Chapter 3 Five years later

Elara's POV

FIVE YEARS LATER

I felt my internal body system change as soon as I stepped down from the plane. My heart rate increased, I could feel my palms getting sweating, and saliva filled my mouth which I gulped down.

I was back again, at this place... This country, I promised myself, I would never return to.

I had no good memories in this country... Maybe, one... Just one. But I thought after I left I would be able to put everything behind me. And for five years I did.

But now I was back again...

Thankfully, it would only be for a short time.

Hopefully, it wouldn't be enough for my past to catch up with me.

"Mummy..." A tiny voice called behind me. All my anxiousness vanished the instant I remember that I wasn't here alone. A smile graced my lips and I turned around.

Smiling back at me were two boys... Twins but not identical. I guess God wanted to be fair, so he gave me one who looked a little like me and the other who probably looked like that man from that night five years ago.

My memory of that night remained a blur... Especially that bartender's face. I could only remember what happened the morning after, how I left the room as soon as I could. How I left the country the week I found out I was pregnant.

That night... I could never regret my drunken mistake.

It got me my wish... Two. The reasons why I still pressed on in life, why I kept living despite how many times I thought of quitting.

My darling angels.

"Mummy... Look at what Leo did." One of the twins, the one who looked like me, said with a small pout, pushing his hand forward for me to take a look.

I chuckled, bending down to look at his arm... There wasn't even a scratch.

That was Jake... The overdramatic attention seeker. He enjoyed playing games and trying to put his brother in trouble.

He always had a cheeky smile on his cute face.

His brother... Leo, the one being accused didn't even bother to look in his brother's direction and just kept looking around.

Leo was two minutes older, but he acted a lot more more mature than Jake... He was smarter, calmer, and much more responsible than any child of his age should ever be.

He never gave me any trouble. Sometimes I felt like he was the parent and not me, especially when it came to his younger twin.

I was certain that he did nothing wrong to his brother, but I gave in to Jake's antics... Just for today... we all needed comforting after this sudden trip.

"Oh my baby..." I cooed in an overdramatic tone. "Does it hurt so much?"

Jake blinked, as though surprised that I believed him then nodded, protruding his small lips.

I smiled, then lifted his hand to my lips and kissed whatever invisible bruise that was there.

"Is that better?" I asked and nodded again, obviously happy with my action. Leo glanced at him and rolled his eyes, before returning to the scenery.

I was about to say something when I felt the phone in my hand vibrating. A frown appeared on my lips as I brought the phone to my eye level to check the caller ID.

Mr. Shan.

An exhausted sigh left my lips.

Just thinking about talking to my boss made me feel tired, but now I actually had to talk to him.

But I forced a smile on the twins. "I have to take this call," I said shaking the phone for them to see. "Remember guys... We're in America, New York... Don't speak Korean okay?" I instructed.

I left this country for Korea five years ago. The twins were born there and could speak the language so fluently. English was a second language to them.

I was only going to be in this country for a few weeks, and during that time, I didn't want to draw attention to myself or my children. It would be best if they could blend in.

Leo smiled, his pearly whites peeking out from his lips. "Don't worry, Mummy, our English is perfect." He assured me by nodding his head.

"Yeah, Mummy, don't worry." His brother seconded.

Yeah...

I shouldn't worry.

I walked a few steps away from them, but not before adding another instruction. "Also, don't run around."

I said stepping away to take my call.

Mr. Shan hadn't stopped calling... A part of me knew he wouldn't.

The man had taken a liking to me ever since I started work at the company three years ago. Despite telling him multiple times that I had children and I wasn't interested, the man didn't budge in his intentions.

I only took his business trip to get away from him... although he persisted I be the one to go, I could only wonder what was in it for him.

At least I was sure, leaving me in peace wasn't it.

"Good morning Mr. Shan," I answered the call with the sweetest voice I could muster to cover the disgust I felt for my old boss.

Before he could answer me, I began briefing him on the business trip.

I hadn't gotten to the hotel yet... Hell, I was still at the airport, but I needed something to say before he could speak.

"So, I would..."

Before I could finish my words, I heard a familiar voice... "Oh, if it isn't Elara Ashford... The wannabe Ashford heir."

It sounded as though the person was behind me.

My back straightened, and my face turned cold.

I didn't expect to run into her so quickly.

I heard a snicker... She was with someone. "Oh, please, why did you still add Ashford as her surname? Didn't you hear that the family disowned her 5 years ago?"

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms as I turned around. "Mira what is this? You have the guts to show yourself to me after everything you did? Are you that shameless?"

Mira snorted taking a step towards me. "It's you that's shameless you bloody bitch. You became a slut just because Liam found me as a better woman than you can ever be."

My blood ran cold.

I gritted my teeth, anger fueling my bones. "How dare you..."

"How dare I what?" She rudely interrupted, staring down at me. "You think it's a secret that you have bastard sons? Tell me darling... Out of the many men you've slept with, do you even know the father?"

It was fine to insult me.... But my sons were innocent in the matter; I couldn't stand for anyone insulting them.

I glared at the bitch I had once considered my best friend."You..."

Her friend cocked her head to the side as though looking behind me then she crossed her hands over her chest, a small smile on her lips.

Just as I was about to give Mira a piece of my mind, she chuckled. "...And the boys are gone."

"What?"

The words I wanted to say instantly got swallowed back. I turned around sharply, looking for my boys who were standing just here a few minutes ago.

Where are they?

"Pathetic." The friend scoffed rolling her eyes.

I didn't care about her words...

My heart slammed hard against my ribcage as I searched around the airport with my eyes for my boys.

Where could they have gone?

The airport was too big for me to start searching for them... Where...

Mira stepped forward, forcing me to look at her. "I don't know why you returned Elara, but we would be seeing each other very often. Brace yourself... Whore."

I bared my teeth hard, clenching my fists.

How much I wanted to hit that stupid smirk off her face... But that wasn't my priority at the moment.

All I cared about was... where the fuck were my boys?!