Chapter Three
1835 Words
After a long and busy day at Braylor Empire, the office was slowly settling into its evening rhythm. Papers were being shuffled, heels clicked on tiled floors, and people began wrapping up for the day.
Desire was just organizing her folders when a familiar voice slid in beside her.
“Oh, darling, I need your help,” came the dramatic plea of Johnnie Walker, the flamboyant head photographer and graphics manager.
Desire didn’t even look up. She rolled her eyes. “The twins aren’t available, Johnnie.”
He clutched his heart like he’d been struck. “You wound me, Desire! Don’t say no yet!”
She turned her chair slowly to face him, arms crossed. “You want them for another kidswear shoot, don’t you?”
“Only this once, my love,” Johnnie whispered dramatically, his tone laced with desperation. “The launch is next week, and I need magic—childlike charm, innocence, sparkle! They’re the only models who light up the camera like that. Please. I swear—after this, never again. Cross my dramatic heart.”
Desire sighed, sitting up straight. “Just this once. After this, they’re off the spotlight until they turn sixteen.”
Johnnie gasped with joy. “My goddess! My queen! Bless you!”
Next to her, Brielle, her colleague, chuckled. “I swear, those boys of yours are the definition of ‘charming.’ Honestly, no one can resist their little faces.”
Desire smiled softly, “That’s exactly the problem.”
---
Back in town, Nate had just picked up the twins from school. The boys bounced into the car, full of energy.
“Uncle Nate!” Shine leaned forward dramatically. “Please give us a haircut. Everyone thinks we’re girls!”
“Yeah!” added Snow, more quietly. “Some kid called me Snow-White again today. I’m tired of it.”
Nate laughed. “Snow-White? I mean... it kinda suits you.”
“Uncle Nate!!” Shine groaned, flopping into the backseat. “You’re not helping!”
Just then, a little girl walked past with a bright pink backpack. The twins leaned toward Nate and whispered, barely holding back laughter.
“That’s Joy,” Snow said, grinning.
“She drew a heart with a boy’s name in her math book,” Shine added.
“She said it’s her future husband,” Snow whispered dramatically.
“But then she ate paper when the teacher tried to collect the book!” Shine howled.
Nate nearly choked on his water, laughing. “You two are walking reality shows.”
---
At home, they burst through the door like little cyclones.
“Grandma!” they cried, dashing toward Nina, their grandmother, who was watering her plants.
“We want to cut our hair!” Shine declared.
“Yeah! We want to be cool boys,” Snow added, tugging at his long ponytail.
Nina gasped, one hand on her chest. “But boys, your hair is so beautiful!”
“We don’t want to be beautiful, Grandma. We want to be handsome,” Shine said firmly.
“Like superheroes,” Snow added.
Nina shook her head fondly. “Tell your mum when she gets back, okay? If she agrees, we’ll all go to the barbershop.”
“She’ll say no,” Snow said quietly.
Then he had an idea. He turned with practiced innocence toward Samuel, their grandfather.
“Grandpa,” he said, sweet as honey. “Please talk to Momma. She always listens to you.”
Samuel, half-reading the newspaper, looked over his glasses and chuckled. “I’ll see what I can do.”
---
Back at Braylor Empire, as the evening crowd dispersed, Desire packed her things and stepped out toward the station.
She didn’t see the sleek black Ferrari LaFerrari parked at the corner.
Miles Braylor leaned casually on the hood, waiting, polished to perfection. He looked like he’d walked straight out of a luxury ad—expensive, confident, and completely unnoticed by Desire.
She passed him without a glance and crossed the road to the bus stop.
Miles’s eyes narrowed behind his dark glasses.
She didn’t even look at him.
Not once.
It was infuriating.
---
Meanwhile, at home, Nate had cooked up a storm—rice, stir-fried veggies, and grilled chicken. The table was set, the twins were giggling and arranging plates when the door opened.
“Mummy!!” they screamed in unison.
Desire barely got her heels off before they leapt into her arms.
She hugged them tightly—then paused.
“Your hair?!” she exclaimed, pulling back in mock shock.
Shine puffed his chest. “We look like boys now!”
Snow added, “We want to look like Daddy... if he ever sees us.”
Desire blinked—but said nothing. Instead, she knelt, ran her fingers through their neatly trimmed hair, and smiled. “I was planning a nice haircut for your sixth birthday—or when you start preschool. But... I must admit...”
“You two look so handsome,” she whispered, kissing their cheeks.
The twins beamed, eyes gleaming.
---
Dinner was full of laughter and clinking spoons. The twins recounted their school stories with wild hand motions while Nate and Desire shared amused glances.
After dinner, the boys helped clear the table—spilling water, of course, but with genuine effort.
They dragged a stool to reach the sink, arguing over who was better at rinsing. “You left soap on the spoon!” “No, you did!”
Later, Desire bathed them, helped them brush their teeth, and tucked them into bed with their favorite blankets.
“Story time!” they chorused, arms raised like kings demanding court jesters.
Desire sat in the middle of their bed with a book. “Tonight… a tale of a clever fox who fooled an entire village…”
As she read, they slowly drifted off—Shine first, snoring softly. Snow curled up next to her, holding her arm gently. His voice was sleepy, but clear.
“Mummy… do you think Daddy is nice?”
Desire’s voice caught for a second.
“I think… wherever he is… he would be lucky to know you,” she whispered, brushing his hair gently.
He nodded, drifting into dreams.
---
Down the hall, Desire sat on the balcony with a cup of tea in her hands, staring at the night sky.
Later that night, after the twins had drifted to sleep and the house had quieted down, Desire took her cup of warm tea and stepped out onto the small balcony. The night breeze was cool and comforting. The stars above flickered gently, mirroring the flickers of thought in her mind.
She sipped slowly, her thoughts circling back to Snow’s innocent question from earlier.
“Do you think Daddy is nice?”
It was the kind of question that sounded harmless—but in truth, it carried all the weight in the world. She didn’t know the man who fathered her children. Not his name. Not his voice. Not even how he ended up beside her that night.
Just a jade pendant. And haunting eyes.
“Hey, sis.”
Desire looked up to see Nate joining her on the balcony with his own drink in hand. He leaned on the railing beside her, glancing sideways.
“What's up?” he asked casually.
“Nothing much,” she replied, her voice tired but calm. “Just… Snow asked about their father today. It’s making me wonder again. Who was that man?”
Nate frowned, the mood shifting for a second. “I’ve been wondering too,” he admitted, then quickly changed the subject with a crooked grin. “But enough of that… Guess what—my mentor is in town!”
Desire raised a brow. “Who?”
Nate groaned. “Oh, come on. You forget things so fast. Remember when I was in my first year at university—back at Crest hill Tech? There was this brilliant computer science professor who taught just one course and then disappeared?”
Desire squinted. “Vaguely...”
Nate threw his hands up. “Rylo Braylor! The legend! I told you about him, like, a hundred times. The guy’s a wizard with code. He taught us for like five weeks, then suddenly dropped off the radar.”
“Ohhh.” Desire nodded slowly. “Now I remember a bit. What about him?”
“He’s back,” Nate said, nearly bouncing. “And get this—he’s looking for a personal assistant. I already applied.”
Desire blinked. “Wait—you? Are you quitting Tech Hub?”
Nate shrugged, trying to play it cool. “I mean, come on! Working directly with him? That’s next-level. Do you know what I’ll learn?”
Desire stared at him like he’d grown another head. “Nate. Are you being serious right now? You have a steady job at Tech Hub, a brand-new car, and you just got a salary raise. And now you want to jump ship for a maybe position as an assistant?”
He sat on the balcony ledge, still grinning. “It’s not just about the job. It’s about growth, sis. It’s Rylo Braylor. His programs built the backbone of half the tech systems in the country. If I get this, I’ll be ten steps ahead of every developer my age.”
Desire shook her head, placing her tea down. “You're dreaming. Tech Hub treats you well—you’re secure, you’re respected. Now you want to gamble it all just to chase some computer wizard’s shadow?”
“You watch me,” Nate said stubbornly. “You always say I don’t take risks. Well, this is me doing just that.”
Desire stood, brushing her palm down her shorts. “Alright. But don’t say I didn’t warn you when your car keys get repossessed and you’re fetching lunch for Mr. Genius all day.”
She turned to go inside, but paused at the doorway. “By the way, Rylo Braylor.... you said he had issues with his dad?”
“Yeah, that’s the rumor. Left the country after a huge fight with Sawyer Braylor, his father.”
Desire stopped, narrowed her eyes, then laughed. “Now that doesn’t make sense. Sawyer Braylor only has one son—Miles Braylor, my boss.”
“Seriously?” Nate asked, now interested.
“Yeah. I met him today. Arrogant as ever. Drove some fancy car probably a Ferrari. He tried to show off, but I just walked past him. He looked like someone who’s never been told ‘no’ before.”
Nate burst into laughter. “Classic Desire. You're allergic to authority.”
Desire shrugged. “He’s not my type. Cold, calculating, and full of himself.”
“Still,” Nate said, now I'm curious. “It’s odd. Maybe Rylo just didn’t want to be known publicly. But now he’s back—and if I get to work under him, I might just get answers.”
- Writer
