Chapter 1029 I Am Sophia, and He Is Oliver
"Joseph, what's up?" Mildred asked, her voice shaky.
Mabel came downstairs, puzzled. "Dad, Mom, why are you both in the kitchen?"
"Mabel, Joseph's making breakfast today," Walter said, dead serious.
Mabel's jaw dropped when she saw Joseph in an apron. "Well, that's a first. You always complain about other people's cooking. Let's see if you can handle it yourself."
"That's not the point," Mildred whispered. "The point is, he's smiling."
Joseph was almost fuming. "Grandpa, Grandma, I'm smiling because I'm in a good mood."
"Did something good happen?" Mildred asked, confused. The Hernandez family was a mess: Richard was out of it, Isaac was down, and Celeste was always crying. If Mildred let it get to her, she'd be angry too.
Mabel suddenly thought of Cameron.
She figured Joseph was happy because Cameron was back. A dad's role is huge in a kid's life. Joseph used to be cold, but with Cameron back, he seemed like a new person.
"You'll find out soon enough." Joseph raised his eyebrows, grinning.
Mildred and Walter were puzzled, but Mabel was on edge.
After Mildred and Walter left, Mabel nervously approached Joseph. "Is Cameron coming over later?"
Seeing Mabel's anxious face, Joseph raised an eyebrow. "You're overthinking it. Dad wants nothing to do with the Hernandez family. No way he's coming here."
"You're right," Mabel said, looking down and sighing.
"Do you miss him?" Joseph suddenly asked.
"Of course not. I just feel like I owe him," Mabel snapped.
Besides, she didn't have the guts to face him.
"Good. I was just worried you'd want to go back to him like I do," Joseph said. "But I didn't marry Megan or have kids with her."
Mabel rolled her eyes. "Do you really need to brag about that? At least I brought you into this world. Have you brought your child into the world?"
Joseph just smiled.
Mabel grew more suspicious. Normally, he'd be angry at her words. Today, he wasn't mad at all.
"Get out and don't bother me while I'm making breakfast."
Joseph grabbed his phone and started making a sponge cake, following a video.
Mabel was more puzzled than ever.
Mildred, who was supposed to take Walter out for a walk, decided to stay home.
Around seven, Mabel went upstairs to wake Sophia. Not long after, a scream echoed from upstairs.
"Mabel, what's going on?" Mildred rushed upstairs and saw, besides Sophia, a boy in the bedroom. He was wearing blue cartoon pajamas and looked at them calmly. Though young, his striking features hinted he'd be very handsome one day.
He looked a lot like Cassie.
"Who are you?" Mildred asked, baffled.
Oliver frowned. He guessed these people were the Hernandez family, as Sophia often mentioned them.
Sophia grinned. "Grandma, let me introduce my little..."
"I'm your older brother," Oliver cut in.
"You were born three minutes before me," Sophia shot back.
"It still counts," Oliver insisted.
Mabel was stunned. "Sophia, what's going on?"
Oliver pursed his lips, and Sophia explained, "We're twins. I'm Sophia, and he's Oliver."
Mildred and Mabel gasped in unison. "Liam never mentioned this."
"Because they're not Liam's kids," Joseph said, appearing behind them with a smug grin. "Sophia and Oliver are Cassie's and mine. They're the twins from back then. We were all deceived by Cassie and Liam."
"What?" Mabel and Mildred were both floored.
All these years, they had mourned the loss of the twins. They never imagined the kids were still alive.
"Sophia is your child. No wonder she looks so much like you," Mildred said joyfully. "Oliver doesn't look like you; he looks like Cassie. But they're both beautiful. This is wonderful."
Mildred's eyes welled up with happiness. "Liam kept such a secret from us."
"Mommy was afraid you'd take us away if you knew this," Sophia explained. "We didn't want to be separated from Mommy, so Liam let me pretend to be his daughter. That way, I could see you anytime, and Liam could take me to see Mommy."
"Liam had good intentions," Mabel said, her eyes misty. "He did a good thing back then. If it weren't for him, Sophia and Oliver might not be here today."
Joseph's eyes were full of guilt. "Yes, Mom, I regret how I treated him before. I'll find him and treat him like my brother from now on."
"We don't even know if he can come back," Mabel said, tears streaming down.
"Let's not talk about that in front of Sophia and Oliver. Today, we should be happy. The Hernandez family has been through so much, but now we have two more family mumbers." Mildred walked over to Oliver. "Oliver, I'm your great-grandma. The Hernandez family owes your mommy. We won't take you away from her, but we're all your family. This is also your home."
"Yes," Mabel said, squatting in front of the kids and holding Sophia's hand. "We were so excited for your arrival when you were still in your mommy's belly. Unfortunately, Joseph made many mistakes, causing you to be born into an incomplete family. I'm very sorry."
Sophia hugged Mabel. "Grandma, it's not your fault. We just don't like Daddy, but you all are great. We like you."
"Thank you," Mabel said, happily kissing Sophia's cheek. She looked at Oliver, who remained indifferent.
"Oliver, your dad was like you when he was little," Mabel suddenly said. "But I know, beneath your cold exterior, like your dad, you long for family. You just use coldness to protect yourself from getting hurt. I didn't do a good job as a mother before, but I'll be a good grandmother from now on."
Oliver's eyes flickered, and he looked at Joseph. Joseph also looked at Mabel in surprise.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
