CHOSEN. EVERY DAY

Chapter 11: DNA and Demons

Morning in the Cole mansion did not start with alarms. It started with sunlight through tall windows and the smell of coffee that Mrs Adebayo had been brewing since 5am.

Elena woke up in the room next to the nursery. The same room she had used five years ago. The bed was bigger now. The sheets were softer. But the fear in her chest felt exactly the same.

She sat up slowly. Her heart was pounding. Yesterday had been a blur. The nursery. Damien. The twins. Daniel and Diana. Saying the words out loud. You had my children.

Had she dreamed it.

A soft knock on the door made her jump.

Come in.

The door opened and Damien stood there. He was already dressed. Black shirt. Black pants. No jacket. His hair was still wet like he had just gotten out of the shower. In his hands he held a tray.

Coffee. He said simply.

Elena stared at it. He remembered. She used to drink coffee with two sugars and a splash of cream every morning when she was nanny. She thought he had forgotten everything about her.

Thank you. She whispered and took the mug. Their fingers brushed. Neither of them pulled away right away.

We have an appointment at nine. Damien said. His voice was careful. Neutral.

What kind of appointment.

DNA test.

The word landed between them. Heavy and final.

Elena nodded. Right. Of course. We need to be sure.

Damien s jaw tightened. I am sure Elena. I looked at those pictures all night. Daniel has my eyes. Diana has your smile. But I need it on paper. For legal reasons. For them.

For them. Elena repeated.

Yes. He set the tray down on the dresser. Breakfast will be downstairs in thirty minutes. The twins want you to eat with them.

He turned to leave but stopped at the door.

And Elena.

Yes.

Thank you for coming back.

Then he was gone.

Elena sat on the bed holding the warm mug and cried. Not loud. Just quiet tears that had been waiting five years to fall.

---

Breakfast was chaos. Beautiful chaos.

The dining room was huge. Marble floors. A table that could seat twenty. But this morning it was just the four of them. Damien at the head. Elena on his right. And the twins.

Amelia and Ethan.

They were seven now. Old enough to ask questions and young enough to still believe in magic.

Amelia had Damien s dark hair and Elena s curious eyes. Ethan had Damien s stubborn chin and a habit of tapping his fork when he was thinking.

So you are really our auntie. Amelia said around a mouthful of pancakes.

Elena smiled. I am your Mama Elena.

But you left. Ethan said bluntly. Kids had no filter.

Ethan. Damien warned.

It is okay. Elena said quickly. He is right. I did leave. And I am so sorry. I had to go away to keep you and your brother and sister safe.

Do we have a brother and sister. Amelia gasped.

Elena looked at Damien. He gave her a small nod.

Yes. You do. Their names are Daniel and Diana. They are five. And they look just like you.

Ethan dropped his fork. No way. We have siblings.

We think so. Damien said. We are going to do a test today to be sure.

Amelia clapped her hands. Can we come.

No. Damien said firmly. But you can help Mama Elena pack their rooms while we are gone.

Elena s breath caught. Pack their rooms.

Damien looked at her. You are staying. That means they are staying too. This house is big enough for all of us.

Elena wanted to argue. To say it was too soon. To say she did not want to assume anything.

But looking at Amelia and Ethan s faces she could not say no.

---

The DNA clinic was cold and white and smelled like disinfectant.

Elena sat in a plastic chair with Daniel on her lap and Diana holding her hand. Daniel kept asking if they were going to get ice cream after. Diana kept staring at Damien like he was a superhero.

Damien was on the phone in the corner. Talking to his lawyer in that low CEO voice. But every few seconds he glanced over at them.

When the nurse called their names Elena stood up. Her legs were shaking.

It will just be a quick swab inside your cheek. The nurse said with a kind smile. Will not hurt at all.

Daniel went first. Brave. Then Diana. Then Damien.

Elena went last.

As the nurse sealed the samples into bags Elena felt Damien s hand on her back. Light. Reassuring.

Results in three days. The nurse said.

Three days. Three days to wait and wonder if her whole life was about to change again.

---

The car ride home was quiet.

Daniel fell asleep on Elena s shoulder. Diana was drawing on a notepad in the back seat. Damien was driving.

Elena watched his profile. The strong nose. The way his hands gripped the wheel.

Damien.

Hmm.

Can I ask you something.

You can ask me anything.

Why did you hire me back. You could have hired anyone. A hundred nannies with better resumes.

Damien was quiet for a long time.

Because the twins stopped sleeping through the night after you left. Because Mrs Adebayo said they cried for you for a month. Because I walked into that nursery every night for five years hoping to see you there.

Elena s chest hurt.

Damien.

I was angry. He said. At you. At myself. At Henderson for calling you. I fired him by the way.

Elena blinked. You did.

Yes. No one tells the mother of my children to disappear and gets to keep working for me.

The car stopped in the driveway.

Before Elena could answer he got out and came around to open her door. He took Daniel from her arms without asking. Daniel did not even wake up.

They walked inside together.

---

The next three days were the longest of Elena s life.

She moved Daniel and Diana into the guest rooms next to Amelia and Ethan. The kids became instant best friends. By day two they were calling each other siblings and no one corrected them.

Damien worked from home. He had meetings in his office but he came down for lunch every day. He taught Daniel how to throw a ball. He braided Diana s hair.

At night after the kids were asleep he and Elena sat in the kitchen. Talking. Really talking for the first time.

About the night she left. About Victoria. About the company. About the guilt that had eaten him alive for five years.

I thought you did not want us. He admitted one night over tea. I thought you used me to get a job and then left when it got hard.

I thought you did not care. Elena said. I thought you chose Victoria over me.

I never chose her. Damien said. My father did. The merger. The company. I was 25 and stupid and I thought I had to.

Elena reached across the table and took his hand.

We were both stupid.

He squeezed her hand.

Maybe. But we are not stupid anymore.

---

Day three. 2pm.

Elena was folding laundry in the laundry room when her phone buzzed.

Unknown number.

Her heart stopped.

Hello.

Miss Carter. This is the DNA lab. I am calling with your results.

Elena sank to the floor.

Go ahead.

The probability of paternity for Damien Cole in relation to Daniel Carter is 99.999 percent.

Elena closed her eyes.

The probability of paternity for Damien Cole in relation to Diana Carter is 99.999 percent.

The phone slipped from her hand.

Elena.

Damien was in the doorway. He must have heard her from his office.

They are yours. She whispered. They are ours.

Damien crossed the room in two steps and pulled her to her feet. He hugged her. Tight. Like he was afraid she would disappear again.

I know. He said into her hair. I knew the second I saw them.

We need to tell the kids.

Yes.

And we need to talk about what happens next.

Damien pulled back and looked at her. Really looked at her.

What do you want to happen next Elena.

Elena thought about Lagos. About working two jobs. About being alone.

Then she thought about this house. About these kids. About Damien s hand in hers.

I want to stay. She said. I want us to try. For real this time. No lawyers. No secrets.

Damien nodded. Then that is what we will do.

He leaned down and kissed her forehead.

We are a family now Elena. A messy loud complicated family.

Elena laughed through her tears. The best kind.

From upstairs they heard shouting.

Dad. Mom. Come quick. Daniel set the dog s toy on fire.

Damien and Elena looked at each other and ran.

---

That night after the kids were in bed Damien found Elena in the nursery.

She was sitting in the rocking chair. Looking at the star mural.

He sat on the floor next to her and took her hand.

I am scared. Elena admitted.

Me too.

What if we mess this up.

Then we will mess it up together and fix it together.

Elena leaned her head on his shoulder.

Five years ago I thought I lost you forever.

Five years ago I thought the same thing. Damien said. But you came back. And you brought me two miracles.

He turned to her.

Marry me.

Elena sat up. What.

Marry me. Not for the kids. Not for the company. Because I love you. Because I have loved you since the day you sang lullabies to my babies at 3am. Because I do not want to waste another day pretending I do not.

Elena stared at him.

Damien I.

Say yes.

Yes.

He smiled. The first real smile she had seen from him in five years.

Good. Because I already told Mrs Adebayo to start planning.

Elena hit his arm. You did not.

I did. He stood up and pulled her to her feet. Come on. Let us go tell the kids. They are going to lose their minds.

As they walked out of the nursery hand in hand Elena looked back one last time at the stars on the wall.

Five years ago she had painted them during sleepless nights.

Now she was not alone anymore.

Chapter 11 End