AFTER STORY — PART I

**— JULIAN ADAMS (POV)**
[...] *Seven months later.*
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I sigh deeply, massaging the top of my nose. Ever since I heard the verdict of Laura’s trial, I’ve been feeling uneasy.
Many months have passed, and I still remember how I felt when I saw the building security cameras… and how I threw up, feeling stupid, weak, and furious.
I’ve never felt so impotent in my entire life.
But what really put me out of sleep was what happened the day Angelee woke up in the hospital... when Laura also decided to break into the J’O Tech building. I still get chills remembering that night.
It’s been a long time since Laura was fired, but for some reason, her credentials worked. In the end, we really had to restructure the entire I.T. department, which resulted in a mass layoff that only didn’t make it into the media because of damage control.
Laura got crazy when she knew that her plan to harm Angelee and my daughters failed; that’s the only explanation for her doings. Now, I understand what that woman intended to do. I know what her heart desired when she pushed Angelee not once but *twice,* and it hurts to even think of her evil intentions.
*If Tyler and Cathy hadn’t shown up in time…*
I’ve had nightmares about the thousands of hypotheses and scenarios that could have happened. In the end, the real outcome was the best of them… After all, Laura was really willing to torment Angelee, and she tried until the end.
Laura went up to J’O Tech’s top floor and waited on the terrace with a lot of demands. It was clear that she was completely out of her mind, standing on top of the parapet, with her fiery hair flipping in the breeze. She said that she would *throw herself if Angelee didn’t show up.* Of course, I haven’t said a word about it to my wife, not even to this day. Instead, I went in her place.
All the way from the hospital to the building, I could only remember what happened on the recording, and when I saw her eyes bordering on madness and that twisted smile asking me, ***why didn’t you bring the star for her show?*** I understood what she was up to. And I wanted to be wrong.
*But in the end, she admitted that she wanted to throw her life to make Angelee’s a living hell.*
Laura was forcibly dragged away by the security and cops and taken to the police station. Double trespass and assault on a pregnant woman, added to the case of stalking, would earn Laura good few years in jail. Michael’s lawyers did a great job of building a solid case, but the defense asked for a psychological test. As expected, it attested that Laura was a danger to others and herself; with a result like that, they pleaded insanity.
For the last seven months, Laura has been on trial. And today, it was finally decided that she will serve the time of her sentence in a mental institution.
After everything she’s done, I think that’s an appropriate conclusion.
Eric is still serving time in prison for corporate crime, and because of the scandal — and Mrs. Smith’s health — his family decided to leave New York. As far as I know, they’ve moved to the Georgia countryside, but I’m still following in their footsteps to make sure they never come near my family again.
I sigh, looking at the picture frame on my desk, the one we took the month before. In this sweet memory, Angelee holds Jackie in her arms while Lizzie snuggles into mine, and a smile rises to my lips as I run my thumb over their faces. They’re growing up too fast... Sometimes, I wish time would pass just a bit more slowly.
Yes, it’s true; it’s quite draining having a newborn baby, especially *two.* There have been many nights without catching a single wink of sleep, and I still keep waking up to hold the babies even when everything is quiet simply because I need to check if they’re still breathing… to make sure they’re okay. But yet, the easy smile my daughters give whenever they see me and the way they stretch out their little hands asking for my arms makes *every second worthwhile.*
The funny thing is, I never imagined myself as a father — a husband. I never imagined I would build a family. But today, I can’t imagine my life without them.
Knocks on the door rouse me from my thoughts, and I allow them to open it just to see the baby stroller that always lights up my eyes.
I get up immediately and walk over to Andy, the nanny who looked after all my siblings, including Jack. That’s the only way Angelee would accept a nanny. Although she’s strong and keeps her chin up, what happened to Laura left deep wounds and distrusts that are still healing.
The moment the twins take their big green eyes off the toys and land on me, they open wide smiles that always make me melt. They stretch out their arms, making it impossible to resist holding them. First, I take Lizzie off the stroller and nestle her in my arms while Andy puts Jackie in my other arm.
Gosh, they’re so small. I’m still afraid of holding them wrong and hurting them.
“Thanks for bringing them, Andy... I needed to recharge my energy.” I say, bringing them a little closer, and my smile widens when Jackie holds my chin with her small hand, her little fingers trying to grip my beard.
“No problem, kid.” She says, putting her hands on her waist. Calling me *kid* is a habit she never lost, even after we all grew up and she retired from babysitting. Even so, she continued to work for the Adams as a housekeeper. My mother is definitely going crazy without Andy there — and Auston, too, without his wife — but she’s really enjoying taking care of the twins. “When are you leaving?”
“Tomorrow, before dawn.” My eyes stay on my daughters, on the little hands that are now exploring my collar, my tie. “I thought I’d surprise my wife before we go and spend a little time with the kids first... Although that might change her mind.” I give a nervous smile, and Andy lets out a small chuckle.
“It’s your wedding anniversary, isn’t it?” She says almost nostalgically. “Time passes quickly.”
“I feel a bit guilty because we didn’t have our honeymoon yet, but we can’t help it,” I murmur, thoughtful. With work, the premature birth of our daughters, and everything that happened, Angelee didn’t want to leave the children for a single moment. For the first two weeks, she spent sleepless nights sitting in the armchair in the children’s room. And when I finally managed to get her into her room, she would often wake up sweating.
I sigh, with the verdict once again pounding in my head. I need to tell her… maybe it will give her some closure.
“Can you help me? I’m going to take them to see Mommy.” I ask with a subtle smile, and Andy also smiles, picking up Lizzie and putting her in the double stroller while I put Jackie next to her sister. When they’re side by side, they snuggle and touch as if seeking each other’s warmth.
“Do you need help with the stroller?” Andy asks, settling the girls down with teddy bears and toys, covering her with blankets before opening the door.
“No, it’s okay… you can take the rest of the day off.”
“All right, I’ll be there on time tomorrow. Will the girls stay with Michael?”
“Yes, Mike will stay with them for those two days.” I push the stroller out of my office. “Thanks for everything, Andy.”
She pats me on the back, looking at me proudly, “You’ve really grown up, kid. Jacob would be proud.”
I nod, my eyes soft. These words cause nothing more than a warmth in my chest. Today, I can remember my brother and only think of all the good memories we had together. The day I lost him no longer haunts me. I still miss him, of course, but it doesn’t hurt anymore.
As I take the elevator to the room that used to be mine, I notice the eyes of the employees on us. At first, seeing me carrying babies around caused quite a stir, but it’s clear that my daughters have won the hearts of every employee around. They’re too adorable to resist. Now, wherever they go, people come closer to get a better look at them. And perhaps because of their quiet and curious nature, they don’t cry around other people, just smile and give little laughs.
I knock on the project director’s office, close to the tag with the name ANGELEE ADAMS, and hear her sweet, muffled voice telling me, *“Yes? Come in.”* I open the door, and as soon as she looks up from the documents and sees the stroller, she has the same reaction as me.
Dropping everything on the table clumsily, she quickly approaches and says with baby talk, “Oh, what are you doing here, babies? Did you miss Mommy?”
Angelee leans over the stroller, touching the faces of the twins, their small blonde hair starting to grow. She crouches down, bringing her nose close to their hair to smell the baby’s scent.
“Hah, I really needed this.” She says, with her eyes closed, feeling little hands holding and pulling her hair, but she doesn’t seem to mind.
I close the door, and she raises her eyes to look at me.
“What about me? Don’t I get a sniff?” I raise an eyebrow, and she smiles naughtily.
Letting go of the hair in their little hands and covering it with a blanket, Angelee stands up and moves closer, throwing her arms around my neck and holding me tight. She hides her face in my skin, the tip of her nose against my throat, and smells deeply of my scent, bringing a shiver down my spine.
I wrap my arms around her waist, holding her even tighter.
“You always smell so good.” She says against my skin with a giggle, knowing exactly what she does to me.
“Hmm...” I mumble, feeling my body heat up. “You smell so good, too...”
I can’t control my hands finding the hem of her blouse or my fingerprints pressing into her skin under the cloth, moving upwards, spreading all over her back. I can feel the curve of her spine, her shivering skin, and damn it, *I’m hard.*
“The girls.” She says with a warm sigh against my neck, which only makes me even more needy.
Angelee pulls her face away, looking me straight in the eye, “Just hold on a little longer, okay?”
“Okay,” I grunt, frustrated, and pull away because if I hold her body this close, I’m really going to snap it.
Angelee leans back on the stroller, playing with the twins. I watch the scene fondly, my heart filling up.
“What’s wrong?” She asks without looking at me.
“Hmm?”
Angelee finally rests those big brown eyes on me.
“You’re bothered by something. What is it?”
I hold her gaze for a moment... Then I sigh, letting the words out, “It’s about Laura... Her verdict has been decided.”