Hiding the Billionaire's Twins (English)

Chapter 10

“OMG girl! What happened to you?!” Farah burst out the moment I opened the door.

“Nothing,” I murmured, turning away to adjust my work outfit.

Farah shot me a suspicious look, but she wisely kept her mouth shut and occupied herself with putting on her body accessories. I picked up a comb and ran it through my long hair before braiding it neatly into place. I patted a light dusting of powder onto my face to disguise the dead giveaway that I had been crying all day.

Ever since Rihav left me alone in my room, I had done nothing but weep. I didn't even finish the food he had prepared; my stomach was far too knotted to eat a single bite.

Rihav had truly changed. When we first crossed paths again, I foolishly believed he was still the same man I once knew, the one who would put me above everything else.

Now... he really was married. I was completely out of his life, gone. I was such an i***t, playing the fool all over again and ending up in tears once more. Was there ever going to be anything new in my life? My twins were the only source of strength I had left. They were my everything, and no one else.

“Are you really sure you’re okay? No problems? Feeling sick?” Farah asked in rapid succession as we stood waiting for the elevator doors to slide open.

I forced a smile to hide everything I was feeling before nodding. “I’m fine, Farah.”

She pressed me one more time to be sure, and I just nodded again. We stepped into the elevator together and rode down in silence. When we arrived at the room where most of the floor staff gathered, I was immediately greeted by Ella’s sharp, hostile glare. I averted my eyes right away to diffuse the tension. I had no intention of clashing with her today given everything that was going on.

“Just tell me if you start feeling unwell, okay?” Farah reminded me as our shift officially began.

I offered her a smile and a nod. I was truly grateful that God had blessed me with a sensible friend like her. If it weren't for her, I honestly didn't know what I would do here. I was never a pushover when it came to standing up to enemies or women who wanted to hurt me, I knew how to fight back. If Ella didn't have two others backing her up, I might have slapped her already.

It was only in love that I proved to be utterly weak. I was a complete fool when it came to matters of the heart. I always let my feelings lead the way, only to end up brokenhearted every time. But I had learned my lesson now. From this point forward, I would save all my love strictly for my children and myself.

I threw myself into work, making several rounds around the club, but Rihav was nowhere to be seen. Only Sir Haiden was present, seated at their usual spot alongside a few other familiar faces. Perhaps it was better that way, it made it easier to erase him from my mind.

I kept my hands busy. Despite the bitter start to my morning, my spirits lifted slightly with every generous tip the customers handed me. Naturally, this meant I could save up for my twins’ upcoming birthday while also helping cover my daily expenses here at the complex.

“Thank you, sir!” I said politely after setting down their drinks.

I headed back toward the bar to wait for the next order. The music thundered inside the venue, and the crowd was in high spirits, shouting and cheering as they danced on the floor. I caught myself staring blankly into the middle of the room until the bartender tapped me, snapping me back to reality. I quickly lifted the tray and delivered it to the designated table.

“Thanks, miss,” the guest replied.

I flashed a quick smile before turning around, only to spot Sean leaning against the counter with a glass of liquor in hand. Smiling, I walked up to him with my tray and pulled him into a brief hug. The strong scent of alcohol radiated off him, prompting me to step back slightly.

“Looks like you’ve had quite a bit to drink, Sean,” I whispered near his ear over the loud music.

He smirked, leaning in close so I could hear his raspy voice. “I’m not drunk yet.”

He didn't seem intoxicated, his posture was steady, and his speech was entirely clear.

Without saying another word, I guided him toward the quieter end of the bar and pulled out a high stool for him. I delivered one final order to a nearby booth before returning to sit beside him.

He took a slow gulp of his drink, set the heavy glass down, and turned to face me. Sean possessed a naturally gentle face framed by thick brows and dark brown eyes that stood out even in the dim club lighting. He had a sharp nose, soft lips, and a quick shift of his jawline revealed deep dimples.

Simply put, Sean was undeniably handsome.

Yet despite how attractive he was, my heart had never fluttered for him, not even once. We had been practically attached at the hip back in college, but I had never developed romantic feelings for him, and he had felt the same way about me. We were simply destined to be friends.

It was always the person I actually fell for who ended up tearing my heart to pieces.

“So... how was your meal with Rihav?” he asked, breaking the silence and making me freeze.

I averted my gaze. Could we please take a break from that topic? It wasn't something I wanted to talk about, and I had no desire to answer, but seeing the expectation on his face, I had no choice.

“It was fine,” I replied flatly.

“Just 'fine'?” she asked curiously.

“Yeah, just fine,” I said, letting a hint of annoyance slip through.

“He went back to City,” Sean noted, catching my attention.

I bit my lower lip, my fingers nervously tapping against my knee.

“He left earlier in a hurry,” Sean continued. “Something happened to Dion. Rihav was beside himself with worry, he adores that child. Whenever that kid asks for anything...”

I stopped fiddling with my hands and stared at Sean. My stomach dropped at his words. A child? Rihav has a child?

“...Rihav will drop everything and rush over, no matter how far he has to go. In his rush, he didn't even get a chance to say goodbye to us. We only found out through D-Dyessie,” Sean added, stumbling slightly as he spoke the woman's name.

My mouth parted in quiet shock as memories of my exchange with Rihav earlier that morning rushed back. That was why he had snapped at me. I shouldn't have been surprised to learn that Rihav and Dyessie had a child together, after all, I had been gone for almost five whole years.

Rihav loved Dion deeply because the child was his own flesh and blood.

Would he ever love the twins if he knew they existed?

The thought pierced my chest like a knife. My children were constantly asking about their father, completely unaware that he already had another child, a child he cherished and raised with all his heart.

I knew I was deeply at fault for this part of the tragedy. I had packed up and fled years ago to protect them from the mess surrounding us back then, but in doing so, I had inadvertently guaranteed their heartbreak.

Releasing a heavy breath, I adjusted my hair and forced a neutral expression so Sean wouldn't pick up on what I was truly feeling.

“It makes sense. Dyessie is his wife, after all,” I murmured, sliding off the stool. “Anyway, I should get back to work. Take care on your way home, Sean. You’ve been drinking, don't drive if you’re impaired.”

He nodded in response, pulling me into a short hug before I stepped away.

I couldn't bear to hear another word about Dyessie, Rihav, or their child. It hurt too much. I was the one he had promised to marry. I was supposed to be his wife, not her. I was the one by his side first. It should have been the twins and me…

But the wind had shifted long ago, scattering those promises. I was completely powerless against reality. What chance did I ever stand? I was just a former housemaid with no money, no status, and nothing to show Rihav's prominent family. The only thing that truly cut deep was the bitter question: why make all those promises if you never intended to keep them?

A sharp gasp escaped my throat. I quickly wiped away a stray tear, blinking rapidly to keep the rest at bay. When will I finally tire of loving him? When will my heart finally stop?

I was so exhausted from the pain. I wanted to surrender.

Sobbing quietly, I ran toward the club’s restroom, relieved to find it completely empty. I slipped into a stall, lowered the toilet lid, sank onto it, and pulled my knees tightly against my chest. There, in the quiet solitude, I let every tear I had been holding back pour out.

My shoulders shook as I buried my face in my arms, keeping my cries muffled and hidden. Ever since misfortune had overrun my life years ago, I had conditioned myself to retreat into dark corners to weep in silence. I refused to burden anyone else with my struggles, and I refused to let the world see just how fragile I truly was.

I cried until a loud, urgent knock rattled the stall door.

“Fayre!” a sharp voice called out alongside my name.

It was Farah. I hesitated to unlock the door, terrified to let her see me crying. She called my name several more times, but my throat was so tightly constricted that I couldn't squeeze out a word without my voice cracking.

“You open this door right now, or I’m kicking it down!” she threatened, her high-pitched tone laced with zero patience.

I frantically wiped my face and tried to compose myself before turning the latch, knowing Farah was wild enough to actually follow through. The moment the door swung open, she pulled me into a fierce embrace. Fresh tears spilled onto her shoulder as I wrapped my arms around her, burying my face against her neck and soaking her lovely outfit.

Mindful that our shift wasn't over and that she couldn't walk around looking like a mess, I gently pulled back. Farah cupped both of my cheeks, forcing me to look at her.

“Stop crying, I need to show you something.”

She stepped inside the tiny stall with me, holding up a high-end smartphone, the kind of expensive item I had never seen her carry before.

“Girl, I obviously can’t buy something this expensive; this belongs to Fabio, my baby boy. Look at this,” she urged, tapping rapidly across the screen.

I sniffled, waiting as she navigated through the phone. I could feel how raw and red my eyes were. Farah’s eyes widened as she pulled up a file on the device.

“Here,” she said, handing the phone over.

I took the device with trembling hands, my eyes scanning the image on the screen. My heart shattered the moment the picture came into full view.

It was a photograph of Rihav alongside Dyessie and a young girl inside a hospital room. A fair-skinned little girl was asleep against Rihav’s chest, she looked to be around the exact same age as my twins. Dyessie was sitting close beside him, her arm wrapped affectionately around his torso.

An agonizing ache ripped through my chest once more, doubling the weight of the pain I was already carrying.

So this was the reason he had rushed off. Something serious must have happened to his and Dyessie's child, driving him into a state of blind panic. What father wouldn't lose his mind with worry when his child was in danger?

I broke down into fresh, uncontrollable sobs. Farah’s eyes filled with shock, and she immediately began rubbing my back in soothing circles.

“That’s it, girl. Just let it out,” she coaxed softly.

Her words only made the dam break further. I covered my face, utterly consumed by emotion. I didn't know why Farah had chosen to show me the photo, or if she fully understood what I was going through before handing it to me.

But perhaps it was necessary. It was the harsh slap of reality I needed to finally realize that Rihav no longer loved me, and that whatever we once shared was dead and buried. He had only brought me pain since his return…

“Cry it all out, Fay. I showed you that picture so you’d stop being a fool over that man,” Farah said gently, wrapping her arms around me again. “It broke my heart to show you, but you needed a wake-up call. You needed to see that no matter how hard you hold on, you can’t be together, he has a family now. I don't want the people here looking at you like you’re some home-wrecker. You’re my friend, even if we’ve only known each other a short time. I’m right here, girl. You can cry with me. Let it all out.”

“What about my twins? What about my children?” I sobbed against her shoulder, my voice breaking.

Farah pulled back sharply, her jaw dropping in utter shock. Her eyes widened as her brain worked to process what I had just blurted out.

“Y-You... you have children with Sir Rihav?!” she gasped, barely able to breathe out the words.

I bit my trembling lip and gave a slow, painful nod.

Her mouth opened even wider. "Holy s**t, Fay... your poor babies."

“That’s what terrifies me,” I whispered.

Farah stared at me intensely. “What if you tell him? What if you introduce the twins to him?” she suggested.

I shook my head frantically. “No. Never. I won't tear his family apart, especially when they have a child of their own. I’ll raise the twins by myself, no matter how hard it gets.”

I would make it work, even if I had to be both their mother and their father. Amer was still in our lives, and I knew deep down he would never abandon us. I would happily call him Amera for the rest of my life if it meant keeping our small family together. I could lose everything else in this world, but I couldn't lose my twins and Amer.

Farah released a long, somber sigh, tears glittering at the corners of her heavily made-up eyes.

“Listen to me then. Your only goal now is to avoid Rihav if he ever comes back to Isla Fera. And you have to keep your children far away from him. Men like him hold immense power and wealth, Fay, the second he finds out about those twins, he could easily use his resources to take them away from you.”

I went rigid at her warning.

“Chill, Semon and I are on your side,” Farah added quickly, catching my expression. “Fabio told me Semon owns a security agency, so we’ve got backup. I’m right here with you, girl. In fact, if you need to run, I’m sneaking out with you so I can dodge my dad’s loan sharks too,” she added with a reassuring wink.

I pulled Farah back into a tight hug, closing my eyes. She was a blessing sent straight from above. Even though I was miles away from my family, God had placed someone in my path who truly understood my plight and offered me a shoulder to lean on.

“Thank you, Farah.”

She let out a soft laugh. “Come on, we’re friends! Let’s go, we still have work to do. Baby boy and I weren't even finished with what we were doing earlier,” she teased, pulling me out of the stall.

Before stepping out of the restroom, we both fixed ourselves up. Farah kept throwing out playful jokes to help lighten the mood, successfully making me smile with her cheeky remarks about her and her 'Baby Fabio.'

Afterward, we headed back onto the floor, where I threw all my energy into my work. I needed to earn as much as I could for my children.