Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Six years later…
“Mommy, Lincoln doesn’t want to go to school again.” Sophia darted into the study room and dived into her arms. She complained weakly and even secretly turned around to see whether her elder brother followed her or not after that. Making sure her elder brother was not around, she then extended her short arms and hugged Catherine, acting cute. “I don’t care, if Lincoln doesn’t want to go to school, so do I.”
Catherine kissed her on the cheek and said, “Whenever your exam result has surpassed your brother’s, you won’t have to go to school anymore.” Little Sophia instantly pulled down her face. “Sophia, stop disturbing mommy.” Lincoln held a cup of water and handed to Catherine. He touched her forehead and glanced at the manuscript on the computer screen. “Mommy, have you burnt the midnight oil to draw again?”
“No, I’ve just gotten up from bed.”
“Mommy’s lying again.” Lincoln behaved like a mature adult and said, “You don’t have to work that hard, I’ll quickly earn money to raise you.” Sophia raised her head and smiled sweetly. “Me too, mommy. Can I not go to school?”
Catherine felt amused and her heart ached at the same time. When she was sent to the hospital back then, she was diagnosed as pregnant and after giving birth to the two children, she had continued serving the sentence for three years while bringing them up. After that, not knowing how Owen Torres did it, she was bailed out of jail.
Although they were twins, both children had totally different personalities. Little Lincoln was smart and sensitive like a mature adult. He could detect her slight change in mood whereas Sophia was always straightforward and reckless. She was a loving and adorable little girl.
Bath children looked more and more like Anderson. Sophia was still okay because she liked to act cute and her temperament placed a huge contrast between her and Anderson. Whereas, Lincoln was exactly the tiny version of Anderson in other’s eyes. However, there were no disgust, indifference and impatience in his eyes which was similar to Anderson’s, but only admiration and care. The two kids were her saviors when she was amidst immense hatred.
“Mommy, Sophia will raise you at home, Sophia doesn’t want to go to school.” Catherine shook her head to get rid of the unnecessary thoughts. “No. If you don’t go to school, no job would want you, then how would you be able to raise mommy? Hurry up and get down the bed and have your meal with Owen, I’ll send both of you to school.”
Being rejected straight away, Sophia pouted. She walked towards Lincoln reluctantly and said, “Lincoln, could you take a sick leave during the exam next time? Then I’ll be able to surpass you and I don’t have to go to school anymore, please…”
When Catherine was bringing the two kids out, Owen was putting on his blazer. Catherine glimpsed at the time. It was just seven o’clock. “Going that soon?”
“Something’s happened in the company and I need to solve it. Send me a message to report your safety after sending the kids to school.” Catherine shook her head in grievance when she heard Owen’s order. “It’s gonna be alright. It’s been six years, Anderson has already forgotten my existence.”
Owen stopped his movement when he was wearing his necktie and said with a serious look, “We should not let our guard down.” He then stooped, carried Sophia up and kissed her. “I’m going to the workplace. Sophia needs to study well, okay? Tomorrow is the day for trip, your mommy and I are going to bring you and Lincoln to the oceanarium.” Sophia was so delighted that she landed a few kisses on Owen’s cheek. She then released him reluctantly so he could go to work.
Catherine’s phone’s notification bell rang when she just sat in front of the dining table and was feeding the children. Lincoln had opened her phone before she made a move. She ignored that and fed Sophia
porridge first. After feeding her a few spoons, she noticed Lincoln was still playing with her phone and she instinctively glimpsed at him.
She immediately snatched the phone from Lincoln’s hand when she saw a familiar face on the phone screen. She then spoke with an evasive manner, “Don’t play with the phone anymore, hurry up and finish your meal and go to school.”
Lincoln replied with an expressionless face, “You don’t need to hide anymore, I already knew Anderson Clark is my dad.” Catherine was startled. Lincoln then continued helplessly, “You used to call his name in your dream and I’ve checked it on the web. Plus he looks similar to me.” Catherine let out a wry smile. “Is that so?” She really had no idea what she had said in her dreams.
“I suppose Anderson did not know my and Sophia’s existence.” Lincoln ate his bread slowly. “If he did, you don’t have to be scared too, Sophia and I would not go with him.” Lincoln’s eyes were serious and sincere. ‘I will protect you, and I would never go with him. You don’t have to be afraid, mommy.” Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.
“Mommy, I’ll protect you too.” Sophia chimed in. Catherine turned her head away. She took a deep breath to try not to make her tears fall. She felt deeply sorry for her two children, and she felt heartwarming and poignant when her kids consoled her in return.
After sending the two children to school, Catherine opened her phone and glimpsed at the news Lincoln had been reading. The headline “Anderson Clark’s speech in University A” was written and below it was all about the introduction of Anderson’s incidence all these years. A video when he was delivering the speech was attached. The face on the cover of the video was still the same as before yet there was more maturity. Catherine stared at the face and her fingernails sank into her flesh.
Anderson’s business had grown bigger and bigger these few years. She had avoided seeing any news regarding him on purpose but she could still hear some of them. When his business territory had been keeping on expanding, she was serving prison sentence in jail while bringing up her children and battling
depression. Encountering Anderson signified the beginning of all ordeals. She used to make her parents proud and was a bright star in the upper circle, yet she was now a pathetic joke. In order to keep her children by her side, she even needed to conceal her identity in daily life.
As Catherine was having multiple thoughts when staring at the phone screen, she suddenly received a voice call. It was from the editor and she quickly picked it up. “Hi, why didn’t you reply my message?”
‘I didn’t see it just now, what’s wrong?”
“You’re shortlisted tomorrow, I’ve tried so hard to get you the place, so remember to update the comic more,” the editor ordered with worry. Catherine agreed and she closed the news. Her current life no longer intersected with Anderson’s. She was not able to go out to work because she was afraid that Anderson would find her, and she could not get involved in her usual finance profession too. Luckily, her art skill was good and she had learnt drawing comic in high school. She was now a hired comic artist for a comic platform and her result was still nice.
Her current life was certainly no match against her life when she was the mistress of the Johnson family back then, but her life was still stress-free. She felt slightly suffocated when she stayed in the car for too long. She then opened the car window to let the wind blow in. She took a deep breath and drove all the way back home. As she just left after finished parking the car, a black Rolls-Royce car stopped beside her car.
Anderson fixed his deep eyes on the delicate figure at the front. That back looked just like hers! Joshua Adams walked a few steps forward and noticing him not following him, he turned back and looked at him. “Andy, what are you looking at?”