Chapter 24

[ 1,086 words ]

Samantha’s POV

“Don’t you ever scare me like that again,” I warned, pulling the car into the driveway. My eyes flicked to the rearview mirror where Devon and Diana sat silently, their wide, guilty eyes meeting mine.

They didn’t respond right away, but their guilt was obvious. Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to stay calm — for their sake. I’d already lectured them, and one reminder was enough. After opening my door and stepping out, I waited for them to follow.

As soon as we stepped inside the house, Annie came rushing toward us. Her face was pale, her hair slightly out of place, and her hands trembled as she clasped them together.

“I’m so, so sorry!” she blurted, her voice cracking. “I don’t know how they managed to—”

“Annie, it’s okay,” I said firmly but gently, resting a hand on her shoulder to reassure her. “I know how much you care about them, and I’m not blaming you. But we’ll need to take extra precautions from now on.”

I glanced at the twins, who stood a few feet away, shuffling awkwardly. With a wave of my hand, I motioned them forward. “You two owe Annie an apology. She’s been worried sick about you.”

Diana was the first to step forward, her voice soft. “We’re sorry, Annie. We didn’t mean to scare you.”

Devon followed, adding, “We’re sorry, Annie. We promise we won’t do it again.”

Annie smiled and knelt to their level, pulling them into a quick hug. “I’m just glad you are safe,” she murmured.

Watching the scene, I felt a swell of pride and relief. Despite their mischief, my twins had kind hearts, and moments like this reminded me they were growing up with the values I’d worked so hard to teach them.

Once Annie excused herself to prepare dinner, I ushered the twins into the living room. Sitting down on the couch, I gestured for them to join me. “Now, let’s talk,” I said.

They exchanged wary glances before climbing onto the couch, one on each side of me.

I leaned back, studying their faces. “Tell me something. When you were at the hotel, did you meet anyone?”

The question made them exchange another glance, this one more uncertain. My heart started to race, but I kept my expression calm. I didn’t want to alarm them.

Diana hesitated, her small brow furrowing. “We talked to a man, the one who gave us food,” she said slowly.

My breath caught. “What man?”

“I don’t know,” she replied, her tone unsure. “He was tall, and he asked us who we were. But we did not tell him anything.”

“Did he tell you his name?” I asked, my voice steady despite the knot tightening in my stomach.

Devon shook his head. “No. But he asked where our dad is, and he knew Uncle Killian.”

Killian. My thoughts flashed to his tight expression earlier, the way he had seemed on edge when he brought the kids back. Could it have been Dominic? The possibility made my stomach churn. I could not let him find out about the twins — not like this.

“Are you sure you did not tell him anything about where you are from or who I am?” I pressed gently.

Devon tilted his head, thinking hard. “I think we said we were from Uncle Killian’s pack.”

Relief mixed with anxiety. That detail might be enough to keep Dominic guessing, but it was still too close for comfort.

“What did the man look like? Can you tell me?” I asked, trying to keep my tone light so they would not sense my rising panic.

Diana held her chin as she was thinking hard. And as if a light bulb popped up on top of her head, with her wide doe eyes, she turned to her mother, “He had super dark hair, like Devon, and he had a tiny mole, Mommy, the same as Devon’s mole here on his temple!” She giggled, pointing to Devon’s temple. “They’re twinning, Mommy!” she exclaimed cheerfully, as if it were the most exciting discovery.

But my stomach dropped. I knew that mole all too well. The same tiny dark spot sat on Dominic’s temple, identical to the one on Devon’s. And I would not deny that Devon does resemble Dominic more than Diana’s softer features.

Diana tugged at my sleeve, pulling me out of my dreaded thoughts. “Mommy, why are you asking so many questions? Did we do something bad?”

I forced a smile, brushing her hair back. “No, sweetheart. You did not do anything bad. I just want to make sure you are safe.”

Devon’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Are you worried about that man?” he asked taking me aback.

I hesitated before answering. “I’m worried about a lot of things, but you two are the most important to me. I need to know that no one can hurt you.”

They nodded solemnly with their young faces unusually serious. Pulling them close, I held them tightly, as if I could shield them from any harm.

Later, when the twins were tucked into bed, I sat alone in the living room with my thoughts a tangled mess. If that man had been Dominic, it was only a matter of time before he started asking questions, and I needed to be prepared.

The buzz of my phone broke through my thoughts. I grabbed it from the coffee table and saw Killian’s name on the screen.

“Killian,” I said as I answered.

“Samantha,” he began. “We need to talk. Dominic’s been asking questions.” And so that was when I confirmed that it was Dominic that my twins had encountered.

My grip on the phone tightened. “What kind of questions?”

“About the twins,” he replied. “He is suspicious. It won’t be long before he figures it out.”

A chill ran down my spine. “Then… I’ll figure out how to handle this,” I replied even though I did not know how to face Dominic with this matter.

“I’ll come by tomorrow,” Killian said. “We’ll figure it out together.”

Ending the call, I stared at my reflection in the darkened window.

I had built a new life for myself and my children, but the past was closing too fast that I could not keep up. I had hidden the truth for years, and yet, it was hunting me down as if I were its prey.

And I was not sure how much longer I could keep this at bay.

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