CHELSEA

After few years…

"Stop! When I said no, then no more! Stop asking for it, hmm? I swear I won't do it again!” He shouted out as he ran around the house in an attempt to get away from the two mischievous children.

"No way! Give me my Lolli-jelly, Nicci!" While Heidi shouted and attacked him, Hendrix gave up trying to help her and went to fetch another lollipop. Heidi continued to run after him while sulking.

"What the heck? It’s not Nicci, it’s Nicolas! Your uncle Nicolas! And baby, spare me now, okay? I can't give it back to you since I have consumed it already…” Nicolas whimpered, still running away from Heidi.

I gently grabbed Heidi just in time to prevent her from regaining control of Nicolas' hair before it was too late.

I looked at her in the eyes and started talking to her calmly. "Heidi, enough now baby. Put your shoes on, and I'll get you another Lolli-jelly, more of it. But first, promise me, not to pull other’s hair out anymore, hmm?"

"Really? Hmp! Then fine," She mumbled something under her breath as she made an effort to stride towards her room. Before I smacked Nicolas on the back of the head, I pulled him to his feet.

"Ouch! Ches, what was that? What the fu-" Nicolas started off saying but I cut him off.

"Tsk, tsk. That was bad. You really have a foul mouth." Hendrix remarked this as he entered the room, pointing at Nicolas with one hand while holding his strawberry lollipop with the other. He seemed to be an adult well into his thirties.

The resemblance between Hendrix and his father was uncanny, and the resemblance between Heidi and I was also unbelievable.

Hendrix is a lively person, but he likes to believe that he can tell me who it is that I can spend out with. Heidi, on the other hand, is both nice and feisty.

It gives me the creeps since Hendrix acts so much older than his years.

"Whatever you want to say, little man." Nicolas said as he made his way over to Hendrix and messed up his hair, an action that earned him a little smack on the arm from Hendrix.

"I'm not little!"

After assisting Hendrix in putting on his shoes and assisting Heidi in selecting toys to bring, I returned into my room to complete getting ready for work before Nicolas arrived.

Hendrix helped Heidi with the selection of toys to bring. Before leaving my room to check on them, I put on a pair of a black shirt, with a taupe blazer and a brown skirt that reached over my knees. After that, I slipped on a pair of taupe flat shoes.

I came into Heidi's room and saw her watching as Hendrix placed some of her toys in her bag before returning it to her.

Meanwhile, Nicolas was attempting to apologize to Heidi, but she was ignoring him. I asked Heidi what was wrong, but she didn't respond.

However, as soon as Nicolas put on the show of sobbing, she was eager to forgive him. After they exchanged hugs and he made a commitment to her about a future play session, Nicolas came over to talk to me.

"Ches, the kids are growing, fast. And you should know that Hendrix asked me the other day on when their dad would get over his anger and come see them," Nicolas started off with a concern in his tone.

Nicolas murmured something as he looked at me suspiciously. I turned my attention to Hendrix, who was having a conversation with Heidi about the possibility of meeting another one of my closest friends, Anna, while she was watching them.

After saying our goodbyes to Nicolas, I let out a long sigh before assisting the kids in getting ready for our departure. As he likes to put it, Nicolas checks in on me every morning to make sure that I don't need any assistance since he considers me to be ‘a lonely 25-year-old single parent’.

It seems like every time Nicolas gets, he brings up finding a suitable man for me, but I really doubt that any man would want to look after children who are not his own.

It was only a matter of minutes until I found myself assisting my two young children out of the vehicle and parked it in Anna's driveway.

Hendrix was the first to knock on the door, and after a few seconds, the door swung open to reveal Anna with a cheery smile on her face greeting the two visitors.

They yelled out with excitement, "Auntie Anna!"

“The cutest niece and nephew in the world! I can't tell you how much I've missed all of you!” Anna exclaimed and it made the kids giggle more.

Hendrix then suddenly stated, "We're your only niece and nephew, forever Auntie. And you’ll always be our favorite Auntie, the prettiest Auntie Anna!"

After giving me a farewell hug, the two of them raced in, and Anna immediately grabbed me into a close embrace.

"So..." She started off looking at me in an unidentified manner.

I questioned with a raised brow at her. "So?"

“When is the biological father of the children going to find out about them? It has been a long time, Chelsea," She made a very little squeaking sound.

Anna was the one who wanted Raphael and I to get back together despite his stupidity and meet the kids, but Nicolas wanted him to never see them and push a stick up his ass to see 'how far it'll go.'

“Well, I don’t have any plans about it yet. That man… If he hadn't prioritized those phony photographs above me back, he would have known about my kids five years ago.” I shrugged.

“In addition to that, I did make an effort to inform him, but he prevented me from doing so. He chose to be ego centric, so be it. There’s no need for us to meet anyway. You see, I did handle things, smoothly.” I smiled, showing Anna that I am sticking to my decisions prior to this conversation.

"We'll talk later, as I'll be running late for work if I stay here any longer," I added before she could even give her opinion.

Before running out to my vehicle, I said something to her and gave her a brief peck on the cheek.

"Love you bitch!" She let out a loud cry.

I couldn't help but giggle at her ridiculousness as she said, "I love you more!"

CHELSEA

After pulling up to the business that I worked for, I jumped out of the car, hastily locked the doors, and then practically rushed to the front entrance of the building.

My chronic tardiness is the primary factor in my decision to avoid wearing shoes with heeled soles.

As soon as I'm on the elevator, I bring my attention back to my breathing again. When I finally do glance up, I see that the one and only friend I have here, Levi, is gazing at me in an odd manner.

"Hey, are you okay?" It was obvious that this made him amused. My current state made him laugh and I just sneered at him.

"No, this makes me feel sick, really, and I wasn't even running, you know." I got up and left.

"In any case, why are you in such a hurry? If you're going to be late anyhow, it's not like Mr. Brinsley is going to make a big deal about it. Relax now.”

Levi is right. I might be as late as three hours, and that man wouldn't give a damn about it.

According to Mr. Brinsley himself, I remind him of his late daughter, which is sort of a bummer since it means that he is easier on me than he should be considering that I am his personal assistant.

‘Should I worry about somewhere or something?’

On the other hand, there are occasions when I am filled with gratitude when I see how he responds when another person is late or makes a mistake.

‘His daughter, I pray that she finds eternal rest.’

"That does not mean that I will show up late every day. I have a job to do," again I sneered at Josh, looking at him annoyingly.

After a brief exchange of farewells, the elevator doors eventually opened to my level, and I proceeded to make my way to Mr. Brinsley's office from there.

I rapped on the door, and when I heard a rough "Come in". I entered the room and closed the door behind me after.

When he glanced up, his grumpy expression transformed in an instant, and a broad grin took the place of his previous scowl.

"Chelsea! It is wonderful to see you again.” He exclaimed excitedly.

"Likewise Mr. Brinsley. Good morning," I retorted as he grimaced at the fact that I had been calling him by that rather than his given name, Maxwell.

I like to have a professional demeanor at all times.

"We will be having a meeting tomorrow morning with a special company from North Cardova, and I'm sure that they are already here in Mouringham. Because of this, it would be very helpful if you could arrive a little earlier than usual to have the meeting room and papers prepared." He gave an explanation and I nodded on to it.

"Of course, Mr. Brinsley, this will be well noted. Aside from that, is there anything else?" I asked.

"No more, thank you. I have arranged for all of the paperwork that need to be filed away by the end of the day and placed on your desk. I also provided you the names of the persons who are going to attend the meeting, as well as what you need to convey to them.” While he was still gazing at his computer, he made this long statement.

"No problem, Mr. Brinsley. I’ll work on it right away," After that, I walked back out the door and went straight to my desk to begin working.

“North Cordova…” The thought of that place suddenly gave me chills.

…..

Before I could actually send an email to the company's members, it took me nearly a couple of hours to complete filing those piles of paperwork away in the appropriate folders.

As I perused the list of names, I saw a few that seemed to be rather recognizable until I came across the surname that I was all too acquainted with.

[Mr. Ludington]

I continued trying to convince myself that it was another Mr. Ludington, not the one I know. But when I saw the sign next to his name, I realized it had to be him.

Mr. Brinsley only places those signs next to people who are the owners of a big firm, and out of everyone in North Cardova, I only knew of one other person named Raphael Ludington who was an owner of a company.

‘Raphael Ludington.’

That indicates that he is now here in Mouringham, and that he will most likely see me here for the next few days.

“So what should I do now?”

Putting my thoughts to the side, I immediately finished what Mr. Brinsley advised for me to update them about the meeting tomorrow to one of the emails. I copied and pasted it to the rest of the emails since it would be too much effort for me to write the same thing over and over again. Tomorrow's meeting is at ten o'clock.

“Okay!” After I had done sending the email to each and every one of them, I checked the time and saw that it was getting close to four.

I was ready to let Mr. Brinsley know that I was finished, but just as I was about to do so, I received a notification on my phone that one of the members of the firm had answered back.

“Already? That fast, huh?” And here I was under the impression that I was a workaholic but someone might be more workaholic than as I am.

After sitting down again, I refreshed the website and then selected the first option that appeared on the screen. The guy's only response was, 'thanks'.

It was far more convenient for me to send emails to all of the firms using Mr. Brinsley's work email rather than my own, and he didn't seem to mind that I did so.

Before letting out a big sigh, I first glanced through the email that the responder had sent.

Raphael. Naturally, it must be him.

After making the decision not to respond, I stood up and made my way back to the office of Mr. Brinsley.

This time, I didn't knock before walking in, and when I saw that he was on the phone, I closed the door behind me before continuing in.

"Yes, you have my total understanding. If it is all okay with you, I will go into more depth regarding that issue at the meeting tomorrow. Alright! See you shortly." He hung up the phone before he even glanced in my direction.

“Oh Chelsea, how did things work out for you today?” As he finished swiftly typing something, he posed the question.

“Everything worked out well, Mr. Brinsley. I have put all of the documents in the appropriate folders and sent the necessary information to Mr. Jenkins and the others in preparation for tomorrow. I quickly stopped over here to see if there was anything more, I could do for you before I had to leave to pick up my kids,” I explained.

"I regret to inform you that I do not have any more work for you to help me with today. Concerning the meeting, all you need to do while it's going on is take notes on the significant matters that are being discussed and jot down any questions that attendees may have. But before you go, would it be possible for you to stop by the coffee shop down the corner and pick up a cup of that delectable drink that you bring in on occasion?” He asked.

"Maxwell, you are aware that there is no need for you to ask me for anything, right? You give me more than what I'm meant to have on my paycheck anyhow, not that I'm complaining about it, but you give me more than that.” I pointed out.

"Give me a moment to get your drink," I uttered. I smiled at him and then turned and walked away.

I grabbed my wallet on the way out while trying to conceal the grin that formed on my face as I thought back to the way his eyes lit up when I addressed him by his first name.

It makes me feel a little bit awful that I bring up their late daughter in conversation with him. When I finally made it to the door of the café, I found that I was a little out of breath.

My fitness level is fine, the problem is that I fatigue quickly. And I think I know the reason why.

CHELSEA

[Flashback]

"Harder! Push harder! More, Chelsea! Come on, Chelsea, you know you're capable of it!" After hearing what Nicolas had to say, I mustered every ounce of energy I had left and pressed on.

"Oh goodness!” I cried out in pain as I continued to push harder.

"A little boy!" The matron exclaimed, joyfully.

Just as I was about to look at my baby, another agony then coursed through me, forcing me to grab Nicolas' hand even more tightly, both of us shrieking in anguish.

“Ahhhhh!” Just as I was about to gaze at my baby boy, another pain then coursed through me.

"Damn it, please don't say there’s another one," I uttered, crying in pain.

Nicolas let out a shout, “Chelsea!”

"Ms. Sheldon, we are going to require you to push even more for us. Is that good with you? There will be one more child joining the family soon.”

‘Oh heck no! Twins? I will have two babies?’

I wasn't prepared for one kid, so the idea of having two was completely out of the question.

It was a poor decision on my part to wait until the last minute to find out what I was going to give birth with. I didn’t go for an ultrasound to reveal the gender of the baby. So here I am, paying the price.

"I can no longer do it, please. I really feel so exhausted. It’s too painful. Oh, please!” I yelled out as I shed another tear.

I was going to cry out for more in anguish when Nicholas beat me to it and sent another wave of discomfort across my body.

"Chelsea, come on! You have my word that if you don't start pushing that goddamn kid out, I will put an end to your life!”

[End of flashback]

….

And here is just another reason why Heidi is a little miracle.

As soon as I stepped inside the café, I was welcomed by the intoxicating aroma of freshly brewed coffee.

‘Oh, I've been so lost without this smell.’

Since there seemed to be just one other customer in line, I went ahead and stood behind them while I perused the menu.

That’s it, the perfect drink for Maxwell. After taking my eyes from the menu for a moment, I saw that the gentleman had not yet completed his order.

"Ma'am, I'm sorry to tell you this, but I don't have a single penny on me. Please release me from this obligation as soon as possible.” The man uttered, with a slight of trembling voice.

"I am sorry, sir, but you will not be allowed to leave until the drink that you ordered has been paid for."

‘Damn this guy, for real?’

"How much does he owe you?" I inquired with the teller. After she informed me that it would cost just amount of cents, I rummaged through my purse in an attempt to locate any pennies to pay her.

In the end, the only currency I had on me consisted of nickels, dimes, and a few quarters. I was just carrying a few coins with me.

“Don't be concerned about the change, Miss,” I replied as the girl glanced at me in what seemed to be amazement before she picked up the penny.

"I can't thank you enough! I informed that cretin that he did not provide me with sufficient penny for this beverage. May I know your name-" After turning around, the guy posed the question.

I could tell by the expression on his face how surprised he was to see me as I turned around. And same goes with me.

It wasLeo, of all people.Leo was my former spouse's closest and most trusted buddy.

The same gentleman who attended our wedding and served as my ex-husband's best man.

"Chelsea?" He stared at me in a way that suggested he had seen a spirit.

‘Damn it. If he’s in this location, then it is quite likely that Raphael is not far away.’ I thought as I nervously smiled at him.

I immediately turned around and communicated my request to the girl while praying that the time would pass more quickly.

After that, I went to the counter where the drinks are created and waited for the other person to complete what he was doing there.

This day just cannot be much worse than it already is.

"Chelsea what are you up to in the town of Mourningham? You must be aware that Raphael has been searching for…"

"It makes no difference to me why I'm here. And he had no right to come searching for me since I cheated on him, don't you remember?” I said that without a pause, avoiding making eye contact with him.

I interrupted him once more just as he was about to say anything. "I didn't come here to find someone to have idle conversation with. I came here to get some drinks. If you’ll excuse me.”

As soon as the man put the drinks down on the counter, I handed the lady the appropriate amount of money and paid for them.

Before I headed out the door, I stopped to get some beverages at the counter.

Once I was outside, I started walking back in the way that I had come, but I stopped when I heard someone slam a door.

I turned my head to gaze in that way and came to a complete stop as soon as I spotted him. The person I never wished to see this moment.

‘Raphael… So you’re really here…’

I immediately reversed course and made sure that the annoyingly long and wavy hair that was framing my face was out of the way as I proceeded to go in the direction that led to the building.

"Hey! Have you considered getting any assistance with those?”

‘Oh my gosh, it sounded completely different even in his voice!’

Wait, what the fuck is going on? Why am I behaving like a young teenage girl while I'm already in my mid-twenties?

Before speaking in a lower tone, I swallowed many times to clear my throat. "Uh, no thanks man, I'm good. I can handle it alone,” I stated without even gazing up at him.

‘What did I just call him? Man? What was that, Chelsea Sheldon?’

I can't believe how stupid I am. I didn't bother waiting for an answer before I sped away from him and towards the building in order to bring Maxwell's his coffee.

I would say anything like that could never happen again, but the guy who divorced me over few years ago is someone I will ultimately have to see, tomorrow.

After all these years, we will meet again.