Ex Husband Wants Me Back

Chapter 9

Lessie's POV

Syracuse Airport~

The plane touched down smoothly, and soon the passengers began getting down.

We followed suit, and I held both my children's hands tightly as we made our way out. I pushed our luggage out of the security checkpoint.

“Mommy we are in Syracuse already!” Jasmine cheerfully said, almost jumping.

“Yes we are here already.” I looked at her and smiled.

I noticed James was just as curious, quietly taking in the surroundings. I hadn't told them much about this place, only that I used to live here.

“Your city is nice, Mommy,” James murmured, still glancing around in quiet wonder.

I nodded and remained silent.

As we moved through the bustling crowd, I could feel eyes on us. My long hair swayed gently, complementing my fair, porcelain-like skin and slender figure.

Some people even took out their phones, sneaking pictures like I was some kind of celebrity. But I wasn’t surprised by the attention. I knew what I'd achieved in the past five years. After overcoming early struggles, I focused on taking care of myself, and it showed.

Even my children drew attention. Jasmine’s delicate, adorable features and James’s flawless looks turned heads as we made our way out of the airport.

I had only one purpose for returning here...

After that, I would leave.

As I was walking, I suddenly stopped, eyes widening in surprise as I glanced over at a distance, catching sight of a familiar figure from behind.

Could that be him?

Freddie?

I felt a rush of urgency to confirm who it was, but a gentle tap from my son brought me back. “Mommy, are you mesmerized by that man’s looks?”

I glanced down at him and noticed he was also staring at the person’s retreating figure.

“Don’t mind me. Mommy wasn’t looking at any man. I was just glancing around,” I replied, coughing lightly to cover my embarrassment. Quickly, I picked up my pace and headed out of the airport.

It probably wasn't him. And even if it was, it has nothing to do with me.

The moment I stepped outside, I hailed a cab and gave the driver an address. Throughout the ride, the children were quiet until we arrived at a hotel.

We got out of the cab, and I paid the fare before ushering the luggage inside, with my children clinging to me.

As soon as we entered, I spotted the receptionist and walked over.

“Hi, I booked a room here.”

The receptionist smiled politely and asked, “Your name?”

“Lessie.”

“Oh, it's you!” she said, her eyes widening slightly. “You reserved a room for two weeks yesterday, right?”

I nodded, and she handed me the room key. I thanked her, and a staff member guided us to our room, helping with the luggage.

“Wow, this room is so big and lovely!” Jasmine exclaimed, running towards the bed and jumping onto it.

I nodded in agreement. She was right; the room was spacious, with a large bed, chairs on the side, and even a television.

I was a bit surprised, even though I knew what the room included when I made the reservation. Sometimes, hotels can be misleading.

“Jasmine, come down here,” I called, watching her as she made herself comfortable on the bed.

“Why, Mommy? I’m just jumping,” she said, pouting.

“I know, but come down for a moment,” I said gently, spreading my arms out for her. I waited, but my arms soon felt numb as she didn’t make a move.

“Mommy’s talking to you, Jasmine. Come down now and stop being stubborn,” James said, giving her a serious look.

“No, I’m not coming down. This bed is so comfy, and I like jumping on it,” Jasmine insisted, continuing to bounce happily.

“Jasmine, I understand you want to have fun, but come down first. You need to take a shower,” I reminded her softly. The trip to this city had taken hours, and the children needed to freshen up before anything else.

“But I still want to play,” she protested, her expression torn between two thoughts; whether to keep jumping or listen to me.

“Okay, how about this? If you come down, I’ll get you some chocolate,” I offered. As I expected, her face immediately lit up at the mention of chocolate, one of her favorite treats.

“Really?”

“Yes, now come to Mommy,” I said sweetly, watching as she eagerly climbed off the bed and ran into my arms.

“Jasmine loves Mommy,” she said, planting kisses on my cheek, making me smile at her playful ways.

With that, I led the children to the bathroom, which was spacious and just as impressive as the room. I bathed them, then dressed them in fresh clothes.

After getting the kids dressed, they played in the room while I stepped out onto the balcony to take in the surroundings.

Since the room was upstairs, I had a clear view of the entire area. The breeze tousled my hair, but I stayed rooted in place.

This city, which had once brought so many mixed emotions into my life, was where I found myself again.

I wasn’t sure how long this business trip would last, but I knew I couldn’t stay here for long.

Staying here would only bring back a wave of nostalgia...

I stood on the balcony for hours, lost in thought, and didn’t even realize when night had fallen.

When I finally returned to the room, I saw the kids already fast asleep on the bed. I chuckled at their sleeping positions and quickly adjusted them, making sure they were comfortable.

Since I wasn’t sleepy yet, I decided to unpack and tidy up the wardrobe. It didn’t take long since there wasn’t much luggage. After everything was in order, I joined the kids on the bed, feeling worn out.

The next morning, I woke up feeling refreshed. Today was the day Benjamin and the others were scheduled to arrive.

“Mommy, what’s for breakfast?” Jasmine asked, rubbing her sleepy eyes as she got out of bed.

Just as I was about to respond, there was a knock at the door. I went to open it, finding a hotel worker who had brought our meals.

I took the trays and placed them on the table. “Here’s breakfast,” I said, smiling at Jasmine.

We didn’t touch the food until after we had all showered. Once we finished eating, I sat at the dressing table to fix my hair, then took out my phone to make a call.

“Hey.”

“Are you in the city yet?” I asked. I was talking to Benjamin, who had missed yesterday’s flight, and I wasn't sure if he’d caught today’s flight.

“Not yet, but I should be there tonight or tomorrow,” he replied.

“Oh, okay.” I was about to hang up when he suddenly added,

“Did you bring a dinner gown with you?”

I frowned, puzzled. “Dinner gown? Why would I need that?” I remembered that this was supposed to be a business trip, so it didn’t make sense.

“Actually, the company we’re partnering with is hosting a social event tomorrow night, and we’ve been invited. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner; I only found out this morning,” he explained, sounding apologetic.

“No problem. I’ll try to find a gown for the event.” I couldn’t be upset with him since it wasn’t his fault. After a bit more conversation, we ended the call. I glanced over at the kids, who were chatting amongst themselves.

I adjusted my hair and said, “Mommy’s going out to buy some clothes later. You’ll stay here, okay?”

Both of them nodded. “Alright, Mommy.”

I smiled, knowing they had probably overheard my conversation with Benjamin about needing a dress for the party.

As I was putting on my shoes, Jasmine got up and hugged me. “Mommy, can I come with you?” she asked sweetly.

Her little voice was hard to resist, but I stayed firm. “No, you can’t come along. We’ve only been in this city for a day, and I don’t want to drag you both around.”

Jasmine pouted, looking upset, but James stepped in and held her back. “Jasmine, listen to Mommy. Stay here.”

I glanced at them both and patted their heads. “Don’t worry, Mommy will bring back something for you.”

Not wanting to waste any more time, I grabbed my handbag and left for the largest mall nearby.

When I got out of the cab, I looked up at the grand mall before heading inside. But just as I was about to enter, I heard a voice behind me, sneering!