Chapter 7 SEVEN

My breath hitched at the question.

It was as if all the oxygen in the car had been sucked out, leaving me hot.

“I-I thought we've talked about this. Your father is in space. Space Force.”

“But why doesn’t he ever visit us?” Damian asked.

My hands trembled slightly as I sipped my drink. I’d known this day would come, when the kids would question the story I told them about their father.

But I didn’t keep the truth from them because I wanted to hurt them. I only wanted to shield them from the shame and humiliation I’d endured.

He didn’t regard me. How could he regard them?

Guilt wrenched my heart. “Your daddy is... complicated. But I promise, we’ll talk about it tonight.”

A sigh of relief slipped from my lips as our SUV pulled up at their school’s gates and they caught a glimpse of their friends. “Bye, mommy!”

They each gave me a hug and hurried down from the car.

I watched them enter the school gates and the driver proceeded to the skyscraper in the next street. Grabbing my bag and phone, I alighted from the car, trashed the remnant of my coffee in a recycle bin, and proceeded into the building.

“Surprise!!” a roar erupted in the main hall, startling me for a split second. Taking a deep breath, I laughed as my colleagues approached with a large cake.

The hall echoed with the traditional birthday song. Mrs. Allwell stood at the entrance of the hall.

Was this why she asked to see me?

The song came to an end after a traditional blessing and I blew the candles on the cake. An applause erupted in the room. By the time I straightened, Mrs. Allwell was no longer in the doorway. I scanned the entire hall and she was gone.

“Thank you, thank you!” I muttered to my colleagues as I zipped past for the elevator, punching the right numbers.

The elevator chimed as it opened up to the top floor. My heels clacked softly against the marble floor as I stepped out and sighted Mrs. Allwell’s secretary behind her desk.

“Good morning,” she greeted, rising to her feet.

“Is she in?”

The younger lady nodded. “Yes. She’s expecting you.”

I took a deep breath and proceeded toward the imposing double doors of Mrs. Allwell’s office. They towered at least eight feet high, their surface polished to a flawless sheen that reflected the ambient glow of the recessed ceiling lights. A discreet, gold-plated nameplate was affixed at an eye level, bearing the elegant inscription: C.E.O— Mrs. Veronica Allwell.

The doors had no visible handles—just a seamless, modern design with a biometric scanner embedded in the wall beside them. A small, green light flickered as I approached, sensing movement.

I pressed my palm against the scanner, and after a brief pause, a soft chime signaled my clearance. The mechanism clicked, and the doors parted soundlessly, revealing the sophisticated interior beyond.

Mrs. Allwell sat behind her sleek, mahogany desk.“Happy birthday, Mabel,” she said, a small, fleeting smile curving her lips.

“Thank you, ma’am,” I replied, returning the smile as I covered the distance to her office table. “You asked to see me,” I mumbled.

“Yes, I did.” She paused and gestured toward the chair in front of her. “Have a seat.”

I lowered myself onto the chair, crossing my legs as I waited. My boss leaned back, studying me for a moment before pulling out a thick folder from her drawer.

“The U.S. government is seeking a long-term partnership with a private airline company to modernize and expand its military and government fleet. The contract includes producing next-generation aircraft for government officials, military transport, and emergency response missions as well as providing high-security, VIP air travel for top government personnel.” Mrs. Allwell paused and jerked to her feet. “This contract is worth billions of dollars.”

I straightened in my seat and swallowed a gasp. A government contract of this magnitude is huge. Whoever secures it would dominate the industry for years.

Mrs. Allwell continued. “We may be a rising competitor in the market, racing against bigger names but we must secure this contract, that’s why the board and I have come to the conclusion that you’ll be representing us.”

“Me?” I stuttered, blinking back shocks.

Of course, I’ve handled so many deals for the company but this was huge! A billon dollar contract? By the United States government?

“Are—Are you sure?”

“You understand this business inside and out, Ms. Parker. More importantly, you think ten steps ahead and that’s what we need right now,” Mrs. Allwell said.

I hesitated for a brief second.

Leading a project like this would mean long nights, endless strategy meetings, and immense pressure. But it was also the opportunity of a lifetime and I can’t believe I've been selected for this, to lead the team.

Although taking this job meant returning to the United States and confronting my past.

I nodded. “Okay. Which companies are we competing against?” I asked.

She shoved the thick folder to me. “We have a few big names. Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Airbus Defense,” she mentioned them. “Northrop Grumman, BAE Systems, Rivera Group, Dassault...”

Wait! The Rivera group is in this thing?

My gaze settled on the document, my hands flipping the pages before stopping at the list of contenders for the contract. Mrs Allwell was right—the Rivera Group was amongst the contenders, sitting at number five in the list, while we stood at number 7.

Rivera.

Alec Rivera.

The name burned in my mind, just like memories of that night replayed in my head. Our lips meeting in the dimly lit room, our bodies entangled in the sheets as we moved as one.

“Ms. Parker?”

I jolted and gulped. “Yes, ma’am.”

“The welfare department will take care of all your needs. You’ll have full access to our top engineers and legal team. And I want a preliminary strategy on my desk by the end of today.”

“Understood.” I closed the file and was about to shove it to her.

“Keep it. Although, as usual, the IT team has already sent the soft copy of the file to your computer.”

“When am I leaving?” I asked.

“Tomorrow.”

Tomorrow? My breath hitched and a chilling sensation shot down my spine.

That was too soon. Too sudden.

“There’s a gala in Washington next tomorrow—an exclusive event for all companies bidding on this contract. I want you to be there.”

A gala.

A high-profile event where I’d be surrounded by government officials, CEOs, and… him?

This was a whole new level.

I swallowed a hard lump in my throat “Okay. I’ll be there.”

“Good. That was what I was expecting to hear.” She sat down in her chair. “I’ll see the preliminary strategy on my desk by the end of the day.”

“Yes, ma’am.” With the file in my hands, I stood up and sauntered towards her door.

“And Mabel?”

I glanced over my shoulder.

“Congratulations! Because I see you winning this.”

A smile spread on my lips. I turned and proceeded out of the office.

I leaned against the wall, processing the whole news and realized I didn't have all the time.

While putting a call across to my home instructing Mrs. Chukwuemeka and my housekeeper to put things together, I hurried to my office and went to work immediately. The day drifted by as I prepared the preliminary strategy.

I checked the time and realized I won’t be able to pick up the triplets from school. Instead, I sent in the driver and their nanny.

Mrs. Allwell was overtly pleased as she read my presentation. The evening sun had dipped over the horizon and stars twinkled in the sky.

“This is excellent, Mabel,” Mrs. Allwell said. “Have a good night.”

I let out a deep breath, and sauntered out of her office.

*. *. *. *. *

“No!!” My children roared as I announced to them about relocating to another country.

“I don’t want to go to America! I like it here! All my friends are here, and my favorite places,” Eloise protested.

Damian crossed his arms stubbornly. “Yeah! And what about our school? Our teachers? What about Mrs. Chukwuemeka?”

“Mrs. Chuckwuemeka has agreed to come with us,” I assured.

“Why are we suddenly leaving for America?” Nathaniel asked.

“That’s because my company is pursuing a contract from the United States government and I’ve been chosen to represent the company. I-I know this is sudden for you but I promise, you’ll love it over there.”

“We don't want to go!” Eloise and Damian retorted, their eyes beaming with unshed tears.

I thought about what to say to appease them.

“What if I told you, you’ll be seeing your father in America?”

The children gasped, exchanging glances before staring at me with slightly widened eyes.

“Are you saying we’re going to meet our daddy?” Eloise asked.

“Yes...” I angled my head. “Technically.”

The triplets gasped and glanced at each other, and then beamed with joy.

“Is he going to pick us up from the airport?” Damian asked.

“No, no! But we’ll be seeing him later on,” I said.

While the children squealed with joy, I stepped back and let their nanny tuck them in. Exhaustion tugged at my spine.

In the hallway, I leaned against the wall and pulled out my phone.

I tapped the text icon on Ruth’s contact. ‘WE ARE COMING HOME,’ I typed in and then recollected she didn't know about the kids.

Delete.

‘I AM COMING HOME,’ I wrote and sent. A dingle sound notified the text had been successfully delivered.

And my thoughts darted to Alec Rivera, the father of my children. The man who humiliated me six years ago. Unfortunately for him, he won’t be meeting the weak, pathetic girl anymore. If anything, he needed to brace himself from the storm coming.

For I am the storm.