invited her to join Jace in my arms, which she obliged. Her tiny body relaxed… Like she was waiting for me.

“You both a baby brother,” I informed them.

“Where is he?” Annie looked at me. “When are we going to meet him? Do you think he will like us? What if he hates us?”

“He will be home, soon… And he is going to love you both.” I assured my twins and was ready to leave the audience behind. We don't need them… They are a burden on our happiness.

“Anna.....” When she took steps towards us, I lost my composure. And glared at her, the backstabber. The woman who broke my trust, and I assumed, she wants the best for me.

Sierra understood it's a private affair, so she called the twins and informed us that she is in the lawn with them, waiting for me. Maybe, she took the hint that I am not leaving my twins here with them…. These people.

“I am so sorry.....” She cried and Mother hugged her.

“Anna is mature. I am sure she would understand if we tell her why we did what we did.” Mother consoled her.

“Do you want to hear them?” For the first time, Father spoke.

“I want to hear everything..... At least, I deserve an explanation. But I had enough today. First, Mrs Carter said I have other kids as well… which I didn't know when I conceived them, then Theo said I am not the mother of my kids… Then James said he never did our paperwork regarding marriage. For 16 years, I lived as Mrs James Carter, making a fool of myself.” I gave them a bitter smile. “Where were you all this time?” I attacked my father with questions accompanied by hate.

“I was here….” He looked guilty.

“Where's your other daughter?”

“I don't know.” He looked at me, pleading. “She never contacted us.”

“Then who is your unstable daughter?” My question caught him off guard.

“Anna.....” Mother called me.

“Norma, you knew about this.” I turned and was ready to pounce at her but somehow, controlled myself.

Crying, she runs towards me, “Anna, I tried my best to protect you.”

I stopped her. “Did you drugged my dog?” I remembered that Zippy was sleeping all the time when Jamie was taken. “You informed Mrs Carter about my medicine.”

With no answers, she was bawling and Mother hugged her. I see a deep friendship between these two ladies.

“Your plan backfired… You almost lost Daniel.” I mocked her. “Was he involved in this drama too?”

“No, he hated it… He told me not to help Emmeline.” This time, Norma didn't look at me. “Daniel loves Anna. And, I broke her trust. Anna is Daniel's favourite.” She said to Mother.

“Anna, listen to her.” Mother begged.

“I am not interested anymore.” I dismissed them and walked through the same path that I walked with Annie to reach the office.

I have no phone, just my kids, the paper and a broken heart.

When the twins saw me, they walked towards me and held my hands like they know I need someone to assure me, that everything will be alright. That it's going to be fine. All this struggle is short-lived and forever happiness is waiting for me… For us.

“Who hit you, my baby?” I asked Jace while checking the injury on his body.

“Freya,” Annie exclaimed with anger. Trust me, I saw smoke out of her nose.

"Who is she?"

“I thought she is their mother, but she is not.” Sierra was confused. “Annie is your daughter, no doubt. And Jace has your features as well… Freya is unstable… I thought she is Father Kepner's daughter.”

“The name of my sister is Amelia,” I informed her. “Freya is abusive?” I asked.

“No, usually she is quiet, but she loses her temperament when kids approach her… When provoke her.” She looked at Jace. “You teased her… Is it true, Jace?” Sierra asked him.

He nodded, accepting his deeds… With no guilt. What is this attitude?

“He is sorry,” I said.

She chuckled. “I know… And, since he got his mother, I am sure he will never disturb her.”

We stood there for a while when the crying, sobbing filled the first floor. No doubt, all three of them, Norma, mother and father were fighting in the office.

“I can call a car for you. I have a driver… My father is generous enough to provide me with a car and driver.” Sierra offer.

Taking her offer, I called George to meet me at home. I will not be leaving and will fight this time, and I need a lawyer.

“Daniel is awake… He is furiously asking for you.” George jumped from the stairs of my porch and run towards the car. Those restless eyes… He has done enough for me. He and his wife… What have I done to deserve them?

“I needed to answer.” I hugged him.

“I can help you with kids.” The driver offered.

“Kids?” George asked and looked inside the car.

George turned into a statue and continued to look at my sleeping twins. I saw his hands, tracing the face of sleeping Annie, and then His hands moves to Jace.

“Welcome home.” He mumbled, with emotion.

“They are lucky to have you.” The driver smiled and took Jace.

“It's the opposite,” George said while looking at Annie.

We thanked the driver and offered him coffee, but he denied it, before driving away.

I told George about my encounter with Norma with my parents and surprisingly, he wasn't surprised at all. He was calm and collected, busy drinking his tea.

“Norma is not important…” He passed me a file. “Zippy is mixed breed with German and Labrador.” He smiled. “We did a DNA Test.”

I smiled at his successful attempt at distracting me.

The presence of George a sort of healed me. We talked for a while when we planned how to get Jamie back. It's almost 24 hours since he is not with me. My boy is mamma's boy. He needs his mommy at any cost. All my kids are a handful. How are going to manage? I hope they don't feed him milk. He is lactose intolerant.

“Can I see the file?” George pointed at the paper laying on my dining table.

“I have their birth certificate, a copy of contract paper and this signed affidavit.” I opened the file and a flower of dried cornflower fell on the floor. It symbolises Representing positive hope for the future. Now, I am hoping for a better future.

Taking the file, “Well, I am here… And I am not leaving, so don't you dare to order me to leave.” George got busy looking at the paper. Then suddenly, he let out his victory whistle. “You got the signed affidavit.”

I nodded and patiently waited for him to come up with the assurance of victory against Carter.

“I need to discuss it with Theo…” George took a photo of the contract paper. “Because Theo is my senior. He doesn't practice… Something happened at the starting of his career, I don't know. He doesn't speak about it. But trust me, that man is an expert.”

I wasn't aware Theo is a lawyer. Why doesn't practice?

George sighed. “I feel there is a dual meaning of every word. Like the person preparing the contract knew, that this contract will be used to fool someone. It talks about…traditional Surrogacy… I think it says that the heir is a Carter, but you are a surrogate. “

“They never agreed to this,” I yelled in anger.

George gave me a defeated look. “Your sign is here… You agreed to this, and, I am confident, they must have a copy of it.”

.