13

However, Amelia had a bad feeling that Nicole would suddenly return home and learn the truth about what happened that night. If that happened, she would lose everything and be forced to live her life like she used to. 




At the thought of that, she told herself that she would never let something like that happen. Thus, when Drake took her back to the mansion after dinner, Amelia coyly invited the man into the house. “Drake, would you like to come inside and have a cup of tea?”




“No thanks. I still have things to attend to."




“But I’m scared of being alone. I want you to keep me company.” Amelia immediately tried to play on the man’s sympathy by pretending to be scared.




“I’ll get Natasha to accompany you.” Drake reached for his cell phone.




“No! Please! I only want your company.”




“But I really have something to do at work. Next time, perhaps.” Drake gently looked at her. “Rest well. Good night.”




Amelia disappointed upon hearing the man’s reply, but the man’s meek attitude prompted her to stop insisting coyly as she bitterly nodded. “Alright then.” 




Setting her eyes on Drake's car, she bit her lip while wishing she could be in the man’s embrace. I swear I will make him my man one day! I’m going to be the lady that every other woman envies.




Meanwhile, Amelia decided to spend her wonderful day inspecting some outlets with Felicia. As time slipped by quickly, she called it a day and left work earlier than usual, around 4.30 PM, thinking she wanted to bring her kids back home to see her father.




On the other hand, Gerald Chapman had specially informed the cook in the Chapman Residence to prepare dinner for Nicole's arrival, but Wanda Russell made sure the cook only prepared her daughter’s favorite dishes, sparing no thought for Nicole at all.




 Soon, the maid came over and asked, “Madam, Old Master Chapman said prawns are Young Mistress Nicole's favorite, which is why he told me to buy them. Are you sure you don’t want me to cook them?”




“Of course not. Go ahead and cook the prawns, but make sure they taste so spicy that the b*tch wishes she didn’t eat them,” Wanda replied. 




As soon as the maid proceeded to do what she was told, Wanda was left angrily dwelling on Nicole's intentions of returning home. Deep down, she couldn’t help but think that Nicole was back for a piece of the big pie now that Gerald Chapman and his company were doing so well that they had amassed a fortune over billions. As long as I’m in this family, Nicole can forget about her share of the inheritance.




“Mom, do you know that Nicole is going to be back for dinner?” Amelia entered through the door in frustration.




Wanda nodded. “Your dad insists she join us for dinner, and I couldn’t say anything about it.”




“It’s been five years. I wonder how she is now.”Amelia pursed her lips.




“How well can her life be? She didn’t even finish her university studies when she left at 19. The way I see it, she must be back for the inheritance because she’s been struggling to make ends meet.” Wanda grunted in dissatisfaction.




“You mustn’t let her take what’s mine away, Mom. I own everything that belongs to Dad,” Amelia audaciously said, as if she was the rightful heir of her father’s inheritance.




"Of course, she has nothing to do with the inheritance at all," Wanda replied firmly.




“Alright, I’m going to wear some make-up and put on my new dress.” Amelia headed upstairs as soon as she finished her words, thinking she should show Nicole that her place in the Chapman Family was irreplaceable.




On the other hand, Nicole took a cab and was on her way to the Chapman Residence with her kids while teaching the latter what to do later. Thankfully, her kids were smart children who understood what Nicole told them, melting her heart so much that she immediately hugged and kissed them.




 “That’s my darling babies!” Deep down, she sympathized with her own kids, thinking they would perhaps be treated differently if they were born into a different family. At the same time, she found it ironic for their presence to be treated in an unwelcoming manner in her father’s house.




In the meantime, Gerald Chapman happened to be at his doorstep. He had left his office earlier than he usually would because he couldn’t wait to see his daughter, who had been away from him for five years.




 Soon, he saw a cab coming in his direction and walked closer to it just when the car came to a stop. Then, a lady with a slim figure stepped out of the vehicle, and she turned out to be Nicole. Not long after that, he saw three kids emerging from behind Nicole and was completely stunned by what he saw.




 How come my daughter has litte kids who looks like they are 4 or 5 years old with her? Is she… Gerald Chapman couldn’t help but feel surprised by what he saw.




Meanwhile, Nicole looked at her father, realizing how much he had aged after five years. Because of that, she began to become understanding about what happened back then while blaming herself for not having kept in touch with Gerald Chapman in the past five years.




“I’m back, Dad.” Nichole seized her kids’s hand and walked closer to Gerald. Then, she looked at her Kids and said, “Drea, Elis and Pete, greet your grandfather.”




“Grandpa.” the triplets looked up and called out to Gerald Chapman.




Grandpa? Gerald was caught by surprise when he heard the children’s voice, looking at the triplets in awe. “This is my grandchildren? You have kids already?”




"Yes, Dad. Their names are Drea, Elis and Pete, and they are three and a half years old." 




Nicole refused to tell Gerald her kid's actual age because she didn't want her father to deduce when she gave birth to them..




"Three and a half years old, and they are already this tall." Gerald found it unbelievable that he already had a handsome grandchildren..




“Yeah!” Nicole smiled.




“What about your kids ’s father?” Gerald Chapman asked.




“I’ve never lived with him ever since I gave birth to them,” Nicole replied.




“Yeah, we’ve only been living with Mom all the time, Grandpa,” the children added.




Gerald’ eyes were filled with tears when he realized he did nothing to help his daughter raise his grandchildren. I’m such a terrible grandfather. Worse, I cast my own daughter away from home five years ago.




 “This is my fault! All my fault, Nicole! Please forgive me. I’m sure I’ll make it up to you.” Gerald was overwhelmed by his own guilt.




“No need for that. The kids and I have been managing well by ourselves.” Nicole didn’twant her father’s guilt to weigh him down.




“Come on in! Let me hug you, my darling kids!” Gerald bent over and hugged the triplets, thinking the children were well fed well due to their build. Other than that, he was proud of how good-looking his own grandchildren was, as he reckoned the triplets were the most adorable children he had ever seen.




As soon as Nicole entered the parlor with her father, Wanda Russell saw her husband carrying the three children in her arms and asked in surprise, “Who’s that children, hubby?”




“Wanda, these are Nicole's kids. She gave birth to triplets when she was living abroad.” Gerald happily made the announcement, showing his exhilaration at his grandchildren ’s arrival. After all, his biggest regret was not having a son, although he wasn’t particular about having one. Therefore, he treated his daughter's son like his own because Pete was still the descendant of his bloodline.




“What?!” Wanda Russell was stunned to learn that the children was Nicole's kids.




“Mom.” Nicole coldly greeted Wanda.




“Oh, dear! We didn’t know you were already a mother after five years. Why didn’t you tell us anything?”

 Wanda pretended to show her concern, thinking it was a necessary move to make even in front of her husband. “Who is the father? Why isn’t he here?”




“Wanda, Nicole is raising the children by herself.” Gerald Chapman quickly reminded her to stop asking unnecessary questions.




At that instant, Wanda immediately thought that Nicole was going to use her kids to claim a bigger share of the inheritance, deeming both of them a greater threat, when she noticed how Gerald loved the kids. “Oh! A single mother! How touching and noble!” Wanda said with a sarcastic tone.




Seemingly sensing what Wanda's tone indicated, Pete looked at the lady and asked, "Who are you?".




Wanda looked askance at the child and said, “Greet your grandmother.”




“My mother said my grandmother passed away long ago, so how are you my grandmother?” Pete asked, his innocence and purity indirectly telling Wanda's ill intentions.




“Oh gosh, look at this child! How rude he is! Nicole, if you don’t teach him some manners, how do you expect him to live decently when he grows up?” 




Wanda Russell questioned Nicole's upbringing in an annoyed manner.




"How my son behaves is none of your concern." Nicole stood up for her child...