CHAPTER TWO
1961 Words
CHAPTER TWO
FOUR YEARS LATER
California.
The steady clicking of a keyboard filled the spacious office.
Alice sat behind a sleek desk, her expression calm, composed—completely different from the broken girl she once was.
Her phone rang.
She picked it up without looking.
“Hello, Aunty.”
“Alice! It’s been so long—how are you?” Beatrice’s warm voice came through the line.
“I’m good.”
“And my babies?” her aunt asked eagerly.
A faint smile appeared on Alice’s lips.
“They’re doing great. You should see Emily—she treats computers like toys.”
Beatrice laughed happily.
“That’s wonderful! About what I said…”
Alice already knew where this was going.
“I’m not coming back to Newton.”
A pause.
“But—”
“No, Aunty.”
Beatrice sighed softly.
“I know you don’t want to come back because of what happened… but you can’t avoid home forever. At least come for my birthday. Let it be my gift.”
Alice leaned back slightly, her gaze drifting.
Silence lingered for a moment.
Then she chuckled softly.
“…Okay. I’ll come.”
There was a brief pause—
Then sudden excitement exploded through the phone.
“Really?! Alice, I love you! Don’t forget to bring my babies, okay? I miss them so much!”
“I won’t,” Alice said, a hint of warmth in her voice.
After the call ended, the room fell silent again.
Her gaze slowly shifted…
To the television screen mounted on the wall.
There he was.
Lucian Hale.
Dressed in a tailored suit, his presence commanding, his once fragile body now strong and refined.
Beside him stood a stunning red-haired model—
His fiancée.
Reporters surrounded them, cameras flashing.
Successful.
Powerful.
Untouchable.
Alice’s fingers tightened slightly.
Her lips curved into a faint, almost bittersweet smile.
If they met again…
Would he hate her?
Or would he simply look at her like a stranger?
LUCIAN’S OFFICE
“Boss, we’ve found her.”
The secretary placed a file on the desk.
Lucian didn’t respond immediately.
“…Leave it.”
“Yes, sir.”
The door closed quietly.
Only then did Lucian reach for the file.
Inside—
Photographs.
Alice.
Walking out of a*****e.
Sitting in a taxi.
Smiling at the beach.
His fingers slowly traced over one of the pictures, his expression unreadable.
“She’s in California,” the secretary had said earlier. “Her flight is scheduled. She’ll arrive in a week.”
Lucian’s eyes darkened slightly.
Four years.
Four years of searching.
Four years of unanswered questions.
Four years of remembering the day she walked away without looking back.
His grip on the photo tightened.
“Alice…”
His voice was low.
Dangerously calm.
“Did you really think… you could run from me forever?”
His lips curved into a faint smile—
But there was no warmth in it..
ALICE’S HOUSE
“You cheated,” Louis said.
“No, you cheated!” Emily yelled back.
Alice smiled. She could hear her two children’s voices as she opened the door.
In the kitchen, Sophie’s hands were covered in flour. She must have been baking. When she saw Alice, she smiled and rolled her eyes.
“Finally back. I thought you were going to live at work today.”
Sophie was Alice’s good high school friend who helped her take care of the kids alongside Charles whenever she was busy working.
Alice smiled and looked around.
“Where are my sweethearts?”
“Living room,” Sophie answered before turning toward the room.
“Louis! Emily! Your mummy’s home!”
There was a rustling sound before a race began to see who could reach her first.
A little girl with sparkling grey eyes came rushing forward, followed closely by a cute little boy with dark hair.
“Mummy! Mummy is home!”
Alice dropped her bag and caught both children in her arms, showering them with kisses.
“Why are you running so fast? What if you fell and hurt yourselves?”
Showing off his tiny teeth, Louis shook his head firmly.
“I can’t fall, Mummy. My legs are strong.”
“Mine too,” Emily said, brushing a thick wave of hair out of her face.
Alice smiled.
“I hope you didn’t give Aunty trouble today?”
“No,” they replied together.
Alice kissed each of them on the cheeks.
“That’s my babies.”
“Ahem.”
Sophie walked out of the room, now dressed in a clean outfit.
“Who were the ones who nearly hacked Mr. Ramon’s computer?”
Mr. Ramon was Alice’s boss. Sometimes the twins tried to hack his computer whenever Alice got held up at work.
The twins exchanged innocent looks.
“You said nearly, Auntie. We didn’t do it, so we’re well-behaved,” Emily said.
“Exactly,” Louis added seriously.
Sophie chuckled and pinched their cheeks.
“You two cuties.”
Just then, the door opened and Charles walked in with a handful of shopping bags.
“I’m back! Who missed me?”
“Uncle!”
The twins excitedly yelled as they rushed toward him.
“My cuties.”
Charles caught them both with a warm laugh.
“I told you not to buy them toys anymore,” Alice said as she watched the kids rummage through the toy bags.
Charles walked over to her with a smile, his eyes still on the excited children.
“Well, they deserve all the toys in the world.”
Alice chuckled.
Charles had a handsome, boyish face, black eyes, and raven hair.
They had met when Louis injured his leg due to a fault at a factory while Alice was working as a receptionist at a company. Somehow, Louis had wandered into an area that was under maintenance. Charles heard his cries and rushed him to the hospital.
Alice had been frantic with worry, searching everywhere for her son. When she received a call saying he was at the hospital, she had rushed there immediately.
She had wanted to repay Charles, but he refused to accept any money. Since then, they had become close friends.
That same day, she submitted her resignation letter to the company.
“Thanks,” she said.
Charles smiled.
“You don’t have to thank me.”
“Okay, I’m heading to work. See you all later,” Sophie said as she grabbed her bag from the small table in the sitting room.
“You’re going to be home early?” Alice asked.
“No, babe.”
Sophie slipped on her shoes.
“Actually, I’m going to travel next week.”
Sophie turned to her in surprise.
“Where? Newton?”
She knew Alice’s aunt had been urging her to come back lately.
“Yeah.”
“That’s lovely. I’m also going there to visit my uncle. We should travel together.”
Sophie smiled.
Alice hugged her.
“Thanks, girl. You’re the best.”
“I could tag along too. I need to finish some business there,” Charles chimed in.
Alice turned to him with a grateful smile.
“That’s lovely. This way, the family is complete.”
They laughed.
AIRPORT
"Hey, Ramon, stop trying to spoil the kids."
Alice shook her head as she watched Ramon hand another bag of snacks to the twins.
They were already carrying enough toys and treats to last an entire month.
Ramon looked completely unapologetic.
"Come on," he said with a smug grin. "If I don't pamper them, then who will?"
Alice laughed.
"You've forgotten how many times they've hacked your computer."
Ramon's smile twitched slightly.
The memory was clearly painful.
The twins exchanged guilty looks.
Only for a second.
Then Emily pointed a tiny finger at Louis.
"It was mostly him."
Louis gasped.
"Traitor!"
Emily stuck out her tongue.
Ramon chuckled and ruffled both their hair.
"They're still my favorites."
Emily immediately wrapped her arms around one of his legs.
"Grandpa is the best!"
Ramon's face lit up instantly.
His chest puffed out with pride.
"Did you hear that?" he asked, looking at Alice triumphantly. "The child has excellent judgment."
Alice rolled her eyes.
"She's only saying that because you keep buying her gifts."
"Nope." Emily shook her head firmly. "Grandpa is the best because he buys gifts, gives snacks, and never tells us to sleep early."
Louis nodded seriously.
"That's three very important qualities."
Charles burst out laughing.
Sophie covered her mouth, trying not to laugh as well.
Alice stared at the twins in disbelief.
"So I'm the bad guy now?"
"Yes," both twins answered immediately.
The entire group erupted into laughter.
Ramon looked particularly pleased with himself.
"You see? Democracy has spoken."
Alice groaned.
"I regret introducing you to my children."
"Too late," Ramon replied proudly, pulling both twins into a hug. "They're mine now."
"Grandpa!" Emily giggled.
"My cuties," Ramon said warmly, kissing the tops of their heads.
For a brief moment, Alice's smile softened.
Watching them together always warmed her heart.
Even though Ramon wasn't related to the twins by blood, he loved them as if they were his own grandchildren.
He had even taken the flight with them.
After saying their goodbyes, Ramon left for his flight while Alice, Sophie, Charles, and the twins headed toward the arrival area.
An immigration officer stopped them.
"Passport, ma'am."
Alice handed it over with a polite smile.
The officer checked it before nodding.
"Welcome back."
Back.
The word felt strange.
She hadn't stepped foot in Newton for four years.
Four years of building a new life.
Four years of pretending the past no longer mattered.
Four years of trying to forget one man.
While waiting for their luggage, Alice remembered Emily's motion sickness medicine.
The little girl always struggled during flights.
"I'll be back in a minute," she told Sophie.
"Okay."
Alice headed toward a nearby pharmacy.
A few minutes later, medicine in hand, she started walking back.
Then she paused.
A strange feeling settled over her.
As if someone was watching.
Her steps slowed.
She glanced over her shoulder.
Nothing.
Just travelers rushing through the airport.
You're imagining things.
She turned forward again.
Then stopped.
Her heart skipped a beat.
A line of men dressed in black suits stood several feet ahead.
Their expressions were cold.
Unreadable.
They looked more like bodyguards than ordinary men.
Alice frowned.
Who were they waiting for?
Not wanting any trouble, she turned around.
Only to freeze again.
Another line of men blocked the opposite direction.
The color drained from her face.
What was this?
A kidnapping?
A security operation?
Before she could think further, the men in front suddenly stepped aside.
A black Rolls-Royce slowly came into view.
Everything seemed to slow.
The car door opened.
One polished black shoe touched the ground.
Then a tall figure stepped out.
Alice forgot how to breathe.
No.
It couldn't be.
Her fingers tightened around the medicine bag.
The man straightened.
Sharp jaw.
Broad shoulders.
Perfectly tailored black suit.
A face she had spent four years trying to forget.
Lucian Hale.
The world seemed to disappear around her.
For a second, she was nineteen again.
Scared.
Heartbroken.
In love.
Her pulse thundered in her ears.
The first shock was seeing him.
The second was realizing how much he had changed.
The gentle boy she remembered was gone.
Standing before her now was a man.
Powerful.
Dangerous.
Untouchable.
Slowly, Lucian lifted his gaze.
Their eyes met.
Time stopped.
Neither moved.
Neither spoke.
Four years.
Four years apart.
Four years of unanswered questions.
Then—
Lucian smiled.
A small smile.
A beautiful smile.
The kind that should have made her heart race.
Instead, it filled her with fear.
Because there was no warmth in it.
None at all.
- Writer
