Neva had fairly soothed the children with a nice warm bath.
Now she had Inaya seated on the bed as she dressed her.
She had already finished drying their hair, pampering the soft skins with lotions and oiling the curled locks. A warmly dressed Isaiah stood clinging on her, arms hugging her legs, but she didn't complain as she buttoned up Inaya's pink sweater–frock.
"Mumma?" Inaya said.
Neva hummed in response.
She had now lowered further as she slid a sock on her foot—proceeding to pull over the raised woolen pants.
"Where is papa?"
Neva stiffened.
This; she dreaded the most.
"We have to help papa find us." An unwavering Isaiah uttered.
Neva didn't say anything, and resumed putting another sock on Inaya's cold right foot.
They were aware; their mother was captured and now them too. Strangers had broke into their home and kidnapped them. All their servants and guards had even dissapeared.
They worried for their father who must be alone and searching for them.
Neva felt guilt eating away her insides.
"We're safe. No one is bad here." She gently brushed Inaya's wavy hair with a wooden comb—carefully untangling the knots.
"Isaiah, Naya, me and your papa are only playing a game."
"What game Mumma?" Isaiah asked.
And when Neva glanced at him; it broke her; his eyes sparkling with trust for her foolish, cursed words.
Neva smiled and caressed his cheek. "It's a game where we hide, and papa seeks."
She marvelled bitterly at how smooth the lie slid off her tongue.
And there, the apprehension clawing her mind again.
She had purloined them away from their dear papa.
Perhaps, there should have been another decision she could make. A better choice, but what?
She couldn't, no longer live for only herself anymore. These were her children whom she had tangled in this mess. She had no clue how long her myth could go on; how long could she take their misery with none but her to blame.
But she wouldn't be able to pretend as she was before she knew Rhett.
Her throat closened up.
It weakened her knees; this mere thought of having to return back to Ishmael.
"I don't want to play this game!" Tears welled up in Inaya's eyes. "I want papa!"
"Enough Naya. Your eyes are red and swollen." Neva discarded the comb on the bed.
She fished out a napkin from the tissue box placed on the nightstand and lowered to level Inaya's eyes as she wiped her tears.
"I'll make you both your favourite chicken curry for dinner." Neva swooped her up in her arms.
"I want strawberry yogurt for dessert." Isaiah demanded. Neva smiled and lifted him up with her free arm.
She supported the children on either of her hips. "Sure,"
When Neva walked into the living room, she found all of the people in the house gathered on the sofas. There was a cloud of glumness surrounding them.
She felt the twins eyeing them warily, especially Inaya who buried her face in the crook of her neck after catching Ace's gaze.
The agent who introduced herself as Sky smiled at her.
Neva smiled back.
She was sat beside Ace, parallel to them was May and Niall wearing a sullen face.
And on the single sofa, was Rhett with Rhean on his lap.
Rhean's morose, swollen eyes staring at them divulged to her.
She had made him deeply upset.
"Do we have to leave?" Rhett asked, feigning ignorance of Isaiah's searing gaze on him.
He perfectly knew the man was only a look–alike of his father.
"It's fine. Have you all had dinner?"
"Everyone did, except your husband and son." May replied instead.
Neva was astonished still.
Astonished at her cheeks heating up at Rhett being quoted as her husband.
"Papa," Inaya suddenly blurted.
Neva's head muddled at Inaya's eyes on Rhett.
Rhett had stiffenned too.
At Inaya addressing him as her father.
And Neva withered at how Rhean clutched tighter onto Rhett's sweater–shirt.
He was afraid her daughter would seize his father from him.
Neva had to put Inaya down as she struggled to get off. Isaiah too, didn't wish to be carried anymore.
Neva's face flushed in embarrassment as Inaya rushed towards Rhett, before she could stop and even had the chance to warn her.
Rhett sat there still and unblinking as the child adhered to his knees and looked up at him expectantly, with an anxious Rhean only clinging onto him more.
Neva subconsciously squeezed Isaiah's hand.
Her guts churned with this sudden shame that Inaya and Isaiah weren't Rhett's.
It struck her, a bolt of lightning at the absurdity of her life.
She was with Rhett.
The husband who she had been enstranged from for years. And she had the nerve to shelter the kids under his roof whom she had with another man.
She couldn't look up.
She feared the weighing, judging looks they probably threw on her.
Ace suddenly whistled.
"Congrats Boss. You have a daughter now."
And that 'word' was enough for Rhean to lose himself against the bursting anxiety and rage.
And no one could have seen through him as in the next moment Inaya would be rammed on the glassed coffee table.
The thump of the collision of Inaya's ribs on the stoned rim.
The loud clashing of glass against her skull rang in Neva's ears.
"Naya!" Neva shrieked.
Gasps shrouded the living room.
It was Rhett who had immediately lowered Rhean on the floor and went to cradle Inaya.
Neva hurried to her after.
Followed by veryone crowding a whimpering Inaya.
Loud searing cries tearing through the room.
Neva paled at the blood flowing out Inaya's nose.
Rhett stood up with Inaya in his arms and had the child's unmoving form lay on the couch.
He put his finger over her nose to check the breathing.
A bluish bruise appeared on her forehead.
She had her hands guarded over her ribs.
"Is your chest hurting?" Rhett asked, but she only cried for her mother.
"Let me—let me see where it hurts." Neva knelt beside Rhett, trembling hands trying to gently pry Inaya's hands off her chest.
"Oh dear," May exclaimed in trepidation, looking over at Inaya.
"Call a doctor Niall." She glanced at her husband. Niall nodded and moved away.
"I think she bruised, or broke some ribs." Sky reasoned, she stood in between May and Ace.
Inaya's choked cries made Neva's own tears fall.
"Move. Let some air in." Rhett said.
In response, the standing three, looming over Inaya shifted apart.
Rhean stood there still with widened eyes.
The regret of his crude, jarring action weighing down on him.
And before he could sense it coming, a sharp punch on his jaw send him stumbling back.
A dizzy Rhean saw the darkened face of the new boy who his mother said was her son.
He jumped on Rhean and tackled him down and landed another blow on his jaw.
The adults watched in horror as the sight escalated in seconds: the boys were writhing on the floor, punching, frienziedly pulling hair, scratching each other.
Before they could kill each other, Rhett seperated a wriggling Rhean who now had an upper hand stradling Isaiah.
Rhean growled at Isaiah, legs kicking air, hands clawing for him, struggling to get off his father's grip on the under of his arms.
His hair disheaveled and sweater hitched up and crumpled.
Rhett was bewildered at the strength of the boy.
Even hehad a hard time ripping him off Isaiah and now imposing the five–year–old.
Isaiah too seethed in anger at Rhean.
His hair tousled and lips bruised.
Ace was gripping his shoulders, holding him back from hurling at Rhean.
And when a squirming Rhean was being forced out the living room by Rhett, his chest numbed and his convulsing stiffened; for Neva went to Isaiah and hugged him.
His heart broke when she didn't even glance at him.
"Damn. What a scene." Ace jeered in amusement.
"It's your fault, you know?" Sky taunted him.
"What? How is it my fault?" He looked at her in disbelief.
Sky shrugged, crossing her arms over her chest. "You irked Rhean. You fueled the fire."
"Hey, I did not!" Ace argued, trailing her as she went to Inaya again.
She then walked to the kitchen as Neva agreed to her suggestion to get some ice for Inaya's wound.
"The doctor will arrive in ten minutes." Niall said to Neva.
Neva didn't respond.
She was seated on the floor with her legs crossed. And a bruised Isaiah seated, cuddled on her lap.
"Mumma," Inaya's voice was brittle.
"Papa?"
Neva's hand caressing her hair ceased.
"He's not your father.
Your father is back at home."
Inaya's lips trembled, tears lacing down her temples again.
But she only whimpered, her breathing shallow, she didn't dare move her body. "I–I want papa,"
It hurt her when her belly heaved with each hiccup. "I want papa,"
She kept muttering it over and over again.
Neva only fondled her mellow hair, sitting there with dimmed eyes and a withered spirit.
She could've never seen the earliest rendezvous of her children to go so wrong.