Chapter Eight: New Beginnings

Olivia's POV

The nurse's words echoed in my head. What did she mean one of my babies wasn't breathing?

I tried to sit upright to see what was going on but I felt too weak. From the corner of my eyes I could see more nurses rushing into the room along with the doctor.

My mind swirled with confusion and fatigue. My vision blurred until I passed out.

I wasn't sure how long I was gone, but by the time my eyes fluttered open, I was in another room. Much like any other hospital, this one was white with only one small window to allow ventilation from outside.

Liam was by my side, resting his head against the edge of my bed as he sat on a chair. There was no sign of the babies anywhere and I grew worried.

With light taps on his shoulder, I alerted Liam who woke up, yawning. "Where are my babies?" I asked.

He got up and then rubbed my shoulders, "calm down They're fine."

The door opened and two nurses walked with, each one holding a baby. Relief washed over me as the tension in my chest dissipated.

"Are they okay?" I questioned, gently receiving one of my babies while Liam held the other.

"Yes, you have nothing to worry about. Your boy wanted to give us a jumpscare, but the doctors were able to get him breathing again and his lung expanded, so far, your kids are fine. Congratulations."

I was only the boy while Liam was holding the girl, he moved closer to me and I leaned into his frame. We were one happy family.

"What are you gonna name them?" Liam asked.

"Actually, I was thinking you should name them."

He was silent for a while before he spoke. "This is… such an honor."

"It's nothing compared to what you've done for me Liam."

He kissed me on the forehead. "I've always liked the name Skye for a boy, and Lorraine for a girl, my mother's name was Lorraine."

I stared affectionately at the kids, "Skye and Lorraine, that's beautiful.

There was a knock on the door and when the door opened, Michelle, Collins and Aubrey walked in.

Aubrey's eyes lit up as she saw the babies. "Awwn, how wonderful these bundles of joys. Have you guys decided on a name yet?"

"Skye and Lorraine," I said proudly.

"I think those are wonderful names," Michelle said in a light voice.

Everyone joined us to celebrate and Collins couldn't help but decided that we photographed this moment. He set his phone on a timer and supported it against the window and we all posed for the picture.

"Everyone say new beginning!"

"New beginnings!" We all chanted in unison.

When we got home, the only thing I wanted to do was sleep. Thankfully Liam handled taking care of the babies while I got my much needed rest.

The days flew by and I began to feel a little depressed and tired. Liam and Michelle noticed that I was void of the usual liveness I possessed, so they decided to do something about it.

Michelle organized a sip and see party for me and the babies.

Some of the neighbors we knew were in attendance, and I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed.

As usual, she baked some of her signature cookies and I couldn't help but feast on them. "Michelle, this was so thoughtful of you, you didn't have to."

"Anything for your friend, I am just happy that you're back to your lively self."

*****

I was seated in the home office, staring at my laptop screen. I was putting together a proposal for a partnership with one of the biggest real estate companies in the world.

"Mommy! Lorraine won't let me have the television remote!" Skye bickered.

"It's a lie mommy, he's been watching TV all day! I want to watch something too!"

It was six years ago that these bundles of joy came into my life, it has also been six years since this house was last quiet.

"Can you two keep it down? I'm trying to work here."

They simply continued to argue, but in a lower voice. It was like they decided to argue in lowercase. I shook my head at their antiques.

Liam walked up behind me and then kissed me on the cheek. "What are you up to?" He asked, whispering against my ears.

"I'm just trying to write the perfect proposal, nothing much."

"Here let me have a look."

I got up from my seat and let him take it while I stood behind him. He went through my proposal and then faced me. "Honey, you're overreacting, this proposal is amazing, there's no need to edit anything, it's perfect. I'm sure you'll get the deal."

"Don't flatter me," I said, chuckling.

He got on his feet and kissed me again, "I'm not exaggerating, it's true your proposal is amazing."

"Eww," the twins said in unison. "Mom and dad are at it again," Lorraine added.

Liam and I made our way out of the room. "You know there's another thing I'm worried about."

He looked at me, "What?"

"If I get this deal, I'll have to return to the US." I breathed in. "You know, those years ago, all I wanted to do was come back to the US to get my revenge on Aiden. But now with Lorraine and Skye here, I just don't know if revenge is still worth it."

"The fact that your life is better doesn't take away what they did to you, they hurt you so badly, your own sister betrayed you."

He was right, they still needed to pay and I would make sure of it.

The seriousness of the moment was interrupted when Skye whisked past us with the remote control clutch in his grip as Lorraine followed after him screaming about how he needed to share the TV.

"That's enough! If you took it fighting about this TV then I'm just going to turn it off and nobody gets to watch it."

They both paused and looked at me. "I have an idea, why don't you let Liam watch TV in the sitting room and then Lorraine, you can come watch the TV in my room," Liam suggested.

Lorraine giggled excitedly and then ran upstairs to the master bedroom. "You know, you should really let them figure out how to share things," I remarked.

"And keep up with the two of them constantly bickering? No thanks."

I laughed lightly. I couldn't help but remember when Ava and I were kids, constantly fighting for the same thing.

Though Ava was older than me, it didn't stop us from arguing about nonsense all the time. My Father would always insist that we shared whatever we were fighting over or none of us got it.

The irony of life, all this while I never knew that my sister had eyes on my husband. She was probably the one that was with him that night when I caught him cheating.

That was the only logical explanation, either that or he was a chronic cheat and he was two timing both my sister and I.

They got married less than a year after my disappearance, who does that? My Father always emphasized that we were sisters and we should share things.

But I don't think he was talking about a man. "What's on your mind?"

Liam's voice broke through my thoughts. A sigh escaped my lips. "Nothing much, just about my life before and how simple it was."

He reached out and grabbed my hands, giving me a gentle squeeze. "Do you regret meeting me?"

I shook my head, "meeting you was one of the best things that ever happened to me, believe me," I said softly.

"I'm just thinking about how far I've come, you helped me to grow in ways I never even imagined."

With Liam I became one of the most successful entrepreneurs in France, my name was known all over the country, Bianca Black.

It was all thanks to my awesome intelligent lawyer husband. She stood by me through thick and thin, even when I didn't believe in myself he was there.

Liam was truly God sent from heaven. "And you've changed me so many ways too, I never would have had this beautiful family without you."

He pulled me into a tight embrace. After we broke apart, he got up and said, "I have to go, a client is waiting for me at my office."

"Okay, call me when you get to the office, be careful."

I watched as he left with a small smile on my face. I turn back upstairs to my home office.

Since I had a bit of free time on my hands, I decided to check for a few things. When I opened my laptop, I saw an email notification.

I clicked it and my eyes widened, I got the deal with the real estate company. My joy however was quickly replaced with trepidation as I thought about the cons of returning to California.

It meant I had to confront Aiden and Ava soon.