Chapter 9: Why Are We Hiding?

The second Irene was gone, John lost it. His face went from red to straight-up purple as he slammed his fist on the table. "Twenty percent? Has Dad completely lost it?"

"Lower your voice," Rose snapped, but the wine glass in her hand was shaking so bad she almost spilled it. "We need to fix this. Now."

Anna couldn't even stand still by the window. Like, seriously? Five years of playing Little Miss Perfect, sucking up to Silver City's snootiest social circles, and what did she get? A measly two percent while Irene just waltzes in and grabs ten times that?

All that work, she was practically screaming inside, all those years of kissing up to them, and I get the leftovers while she gets the motherlode?

Meanwhile, Richard was doing his best to look cool and unbothered, but his mind was going a mile a minute. Twenty percent of Sterling Group. His eyes kept drifting to where Irene had disappeared. She'd definitely leveled up since the old days. That confidence, that poise – even the way she'd totally ignored him earlier? Kind of hot, actually.

Playing hard to get, he smirked to himself. Nice strategy, babe.

"This is insane!" Anna's voice jerked him back to reality. "We can't just let her walk away with this!"

"Of course not," Richard said smoothly, but his head was already somewhere else. The two percent he'd get from marrying Anna? Please. Twenty percent was a whole different game.

She must be trying so hard to get my attention, he thought, his ego totally rewriting her earlier brush-off into some elaborate flirting scheme. Getting all those shares from the old man... Pretty clever move.

He caught his reflection in the window, adjusting his tie with practiced ease. Still the hottest catch in Silver City, hands down. Perfect hair, designer everything, that million-dollar smile – what woman in her right mind wouldn't want another chance?

Just wait, Irene, he thought, confidence oozing from every pore. Play hard to get all you want, babe. They all come back eventually.

"Any chance you could speed it up a bit?" Irene was practically bouncing in the taxi's backseat, checking her watch for the millionth time. "I really need to get back to my kids."

The driver caught her eye in the mirror. "The Grand? Chill, ma'am. Most secure hotel in the city."

Irene managed a tight smile. Usually, she didn't stress about leaving her little geniuses alone – they were probably smarter than half the adults she knew – but this luggage mix-up had her nerves doing gymnastics.

The hotel's fancy restaurant was buzzing with the usual afternoon crowd, but all eyes were on the corner table where three impossibly adorable five-year-olds were wrapping up their tea time.

"More scones, young sir?" The waiter was totally charmed by Alex's mini-businessman act.

Alex dabbed his mouth with a napkin, looking like a tiny CEO. "They were perfect. Though maybe a touch more cream next time?"

"Alex!" Lily tugged at her brother's sleeve, eyeing their carefully packed takeout bag. "Did you get Mom's favorites? You know how she gets when she's running around all day."

"Got it covered, sis." Alex patted the fancy paper bag like it was mission-critical cargo. "One salmon sandwich, hold the cucumber, extra avocado. Greek salad, double olives. And..." he grinned, "that lemon tart she totally loves but pretends she doesn't."

"I made sure they packed everything separate," Lucas chimed in, proud of his contribution. "So nothing gets all gross and soggy."

The other diners were dying, trying to hide their smiles behind menus and napkins. The triplets were like a live show of "Kids Say The Most Adorable Things."

"Oh my god, they're just precious!" Some lady at the next table was practically melting. "Are you darlings triplets?"

"Just look at those eyes!" Another guest cooed. "I could just scoop them up and take them home!"

"Want to go for a spin in my new car, sweeties?" A grandmotherly type called out.

Lucas turned on the charm, all big eyes and dimples. "Thanks, but we've already got a mommy," he announced, like it was the best thing ever. "And she's literally the most amazing mommy in the whole universe!"

You could practically hear the collective "aww!" floating through the restaurant.

Over by the elevators, Adam was trying to wrap up a business lunch that had dragged on way too long. "Thomas, tell me you've got something on that woman."

"Hotel staff's being super helpful, sir. Guest records are coming any minute now."

Adam's fingers did this impatient little dance on his wheelchair armrest. That scent from earlier was driving him crazy, like a song stuck in his head but he couldn't remember the words.

Behind one of those fancy marble columns, three tiny conspirators were huddled up.

"What's the deal?" Lucas whispered, practically vibrating with excitement.

"Why are we hiding?" Lily clutched her teddy bear like a lifeline.

Alex went full mission-commander mode. "You see that guy? That's Adam Haven, CEO of Haven Enterprise. And get this – he might be our dad!"

"For real?" Lucas's eyes went huge. "Are we doing this? Like, now?"

"You know it." Alex's grin was pure mischief. "Lily, you're up, baby sis."

Behind their marble column hideout, Alex and Lucas exchanged nervous glances, holding their breath like two miniature spies. Lily's small hands were clenched into fists, her knuckles white, the sound of her deep breathing clearly audible to her two brothers.

"Are you sure he's our dad?" Lily asked one last time, her voice both fearful and hopeful.

Alex reached out to gently adjust his sister's hair clip, his eyes shining with a determination beyond his years. "Listen, it's been five years. Mom cries secretly every night after she thinks we've fallen asleep. She doesn't think we know, but I've heard her. She deserves happiness, Lily. We all deserve to have a complete family."

Lucas nodded, the smile disappearing from his face, replaced by a rare seriousness. "Remember last year when Mom got sick? She still went to work at the hospital with a high fever because if she didn't go, we couldn't pay the rent."

Lily swallowed hard, lifting her small chin, her eyes sparkling with the Sterling family's characteristic determination. "Okay, I'll do it. For Mom."

Just as Thomas began pushing Adam's wheelchair toward the elevator, Lily took her first small steps, her heels making crisp sounds against the marble floor, like a countdown to destiny.

"Wait!"

Adam's hand instinctively shot out to stop the closing elevator door. He looked down—and in that moment, the whole world seemed to freeze. A little girl in a blue dress, dark curls swaying gently with her movement, but what truly shocked Adam was the words she said.

"Daddy! Why didn't you wait for me?"

The whole lobby froze. Adam stared at this tiny girl, something deep in his chest doing weird flips. Like his heart knew something his brain hadn't figured out yet.

Behind their marble column hideout, Alex and Lucas were practically high-fiving with their eyes. Phase two was in full swing.