And there it is

Rominic's viewpoint

"Talk to me about your future, how many children do you want?"

"Forty," I blunted out without hesitation.

"Forty! Rominic!" I curled my legs up as I laughed, making her pout in annoyance. She didn't want many kids, I knew that about her. "I'll imagine you meant four… No, three. Now, what would you name your three children?"

"I want four, equal gender. I've always imagined having the boys first before the girls. The boys would be Zachary, Zyaire, Zander or Zayne…"

"Zyaire? You like that weird name?" She snorted.

"What's so weird about the name?"

"Try everything, it sounds like a girl's names,"

"And so what? Sounds pretty to me, and I like it even more than I like Zander. You asked me what I want and I've told you, don't argue,"

"Okay, okay," she laughed, "proceed,"

"Thank you! Okay, so the boy's first names will all start with Z and their middle names would start with S, Samir, Skyler, Seth, or Shawn…"

"Samir? Isn't that…" I growled warningly, "shutting up, okay,"

"The girls would be Seraline, Serafina or Serenity, I like those two last one better. The first daughter's middle name would be Zelmira and the second, Zuma," I explained with excitement, "makes sense, doesn't it?"

"I don't really care what I name the children, as long as I can identify them with something. I can even call them Sage, Storm, Dick, Poppy or even Rice,"

"Name my son Dick and I'll kill you with mine,"

"You can try, Mr. Verlice, you can try," she laughed.

"Challenge accepted," I smirked. Her eyes widened with horror. She jumped away from me.

"I was joking, I was joking!" I stood up on my knees, still maintaining my smirk. "Beau, kidding, I was kidding…" She screamed as I launch myself forward to tinkle her. She tried to run out of the bed, but I pinned her down before she got a chance to run off. "Beau, come on, cut it out," she laughed, "no tickles, no tickles!"

"What's the magic words?"

"I am never saying it! Ever!"

"Say it, say it," I singsonged, turning my fingers to her stomach. She squealed, wiggling like a worm. The way she was moving reminded me of… "Yes! Yes! I've got it! I've got it! I know what might be missing!"

"Huh?" She laughed.

"Thank you, baby, you did it, you helped me figure it out," I grabbed her face and kissed her cheeks, her nose, her forehead, and lips. "Thank you!" I flew out of the bed, screaming in jubilation.

She was always helpful.

(End Of Flashback)

"Dad!" I snapped out of my thoughts. I noticed a small body sitting on me and jumping.

"Serene, stop jumping on him before you get us killed!" Zachary shouted. Serenity was awake and almost sitting on me. She must have wakened up and was told about who was driving her. This one didn't have any rage or bitterness, she was happy to see me.

I put my hand under her arm and adjusted her properly on my laps, glancing at the road to make sure I don't run into something. "Good afternoon, kiddo, you sure do look energetic for someone who just almost died,"

"Oh, that? It goes away as soon as it comes, I'm fine… I knew you would come back! I knew it! I knew it! Are you going to help mommy pay for Zayne's and Zyaire's surgery?"

"Even better, I'll take them to a better hospital,"

"Yes!"

"Daddy has to drive, can you sit down there for now?" I asked, smiling down at her. She excitedly crawled over the console to the other chair and bounced on it.

"Daddy, is this your car?"

"Yes," she squealed in excitement. I turned to look at the eldest two at the back. They had a nasty scowl on their faces, especially the boy.

"Apparently, they believe you and mother had a fight and went your separate ways before she knew she was pregnant, and they believe you would come searching for them. Not that much of a rainbow idea but better than the real truth, huh, Daddy?" Zachary hissed. I quietly turned my head back to the road to drive.

"What about mommy? Does she know where we are?"

"I left her a note, she'll be at the hospital soon enough,"

I dread the moment.

Lavender's viewpoint

“Took Serenity to the hospital, mom, a handsome stranger helped. We'll be waiting for you. Love–Serafina.”

The note reverberated in my head over and over again as I impatiently tap my foot. The cabman was driving incredibly slow… Okay, he was driving as fast as he could, but it was still too slow for me.

"I'm almost there, ma'am," he said, like he had been saying for the pass thirty minutes. He didn't know what it feels like to be losing a child. Maybe he does, but who cares! Certainly, not the panicking me.

They had to hang on for me. I was already planning on how to find their father, to tell him. I thought about it carefully. I couldn't downgrade myself in front of my children, couldn't bear to bring myself to opening my legs for an old man. What if he ends up not choosing me? What would I do then? I couldn't. Then, I thought about the fact that my children deserve a better life, one that is theirs.

Rominic didn't have any child yet, only the ones I bore for him. My sons are his heirs, my daughters are his successors. If I plan it well, he would give them the best education, raise them up like the princes and princesses they are. And at the end, Serafina and Zachary would take back what is mine and avenge me. I knew they would do it even without me asking. Why carry a child for someone and leave the child to hate me for the rest of my life? Why do that to myself when I can easily get money? I knew that if he rejected my kids, I'll find his mother and tell her.

If he rejects them, his parents won't.

Either way, they would live well, even if I don't stay with them.

"We are here," I didn't wait for any more seconds, I opened the door and ran out, Perry flying out before me. "Madam, my money!" I ran back to the man, gave him everything in my wallet, and ran out again. "Your change! You forgot your change!"

Who cares about that!

I ran into the hospital, running straight to the boys' hospital ward, where I knew Zach would be waiting for me. I barge into the room. I expected to see Zachary sitting on the bed with Zyaire and Zayne eating or drawing, but I saw someone else. I almost slipped and fell on my face.

He hadn't change a bit. Sure, he was leaner, slightly older with a couple of early gray strands to his beautiful creamy blonde hair, but he remained the same. Still handsome, still breathtaking and abso-fucking-lutely gorgeous. I thought I was over it, but his handsome face always brought tears to my eyes and it did that moment. He was just too beautiful, and I always thought I was over lucky.

His winter gray eyes, the eyes I've stared into for years through my children, stared back into mine. His lips were slightly parted, those two-red fleshes I love most about his face, after his eyes. His eyes were a bit dark, like he hasn't slept for years, just like me.

"Laverne," he whispered. The only man who called me Laverne. I always considered it to be special, but I grew to hate the name after finding out about everything.

"Beau," I spat venomously. He smiled sadly, probably because of the name only I called him. I told him I didn't like his actual middle name, so I gave him my own special name. He loved it, or maybe he was pretending.

Wait, what is he doing here?!

"What the… What the hell are you doing here!" Obvious answer, Zachary and Serafina.

"Laverne, I know…"

"Don't! Don't you dare call me that! My name is Jamila!"

"Mom," I took in a deep breath, remembering Zayne and Serenity were in there too. I turned and walked out, expecting him to follow me and he did.

"Lavender, Lavender!" I ignored him until he caught up to me. He grabbed my hand to stop me from walking, but I snatch my arm away from his grasp.

I'd never felt so much rage in my entire life. I knew I hated him, but I didn't know how deep and intense it was until I was back in his presence. All the murderous thoughts I'd ever had, the seething disdain, the ugly scenarios, it all flooded me with an intense rush. It was so overwhelming it spotted my vision with black.

"Lavender, please, let me talk, I beg you,"

"What do you want? Ask me what I want, and I'll say you crushed by a truck, buried under a skyscraper, boiled alive, buried alive, or made to suffer a painful and slow death!"

"Okay, okay, I get it, you hate me and I deserve it. But Laverne…"

"Stop calling me that!"

"Lavender…"

"Jamila!"

"Stop screaming in a hospital before you get yourself kicked out," he said, his very gentle but teasing smirk on his face. He found it very amusing. He found my rage amusing!

I gritted my teeth together but I knew he was right, I shouldn't so much. "Leave."

"I would, I should, but I won't. You wanna know why, Laverne… Sorry, Laven… Mila? Anyone," he waved dismissively, "because those kids in there are mine as much as they are yours. I know I don't deserve to call them mine or show my face, but please — let me help you take care of them. Laverne… Jamila, do you have any better option of providing money for their treatment?" I pinned my lips shut, though glaring at him. He had no idea what I was planning to do before.

"Then please, let me help. I already made plans to move Zyaire to a better hospital, and Zayne too. They would operate on him, he'll be better before they are moved to my personal one in Chicago…"

"I am not going to Chicago with you!"

"The children needs it, please. After all three of them are fully on their feet, then we'll talk about how I can assist you, or don't you want them to live a better life?" Trust him to use weaknesses against someone. He was good at that, manipulating people. Somehow, he always knew what they wanted and what exact spot to hit to get what he wants. Reasons why he easily got what he wanted from me. A trait Serafina held in her possession.

"This is emotional blackmail,"

"I'm sorry, I promise, I won't take your right away from you," he said carefully, which really surprised me, "they are your children, more of yours than mine, so I will never do anything to hurt their feelings by separating them from you." I was expecting him to go all 'they are mine, don't dare me', like an evil ex.

"And if I don't agree?" I dared, folding my arms defiantly. He chuckled darkly, his eyes lighting up with mischief.

And there it is.