When Contracts Turn to Forbidden Kisses Chapter 78

Amelia

Eleanor’s voice pulled me back to the moment. “Amelia, you’re daydreaming again.”

I blinked, shaking off the memories swirling in my head. “Sorry, just thinking about everything.” I crossed the living room and hugged Eleanor, feeling that familiar, comforting warmth only she could give. “Thank you for looking after Lucas and Ella. I honestly don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” She brushed a stray hair from my face, a motherly gesture that still caught me off guard sometimes. “Those two are the heart of this house. Benjamin and I would keep them forever if you let us.”

Meanwhile, Sophie was on the floor with the twins, helping them build a tower of wooden blocks that looked like it could fall at any moment. At twenty-two, Sophie had the energy to keep up with my three-year-olds, bouncing between them as if it was nothing. What impressed me most was how quickly she’d accepted me as her sister—welcoming me from day one, even after the shock of discovering we were family.

“Mom! Look how tall!” Lucas beamed, his blue eyes—so much like his dad’s—wide with pride.

“That’s awesome, buddy.” I moved closer, careful not to knock over their creation. “You’re quite the little architect.”

Ella tugged at my pants, demanding attention in her own way. “I helped too, Mommy. I put the red blocks.”

“And those are the most important ones,” I said, kneeling to kiss her forehead. Her dark curls framed a face that was the perfect mix of Ethan and me. That thought made my heart tighten—sweet yet bittersweet at the same time.

Would he see himself in Lucas’s serious face? Notice how Ella held a crayon just like he held a pen? Questions I’d asked myself a thousand times, with no answers.

I sank onto the couch, watching the twins, and I found myself wiping away tears without even realizing it.

“You okay?” Olivia appeared beside me, her voice soft.

I nodded, swallowing hard. How could I explain that I was remembering the cold hospital room in Boston where I’d given birth alone? Well, not completely alone—Olivia had been there, holding my hand through twenty hours of labor. But the emptiness on the other side of the bed was something I’d never forget.

“I just…” I hesitated. “I never thought I’d have this. A family.”

Olivia squeezed my hand. “They’re amazing kids.”

“Mommy! Look!” Ella held up a small easel, her face glowing. “I can paint like you!”

“That’s from me,” Sophie called out proudly. “Aunt Sophie knows best!”

Lucas was already wearing the toy stethoscope from his doctor kit, listening carefully to a stuffed bear’s chest. “He has a good heartbeat, Mommy. Just like your patients.”

“Let me see,” I played along. “Oh yeah, very strong. You’re gonna be a great doctor someday.”

After the presents were opened and cake mostly eaten (with plenty ending up on the floor and the twins’ faces), the excitement started to wind down.

The party wore them out, and they were asleep almost as soon as their heads hit the pillows.

I snapped a photo on my phone: Lucas sprawled on his bed, one arm flung over his head; Ella curled up tight, clutching her favorite stuffed elephant. These quiet moments felt precious, especially with New York and its chaos waiting for us.

After checking they were settled, I walked down the hall to Olivia’s room, knocking softly before going in.

“Three years,” I murmured to Olivia, gazing out the window into the darkness. “Can you believe it’s been three years?”

She leaned back, twirling a strand of her red hair. “Sometimes it feels like we left New York yesterday. Other times, like a lifetime ago.”

“I’m still amazed we pulled it off.” I lowered my voice, even though we were alone.

“It's all thanks to the Astor,” Olivia said.

I nodded, grateful for the Astor family’s protection. When I found out I was part of this family and they welcomed me with open arms, I never imagined how fiercely they’d shield us—from the media and from my father’s side.

“Has Robert tried to reach out again?” Olivia asked, reading my mind.

“Not since last year’s pathetic ‘reconciliation’ attempt.” I air-quoted the word. “He only cares now that Thompson Enterprises is making money again. Funny how that works.”

"Hey, remember when we first arrived in Boston?" Olivia asked as she folded clothes into her suitcase. "Those early months were a total whirlwind - adapting to a new place and snooping around about your mom. I can't believe we made it through that!"

I leaned against the windowsill, watching garden lights sway in the evening breeze. “And the neighbor who played saxophone at three in the morning.”

“God, yes.” Olivia laughed. “I thought you were gonna kill him with your bare hands when you were pregnant and couldn’t sleep.”

“I considered it,” I admitted. “Pregnancy hormones are no joke.”

We fell into a comfortable silence as Olivia packed and I got lost in thoughts about tomorrow—our return to New York, the city where I met Ethan, married him, and eventually ran away.

“You ready?” Olivia asked suddenly, pausing to look at me. “To face everything… everyone in New York?”

I knew who she really meant. The question I’d been avoiding even in my own head.

“I don’t know,” I whispered. “What if we run into him, Liv? What if he sees the twins?”

Lucas and Ella’s features were unmistakably Black—especially Lucas, who was basically a mini Ethan. Anyone who knew him would make the connection immediately.

“Then we deal with it,” Olivia said firmly. “Like we’ve dealt with everything else.”

I nodded, trying to believe her. “I’m not the same person who left New York three years ago.”