Chapter 22
The kids were playing outside as Lauren fixed the stuff they brought earlier.
they decided to play together
They had just gotten home from the Family Day event and the kids still couldn’t get enough of the games that they de
outside with their friends.
Lauren busied herself cleaning the house, stopping herself from thinking about one thing. Declan
“Might as well clear these all up,” she muttered to herself as she looked all the mess inside their house. She started moving, knowing it was the perfect time to clean as it was also her only rest day from training-
The sun was still up, but Lauren knew it was becoming late afternoon, so she decided to cook first since they y finished all their food earlier.
As soon as that lunch on a picnic ended, Lauren made sure not to dwell on the things that she heard, She busied herself cleaning after her twins and making sure they were not injured
She tried shrugging off the thought that Declan was there. She tried thinking he was just another random father trying to help their little family get past some certain activities like they used to.
But Lauren couldn’t help it. Her heart was warming up to the mere thought that Declan was really around. That her family was complete. She Couldn’t downplay it.
And the way he has also been trying to take care of Dahlia and Damon, making sure they enjoyed every bit of the event, was making her heart soft. Her children’s smiles and the glow in their eyes every time Declan holds them melis Lauren’s heart. She has never seen them that happy.
The way Declan looked over them and made sure to catch them whenever they were about around herself
If against him
to fall was creating cracks around the walls Lauren built
It was difficult controlling all the fantasies that had started running her mind. It was difficult, especially when she couldn’t see a trace of Declan not liking what he was doing. It was as if he had been practicing being a father all his life, and he was living the dream now.
care of her whenever she also played
It made her nervous. And what made her heart even more nervous was how he also took care of her. Taking car for the children. He felt protective.
He looked worried when she stumbled one time as she ran and immediately held her.
“Are you okay?” He asked, his eyes observing her knees as she scraped them a b
a bit. Lauren nodded. “Yeah?
She shook off her tension and just continued playing. But when the game required their partner, Lauren just endured being with him.
No, not endured. She enjoyed it. Too much she forgot about her worries for a bit
She and Declan high–fived each other when they won, smiling widely at each other company a lot
as if they were the teenagers that used to enjoy each other’s
“You did well. You’re faster than I remember,” he said, sounding almost breathless with their faces close. She just didn’t know if he was breathless from the race they had or from the way they were instinctively getting close to each other. He was barely breaking any sweat.
“I trained well, she replied distractedly, also heaving deeply, drawn to those bright eyes that were not cold
anymore.
“My Mommy and Daddy are the best!”
Dahlia’s cheer made both of them aware of their surroundings. It woke Lauren up from her little dream. And she realized they weren’t the same Lauren and Declan they were before.
She smiled at the crowd who had been cheering unusually louder and started getting back to her joyful twins.
Since that game, Lauren avoided making any contact with Derlag Until they got
home.
“I’ll take care of it,” the said and took the bags that Declan was about to put inside her home when they arrives. She didn’t want him inside. She
Traight not want hien to leave
She allowed herself to meet his eyes, though. “Thank you for olay. Thank you for doing this for the kids”
She gave h him a umall simile and immediately started griting inside the door, but Declan spoke.
“Lauren Hease allow me to maurit sip to you”
She could see the flash of genuineness in his eyes as heated at her. There was a glut of something deeper that But he blinked, and his waiting eyes remained an lier.
auren almost felt scared to dije.
Chapter 22
She looked
aught her hand. She almost flung her arm away, stung at how much her skin burned at the mere touch of him. And it was a
thought
up to you. For all the lost years we had. For all the things I did. Lauren-
for the children will be enough” she met his eyes.
be
tossed him scared that she was starting to drown in him again.
entered her home and closed the door. She put the bags down and let herself sink on the floor. The thought of what she
because he needs us. The same be married me. Out of respect and obligation. It was her thought until her heart settled at the
burting the twins anyway. Whether she’d not let them see their father or they’d spend time with him. One way or another, they sow the truth, and come to learn about hurts. As much as she could, Lauren just didn’t want that hurt to come from her. She just
With those swarming thoughts. Lauren continued her chores in the house. Restless despite the energetic activities they played earlier.
the dishes, swept the floor, did the laundry and even gardened for a bit just to finish all the accumulated house work she had busy schedule. At some point, she yearned doing this in that one week full of training. She missed feeling like a Mom more
on the called when she noticed how they had ran off far from their house where she could barely see them.
the window and when she heard them shouting and running off, enjoying their youth, she let them be and just continued wiping
The she also needed some time alone, anyway. She sighed and let her mind focus on the task at hand.
As Lasuren continued cleaning the house, she didn’t notice how the time had gone by, the sun starting to fade in the horizon.
looked back at the kitchen, remembering whether she left anything unwashed earlier. She got fixated on her plants.
about to get busy in her kitchen when she suddenly felt something weird. Her hand that was already holding a pot stopped mid–air, trying to figure out what this was all about.
Then she beard at
Wissper and poles from around her heightened senses hearing rage. The pack was was loud. The pack was aggravated.
looked out the doorway, and she quickly noticed how people had already buddled together to talk about something. “What’s happening She asked silently as the wiped her wet hand on a towel, walking out he survey about what’s happening.
breathed the air outside her house, goosebumps quickly rose on her skin.
Cold chills ran around her entire body as the sensation brought her to the worst night of her life.
