Chapter 9 - chapter 9

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A story that talks about her hidden darkness 🕳️🕳️

Chapter 9

Jasper POV

I was still sitting in my office, lost in deep thoughts. My mind kept circling around Cathy — the way she fainted earlier, the way her hands trembled before she did. Maybe I'd asked something too sensitive, maybe I'd reopened an old wound. The thought made my chest tighten with guilt.

Just then, the door opened and James walked in, breaking my thoughts.

"Sir, your siblings have arrived," he announced with a smile.

"Let them in," I said, straightening my suit as I stood up.

"Hey bro!" Jude shouted the moment he entered, pulling me into a tight hug. I couldn't help but smile — it had been years since I last saw him, and though he looked a bit tired from our wild night out, he was still the same loud, playful brother I knew.

But then, I noticed something strange.

"Where's Jane?" I asked, glancing toward the door.

Jude chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "She's outside… admiring two kids. Said they looked exactly like us when we were younger."

My heart skipped. I knew instantly who she was talking about — Cathy's twins.

Before I could even respond, Jane barged in, her expression a mix of shock and disbelief.

"Jasper!" she exclaimed, pointing a finger at me. "How could you be so wicked not to tell me about my nephew and niece? Is that fair?"

I blinked, utterly confused. "Wait—what? Those aren't my kids," I said quickly. "They belong to my secretary, Cathy."

Jane folded her arms, giving me that familiar "don't-lie-to-me" stare. "They look exactly like you and Jude when you were little. Same eyes, same smile. Don't play dumb, Jasper."

"Invite her in," she finally said, clearly not convinced.

With a sigh, I picked up the phone. "Cathy, please come to my office."

Moments later, the door opened and she walked in — neatly dressed, her long brown hair tied in a simple ponytail. Even though she looked calm, I could tell she was still recovering from earlier.

"Sir, do you need anything?" she asked politely. Her voice was soft but firm, the kind that could silence a noisy room.

Before I could say anything, Jude — standing by the window — muttered under his breath, "Damn, she's so cute."

I shot him a sharp glare that could cut steel. "Watch it," I said quietly, and he raised his hands in mock surrender, smirking.

Meanwhile, Jane's tone softened completely. She smiled warmly and said, "Hi, Cathy."

Cathy blinked, clearly taken aback by how kind Jane's tone was. "Good afternoon, ma'am," she replied politely.

I stood there, watching the three of them interact. But deep down, my thoughts were elsewhere — circling around one question that refused to leave my head:

Why do her children look so much like me?

Cathy POV

After Mr. Jasper called me into his office, I quickly turned to my kids, who were happily devouring their ice creams. "Luna, Lucas, please don't go anywhere, okay? Stay right here," I said gently. They both nodded with innocent smiles, their little faces smeared with ice cream. My heart warmed at the sight — my babies, my reason to keep moving.

Taking a deep breath, I straightened my blouse and walked toward Jasper's office. The moment I stepped inside, I heard a male voice — confident, teasing, and slightly playful.

"Damn, she's so cute," he said, not even trying to lower his tone.

My eyes darted toward him. He was tall, good-looking, and had the same striking resemblance as Jasper. His words caught me completely off guard, and I could already feel my cheeks heating up. So this must be Jude, I thought silently, trying to ignore the way he was staring at me.

Then a soft feminine voice came from behind him. "Hi," she said warmly.

I turned immediately and smiled politely. "Hi, good afternoon, ma'am."

The woman, who I assumed was Jasper's sister, smiled back but her expression changed almost instantly — serious, curious, and sharp. "Are those kids for my brother?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.

I blinked, confused. "Which one?" I asked hesitantly, glancing between the two brothers.

"Jasper, of course," she replied, as if it were obvious.

I couldn't help it — a small laugh escaped my lips. "No, ma'am, they're not his kids."

Her eyes narrowed. "What's funny?" she asked, her tone suddenly stern.

Realizing my mistake, I quickly composed myself. "I'm sorry, ma'am, I didn't mean to laugh. It's just… they're mine."

She exchanged glances with Jasper and Jude, clearly not convinced. "So how come they look so much like Jasper and Jude?"

"I… I don't know," I said softly, my voice trembling a bit. The air in the room suddenly felt heavy, and I could feel my heart pounding faster.

Then she asked the question I'd been dreading. "So how did you get these kids?"

Everything around me blurred. My head spun, my vision clouded, and before I could utter a word, darkness consumed me. The last thing I remembered was Jude rushing forward to catch me before I hit the ground.

"Stop it already, Jane!" Jasper's voice thundered across the room. His tone was sharp, filled with anger and concern. The moment I heard his voice, even through my dizziness, I felt… safe.

When I finally came around, Jasper was standing by my side, worry written all over his face. "You should go home and rest," he said gently. "Take the day off."

I nodded weakly, whispering a quiet "thank you," and left the office with my kids.

Later that evening, at home, I sat quietly in my small living room, my children playing near me. The house was peaceful, but my heart wasn't. My mind kept replaying Jane's question, dragging me back to that night I'd tried so hard to forget — the night everything changed.

Before I realized it, tears were streaming down my face. I tried to wipe them away quickly, but Luna noticed.

"Mommy?" she said softly, walking toward me with a cup of warm water. "Drink up, Mommy. I love you so much." Her tiny hand patted my head gently, the way I always did to comfort her.

And then Lucas ran in with a mischievous grin, holding a small pack of snacks I had bought the other day. "Mom, eat this too!" he said, shoving it toward my mouth with his little hands. I laughed through my tears, taking a bite.

"Mom, you're the best," he said, giggling.

That moment, surrounded by their laughter and innocent love, something inside me healed just a little. I looked at them — my beautiful blessings — and smiled genuinely for the first time in a long while.

Maybe my past was painful, but my present… my children… they were my reason to smile again.

Jasper POV

Seeing Jane question Cathy so harshly broke something deep inside me. The way her voice cut through the room — sharp and accusing — made my blood boil. And when Jude held Cathy in his arms after she fainted, I didn't even know what I felt anymore. Anger? Jealousy? Worry? Maybe all three mixed into one unbearable storm.

Even hours later, I couldn't get the scene out of my head. The sight of her fragile body, the way her breathing slowed, how pale her face had gone… it haunted me. I kept pacing around my room, running my fingers through my hair, wondering why my heart refused to calm down.

Why does it hurt this much?

It was already evening when I finally gave up trying to suppress the urge to reach out to her. Grabbing my phone, I opened our chat and hesitated for a second before typing.

"Good evening, damsel."

It didn't take long for her to reply.

"Evening. Who's this?"

I smiled a little, imagining her frowning at her screen, trying to figure it out.

"It's me — your stalker 😉."

There was a pause, then her reply came.

"Stalker??"

I chuckled softly, shaking my head.

"Yes, your one and only stalker… and lover."

I could almost see her reaction — wide eyes, lips slightly parted in disbelief.

"But I don't have any lover," she said. I could sense the nervousness in her tone even through text, and it made me smile.

"So you don't know me?" I replied, adding a serious emoji just to tease her more.

A moment later, her message came through.

"The only person that could say something like this is Jasper."

I laughed out loud, relieved that she still knew me too well.

"You caught me," I typed back quickly, grinning from ear to ear.

For a moment, I stared at the blinking cursor. My heart was pounding so loud I could hear it. Then, without overthinking, I typed what had been sitting in my heart for far too long.

"Cathy, I would love for us to date officially. I don't care what anyone says, or what might happen — I just want us to make our relationship official."

I watched the screen, waiting. Seconds passed. Then a minute. My heart started to ache again.

Finally, her reply came.

"Are you for real, or is this a joke?"

I exhaled deeply. I could feel the uncertainty in her question, and I wanted nothing more than to take her hand right now and convince her of how serious I was.

"Yes, I'm for real," I typed back quickly. "I don't care what happened in the past. I don't care about the world or its judgment. All I want is you, Cathy. And as for your kids — I promise to love them the same way I love you. They'll be mine too."

After a long pause, her message popped up.

"Okay then… let's make it work."

My chest tightened, but in the best way possible. I felt warmth flood through me — joy, relief, and disbelief all at once. I didn't even think twice before hitting the video call button.

When she picked up, her face filled the screen. Her hair was messy, her eyes soft from exhaustion, yet she looked like the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. I smiled instantly.

"Hey, beautiful," I said softly.

Her lips curved into a shy smile. "Hi, Jasper."

"Say it again," I said teasingly, "I just love hearing you call my name."

She laughed quietly, shaking her head. "You're impossible."

"Only for you," I said, smiling.

And in that moment — even through a screen — I could feel something real. Something deep. It wasn't just love; it was connection, comfort, the feeling of finally being where I belonged.

For the first time in a long time, I went to bed smiling… because now, she was mine.

Cathy POV

The next morning felt like sunshine on my skin — soft, warm, and full of peace. I opened my eyes slowly, finding Lucas and Luna curled up on each side of me. Lucas's little arm was thrown across my chest, while Luna's hair brushed my face lightly as she slept. I smiled, brushing her curls away gently.

"Good morning, my angels," I whispered, pressing a kiss on each of their foreheads.

Lucas groaned softly. "Mummy… five more minutes."

I laughed quietly. "No, sweetheart. Remember? We're going to church today."

At the sound of that, Luna's eyes fluttered open, her amber eyes gleaming sleepily. "Church?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Yes, baby. Church," I said with a smile. "Now come on, let's make today beautiful."

We got out of bed together, the three of us moving around our small but cozy room. I watched as Luna helped Lucas find his shoes, and Lucas helped her zip her dress — they were always looking out for each other. Their laughter filled the air, and for a moment, I just stood there, smiling at how much they'd grown.

After getting them ready, I slipped into my favorite soft blue gown — simple, but elegant enough for Sunday mass. Just as I was adjusting my hair in the mirror, I heard a familiar car horn outside. My heart skipped.

I walked to the window and saw Jasper stepping out of his car, dressed in a navy-blue suit that hugged him perfectly. He looked effortlessly handsome — the kind of man that made your breath catch without even trying.

"Mummy, Uncle Jasper!" Lucas shouted excitedly, rushing to the window too.

"Mommy, he's here again!" Luna squealed, her little hands clapping together in excitement.

Before I could say a word, both of them ran to the door, and I hurried after them, laughing softly.

Jasper was already smiling as we stepped outside. "Good morning, beautiful family," he greeted warmly.

"Good morning," I replied, trying to hide the blush creeping up my cheeks.

"Good morning, Uncle Jasper!" the twins said together.

"Hey, my little champs!" Jasper said, crouching down to hug them both tightly. "Are we ready for church?"

"Yes!" they both shouted.

"Then let's not keep God waiting," he said playfully, and we all laughed as we got into his car.

The church service was beautiful — the choir's voices were like angels, and the priest's message touched my heart deeply. I sat between Jasper and the twins, feeling surrounded by peace. Lucas rested his head on my arm, Luna hummed along to the hymns, and every now and then, I caught Jasper looking at us with a smile that spoke a thousand unspoken words.

When mass ended, Jasper turned to the kids with that playful sparkle in his eyes. "So," he said, "who wants to go out for some fun today?"

"Me! Me!" both of them shouted at once, jumping in excitement.

"Okay then," he said, laughing, "let's go on an adventure!"

Our first stop was a fancy seafood restaurant. The twins were fascinated by everything — from the sparkling glasses to the plates shaped like seashells. Jasper ordered all their favorites, and the way he made them laugh made my heart melt.

After that, we went for ice cream, and of course, the twins couldn't decide what flavor they wanted. Jasper chuckled and said, "Then we'll take all of them," and the look on their faces was pure joy.

Finally, we spent the rest of the day at the amusement park. I hadn't laughed that much in years — Jasper ran around with Lucas trying to win prizes, while Luna clung to his arm, begging to go on the merry-go-round again. The joy, the laughter, the energy — it was magical.

By the time the sun began to set, the twins were completely worn out. In the car, they both fell asleep, leaning against each other, their hands still sticky from cotton candy.

When we got home, Jasper insisted on carrying them inside. He laid them gently on the bed, covering them with their blanket, and kissed their foreheads.

Then he turned to me with a soft smile. "Thank you, Cathy. For today. For letting me be part of this happiness."

Tears welled up in my eyes as I whispered, "No, Jasper… thank you. For giving us this kind of day. I haven't seen them this happy in years."

He smiled and leaned closer, brushing a strand of hair from my face. "You deserve happiness, Cathy. You and your kids both."

I smiled, my heart pounding, and before I could speak, he hugged me — a warm, gentle hug that said more than words ever could.

After he left, I locked the door quietly and went back to the room. The twins were already asleep, their little faces peaceful. I lay down beside them, staring at the ceiling with a smile on my face.

Jasper… I thought, placing a hand on my chest. He feels like a dream come true.

As I drifted off to sleep, I whispered softly, "Thank you, God… for bringing him into our lives."

Watch out for chapter 10

To be continued....

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