Chapter 1 ️PROLOGUE

A devastated Lena stood transfixed on the spot, staring at the worst shock of her life; Her fiancee knelt on one knee, sliding a big diamond ring into her stepsister's pretty finger. " Jason...what..are you...doing? " A quantum of tears tumbled down Lena's soft cheeks. The two couple stared at her in disgust as Jason, her fiancee, pulled Charlotte, her stepsister, to himself, placing a soft kiss on her lips. Then the worst truth was dropped right on Lena who staggered back in tears; Charlotte, who has done nothing but try to frustrate Lena's life, was pregnant for Jason, the man who Lena loved so much and was hoping to spend the rest of her life with. And next week, Charlotte and Jason were getting married. It was painted to Lena's face that she was nothing but a worthless, naive thing that Jason used to hit on her sister. And instead of getting an explanation which she deserved... A violent slap was thrown to her face and she was pushed to the ground by her evil stepmother, Eloise. With her eyes already blurred by the heavy tears, Lena looked up at Charlotte who had a proud grin on her face whilst rubbing her small baby bump. Lena was heartbroken and disgusted. All she wanted was for the ground to open up and swallow her. The people she loved and cared so much about had all joined hands together. They all ganged up against her. Ever since her father died and left her in the hands of her stepmother, all she had ever done was mistreat her. The wicked woman and her daughter took everything that belonged to her father including everything that was meant to be hers. Despite being the only child of the most influential and powerful billionaire in New City, Lena worked in a restaurant as a waitress to make ends meet and it was all because of her greedy stepmother, Eloise. Despite everything, she still respected and loved both of them. But today they've crossed the line. In her heart, Lena swore to make them pay. She swore to take back everything that belongs to her father. " I will never forgive you guys for what you all did to me today, especially you, Jason " Lena made to leave but wasn't given a chance. Not yet satisfied with breaking her fragile heart, Jason and Charlotte grabbed and held her firmly while Eloise injected her with a good amount of cocaine. " Let me go, you animals!! " Lena yelled, kicked, and struggled to break free. And like a big bag of trash, she was thrown out of the house to the cold ground. " Go live in the dump 'cause that's where you belong, bitch! " Charlotte spat to her face before slamming the door close. As though the heavens were also against her, it grumbled and roared angrily and a heavy downfall came. And like that, a devastated and broken Lena knelt on the cold ground and cried as the rain drained her. Tired of crying, Lena stood up and staggered off. She didn't know where she was going because the cocaine has started working. It was now controlling her. Like a drunkard, a certain drained and horny Lena stumbled into a club. All she needed right now was a man. She needed one badly. In front of an unknown room, Lena rested to catch herself but the door was opened and she fell in. A scared Lena gasped and closed her eyes, expecting the worst to happen but to her surprise, she fell on something broad, strong, and firm. " Wait! Since when did the floor become this comfortable? " Her hands roamed about and she looked up. But she couldn't see anything due to how dark the room was. Lena was circled against a masculine broad chest. The strong smell of his shampoo filled her nose making her frown. It was definitely a man but why wasn't he moving? " Hey, Mister. Are you a statue? Why are you standing in my way, huh? Do you want to bully me like they did? Do you also think I'm worthless and stupid? " Lena mumbled like a mad woman, poking the chest of the man before her whose brow pinched softly. A sudden gasp left Lena's lips and she covered her mouth. " Good heavens, you have a lot of strong packs " The mad woman ran her fingers through his chest and her eyes traveled to the towel wrapped around his thin waist. She buried her head and took a sniff. " Gosh, how can a statue smell this good? " His strong masculine scent alone made Lena heat up the more. She suddenly wanted this statue badly. " Let me make a deal with you, statue. My body is on fire. Sleep with me and I will pay you any amount you want. My father is super rich, I can sneak in and steal money from my wicked stepmother "" How much do you need? One million, two, three...name it and I promise I won't cheat you. Just sleep with me, please " A certain statue was displeased. He was frustrated and annoyed and had come here to cool off. Where the hell did this mad woman even come from? " Why won't you sleep with me? Is it because you're a two-minute man? Is that why you're ashamed you won't satisfy me? " The man's ego was crushed to pieces and his brow knitted in annoyance. Did this mad woman just call him a two-minute man? First, she wanted to pay him to have sex with her. What does she think he was...a gigolo? Isn't she aware of who he was or can she not see him? And now...she dared call him a two-minute man? He will show her what a two-minute man he was. Lena's waist was circled firmly and she was pinned to the wall. " You want me to have sex with you, huh? " His thick hoarse voice made Lena's eyes widen in horror. He wasn't a statue, he was fucking real! The drunk woman made to scream but a finger was quickly placed on her lips and she was shushed. " If you scream, I might change my mind about having sex with you. Is that what you want? " His slow and hot breath hit Lena's ear lobe and her body vibrated. She nodded negatively like she was possessed. But the man wasn't going to give in easily. He was going to tease her. " But I thought you called me a two-minute man. How are you going to enjoy it? " A sexy smirk smuggled up the man's lips and Lena bit her lips. " Are you a two-minute man? " A brow was raised with a scoff and the man's brows folded in anger. " Prove to me what you can do and I will stop calling you that " The short, drunk woman was unapologetic and it didn't sit well with the ego of the man. No one has dared insult him the way this woman just did. Normally, he was the type of ignored and if possible discard someone like her but he didn't know why he wanted to prove himself to a certain mad woman. He loomed over her and nibbled on her earlobe. " You won't be able to walk when you wake up tomorrow " Lena almost choked on nothing. She could swear her walls tightened at the sound of his horse voice. The man stared at the short troublemaker before him and scoffed. He reached out and rubbed her soft red cheeks. She was undoubtedly very beautiful and cute. Her sweet feminine scent and her red full and pouted lips made him want to make love to her. He wanted her. " So will you sleep with me then? " Her eyes shone in expectation. The man was tempered and he gave in immediately. He held the back of her neck and swept his hot tongue into her mouth. She tasted amazing, like sweet strawberry and a certain man didn't want to pull out anymore. The drunk woman moaned softly into his mouth and held tightly onto his shoulder. He loved how rasp and soft her moans were. It was intoxicating. Lena was swept off her feet and carried to the bed. She was laid on it and the man hovered above her. And that was it; Loud moans and grunts filled the entire space. The hot man rammed against the drunk horny woman. Lena cried and squeezed the sheets tight as the man circled and made sweet passionate love to her, ignoring the fact that she couldn't see the face of this man. In fact, she wasn't even aware of what she doing. All she knew for the moment was that this night was the best night of her life...

Chapter 2 CHAPTER 01

🏵 CHAPTER 01 🏵 2 MONTHS LATER... Lena stared at the result in her hands in disbelief and tears. She was pregnant...two months pregnant to be exact. Her mind wandered back to the night she spent with that stranger. She remembers everything that happened that night but didn't even know the man she gave her virginity to 2 months ago. Why is her life this miserable? She hasn't even recovered from the fact that she was thrown out of her father's house and was now living with her caretaker, Mrs. Amelia. If not for this woman, she would have been living in the street by now. With her tears not ceasing to pour, Lena showed her pregnancy result to Mrs. Amelia who was shocked at first but seeing the miserable state Lena was in, she knew all she needed now was someone who will support her. Mrs. Amelia knew of all the things Lena went through at the hands of her stepmother and stepsister. And she also knew something about Lena; she isn't the type to give up easily. Whenever she makes a mistake, she is always fast to get back on her knees. " So what have you decided to do, Lena? " The old woman asked and Lena quickly wiped her tears. " I've decided to leave the City. I can't raise my child in this place. It's better I leave and forget about all the bad memories of this place "" Won't you try to find the father of your child? "" What's the point anyways? I don't even remember his face. You don't expect to go to any random man I see and start asking whether he had a one-night stand with me 2 months ago " Lena was frustrated. " I'm going to raise the baby alone. I've been saving for years now. The money I have will be more than enough " The old woman nodded in agreement. " Are you planning on leaving forever? "" Of course not, ma. I will surely come back. I will be back to save my father's falling company and take back everything that belongs to me from Eloise and Charlotte. They need to pay for what they did to me " Mrs. Amelia supported what Lena said. Those two need to pay for what they made her go through and she needed to take back what is rightfully hers. " Come here, my dear " Lena was pulled into an assuring hug which she gladly returned. " I will always support any decision you make, Lena. You can always come back whenever you feel like it. The door of my house is also open for you " Mrs. Amelia pulled out from the hug and cupped Lena's face. " But promise me you'll always keep in touch "" I promise ma, I will. Just take care of yourself while I'm gone " And that was it, the next day Lena left New City to start a new life of her own and her unborn child. No one except for Mrs. Amelia knew where she went because all Lena wanted was to forget about her horrible experience at the hands of her stepmother and stepsister. FAST FORWARD TO SIX YEARS LATER A yellow cab pulled over in front of a school gate and a lady step out. She hurriedly paid her fare before rushing into the school. " Gosh, I'm 20mins late. They must be waiting for me "" Mommy!! " A voice called making the lady pull a brake on her legs. She turned immediately only to see a little boy of about six years old waving at her with a cute smile. The boy had blonde hair and pretty round green eyes, coupled with his cute fluffy cheeks. " Evan " The lady chuckled and rushed to him. Squatting to his level, she cupped his face. " There you are. I was looking all around for you " The boy's smile suddenly died down replaced with frown eyebrows. " You're twenty minutes late, mom. Calculating the distance from your office to this place, adding the traffic you might encounter on the road, it should take you approximately 10 minutes to get here. So minus 10mins from 20, you're 10mins late. Why? What took you so long? " A scoff left the lady's lips and she rolled her eyes. Just then, " Is Evan doing his boring mathematical calculation on you again, mommy? " A voice said and the lady look up. It was then her face came into view. It was none other than...Lena. Another boy that looked exactly like Evan except for the fact that he had brown hair can be seen standing not so far from them. " Come over here, Ryan " The boy walked up to them and shot Evan a glare. " Shouldn't you be happy mommy came to pick us up instead of nagging her? "" I wasn't nagging her. I was just worried she came late. Well, how will you even understand? It's not my fault you're the dumb one " Evan fired at Ryan who gasped. " I'm the dumb one?! " Ryan pouted unhappily. " Just because you know math more than me doesn't make you the smart one and me the dumb one! " He fired back. " You're still the dump one "" Ok, that's enough! " Lena got in between them. " Can the both of you not fight? At least not here, huh? " The two identical twins huffed and looked away with folded arms. " So where are you sisters? "" We're right over here, mom " A tiny voice exclaimed and Lena turned. Two identical girls can be seen walking up to them. They were probably the same age as Ryan and Evan. The only difference between the two girls was that one had green eyes and the other had brown eyes. Lena frowned when she noticed something. " Ava, my dear, what's wrong? Why do you look so sad? " She asked one of the two girls, the one who had blue eyes. Her face was gloomy and her head was bowed down. Lena made to hold her but she only glanced at her before walking past her. " Ava..." Lena was shocked at the little girl's behavior. She turned to the other girl. " Aida, what happened to your sister? " Aida, Ryan, and Evan let out a sad sigh before Aida spoke up. " In school today, the children at the cafeteria were making fun of Ava again "" Why? "" They were laughing at us because...we don't have a daddy like them " Hearing that, Lena could feel her heart breaking into a million pieces and her face died down instantly. She looked over at the little girl who was staring at nothing and tears flooded her eyes. Months after she left New City to start a new life, Lena found out that she wasn't just pregnant with a baby but four babies; two identical boys( Evan and Ryan ) and two identical girls ( Ava and Aida ). From day one, Ava had always been the quietest and shy one among the quadruplet, even though she was the smartest. Because of that, she always gets bullied and ridiculed by her classmates. Aida being the outspoken and bold one will always fight for her sister. Evan being the most intelligent one would immediately go and report to the school, after giving them his heartfelt, long, and boring speech. And Ryan, being the naughty and most annoying one would always fight back those who laugh at them by setting up delicious pranks on them. Lena had lied to the quadruplet that their father was no more and because of that, the other children in school laughed at them a lot. And because of that, little Ava had always avoided her. " I'm sorry " Lena sniffed back her tears. The triplets immediately hugged her. " Why are you crying, mommy? " Aida asked. " It's not your fault that we couldn't meet our daddy " Ryan added. " You don't care if we have a daddy or not. You're more than enough for us " Evan too chipped in. Hearing those words from them, Lena could feel her heart flutter and a smile drew up her lips. " Aren't you three the most adorable little babies? " She chuckled and pulled out. " Of course we are. Well too bad, I'm the most adorable and pretty among all of us " Aida bragged. " Here, she goes again " The two boys rolled their eyes with a hiss. " Ok, let's all go home now. I made pancakes and pie for everyone " Lena stood up and held down a cab. " Yey, pie, my favorite! " Ryan exclaimed and rushed into the cab. " Tsk, I want fruit parfait. It is way healthier, nourishing, and sweeter than some dump mixture of sweets called p..."" Shut up, Evan! " Aida and Ryan snapped at Evan who hissed and entered. Lena walked over to Ava. " Ava, my dear. Let's go " She smiled and made to hold her hand but Ava fling her hand off and entered the cab. Lena's face died down immediately. She closed her eyes and let out a deep breath. " If she starts from this young age to hate me, what will happen in years to come? "

Chapter 3 CHAPTER 02

🏵 CHAPTER 02 🏵 " Hello, ma. I'm sorry I haven't been calling for days now. How have you been? " Lena was on the phone with Mrs. Amelia. She was eating the last piece of pancake after making sure the quadruplet has eaten to their full. " I'm fine my dear. You shouldn't be worried about me. I should be the one asking how you're doing, Lena. How are you and the quadruplet? "" We're all fine, ma. I'm trying my best to provide for them. I never knew taking care of four kids would be this hard but it's worth it since my adorable babies are the most understanding kids in this entire world. Seeing them happy and content with the little I give them is all I've ever wanted " Lena chuckled with a smile. " You're so lucky, my dear. Those four troublemakers are way more mature than their age. One would hardly believe they're only six " Mrs. Amelia laughed heartily and Lena joined her. " So tell me, dear, are you really sure about coming back? You can continue staying there if you want to "" This place and the people here are amazing and nice. And if it's left for me, I will stay here. But...I want to come back for the sake of my kids. The children in their school and neighborhood have been bullying them a lot because they don't have a father and it has affected my little Ava a lot. I don't want them to grow up in an unhealthy environment "" And also it about time I come back and secure what is mine. I want to show those two that I've been living fine without them and take back everything they took from me "" I understand my dear. You're free to come back if that's what you want. But about Ava...how is she doing? " Lena's face died down in a sad frown and she dropped the piece of pancake she was about to eat. " Her attitude towards me is becoming colder. She doesn't want to talk to me and always rejects me whenever I try to hold or hug her. She's too young for this, ma. I just don't know what to do "" It's ok, my dear. It's normal for her to behave that way due to all the bullying. But don't give up yet. Take it easy with her. Try talking and explaining things to her, ok? "" I will ma, thank you " Lena mumbled and stood up. " I have to go now. Let me go pack our bags and arrange everything "" Ok, dear. Take care and don't forget to always call me whenever you need someone to talk to, ok? I love you "" I love you too, ma. Bye " Lena ended the call and let out a deep breath. Where will she have been without this woman? Mrs. Amelia has been her backbone for these past six years. Due to how busy she was, Lena barely made any friends. Well, except for one. And whenever she ran out of funds to take care of the kids, this woman is always there to send her some money. Done doing the dishes and taking her bath, Lena headed to Aida and Ava's room. When she got there, Aida was already asleep while Ava was awake, staring at nothing. " Ava, my dear " Lena called and the little girl turned. Seeing it was her, she quickly looked away. Lena walked up to the bed and sat down beside her. " Why aren't asleep yet? Do you want me to read bedtime stories for you? "" I can read you your favorite, "The Princess and the Frog", hmm? " She waved the book before her with a giggle but Ava only turned her back on her and covered herself with a duvet. Lena let out a sad sigh and kept the book back. " Why don't you want to talk to mommy, Ava? Please tell me what's bothering you "" I want to have a daddy " Little Ava mumbled and sniff back her tears. Lena didn't know what to say. She reached out and held her hand, squeezing it lovingly. " Is mommy not enough for you? I am here, I can be your mommy and daddy at the same time "" No! " The little girl pushed her hand off. " I want to have a real daddy! " She snapped and cried. Lena was already getting frustrated. " I'm sorry, baby but I can't give you that. Please, forgive mommy for that, please "" No! If you won't give me my daddy then I don't want to talk to you. I don't even want to see you ever again! " Lena was shocked. " Ava!! " She exclaimed and glared at the little girl who laid back and covered herself once again, crying. Lena was dumbfounded. She couldn't bare hearing her little Ava cry. Among the quadruplet, Ava was the one who took after her completely. Her hair, eyes, mouth, and even her character were exactly like that of Lena. And the fact that Ava was starting to despise her was killing and heartbreaking for Lena. Lena stayed back and patted the little girl's head till she fell asleep before placing a kiss on her forehead. " I'm sorry I can't give you a father. I don't even know who he is and I pray I never cross part with him...never " Saturday, after making sure the kids ate their breakfast, Lena left for work. This is her last day in the company. Not wanting the kids to be all alone in the house, she seek the help of the only person she was close to...Noah. Lena and Noah met in the mall two years ago and they became close friends. Since then, Noah always makes out time to visit and spend some time with Lena and the kids. Sometimes, he will take the kids out and buy them whatever they want. But there was just one tiny problem... None of the kids liked him...not even Ava. " Arghh...Mommy is going to call that annoying uncle again! " Aida groaned and slump onto the bed. The four kids were all in Ryan and Evan's room. " I just don't like him. He's so fake and always pretending in front of mommy " Evan spoke up. " And don't forget he's annoying and always making us do things "" Ryan do this, Aida do that. Evans don't sit like that, Ava stop talking...blah, blah, blah " Ryan mimicked, trying to make his tiny voice sound deep. " I'm sure he's just here to try and win mommy over so she can marry him. Ptfff...he's a bad uncle. I rather stay without a father than let mommy marry him " Aida snorted. " I don't like his face " Was all Ava mumbled. " We need to make him stop coming to our house " The intelligent one said. " But how? " Aida pouted and asked. All of them let out a sigh, pouting unhappily. Just then, an idea entered Ryan's brain and a mischievous smirk drew up his lips. " Oh, oh. Ryan is making that face again. He's up to something " Aida whispered to Evan who rushed immediately and grabbed a drawing book. " Maybe...we can prank him " The prankster rubbed his hands together, chuckling evilly. " What do you have in mind, Ryan? Tell us "" My pen is ever ready to get down to business " Evan said and handed over the drawing book to Aida. " Here's the plan..." Ryan brought pamphlets out of nowhere and shared them among his siblings. " Wait...where did these pamphlets come from? " Evans was surprised. " You won't understand, big bro. Only pranksters will " Ryan shrugged with folded arms. " So according to the pamphlets you're all holding, we have three things we can do to him. One, set him up to get hit by a speeding bus..."" Two, throw him off into a dam or three...set him up to get bitten by a snake " Aida and Evans' eyes widened in horror immediately. " Ryan! " They both exclaimed, sending him a glare. " What? I'm trying to make things fun here " The little brat hissed. " We're trying to prank him not kill him! " Evan threw the pamphlets away. " We will definitely go to jail if you do any of these " Aida chimed in. " Duh, I'm six years old. I can't go to jail " The little brat scoffed. " Well according to the law, when a minor who isn't of legal age commits a crime worth punishable, the parent or legal guardian of the ward will have to take full responsibility which might include getting sentenced instead of the ward. Do you want mom to go to jail? " Evan explained and Ryan's lips parted in shock. " How does he know all of this? "" We have to look for another way " Evan rubbed the imaginary beard in his jaw, pacing to and fro the room. After sometime, " Are you guys aware that there's a Hornet nest in our backyard? " Ava spoke up, turning everyone's attention to her. " If we perhaps give those hornets a chance to destroy his ugly face...now that's a good show " Everyone gaped at little Ava in surprise. Well, apart from Ryan who let out a happy chuckle. " Now that's my sister talking, haha "" Wait...you can talk? " Aida asked in disbelief. " What? I meant it when I said I don't like his face " Ava hissed and looked away. " So, yeah. We're going with Ava. Here's the plan... " Ryan got down to business and explained the whole plan to them while Aida did a good job of sketching down everything he said. Just so you know, Aida is an amazing artist. She was damn good at it for a six-year-old. " So, are we all in this together?..." Ryan asked and stretched out his hand. " Am in " They all said one by one, placing their hands on Ryan's. Ava was the last person to join. " Quadruplet in action; "Operation gets rid of the ugly face"! " They all exclaimed in unison...

Chapter 4 CHAPTER 03

🏵 CHAPTER 03 🏵 Noah was relaxed on the couch with his leg crossed and eyes fixed on the movie he was watching, a bowl of popcorn in his hand. He was so engrossed in the horror movie he was watching when Evans walked up to him. " Here you go, uncle Noah. I brought some orange juice for you " Evan placed the tray on the table and handed the glass of juice to Noah who eyed him suspiciously. " Why are you suddenly giving me orange juice? "" Well, because it's been approximately 30mins since you've been eating a large amount of popcorn. It's only right that by now you must be thirsty, which was why I thought of getting you something to quench your thirst " By the time Evan was done, Noah let out a groan of frustration. " Just get out of my sight, your lectures are annoying " He hissed. " Enjoy " Evans bowed and left. He got up the stairs and brought out a small phone. " Over. Ryan, are you ready for the next step? In about 5mins he will get up to go use the bathroom. I repeat, are you ready...over " Hiding at the kitchen counter was Ryan with a bowel. " Over. Everything is set and ready, Evan. Will soon lunch out an attack...over " It wasn't even up to 5mins and Noah was already pressed. He got up and made to rush to the bathroom when Ryan ran out of the kitchen and bumped into him. The bowl of honey Ryan was carrying slipped out of his hand and poured on Noah whose eyes widened. " What the f*ck!.." He shot Ryan a hard glare and the little prankster gulped down nothing. " I'm sorry, uncle Noah, please don't hit me, please " Noah look at the scared little brat in front of him and hissed. He wanted to hit him hard but fought it back. " Get out of my way! " Ryan was pushed aside and the bad uncle made to head upstairs but then Aida came out of nowhere and rushed to him. " Uncle Noah, please come with me " She grabbed his hand and pulled him back. " What the heck do you want?! " Noah was frustrated. " It's Ava. She's crying uncontrollably in the backyard. Please come with me " Before Noah could protest, he was pulled along to the backyard by Aida. There, by the pavement was little Ava crying her eyes out. Noah pinched the bridge of his nose and pressed his lips together. "These kids are pests " He groaned and approached Ava. While he was still busy trying to console the crying girl, Ryan, using his catapult and a stone, targeted straight at the hornet nest above them. " Ava, run! " Evan and Aida alerted little Ava immediately Ryan shot at the nest and the little girl took up her heels and ran for her dear life. And that was it; before Noah could fathom what was going on, a swarm of hornets gathered all around his body. The bad uncle screamed and ran around like a madman as the hornet stung the daylight out of him. " Mommy!!! " The quadruplet stood afar, laughing mockingly at the grown man who was running mad. The quadruplet turned to each other and gave themselves a high five, still laughing. At this time, they heard Lena's voice suddenly. "What the hell are you doing!" The quadruplets shuddered, and two words appear in their mind at the same time. "GAME OVER!" She sent Noah to the hospital first. When she make sure that he was okay, she apologized and came back home again. The quadruplets stood horizontally to each other, their heads bowed down in shame. Standing before them was an angry Lena who had a stern look on her face as the glared at all of them with folded arms. " Ryan..." Her stern voice made the little boy snap his head up. " I didn't do anything! " He blurted out in defense before looking back down. Evan shot him a glare. " Evan...Aida...are you two gonna talk or should I make you? " Evan and Aida stylishly glanced at each other before gulping down nothing. Ryan leaned toward Evans. " This is the time when your responsibility as the eldest among us and your boring long speeches are needed. Save us, please " He whispered to him. " I'm gonna count to three. If none of you say anything...no lunch and dinner for any of you " Hearing that, the quadruple's eyes' widened. " But I love food " Ryan pouted unhappily. " One..."" Two..."" Thr..."" It was Ava's idea! " The triplet blurted out immediately, pointing at the little girl. They had just betrayed their little sister. " Me?! " Ava's eyes dilated. " Was Ryan not the one who came up with the idea of pranking him? He even said we should either set him up to get hit by a moving bus or throw him off into a dam " Lena's eyes protruded in horror. " What?! " She stared at the four brats in shock. The triplet glared at their little sister who had just exposed all of them. An idea came up into Evan's head. " How can the three of you come up with just a horrible prank on an innocent man? Aida why didn't you come and inform me about what you guys were planning? "" What? "Aida was surprised. This cunning, intelligent brat was looking for a way to count himself off! " Believe me, mommy. If I had known what they were planning...I would have stopped them at all costs. But you're right, mommy. We should punish them for pranking uncle Noah "" I will volunteer to go get the belt " The little brat was about to sneak out upstairs when, " Stop right there young man! " Lena's voice made him freeze on the spot. " Come back here before I throw you out through the window! " The little brat hurriedly ran back to where his siblings were standing and bowed his head. " Why did you guys do such a thing to Noah? " The brats all let out a sad sigh. " It was because we didn't like him " Aida was the first to come clean. " And also, he's annoying and always bossing us around " Ryan gave in. " Yes, mommy. He is just a pretender in front of you. And also, we thought he was going to take you away from us. We didn't want to lose you to him " Hearing that, Lena's face softened and her heart melted. " Why will guys think of something like that? He was just trying to help me take good care of you guys "" We rather stay without him than have anyone take you away from us " Aida professed. " Yes, mommy " The rest of them chorused. " We're sorry, mommy " Lena couldn't deny her heart fluttered seeing their cute guilty faces. Their eyes were glittering in apology. " Awwnn...how can I stay angry at you cuties? " She squatted to their level. " Come here, all of you " They all rushed and hugged her. " No one is taking me away from any of you. I love you all so much " Lena kissed their foreheads. " We love you too mommy " They all giggled well except for Ava who looked away. " But..." Lena's face hardened. " I'm still going to punish all of you for what you did especially you Evans "" Huh? But why me? " Evans pouted, disappointed. " You're the eldest so you should have stopped them plus you lied to me " Lena snapped. " But...but..."" No, if's and buts..."" You're all grounded to the day before we left and that's final "" But...Mommy!! " Time passes quickly for everyone, except for the quadruplets. They were very Borinnnnnnnnnnnnnng... Anyway, it's time to leave for them. Three hours later, their flight finally landed and Lena let out a deep breath before stepping out of the plane with her kids. As they all drove to Mrs. Amelia's residence, bad memories came flooding back. Lena couldn't believe that she was back in this cursed City. The city that had nothing but bad memories for her. Even though she has decided not to think much about them but she couldn't help it. Well, she was back but to start her life afresh once again with her kids and of course, take back what was hers. They arrived and the kids all rushed into the house to meet Mrs. Amelia. The quadruplets were all excited to finally meet her face-to-face. The old woman was like a grandmother to them. The woman prepared a mini bouquet for them, and cooked all types of dishes for them. They all ate to their satisfaction like a complete family and Mrs. Amelia was so touched watching how the four cuties were trying to make their mother smile. Lena is really lucky. ONE WEEK LATER Lena rushed out of the house after barely eating anything for breakfast. She didn't have to worry about the kids since they were under Mrs. Amelia's care. Right now, all that mattered to her was getting to her interview early. Her feet tapped the floor of the cab she was in, patiently waiting for the traffic to be cleared. Lena had applied for a job in the best and most famous graphic design company in the whole world...B&W. She wasn't expecting to be granted the interview, she was just trying her luck. And who knows, if luck is on her side today, she might get hired. But... " I heard working at that company was hell...because of him. And now I want to work as his secretary? Good gracious please help me. Let him not be as how people describe him to be " Who was she talking about? The sound of his footsteps approaching made every worker in the building start panicking, running back to their respective desks and offices. They all sat down and got down to business. Anybody he walked past all bowed and greeted him and he, of course, ignored. Dressed up in a neat black suit, he walked past the desk of a worker who was sleeping and halted in his tracks. Glancing at the stupid man who was snoring loudly, he tapped gently on his desk. " I'm awake! I wasn't sleeping! " The stupid man jerked and exclaimed. His eyes widened seeing who was before him and a hard gulp went down his throat. " S..i..r. How can...I...help you, Sir? " The man trembled. " There's no need. You're fired " That was all he said before heading into his office, ignoring the cries and pleas of the man who was dragged out of the building. Finally having a sit, he slowly turned and that was when his face came into view. Who was he?... DENZEL BRENTON, CEO, and owner of B&W graphic industry

Chapter 5 CHAPTER 04

🏵 CHAPTER 04 🏵 DENZEL BRENTON, CEO, and owner of B&W graphic industry. Cold and arrogant, Denzel is tall, muscularly built, and deadly handsome, especially his green eyes. He has everything a woman will want in a man, aside from the fact that he was too cold and of course a workaholic. Aside from his reputation as the richest man in the whole of New City, Denzel was known as a divorcé. The door of his office opened and a middle-aged man entered. " Good morning, Sir. Here are the list of all those who applied for the job interview today " Documents were handed over to Denzel who barely nodded. Going through the profile of all the applicants, his eyes spotted something which made his brow pinch softly. It was the picture of one of the applicants that was ringing a bell in his head. He had seen her somewhere. But where? Just then, a memory flashed through his mind making his face squeeze up in slight displeasure. Haa...it was her! " Call her in immediately " The middle-aged man was surprised. " But, Sir. There are other..." Only one glare from Denzel was enough to seal up the man's lips and he bowed immediately. " Sorry, Sir. I'll call her in " He mumbled and hurriedly left. Lena was running as fast as she could, bumping into people in the company and barely apologizing. The interview is about to start in 5 mins and she hasn't even arrived. Damn that cursed traffic! The middle-aged man, Mr. Thomas step into the waiting room where almost 20 applicants were waiting for their turn. Clearing his throat, " Miss Lena Estrella, my boss will like to see you " He announced looking around. He frowned when no one responded. " Miss Lena Estrella... "" I'm here!! " Lena ran in immediately. She had gone to the restroom to organize herself after the marathon race she ran. " I'm sorry I'm late, Sir " She bowed immediately. Mrs. Thomas only hummed. " Come with me " Lena let out a sigh of relief. That God she made in time. She was led to an office and told to enter. Letting out a heavy breath of nervousness, " You've worked so hard for this to work Lena...don't fuck up " She placed a knock on the door. " Come in " A cold voice boomed from inside making the nervous woman gulp. " You can do this Lena. Your four cuties are dependent on you " Lena pushed the door open and entered. Stopping right in front of the desk, " Good morning, Sir " She bowed lightly. Her voice hitting Denzel's ears made his frown deepen. With a sly smirk up his lips, " Lena Estrella " The cold man looked up and finally locked gaze with Lena whose eyes widened a bit but she quickly covered it up. Seeing the woman standing before him, Denzel needed no one to tell him it was her... The woman who dared called him a two-minute man...six long years ago... × × × Mrs. Amelia gathered the quadruplets over a small snack as they all discussed together. As they all munch on the delicious cookies, laughing and their mouth running free, the old woman dropped a question for them. " So tell me, what would my cute little smarties like to be when they grow up? "" Oh, me, me, me, me!! " They all raised a hand, their eyes glittering in excitement. " When I grow up I will like to be..."" Shut up, Ryan. Let the eldest answer first " Evans cut the little boy off. " No, as the prettiest, I will go first " Aida shrugged and stood up. " But I'm the last born, shouldn't I go first, grandma? " Little Ava pouted. " Who is the coolest among us, me right? So I should go first, I earned it " Ryan bragged with a huff, his hand folded. A snort left Evan's lips. " Rightfully, being the oldest and most responsible among you annoying minions, I should in fact be given the honor to go first so things will go in a descending and organized... " Boo!!! Boring!!! " Aida and Ryan called out with a thumbs down. The old woman was already laughing her heart out. " We're buying glue specifically for sealing Evan's mouth, who is with me? " Ryan raised his hand immediately at what Aida said. " He shouldn't have been created with a mouth, to begin with " Little Ava snorted. " Ok, enough all of you " Mrs. Amelia was already dying of laughter. The four brats all huffed, looking away with a sad pout. " Since I'm the one who brought up the question, I will be the one to choose who goes first " " Since Ava is the youngest, she will be the one to begin " A final decision was given. " But grandma..." " No buts! " The old woman snapped and little Ava was already grinning like a baboon. Standing up, she cleared her tiny voice. " It has always been my dream to be an engineer when I grow up " " What type of engineer, dear? " " Yeah, yeah. Ava had always wanted to be a software engineer. That is why she loves anything that involves technology and she's the fastest among all of us to understand anything that has to do with electronics. So yeah, next please..." Evan hissed with an eye roll. " But I was the person grandma asked not you " Little Ava was annoyed and glared at Evan with a pout. " Evans..." " Sorry, grandma " The little boy apologized. " I think we need the mouth glue now. I will go get it " Aida sassed and sat up. " Come back here, young lady. It's your turn to answer " Hearing that, Aida's eyes lit up in excitement and she rushed back immediately. " When I grow up I will like to be an artist; a makeup artist, an actress, or a model " The little girl smiled proudly. " My turn! " Ryan sprang up. " You can sit down, miss actress " The little boy rolled his eyes and Aida complied. " When I grow up, I will like to do absolutely nothing! " The little boy announced. " Say what now? " " What? Life is too short for me to want to be anything. All I have to do is make enough money, relax and enjoy my life. Haa, life will be so sweet " By the time the little boy was done with a proud smile and chin up, everyone was gaping at him with parted lips. " I think we should move over to Evans " Aida mumbled. " Aah, finally! " Evans stood up. Adjusting his imaginary tie and clearing his imaginary thick voice. " When I reach adulthood, first of all, I will like to be a responsible adult. Doing things to benefit those around me and humanity in general. I will love to make Earth a better and more peaceful place for everyone... " Aahhh, grandma! Tell him to get straight to the point! " The triplets groaned in frustration. " You guys should let him speak. Go on, my dear " The old woman chuckled. " But his speech is long and boring..." The triplets pouted unhappily. " As I was saying. Wanting to be useful to humanity I will like to be two things; a scientist or a rich businessman so that I can use my resources to help people out "" Thank you " Little Evans bowed slightly before sitting back down. " Finally!... × × × Lena kept staring at the man before her as the interview went on. Something was really familiar about this man. He has the exact eyes of her quadruplets; his green eyes. And why was he staring at her like he knew who she was? " Nah, I'm sure I'm just overthinking stuff " Lena quickly shrugged the thoughts off. " The next question. What do you understand is your work as a secretary? " " It is my duty as a secretary to answer phone calls and redirect them when necessary, manage the daily/weekly/monthly agenda and arrange new meetings and appointments. Prepare and disseminate correspondence, memos, and forms. File and update contact information of employees, customers, suppliers, and external partners. Support and facilitate the completion of regular reports. Check frequently the levels of office supplies and place appropriate orders and lastly, make travel arrangements, document expenses, and hand in reports " Denzel couldn't deny he liked her confidence but working as a secretary is as easy as that. " How often can you multitask? " " I do so when it is required of me " There was no two way about it, Denzel was surely going to employ her. By the time the entire interview was done, Denzel knew she had the experience and potential of more than a mere secretary. Leaning forward, the cold man dropped a tricky offer for Lena. An offer he knew she will never reject. " I will employ you but only on one condition... " " How do you see the offer of working as my executive assistant instead of a mere secretary?...

Chapter 6 CHAPTER 05

🏵 CHAPTER 05 🏵 " Really?! "" His executive assistant? That's double work, you know " Mrs. Amelia mouthed. She and Lena were doing the dishes after having dinner and putting the kids to bed. " I was also shocked when he said that " Lena chuckled. " And what reply did you give him? "" Of course, I accepted. I've been working as a secretary and personal assistant for five years now. This was my opportunity to expand and know more "" I know and I support your decision, Lena. But all I'm saying is, can you do the work? It's a really stressful one you know and might affect your time with the kids " Mrs. Amelia was worried. " I know but what choice do I have? I worked so hard to be able to get that interview so I can't back down now. The pay will be more than enough to take care of the kids and send them to a good school. You know how expensive school are here "" And, it is also my opportunity to expand more. I will be working with the CEO of a famous company. I am going to learn a lot of skills and experience. Skills that will help me understand how the business world works and help me know how to save dad's company and manage it well " Lena spoke confidently. " And don't worry ma. I won't let anything come between me and my kids, not even work " The old woman couldn't help but giggle. This was one thing she loved about Lena. Her confidence and how adamant she is. Whenever she sets her eyes on something, nothing and no one can make her look away. Even if years pass and challenges come, she will still fix her eyes on her goal and look for another way to make it work. " It's okay, my dear. You know you always have my support. And don't worry about the kids. I will be the one to register them in a new school tomorrow " The old woman offered. " But, ma. You don't have to stress yourself with that..."" Won't you at least let me do that, Lena? If I don't use the money I have to look after the kids and you, what do you want an old woman like me to do with it? "" Just go to work tomorrow and leave the rest for me, ok? I know the best school to enroll my grandchildren " Lena couldn't help the broad smile that crept up her lips hearing those words from Mrs. Amelia. She was more than grateful. " Thank you so much, ma. My kids and I will be nothing without you "" Com'on, don't try to flatter me, Lena " The old woman chuckled. " You should go to sleep now, it's getting late. Let me round up everything here. You don't want to be late on your first day at work, do you? " Lena nodded negatively and kept the plate she had cleaned. " I'll get going then. Goodnight, ma "" Goodnight, my dear " THE NEXT DAY Lena stood outside Denzel's office and let out a deep breath. Today being her first day at work, all she wanted was to impress this boss of hers. She placed a knock and was ushered in. " Good morning, Boss. Here's your coffee " She placed the coffee on the table. Denzel didn't even spare the coffee a glance. His eyes stood transfixed on the file in his hand. Lena stood and waited for him to be through with whatever he was doing. Done with the file, the cold man frowned in displeasure seeing that Lena was still standing in front of him. " What are you still doing here? " His voice was laced with irritation. " I'm waiting for your next command, Sir " The cold man snorted inwardly. He knew that wasn't why she was still here. She was waiting for him to notice her or probably, try to seduce him like how she did six years ago. Well, if that's what she wanted...he can give it to her. The cold man stood up and locked gaze with Lena who couldn't but gulp as he walked up to her, his green eyes boring into hers. " Is that really why? " Lena couldn't help but step back as the cold man kept approaching until her back bumped into the wall. " Bo...ss, what...are you...doing? " The cold man swore over her, his hot breath hitting her face. " Or are you waiting for me to notice you? "" What do you mean, Sir? "" I know what women like you want " The cold man glared at Lena and all he could see was the short woman calling him a two minutes man. It made his brow pinched in anger. That night, her cheeks were so fluffy and soft when he touched them. But now, they were skinnier. Are they still soft? The cold man raised his hand and brushed her cheek softly. Lena didn't understand the shivers that went down her the moment Denzel's hand made contact with her cheek. A familiar feeling washed down her. Why does his touch feel so familiar and why is her body reacting to it? Denzel scoffed seeing her cheeks were still soft, in fact, way softer than that night. Tilting his head to her ear, his breath hitting her neck and making her body squirm, " Get out " The cold man snapped Lena back to her senses. " Huh? "" Grab the files on the table and get out, now! " Lena's eyes widened as the cold man pulled out and walked back to his chair. She grabbed the files and hurriedly dashed out. Almost then, Mr. Thomas entered. " You called for me, Sir "" Gather all the documents from last year December till now and hand them over to the executive assistant. I want it sorted out starting from the more important till the less important and submitted before break time " The middle-aged man's lips parted in shock. " But, Sir. Isn't that a lot of documents to sort out before 12..." The cold man shot him a glare and he swallowed back the remaining words. " I will do what you instructed, Sir " Mr. Thomas bowed slightly and left. A faint smirk drew up Denzel's lips. Since that short woman wants to pretend not to know him even after insulting him to the highest order, he was going to make life a living hell for her. × × × Mrs. Amelia was done with everything that has to do with the kids' school registration and the quadruplets all headed to their respective classes. Well, they were in the same class but in different sections. Ryan and Ava were in section B while Evans and Aida, section A. They were all excited to start school again. Well, except for one person; " Class, we have two new students today " The teacher announced and all eyes turned to Ryan and of course, Aida, who quickly hid behind him. " You two should introduce yourselves "" Hi, everyone, it's your cool boy, Ryan. Nice to meet you'll and trust me, you all going to love my stay here " The little brat spoke up confidently with a flirtatious smirk, winking at some of the girls who were eyeing him. Ava on the hand, gulped in nervousness as everyone was now gaping at her. Ryan held her hand and squeezed it gently, flashing her a "go ahead" smile. " Hi, my name is Ava " She mumbled almost inaudibly. " What? We can't hear you! "" Can't you talk or are you dumb?! "" Haha! She doesn't know how to talk " Hearing all that, Ava could feel her anxiety worsen. She bit her lips and stared down, her heart hammering against her chest. " Hey! " Ryan snapped angrily, startling everyone, including the teacher. " She's my sister so if any of you try to mess with her...I will mess you all up instead! " The spoilt brat threatened with a serious glare. " Ok, that's enough. You two can go to your seats " Ava, with her head still bowed, walked past them and grabbed a sit. Just then, " Hey " A voice made her look up and it turned out to be her seatmate. A cute little boy with chestnut hair and round brown eyes. " Hi " Little Ava barely mumbled. " Your name is Ava, my name is Lucas. Nice to meet you " The jovial boy smiled heartily, his eyes brightening up. Ava only nodded and stared back down. " Since you're new here, you can ask me for help anytime you need it. I can even show you around if you want to "" No, thank you " Lucas wasn't giving up. " Well, maybe I can show you around tomorrow. For now, be free to ask me anything, ok? " He giggled happily and Ava nodded slightly. × × × Break time came and Lena was done with her first task. She headed to submit it but another pill of work was dropped on the table for her. " Organize these meetings and files. I want them on my desk before office closes " Was all her cold boss told her. Lena let out a sad sigh. Today was her first day at work and this amount of workload has been handed to her already. Maybe, her Boss was just trying to test her competence. At exactly 03:00, she was done with everything. Her eyes widened in horror when she realized the kids dismisses by 02. " Oh my goodness, how could you have forgotten, Lena? " She took out her phone and dialed Mrs. Amelia's number. The kids must be sick and tired of waiting for her. " Hello, ma. Can you please help me bring the children back from school? I can't believe I forgot. I'm so sorry, ma "" You don't have to worry, Lena, I already did "" Really? Thank you so much, ma " Lena heaved in relief. " How are my adorable cuties doing? " She smiled. " They're waiting for you to come back "" I'm almost done with everything. I will be home soon "" You don't have to worry. Just take your time, ok? "" Ok, ma. Bye " Lena let out a deep sigh, tucking her phone back into her pocket. She was at the door of Denzel's office with a pile of finished files in her hands. Unknown to her the cold man overheard everything she said over the phone and truth be told, he wasn't pleased...not even one bit. His face squeezed up in disgust at the thought that Lena was already married and had kids for that matter. He wouldn't tolerate his executive assistant being a mother! Lena entered and submitted all the files as she was instructed. " That's all the documents you wanted to be sorted out. I arranged it in descending order, from the most important to the less important. Is there anything else you want me to do, Sir? "" No " The cold man glared at the short woman before him with clenched jaws. " Ok, Sir. I'll get going " Lena bowed with a smile and turned to leave. " Hold on...Lena " She came to a halt and turned back. " Yes, Sir? "" You're fired...

Chapter 7 CHAPTER 06

🏵️ CHAPTER 06 🏵️ " You're fired! " Denzel dropped the most shocking statement and Lena's eyes widened. She froze for a sec before snapping herself out of the shock. " Sir? " She exclaimed in disbelief and the cold man raised a brow at her. " You heard me, Lena. You're fired. Now get out of my office " Lena was traumatized. What the hell did she do? Did she not sort out the document well? Did she perhaps submit it late? Or was there a mistake she did? " But, Sir. Can...I know why I'm getting fired " The cold man rolled his eyes and leaned back fully on his chair with folded arms. " You're a mother of how many kids, Lena? "" Huh? " Lena gaped at the man before her with parted lips. How did he find out she had children? " Four kids, Sir " She decided to answer, praying that it wasn't because she was a single mother, that she was getting fired for. Hearing that, Denzel's face squeezed up in repulsion. So she was married and had up to four kids already? Pathetic! " Listen, Lena, the work of an executive assistant requires your full attention, focus, time, and energy. I hate it when people mix up their personal affairs with work. Such acts won't be tolerated here. Here, you're expected to work with no distraction, and being a mother, that will be impossible "" So, you're fired. Get out " The cold man hissed with no emotions. " Please, you can't fire me, Sir! " Lena wasn't leaving his office. This felt so unfair to her. Why would she get fired just because she's a single mother? Is it a crime to be a mother? Even as a mother, she too has dreams. Denzel raised a brow at her and frowned. " And who are you to decide that? " The cold man wasn't pleased with her remark. " That's not what I mean, Boss "" I really, badly need this job, Sir. I need enough money to fend for my children and take care of them. I just moved into New City and it would be close to impossible for me to find a job with a good pay " The cold man wasn't moved. Why does she badly need a job? Isn't her husband competent enough to take care of her and their kids? Tsk! What a wastage of a husband. " Please, Sir. As a mother, even I have dreams. I would do anything to keep this job and I promise, I won't let my children come in between my work in any way. Please reconsider " Lena wasn't giving up. She had waited for years to get a job in a company like that of her father. And now that she had successfully secured one, she wasn't ready to let go. Denzel frowned when he saw the eagerness in her eyes. He could clearly see she came here with another purpose. But what was it? Was she a spy sent by his rivals to bring his company down? Or was she sent to find the secret to the success of his company? The cold man was suspicious. Well, if she was truly a spy...then two can play the game then. " Please, Sir. Give me a chance to prove myself "" Fine. I'll reconsider " Hearing that, Lena's face beamed with happiness. " Thank you so much, Sir. I promise..."" But on one condition " The cold man didn't even let her finish her rejoicing. Lena gulped when she saw the evil smirk on her boss' lips. She knew she was doomed. This man was up to something and it was definitely not good. " You said I should give you a chance to prove yourself, right? "" Yes, Sir " The cold man stood up and took predatory steps toward Lena. Before she knew it, the cold man pinned her to his table, his tall muscular figure hovering over her and his green eyes glaring at hers. For a moment, the short woman felt intimidated. " I'm gonna give you three weeks and 10 opportunities to prove yourself, Lena " With their faces barely apart, Denzel's eyes moved down to her lips and the cold man remembered the night she barely kissed him. She didn't even know how to kiss. She glued her lips on his and was licking and nibbling on it like it was some kind of candy. " I don't understand... Sir..." Lena could feel her heart thumping hard against her chest. Looking into the eyes of her boss, all she could see were her little boys. Was it just a coincidence that her boys had the exact eye as that of her boss? There is a familiarity in his eyes but she couldn't fathom where she must have met him. " You will be given 10 different tasks to accomplish within three weeks. If you fail even in the slightest way... " The cold man grinned. " Then forget about ever working in this company, understood? " The way his voice was laced with coldness made Lena shiver and gulp. She was scared but...she wasn't going to show it. " If I get all the tasks completed, what will happen? " She stared the cold man dead in the eye and asked. " Are you stupid or are you pretending to be idiotic? " Denzel shot her a cold glare. " What is the opposite of getting fired? " Lena could see the pure irritation on his face. " Oh, I get to keep my job. Thank goodness "" What else were you thinking, Lena? " The cold man leaned forward to her ear and smirked. He tugged a strand of her hair and whispered, " Were you expecting... to be given something else? Who knows, it might be among the tasks I would give " Lena understood what the cold man meant making her pupil dilate. " Sorry if I gave the wrong impression but I'm not that type of person, Sir " She slipped away from the man. " Thank you so much for giving me another chance, Boss. I will try my best not to fail you " She bowed slightly and rushed to the door when, " And where the hell do you think you're going? " The cold man made her pull a brake on her legs and she turned immediately. " Pardon? "" You don't f*cking leave my office until I tell you to! " The cold man was annoyed. His eyes grew cold as he scowled at her. " I'm sorry " Lena didn't hesitate to apologize. " You've failed a task, now you have only nine remaining " Denzel wasn't ready to give off his forgiveness easily and it made Lena's eyes widen. " But Sir..."" Do you want me to make it eight? " Denzel raised a brow at her making her swallow back whatever she said. " No, Sir "" Good " The cold man was satisfied. " Now get out before I change my mind " Lena bit her lips and looked down. " Take care of yourself, Sir " She mumbled and left. For a second, Denzel was surprised before it turned to him getting agitated. Who the hell is she to tell him to take care of himself? THE NEXT DAY It was break time already for the kids at school. Ava stood up and was about to join Ryan to the cafeteria when Lucas held her hand. " Hey, do you want to join me at the cafeteria? " The little boy flashed her a cute smile. " Sorry but I'm going with my brother " Little Ava was still uncomfortable around him. " It's okay. I can join the two of you then. Can I? " Almost then, Ryan walked up to them. " Com'on let's go, Ava, what are you still waiting for? " He held her hand and made to pull her along when, " Hi, Ryan. My name is Lucas. I'm Ava's friend and I would like to join the two of you at the cafeteria " Lucas giggled making Ryan frown. " Do you know him? " He turned to little Ava who looked at Lucas who was still smiling. She wanted to deny knowing him but seeing and remembering how he always smiles whenever he was talking to her, " Yes. He's my seatmate " She acknowledged. " Well, sure. Since you're Ava's friend, you can come with us " Hearing that, the jovial little boy giggled even more. This was the first time someone actually accepted to eat with him. Meanwhile, while the second day at school was going well for Ryan and Ava, that wasn't exactly the case for Evans. " Hey, Evans. I'm going to the cafeteria with my new friend! " Hyper Aida exclaimed in happiness, moving Evan's attention to the little black girl beside her. " Hi..."" Her name is Kelly. She came from Bordertown and just moved here with her family like us. Isn't she pretty with her big glasses and curly black hair? " Excited little Aida didn't even let the girl introduce herself. " I like those black dots all over her face " Aida was referring to the freckles Kelly had. " Hi, Kelly. My name is Evans, nice to meet you "" So, are you coming with us? She said she's going to show me around the school "" Nah, the two of you should go ahead. I will join later... "" Ok. Let's go, Kelly " Aida didn't let Evans finish before holding Kelly's hand and pulling her along. Done with what he was doing, Evan stepped out of the restroom. The little boy wasn't aware he had something waiting for him. Not until he was just a few steps away from the restroom and was now surrounded by three of his classmates. " Erm...Hi. How can I help you? " The little boy decided to ask but instead of a reply, Quack! The little boy was pushed forcefully by one of his classmates and he fell hard on his butt, letting out a wince. " Why did you answer the question I was supposed to answer in class today...

Chapter 8 CHAPTER 07

🏵️ CHAPTER 07 🏵️ " Why did you answer the question I was supposed to answer in class today ?" Evans had just been pushed to the floor by one of his classmates. He ended up having a small scratch on his elbow making him wince a bit. The little boy looked up at the angry boy before him in surprise. " Why did you push me? What did I do to you? " Evans demanded and stood up. The angry boy scoffed and covered the distance between them. " Listen to me, newbie. Just because you're new and answered a question correctly on your first day doesn't mean you are so smart. I am still our teacher's favorite student and if you think you can take over my place, I won't just push you next time, I will make sure I wound you " The angry boy pointed a finger and threatened. " With all due respect, my mom told me that hurting other people is wrong. You just pushed me and gave me a wound at my elbow so, in essence, you've hurt me. But as my mother taught me, I won't retaliate. But that doesn't mean what you did is good "" If you hurt me next time, I won't hesitate to report you to the school system. And you might get suspended for bullying your classmate " The angry boy rolled his eyes. He was already getting irritated with Evans's lecture. " Shut up! " Evans was whacked again and he stumbled back but got a hold of himself. " You can go ahead and report me. Nothing will happen because my father is the principal of this school. He won't even believe you! So if I were you, newbie, I will stay off! " With that, the three boys left, leaving Evans who was staring at them in surprise. He snapped himself out, let out a sigh, and headed to the cafeteria. " Evans, over here! " Ryan yelled out, waving at him. Now on the table with his siblings, Lucas and Kelly, the sad little boy smiled. At least with his siblings beside him, he would easily forget what happened. " Oh my God! " Lucas exclaimed, startling the quadruplets. " What happened? "" Ryan, Ava, you both have identical twins? " The jovial boy was amused. Kelly's eyes widened as she gaped at them with parted lips. " Which one of you came first? Was it you Ryan or Ava? " The quadruplets couldn't help but chuckle. " Actually, we're quadruplets " They all revealed. " Quadruplets?! " Kelly and Lucas exclaimed and quickly covered their mouth. " You guys are quadruplets? " Kelly asked in a much calmer tone. " Yes. Ryan and Evans are identical twins, while Aida and I are twins too " Ava disclosed. " Wow, cool " Lucas mouthed in awe. " Our neighbor gave birth to three babies at the same time. But they don't even look alike but the four of you...wow " It was now Kelly's turn. " But..." The jovial's boy brows frowned in confusion. " The three of you have green eyes but Ava's eyes are different. Why is hers brown? "" Well, it is because Ava has our mother's genes. She looks exactly like her " The kids were already digging in their food. " Oh, that means the three of you look like your father? " Kelly's question made the face of the quadruplets drop in disappointment, especially Ava's. She looked down immediately and squeezed her eyes to fight back her tears. Lucas and Kelly noticed their sudden change of mood. " What's wrong? Did I say something I'm not supposed to say? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say something stupid " Kelly was afraid. " No, that's not it Kelly, you didn't say anything wrong " Aida assured. " The thing is that our mommy is the only one we have, our daddy is no more " Kelly's face died in sadness. " I'm sorry " She mumbled and looked down. " Me too " The jovial boy mumbled. " But it's ok. Even I don't have a mommy but my daddy takes very good care of me. Even though I wish to have a mommy sometimes, my daddy is always there for me. To me, he is both my daddy and my mommy " The jovial boy added, his eyes brightening up. Hearing that, the faces of the quadruplets too lit up. Ava looked up and wiped her tears. This was the first time she was seeing someone who had only one parent. It made her realize she wasn't so unlucky to not have a daddy. " Our mommy is also the best in the whole world. With our mommy by our side, we don't need to worry about not having a daddy " Ryan beamed and so did the rest. " Yeah, I miss her " Little Ava mumbled to herself. AT THE OFFICE " Here are your full schedule for the rest of this week. You have a meeting with Heights Industry tomorrow by 02 pm, an Advertising Conference for our new design on Thursday, and on Friday, you have a flight to catch up for a meeting outside of New City "" Here are all of the business proposals and deals from other companies who would like to buy a share with us. I organized it based on those with greater potentials for you to look into " Lena reported to Denzel, placing the documents on his table. The cold man only nodded. " I will take my leave then "" I'm leaving the office early today. I want you in my penthouse by 01. We have documents and business deals to sort out. Since you said you organized the deals based on those with greater potential, I want us to look into it together, understood? "" Yes, Sir "" If you're even a second late, Mrs. Estrella...You're fired " Denzel added and seeing the fear in Lena's eyes made him smirk in satisfaction. " Got it, Sir " Lena nodded and left. Denzel picked up some of the documents and going through them, he couldn't deny he was pleased. Lena was good at what she was doing but he didn't like it. Especially not after getting the idea that she might be a spy. AT EXACTLY 12:59 Lena can be seen in an elevator leading to Denzel's penthouse. She was sweating profusely, tapping her feet nervously. " If you're even a second late, Mrs. Estrella...you're fired " Denzel's words keep ringing in her head as she peeped at her watch. " Com'on, com'on. Open you stupid elevator " She groaned. Beep! At exactly 01:00, the elevator opened and she ran out immediately. She got to the door and slipping a permit card, it unlocked and she dashed in. She pulled a brake on her leg immediately. Seated on the sofa was the cold man with folded arms and blank expression, glaring at her. " I'm here, Sir " The short woman chuckled nervously, flashing her white set of teeth. Denzel barely said anything. " Sit down, Mrs. Estrella, let's get down to business " Hearing that Lena let out a sigh of relief. Thank goodness she passed her second task. Hours passed and Lena was already getting tired. She hadn't eaten anything since today. She was hungry as fck but didn't know how to tell her boss. The cold man on the other hand noticed the tiredness in her eyes and frowned. Was he stressing her too much? " Do you want me to throw you off this penthouse? " Lena jerked from her sleep and met Denzel glaring at her. " Sorry, Sir " She mumbled but didn't even realize when a wide yawn left her lips. Her eyes widened in horror seeing the irritation on Denzel's face. " Oh, sht! " A curse flew out of her lips and that only made Denzel even more agitated. " Fck, fck, fck! What the fck are you doing, Lena? " The short woman didn't realize she was cursing even more. " Mrs. Estrella! " The cold man was already red in anger. " I'm so sorry, Sir. I swear I didn't mean to. I tend to curse whenever I'm stressed out, damn it! " " Sht! I mean, I'm sorry, Sir " Denzel didn't need to be told that she was stressed out to the highest order. " That's enough! Let's take a break " " Can I use the restroom, Boss? " Lena didn't even wait for the cold man's reply and sprang up, rushing out. She got to the restroom and splash some water on her face. " Calm down, Lena, calm down " She breathed in and out but the hunger she was feeling was causing her a headache. She groaned and rubbed her temples. She took out her phone and confirmed that Mrs. Amelia has brought the kids back from school. " Can I please hear their voices, ma? " She requested. " Sure " " Mommy!! " Lena could hear the quadruplets giggle over the phone and that made her chuckle. " Mommy, when will you come back? We miss you " Aida asked with a pout. " Mommy will be back soon, my dear. Have you guys eaten? " " Yes, mommy. Grandma made us pasta and I made a new friend at school today! " The hyper little girl exclaimed and Lena couldn't help but laugh. " Don't worry, when I come back. You can tell me all about it, ok? " " Ok, Mommy! Bye! " " Bye, my dear " The call was disconnected and Lena let out a sigh of satisfaction. Hearing the voice of her little cuties was enough to level her stress. She stepped out of the bathroom when something tapped her back, making her go stiff for a moment, her eyes almost popping out. " Hello, Miss. Where are you heading to? " A voice out of nowhere boomed making Lena grow cold, shivers going down her. " Hello, Miss " A hand out of nowhere held her hand. " Arghhhh!!! A ghost!!! " The terrified short lady yelled at the top of her voice and took up her heels. " A ghost!!! " She kept yelling forcing Denzel to stand up from his chair. " Mommy!!! " All Denzel could see was a mad woman running toward him at full speed. Before he could even fathom what was going on, the short woman jumped on him, clutching her hands and legs tightly around him. Denzel lost his balance, tripped, and landed on the sofa with Lena still clutched on top of him. A groan left his lips immediately and his hand gripped her waist as they both fell. " Ghost... there's a ghost...and it's after me..." Lena shivered, her eyes shut tightly. " A ghost? Really, Lena?" The cold man snorted angrily. It was then that Lena was snapped back to her senses and she opened her eyes. " Arghhh! " She yelled and shut her them back close. How the fck did she end up on top of her Boss? " Sh*t, I'm ruined. What will he think of me now? What were you even thinking, Lena? "" You're a fool, Lena. A fool, a fool, a fool! " Her inner self taunted repeatedly. She tried to spring off but the cold man tightened his grip on her waist and shoved her back to his chest. " Erm... Boss...can...you let me...go? " Denzel heard that and scoffed, shooting her a scowl. " You got the opportunity and threw yourself at me. Now you want me to let you go? " Lena's eyes widened. " Stop pretending and state what you really want, Lena. You've always been looking for opportunities to get close to me and now that you have, why are you pretending? " The cold man was annoyed and disgusted. " No, Sir! It's not what you..."" Strip! " The cold man snarled. " What?!! "" Strip, woman. Or else you want me to help you do it...