Piper’s POV

“Karen! Piper! Come here quick!” Erin Smith, Megan’s mom, yelled.

Mom and I rushed to the living room. After returning from the hotel, I immediately told mom everything, and she cried while saying that this incident was a trap that would make both of our lives suffer and I would lose my right as the heir to my grandma’s wealth.

Since I saw Megan’s body language in the hotel room this morning, I finally realized that all of this was just a trap set by Megan.

When I arrived in the living room, I saw Aunt Erin standing with her arms folded across her chests. A smile of happiness was on her lips. Meanwhile, grandma sat on the sofa with Megan. She put her arm around her as if she was the only grandchild who had done nothing wrong.

“Yes, mom,” Karen, my mother, said.

“Grandma,” I said.

“Leave the mansion this instant and never appear before me again. I’m disappointed in both of you. Now tidy up your things. The maids will help you,” she replied.

Mom immediately knelt before grandma, holding her legs. With her face wet with tears, she pleaded, “Mom, please don’t kick us out. We have nothing and we don’t know where we will live. Please forgive Piper’s mistake.”

And for the third time, grandma banged her wand on the floor. “No second chances for her. She has tarnished the good name of the family that has been preserved for generations. Get out of here!”

“Hey, get out of here. Do you want to see mom’s heart disease flare-up?” Aunt Erin said with a sly smile.

I approached mom, touching her trembling hand while looking at her puffy face and eyes, “Mom, let’s get out of here.”

After packing our things, we walked back to the living room. The maids handed me two suitcases containing my and mom’s belongings. Before stepping out of the mansion, we stood before grandma, “Grandma, we’re leaving. Take good care of yourself.”

As I expected, she turned her face away and answered nothing. That afternoon, it poured. The maids provided two umbrellas for the two of us.

After the gatekeeper opened the gate for us, my mother and I hurriedly ran in the rain to find a place to shelter from the rain and cold wind.

“Mom, let’s take shelter over there,” I invited as I pulled two large suitcases.

Mom and I crossed the highway and took shelter on the porch of a closed shop. It was still a clear sky, but the highway around the mansion was silent. Only one or two cars passed in front of us.

Our clothes were wet from the rain, and our bodies were shaking from the chilly wind. Our faces and skin looked pale and even our lips turned a darker color. I couldn’t let mom be in this condition or she would get sick.

And all I could think about was calling Ethan and asking him to let us stay in his empty villa. I hurriedly took my cell phone from my backpack and called him expectantly.

Moments later, Ethan answered my call with a cold and distinct tone of voice, as if reluctant to talk to me.

After explaining the problem I was facing and revealing my reason for calling him, he was silent for a while. My heart was beating quite fast. Mom stood beside me while clenching her hands into fists. I could see hope burning in her eyes.

After clearing his throat a few times, Ethan finally decided not to lend us his villa for a reason, namely because we no longer had any relationship. And he didn’t care where we lived or where we went. Even though I insisted on paying him, he still refused. Then, he hung up rudely.

Hearing his refusal and harsh words made me so sad that tears gathered at the edges of my eyes and were ready to spill out. However, I tried my best to stay strong and calm, even though I was sad and disappointed. This was all a misunderstanding. If only Ethan would have given me a chance to explain. Maybe things would have been different.

Mom looked at me with a hopeful and questioning gaze. I let out a long breath as I clutched my phone to my chest.

“How was it?” mom asked.

I shook my head. Mom bowed her head with a sad look on her face.

“I’ll try calling Lisa,” I said as I rushed to dial her number.

“Didn’t you say she was going to Greenmore?” mom asked.

“She told me that. I’ll try calling her because she’s our only hope.”

After the ringtone rang a few times, Lisa picked up the phone and luck was still on our side because Lisa had just returned from Greenmore last night. Mom’s originally sad face now turned happy.

After briefly explaining our condition, within thirty minutes, Lisa came and took us to her empty apartment. Along the way, I told her everything that happened to us while wiping away the tears that wouldn’t go away.

Arriving at her apartment, Lisa took my hand and looked into my eyes. “Piper, we’ve been best friends since childhood. I promise I’ll help you and your mom through this.”

I nodded. “Thank you.” Then, we linked our little fingers together as a promise of friendship.

A month after that incident, I found out I was pregnant. It was a soul-shaking realization. I never even thought that one night could make me pregnant. I don’t even remember who I did it with, so how could I hold him accountable if I knew nothing? The tough choice was mine.

But there was no way I was going to abort the baby in my womb because he had been a part of me since he occupied my womb. Even though life is difficult, I will still give birth to this baby and take care of him until he grows up. Maybe this is the way life should go.

I sat on the edge of the bed while wiping away the tears that flowed like a waterfall, lamenting the fate that was not as fortunate as the other girls. Everything that happened to me ruined my life and future.

Suddenly, mom came and sat beside me. She hugged me from the side and leaned her head against my shoulder. “We’ll get through this together. I will always be by your side.” And we cried together.

Eight months later, it was time for me to give birth. Doctor Kevin, who had been taking care of me, told me I was pregnant with twins. God gave me two gifts at once.

After experiencing constant contractions, my mom took me to the hospital. The nurses rushed me to the maternity ward and prepared everything for the delivery.

“Mom, it’s hurt. I can’t take it anymore,” I said as the pain of the contractions intensified. I curled up on the bed, my body shaking from the contractions that came every few minutes.

“Hang in there, sweetie. For the sake of your babies. You will soon see them born into the world. I’ll take care of you here,” mom replied with a panicked look on her face.

Both my hands gripped the headboard tightly. Sweat soaked my body, and I tried not to scream when the pain returned.

“Is her birth canal fully open?” mom asked the nurse who was checking my vagina.

“Just a little more. We’ll call the doctor now,” the nurse said.

Mom gripped my hand tightly and looked at me sadly, occasionally wiping the sweat off my face. Fifteen minutes passed and Doctor Kevin still hadn’t arrived. Mom, who was getting impatient, approached the nurse.

“Excuse me, where is the doctor? My daughter will give birth soon,” mom asked the nurse.

“Doctor Kevin is on his way, arriving shortly. We will examine the patient now. Please calm down.” They went back to check my vagina, and it was time for me to go into labor. Even the amniotic fluid had broken.

“Hold on, ma’am. Don’t push the baby out until the doctor comes,” the nurse pleaded. I nodded weakly.

Not long after, Doctor Kevin arrived in the maternity ward and immediately checked on me. He stood in front of my spread legs. Mom and a nurse stood beside me.

“Ok, now take a deep breath and push hard. One, two, three, Push!” Doctor Kevin exclaimed.

I took a deep breath and pushed hard, but my twins didn’t come out. After two pushes, only the first baby’s head came out. Mom, who was standing next to me, kept encouraging me.

“Piper, you can do it. Let’s push harder,” Doctor Kevin said.

It took three pushes until my first twin came out, then I pushed again to get my second twin out. And instantly, the sound of their loud cries filled the maternity ward.

“Piper, you just gave birth to boy and girl twins! Now you’re a mom,” mom said happily.

“I am a mom,” I said with tears of joy.

“Yes, you are a mom now and they are so perfect.”

I smiled happily even though my body felt very weak, as if all my energy had been absorbed. Then, Doctor Kevin came over and congratulated us, “Congratulations, Piper. Your twins are healthy and perfect.” Two nurses showed them to me. They looked tiny and adorable.

They were healthy and perfect. Thank God.

Then, the nurses took me to the hospitalization room. Mom had spent the night in the hospital with me. Meanwhile, my twins had been taken to a baby room. Finally, the long struggle for nine months had paid off with their presence beside me. Now, mom and I wouldn’t be lonely anymore.

The next morning, when I had just finished eating breakfast, suddenly a nurse came and entered my room in a hurry. A look of fear and panic was drawn on her face.

The nurse stood in front of me. Both her knees were trembling and in a stammering voice, she said, “Ma-madam, something happened to one of your twins. Sh-she died.”

Piper’s POV

The spoon I was holding fell to the floor. Mom, who was fixing my clothes, rushed over to the nurse. She touched both of her arms, shaking her body as she asked to confirm the truth of the news, “Is it true what you said? It might not be my grandkids. Take us there right now.”

With a pained look on her face, and trembling hands and knees, she said, “I’m sorry, ma’am. But this news is true. Come with me to the baby’s room.”

I sat in silence and couldn’t say anything else. I felt like something was stabbing me and I felt pain and sadness in my heart. My mind tried to recall when two nurses showed me, my twins, right in front of me. There was nothing wrong with them. So, what happened?

Suddenly, I stood up without realizing that the stitches in my vagina were still fresh and wet. I winced in pain until my eyes filled with tears. “Mom.”

The nurse and mom rushed me to the bed and asked me to lie down for a while until the pain went away.

However, the pain in my vagina was nothing compared to the pain in my heart from losing the child I had just given birth to. My life during this time was indeed a lot different from the life I lived when I was still living in the mansion and received a living allowance from my grandma every month, and I worked at the Smith Company as my grandma’s assistant so I never felt deprived.

But, after we were kicked out of the mansion, my life changed by one hundred and eighty degrees and I had to struggle hard to make ends meet for the two of us even though we were lucky enough not to have to pay for expensive apartment rent. However, the heavy burden of life didn’t mean that I didn’t want my baby twins. I could raise them even without a husband, and that meant I had to work extra hard. But why did one of them have to leave me forever? What was the meaning of all this?

“Miss, what exactly happened to one of my grandchildren? Which one of my grandchildren died?” mom asked as she touched the nurse’s hand. I just lay quietly on the bed, lamenting my fate.

If possible, I wanted one of my baby twins back alive, even though I knew it was impossible. Why did she leave me before I could hug her? Why did life treat me so cruelly?

“The doctor is examining her. And regarding the second question, it was your granddaughter who died. I’m so sorry,” the nurse replied.

Mom stood next to me. “Piper, are you feeling better? If not, let me go to the baby’s room and find out about this.”

“Help me up, mom. Let’s go to the baby’s room. I want to see my baby,” I replied.

Then, the nurse and mom helped me up. After that, we went straight to the baby room at the end of the hall. I saw several nurses coming in and out of the baby room while carrying something. Their faces looked panicked.

“Ouch,” I grimaced again in pain as I tried to walk faster.

“Take it slow or before you get there, you might not walk anymore if you push yourself. Hold my hand tighter, we’ll be there soon,” mom said.

With much struggle, we finally reached the baby room. “Mom, I’m going inside now.”

I pushed the door of the baby room and I frantically walked past several nurses, ignoring their presence. I just wanted to see my babies right away. There were cribs with my name on it. With trembling hands, I held and read each name on the sign hanging in front of the cribs.

I finally found them. God’s gift to me. My first baby was wearing a blue blanket, while the other was wearing a pink one.

With my face wet with tears, I saw with my own eyes that one of my two babies was not moving. Her face was pale. She was wearing a pink blanket.

No! Why did it have to be my baby? Why did I have to feel this loss?

My hands covered my face as I fell to the floor. I mourned the loss of my little angel. I hadn’t even kissed her yet, and she was already gone before us.

I faintly heard my mom and a few other people approaching. They knelt in front of me, then mom hugged me as she cried so hard that I could feel her body trembling.

After a while, she stopped crying and said, “Piper, the doctor said your daughter died from lack of oxygen. The hospital promised to investigate this case. We will get through this together. Now stand up and it’s time for you to breastfeed. Your son needs you.”

Mom was right. I couldn’t continue to drown my sorrows because I had to fight and take care of my baby boy. He needs me. But I will never forget you, my daughter. I have reserved a special place for you in my heart that anything will never replace.

Three days later, my two best friends, Lisa and Max, came to visit me at the hospital. They helped mom take care of my discharge. After everything was done, the five of us headed to the Valdirra City public cemetery. Max had reserved a plot of land that would be the grave of my baby girl, who hadn’t even been named yet, as well as a small coffin. I finally named her Daisy Smith, while her baby brother was named Jensen Smith.

The taxi I took with my mom stopped right in front of the cemetery doors. Mom carried the sleeping Jensen, while I carried Daisy’s stiff body.

Max opened the coffin, which had been decorated with flowers, a white cloth, and a doll. I laid Daisy on the white cloth and covered her body with a thick blanket. Then the undertaker closed the coffin and lowered the coffin slowly into the ground.

Mom and Lisa hugged me from behind. We cried together. After it was all over, we walked back to the car.

“Daisy, don’t worry. Mommy will visit you often. I love you.”

Six years later,

“Mom, wake up or you’ll be late for work,” Jensen said from behind the door.

“Yeah,” I replied as I turned off the alarm that kept ringing.

I opened my eyes slowly, trying to adjust my vision to the morning sunlight coming through the crack in the window.

I hurriedly got up and sat on the edge of the bed while checking my emails and messages on my phone.

“What a shitty Monday,” I muttered, as Monday was the busiest day at the office where I worked with the myriad of work that my manager delegated to each of his men.

“Mom,” Jensen exclaimed from behind the door.

“Yeah, I’ll be out in a few minutes,” I replied.

Long story short, after finishing breakfast, Jensen hurried to get on the school bus, while I had to get to the office before it was too late.

“Mom, I’m leaving now,” I called from the apartment entrance.

“Yes, have a nice day,” she said from the kitchen.

“You too.”

Luckily, I got a taxi on a busy morning. In less than twenty minutes, I arrived at the office and was in the queue to punch in.

And just as I walked into my office, put down my bag, and was about to sit down on the chair, Marta, the manager’s assistant, knocked on my door.

“Come in,” I answered.

“Piper, Mr. Brown has requested that all employees gather in the meeting room. It’s important,” Marta said.

Piper’s POV

“What’s going on? It’s not like he usually gathers us in the morning?” I asked curiously. Honestly, I felt a little uneasy, like something was up.

“I don’t know. But, given the state of the company these past few months, I think I know what he’s trying to say. I hope what I’m thinking doesn’t happen. Let’s hurry over there,” Marta replied.

“Ok.” I took my cell phone and put it in my pants pocket, then walked out of my room together with Marta.

As we walked to the meeting room, we passed the staff room. Their rooms were empty. That meant they had all gathered there. To be honest, my heart was beating faster than usual. Hopefully, it wasn’t bad news.

Now Marta and I were standing in front of the meeting room door. Marta pushed the door inward and there were rows of employees sitting on chairs arranged horizontally. Marta pulled my hand to hurry and sit on two empty chairs close to the entrance. Mr. Brown seemed to observe us from the front. He was silent as he looked at all of us one by one and occasionally exhaled a long breath.

“Well, you’ve all gathered here. I have something to tell you. Although I’m reluctant to say it, I can’t do anything about it because the decision is not in my hands. Are you ready to hear it?” Mr. Brown asked, his eyebrows raised as if he was deep in thought. There seemed to be some sort of inner turmoil within him.

“Yes, Mr.”

“Ok, with great regret the company is forced to announce that this week is your last week working because the management has closed the company until someone will buy and pay for the company’s considerable losses and debts. You can look for another job starting today and you can finish your work that has been delayed for this week. Your salary and all benefits for the month will still be paid to you. So, there is nothing to worry about. Questions?” Mr. Brown asked.

We were all shocked and saddened by the news we heard this morning because we have been working at this company for over five years and it felt hard to leave something that has become integrated into us.

In addition, Marta and I were confused, and it quite muddled our minds because of where we had to look for another job amid the country’s poor economic conditions. Long before we experienced this, I had often heard rumors about companies closing down and laying off thousands of employees.

Let alone, companies, even small businesses, were being affected by the economic instability in our country.

Marta touched my hand while looking into my eyes. From the look in her eyes, I knew she felt the same confusion as me. Especially since we were the backbone of the family and a single mother.

“Do you have any ideas?” I asked Marta. She shook her head.

I had expected that. Since the first day I started working at this company, Marta had depended on me a lot. She was an introvert, and I was her only friend in the office and the only source of information and ideas she sometimes needed.

I didn’t blame her or thought she was not trying. I understood her situation as a single mother with one daughter and she was also an only child with a sickly mother. She was juggling two jobs every day that even I probably wouldn’t be able to handle.

“How about this, Piper?” she asked.

“We’ll think about it at home in peace,” I replied.

After that, we were busy with our work until it was time to go home. Marta and I took the same bus to our apartment, which was quite a distance away. After saying goodbye and getting off the bus, I rushed into the apartment building and took the elevator to the floor where my apartment unit was located.

In my confused and idea-less state, I just wanted to withdraw from the world and stay in silence, trying to think clearly while looking for opportunities.

I opened the door and greeted mom and Jensen as usual. “I’m home.”

Jensen’s head was visible from behind the kitchen door. “Mom, dinner will be ready in a minute.”

“I’m going to take a nap. You guys eat first,” I replied.

“Are you ok, mom?” Jensen asked.

“Yes. I’m just a little tired. Don’t worry.” I went into the bedroom and lay on my stomach. It felt very comfortable even though my head hurt a little.

Suddenly, an idea came to my mind. Maybe I could ask Lisa for help since Lisa’s family is a wealthy family that has many connections with big companies. There’s no harm in trying. Who knows, she might help.

I hurriedly sent her a message, after which I slept for a while, just to relieve the pain in my head. Before I knew it, I had been asleep for over an hour. When I opened my eyes, I felt a blanket covering my body. Maybe mom or Jensen came into the room and covered my body even though I was still in my work clothes.

Before getting out of bed, I grabbed my cell phone and read the reply message from Lisa. And instantly I jumped for joy. I felt like shouting and telling Jensen and mom that there was an opportunity for me at one of Lisa’s friend’s companies. But I hadn’t told them anything yet. I figured I’d better tell them after I got through the interview with the company’s boss.

Before going to take a shower, I received another message from Lisa.

“Huh, interview at his mansion tomorrow morning. But? It’s okay, as long as I get the job as soon as possible,” I muttered. So I hurriedly texted Max and asked him to accompany me to the boss’s house tomorrow morning.

Finally, a bad day doesn’t always end with a bad ending. At least I could sleep well tonight.

The next morning, I was ready and waiting in the apartment lobby. It wasn’t long before Max’s car arrived and we drove to the address Lisa had given me.

“Piper, were all the employees who applied for jobs with Adams Company asked to come to the mansion?” Max asked, surprised.

“I don’t know. Lisa said that Mr. Jay asked me to come to see him at his mansion. I didn’t ask the reason,” I replied.

“Oh okay. Let’s just say that he asked everyone who applied for the job to come to his mansion. It seems a little strange to me.”

“How so?” I asked curiously.

“It’s okay. There’s no need to think about it. The important thing is that you get the job,” Max replied.

“Thanks, Max.”

Thirty minutes later, our car arrived at the mansion. Max parked the car right there in front of the entrance of a large and tall mansion. Two maids waited for me at the entrance.

“Welcome, Miss. Please come with us. Sir Jay is waiting for you.” A maid invited me to come with her to the workroom.