Too late Ex! I found my Mr. Right.

Aria's POV.

The living room glowed softly under the fairy lights Aria had strung across the ceiling that evening.

A small strawberry cake sat in the middle of the dining table, lopsided, with two candles flickering brightly.

Laura tugged at Aria's skirt, pointing toward the direction of the balloons.

"Yaaay! Pwetty!"

She squealed. Luca toddled over, clutching a stuffed bear, eyes wide as he stared at the door.

"Mama! Is papa not coming?"

Aria curled her fingers into a fist.

She tried to smile, not to disclose the disappointment already burning inside of her.

Andrea had promised to make time today for the kids' birthday.

Even if she looked worried, she didn't really take it to heart.

She had been the only one doing that role as a parent.

Luca and Laura weren't old enough, but they were sharp and sensitive.

She had gotten home early to make sure she made arrangements for the birthday.

The last birthday the kids celebrated, he wasn't there, and he didn't bother to talk about it.

It passed, just like that.

They didn't argue about it, she had always been considerate toward him.

The pain she felt every day was lesser than the one she had felt today.

Midnight approached and still no sign of his arrival.

Luca and Laura were already nodding their heads to sleep, almost falling from their seats.

Luca grabbed his mother's shirt, blinking his sleepy eyes at her.

"Mama, can we cut the cake now?"

Laura was already half way asleep.

She checked her screen again, 12:30. a.m. Andrea didn't show any sign of arrival.

It didn't matter anymore. He already gave them a response by staying silent.

She swallowed hard and nodded, forcing her voice to be calm.

"Yes, baby. We can cut it now."

Aria stood, lifting Laura into her arms. Her head fell against her shoulder as she breathed slowly.

Luca climbed onto the chair, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand.

His eyes never left the door, not for a fleeting second.

Aria placed a knife at the middle of the cake as her hand vibrated slightly.

The candles were almost burned out now, dripping wax on the cake.

"Do you want to make a wish, honey?" Aria whispered.

Luca closed his eyes, his lips moved soundlessly.

Aria didn't bother to close, she already knew that making a wish was a waste of time. It wouldn't change anything.

She blew out the candles for them.

The room felt heavy after that. It felt empty and cold.

As if it was mocking the wound she carried in her chest.

Aria carefully cut out a small slice for Luca, making sure she didn't wake Laura.

Luca ate slowly, crumbs sticked to his lips as sleep finally took him.

He leaned to Aria's side, she wrapped her arm around him, breathing in a familiar scent of baby soap.

By the time she put them into bed, it was almost one in the morning.

She sat slowly on their bed, watching their chest rise and fell.

That was when she finally felt the pain. It came sharply, piercing her heart.

The promise Andrea made kept replying in her head.

"Don't worry. I won't miss it."

Aria pressed her fingers into her palms, until her knuckles turned white.

To her, it was normal.

Their marriage had always been fragile, what was she expecting anyway.

But tonight hurt differently because it wasn't just her he had disappointed.

When she left the children's room, she didn't turn off the lights.

She had probably forgotten or just didn't want to.

The fairy lights still hung over the room, the balloons still danced on the ceiling.

She walked along the hallway, down to the balcony, grief-stricken.

The air kissed her skin, making her fold her arms around herself.

Aria kept looking at the door, expecting or maybe hoping.

Her eyes hadn't left her screen. The phone kept buzzing, but it wasn't from Andrea's message.

She didn't know whether to call him or just wait.

Maybe if he comes back, he would give them an explanation like he always did.

She finally faced her screen down on her body as she sat on a chair.

"I'm so sorry honey," she whispered to herself as tears rolled down her cheeks.

"I couldn't give you a good dad, I... I'm so sorry I..."

Aria didn't realize she was crying until her breath hitched.

She sat on the balcony, hand braced against the wall as her shoulder shook silently.

She didn't want to wake the kids up, she had always cried silently over the years.

Aria had learned how to control the pains and humiliations.

A small shuffle broke the silence.

"Mama?"

She turned.

Luca stood barefoot at the doorway, hair tousled, eyes still heavy with sleep.

Her heart clenched, she wiped her face quickly.

"Why are you crying?" He asked in a small voice.

Aria bent down immediately and patted his hair.

"Honey, you're supposed to be in bed, why are you here?"

He didn't say anything, but the look in his eyes said everything.

"Come here sweetheart, it's cold. Let's get you to bed."

"Don't cry," he stepped closer, lifting his hands to her cheeks.

His words shattered whatever little strength she had left.

Luca yawned, as sleep tucked him back.

She carried him back to the bed.

She turned to leave but Laura grabbed her skirt.

"Mama... papa's not coming back. Can you stay with us?"

Laura's words sent chills down her spine.

"Yes, baby." She whispered, lying down between them.

When they finally fell asleep, she reached for her phone.

It connected on the first ring.

"Hello," his voice came cold and mean, as it had always been.

She hesitated for a moment. "You didn't come home for the children's birthday."

"They fell asleep waiting for you."

He paused. "Sorry, I was in a business meeting, I couldn't meet up."

"Why didn't you call to let me know?" She said, adjusting Luca's hair.

"I don't get to take orders from you," he snapped. "I need to rest. It's been quite a day for me."

But then, a familiar voice came over the phone.

"Honey, I'm cold. Can you come cuddle?"

Aria froze, her lungs burned so hot.

The words pierced her chest like a sharp needle.

Andrea had claimed he just ended a business meeting and needed to rest.

Why was there a woman with him?

Aria's POV.

Early morning sunlight glinted through the curtains in gold, as faint sounds of the city drifted below.

The noise of distant traffic hummed through the window.

Aria quietly adjusted her legs, so she won't wake the kids from their sleep.

Her phone laid beside her, screen dark.

Aria had tried to close her eyes.

She thought that maybe if she slept, it wouldn't hurt any more.

But she was wrong.

No matter how she forced herself to sleep, the more unsettled she was.

Sleep didn't come, she just waited for morning.

She clutched her chest as the woman's voice replayed in her head.

It sounded so clear and sharp, not something that could be mistaken.

"Honey. I'm cold. Come and cuddle."

Andrea never allowed her to call him those names.

He avoids her like the plague, even her kids weren't exempted.

She stood and walked toward the kitchen to prepare breakfast for the kids.

Aria filled the kettle and set it on the stove.

She stretched her hands to get bread, plates, and cups.

The spoon slipped from her finger and hit the counter, she panicked, but then bent down to pick it.

Laura hummed from the table, swinging her legs. Luca watched her instead of his food.

Aria buttered the bread slowly. By the time she noticed the smell, it was already burnt.

She tried to scrape it clean, and served it anyway.

Aria made her way into the dining to get the children ready for the day.

She watched the kids eat as bread crumbs scattered on the table.

Every sound the children made startled her.

She almost spilled hot coffee on herself.

Luca's voice snapped her back to reality.

"Mama," he called, voice soft. "Papa didn't show up for our birthday."

Laura cut him off. "Did he sleep out again?"

Her chest rose and fell unevenly, she gripped the table, her knuckles turning white.

"Papa was busy. He promised to make it to you."

"Luca, I think papa doesn't like us." Laura said.

Aria felt the words harder than anything Andrea had ever said to her.

"Don't say that baby. Your father loves you more than anything." Aria murmured.

Luca hesitated before speaking. "Papa won't let us come close either."

Aria's chest tightened.

"I don't like him," Laura added quietly.

She patted them gently on their hair, smiling.

"Who says papa won't let you come close. He just needs time...."

The sound on the door cut her off, she panicked.

There he was, Andrea Ross, standing outside the door, face cold.

In two strides, he walked inside.

The kids stopped talking, focused on their breakfast.

He didn't say anything, he tossed his coat on the couch and headed to the dining.

The scent on his body was different. He smelled like someone else.

Aria didn't say anything.

Couldn't open her mouth, she just tried to control her emotions, folding her hands into a grip.

She let out a deep sigh. "I made toast for breakfast."

He tapped on his screen, pretending not to hear her.

"Do you want some?"

"No. I already had breakfast. You can go ahead and have yours."

She didn't push further.

The children watched him while they ate, almost freaking out.

After some seconds, he turned toward their direction.

They quickly moved their eyes away from him.

The silence in the room felt so sharp and awkward, Aria almost tripped lost in her thoughts.

Every second she looked at him, she imagined how intimately he must have been with his lover last night.

Every second she pretended she was fine, not wanting him to notice any weird behavior, hot blood flushed her lungs.

"How was your business meeting?" She asked, walking toward the table.

He didn't answer right away, his eyes were still glued to his phone.

"Mama, we're running late," Laura reminded, breaking the silence.

The kids had been expecting him to maybe say something to them.

But he didn't.

His presence had always frightened them.

Aria hurriedly got the kids ready as she dressed up too for work.

Despite being in a cold marriage with Andrea, Aria had sworn not to depend on him for survival.

She had worked at Sony pictures as a screen writer for years before her marriage.

Lucky for her, the company's manager, David and his wife, had seen her through her pregnancy period.

Always caring for her and the kids.

"We're leaving." Aria said as they stepped out.

"Have a nice day. Don't stress out." She added.

*****

In less than thirty minutes, Aria and the kids arrived at school.

She dropped them off as usual.

Aria was stopped by a teacher when she turned to leave.

"Mrs, there will be a parent-teacher meeting on Friday. We require your presence or that of their father." A teacher announced.

"Okay, Ma'am. I'll be there."

"I've noticed you've been the only one attending their school activities."

"You should persuade their father to do the same too. Children tend to be sensitive especially at this age of growth."

Aria's throat went dry. She paused to say something, but words didn't come out.

"He always does whenever he gets the chance to." She said, faking a smile on her face.

When she finally walked to her car, she let out a deep sigh as tears stung her eyes.

She held them back so it wouldn't smudge her makeup.

"I won't start my day by ruining it for someone who doesn't deserve it." She whispered to herself.

When she drove off, a black silk car followed behind.

*****

"Sir," a man dressed in a black suit called out.

"We've been following her around for days. Why don't you just tell her your intentions?"

There was a brief silence between them.

But then he cleared his throat. "I don't want to get her agitated."

"Isn't she the unloved wife of Andrea Rossi?"

"No. She's mine. It's just a matter of time. The only reason I haven't bankrupted Rossi's family is because she still has his last name."

He clenched his hands on his thighs.

"Get people to protect her secretly. If she loses a hair in her head, you're a dead man."

Aria's POV.

The day had gone as usual. TV shows, meetings, and productions.

Aria checked the time. 6pm on the dot.

The rain wasn't showing any sign of stopping anytime soon and she needed to pick the children.

Her phone buzzed.

She tapped on the screen. It was her children's classroom teacher.

"Hello,"

"Mrs. Rossi. Your kids are inside but the school is closing. I couldn't wait anymore. Please come and take them home."

Aria's lungs slammed on her rib cage.

"Ma. Can you hold a little? I'm on my way..."

The phone went dead.

"Hello? Ma, are you there?"

The kids had always stayed with Mr. David's wife after school.

But she traveled and will be back by the weekend that leaves Aria with no other choice than to pick them herself.

Andrea didn't care about them.

The first time she had pleaded with him to have his driver pick them, he refused.

He said he didn't employ his driver for insignificant purposes.

Her hands moved before her body could. She pulled her bag over her head and ran toward her car.

*****

When she arrived at the school premises, Luca and Laura were nowhere to be found.

She quickly ran out of her car, toward the school gate.

The rain stormed so heavily, she was drenched in it.

Anger and fear tightened in her chest.

She tapped on her screen, trying to reach the teacher, but it didn't connect.

"No, goodness. Laura?" Her voice was loud and trembling.

"Luca?"

She didn't seem to notice the black sedan car parked across the street.

Aria almost twisted her ankle.

She tried to reach for Andrea, he ignored the call.

A car approached her in slow motion.

Heavy thunder lighted the sky, her eyes were almost bruised in tears.

"Mama!"

Without hesitation, she turned, eyes searching.

"Luca? Laura?" Voice sharp.

The car stopped in front of her.

Her eyes caught his as the glass rolled down.

A man in a navy suit. His eyes were grey, sharp jawlines, his presence was overwhelming.

"Mama!"

"Laura? Who are you? Why do you have my kids?"

Her mouth moved before she could control it.

He didn't say anything, their eyes locked on each other.

He looked like someone she used to know.

Silence stretched between them, neither said a word.

"Your kids are okay. You shouldn't leave them in a lonely street by themselves."

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to..."

"Mama, we're okay. This uncle is nice to us. He didn't leave us under the rain."

"I'm sorry baby. I was late. I promise this will be the last time it happens."

The kids crossed over to her car, she tucked them in.

"Thank you. I owe you one."

Her voice was soft and shaky.

"You've got smart kids. Make sure you don't lose them."

He drove off.

"Looks like she doesn't recognize you," his assistant Marco said, hands on steering.

He shook his head.

"She's just surprised."

"You didn't say anything to her."

"I don't need to say anything. My act already said it all."

******

Aria almost bumped into another car.

"Mama, watch out!" Luca said, grabbing Laura.

"Oh dear. I'm sorry. What was I thinking?"

The car horned violently at her as she waved her hand in apology.

"Are you okay?" Luca asked.

"Don't worry about me baby. Hold on to your seat belts."

Her hands turned slowly on the steering, her eyes were focused on the road.

"Mama, that uncle is so nice to us. I wish he was our father."

"Don't say that honey. He might be someone else's father."

"This was the first time someone had ever been nice to us," Laura argued.

Aria clenched her hands on the steering, the kids panicked.

"Sorry honey, I didn't mean to frighten you."

"Do you know him?" Luca pushed harder.

She didn't answer right away, she let the silence linger.

Then she cleared her throat.

"No. I don't know him. Maybe he was just a nice person."

"But you look at him like he was someone you know."

Her phone buzzed.

She ignored it. It buzzed again.

She stretched her hand to pick it up.

"Hey, Andrea. I'm driving. I'll get back to you when I get home..."

"Quit your stupid excuses. My mum's home. She's sick. She'll be staying with us till her illness gets better."

"Wait, what? You didn't inform me ahead..."

"Do I need your permission to bring anyone into my house?"

"Go make dinner, she's hungry!"

The phone went dead.

*****

In a few seconds, she got home.

She walked the kids inside. "Grandma is home!" She announced.

"I'm sure she'll be happy to have you guys around."

"Nooo," Laura squealed.

"Laura, she's gonna roast us alive with her mean words."

"Honey, don't say that. Grandma misses you..."

A voice came from behind.

"Aria and her little bastards," Andrea's mother called out.

"Here she comes," Luca said, panicking.

"My kids are not bastards, mother. They have names."

"You've grown bold! Talking back to me?"

Aria twisted her hands into a fist.

"We're not bastards," Laura cried out.

Moria had never been in support of their marriage.

She had always hated Aria and her kids so much and saw Aria as a thorn in her flesh.

If she had the chance to kick them out, she wouldn't hesitate.

Humiliation was the only weapon she had against Aria. And whenever she called her kids bastards, Andrea never defended the kids.

"I'll be staying here from now on. You've to be on your best behavior. I'm not Andrea, I won't take any stupid attitude from you."

Aria didn't say anything, she walked away, pretending she didn't exist.

"I'm talking to you, little slut."

Aria turned, but then, Luca grabbed her hands.

"Mama, let's go."

Moria watched them walk away as anger and disgust erupted over her.

*****

The Wolfe empire was a very big one owned by Ethan, the most feared Don in the city.

Some called him the devil, while some called him the grim reaper.

Nobody dared to cross him. Even when they had the courage to, they never came out unscathed.

"How's the situation with the Moretti family going?" Ethan said, looking outside the city.

"Mr. Moretti is still in a coma. His mistress, Gwen, is the one in charge of the family."

"You know what to do."

"Yes, sir."

"There should be mercy for None of them who has ever laid their hands on Aria and her kids."