Chapter 13

As Magnus reviewed a set of reports on his MacBook, a knock echoed at the door.

"Come in," Magnus muttered, lifting his head from the screen for the first time in several hours.

It was the last day of the month, which meant he was even busier than usual. He had to go over every single document from all departments himself because he didn’t trust anyone else with such delicate work.

Daniel stepped into the room, holding an iPad and a folder of papers tucked under his arm.

"Here you go, sir," Daniel said, placing the folder on the desk. "The team leader from the auditing department asked me to deliver this to you."

"Okay, thanks," Magnus nodded distractedly, refocusing on his work.

"Sir, I found something about Ma’am Vivienne," Daniel said, instantly catching Magnus’s attention.

He had always been interested in anything related to Vivienne. She had a way of making him feel completely captivated, and he couldn't bring himself to feel guilty about it.

Without thinking, Magnus snapped the MacBook shut. "What did you find?"

"She's not an orphan," Daniel began. "Five years ago, she was reunited with her mother, who had placed her in an orphanage when she was born. Apparently, her parents forced her to do so because she was a teenage mother. Also, her mother passed away from cancer four years ago."

The new information left Magnus speechless. His jaw dropped as he processed Daniel’s words.

His mind temporarily lost its grip on rational thought, and all he could do was stare into space, reflecting on what he had just learned.

Vivienne had a mother after all. And the universe had been so cruel to her that it had taken her mother away just a year after they had reunited.

"Go on."

"Her mother was very wealthy. She owned the CW chain of estates in Canada. She also had a medical degree but never practiced. After her death, Ma’am Vivienne inherited the company and her fortune," Daniel continued.

"Is that all?"

"Yes, sir," Daniel replied. "I haven’t yet gathered any information about her father."

"Alright, you did a great job. You may leave now."

Once Daniel left, Magnus paced the office, feeling a sense of relief wash over him. Vivienne had not been completely alone during her pregnancy. Given the fortune her mother had left her, she had likely been surrounded by professionals throughout that time.

So, Vivienne was now the CEO of a multi-billion-dollar company, yet she had chosen to continue her career as a neurosurgeon. The fact that she was so passionate about her field and remained committed to her work made Magnus admire her even more.

If it had been someone else, they probably would have forgotten their calling and indulged in the wealth that had come their way. But Vivienne wasn’t like that. She was disciplined, driven, and passionate about her work, and that made Magnus even prouder.

After a while, Magnus returned to his work and managed to go through about ten documents in one hour.

Three hours later, he decided to take a break for lunch. He called Daniel, and together they headed to a restaurant just ten minutes away from the office in Magnus’s Mercedes Benz.

Once they finished their meal, Daniel stepped outside to take a call while Magnus settled the bill.

As Magnus made his way to the car, parked across the street, he caught sight of Jayden and Jayla. His face softened into a smile as he admired them from a distance.

He quickly scanned the area for Vivienne, but she wasn’t there, which caused his expression to falter.

It wasn’t safe for two young children to be walking alone on such a busy street.

Just as he was about to approach them, Jayden and Jayla darted into the middle of the road. Magnus looked ahead and saw a car speeding toward them.

Without thinking, he rushed onto the road, throwing his body in front of them to shield them.

Before the twins could register who he was, he gently pushed them to the side of the road.

But it was too late to save himself. The car slammed into his legs.

Magnus let out a groan as his legs buckled beneath him and he collapsed to the ground. The driver of the car simply made a U-turn and sped off.

As Magnus stared up at the sky, he made a mental note to file a lawsuit against the reckless driver.

"Boss!" Daniel’s voice cut through the murmurs that were beginning to surround him.

"Call an ambulance, Daniel," Magnus instructed, his gaze shifting to the twins, who were thankfully still standing where he had pushed them, though they looked horrified as they watched him.

"Yes, sir," Daniel said.

"Shit!" Magnus muttered as an unbearable pain shot through his right leg.

Unable to lift himself, he stayed on the ground until the paramedics arrived and placed him on a stretcher.

The paramedics attempted to convince the twins to come with them so they could contact their parents or guardians, but the twins refused to go unless they could accompany Magnus.

They were smart for their young age.

On the way to the hospital, the twins stared at him intently, and whenever Magnus flashed them a smile, they shyly looked away.

"Mister, you look like Jayden," the one with dimples suddenly said, while Jayla frowned.

"Oh, really?" Magnus chuckled, wincing from the pain in his side.

"Yeah, you look like Jayden too. But you really look like Jayden," the little boy explained.

Not only were the twins intelligent, but they were also incredibly cute.

"What's your name?" Magnus smiled, and this time, both twins returned the smile.

"Jayla, but you can call me Jay," Jayla said before pointing to her twin. "This is Jayden, but he doesn’t talk to people. Mummy says he might be an introvert when he gets older."

"Introvert?" Magnus frowned in confusion.

"I'm not an introvert! I like playing with Jacob and Anna," Jayden protested.

That's when it clicked.

What Jayla meant to say was "introvert."

Magnus couldn’t help but laugh at the misunderstanding.

Jayden and Jayla were certainly a unique pair.

"Are Jacob and Anna your friends?" Magnus asked, and Jayla nodded.

"Yes."

"Jayla, we’re at the hospital!" Jayden exclaimed as the van stopped in front of the building. "Mummy works here. We’re gonna see her!"

Strangely enough, the twins were right. The paramedics had brought them to Tender Care Hospital.

"Mummy!" The familiar voices of her children reached Vivienne as she walked down the hallway of the hospital.

Had she imagined it? She wondered, spinning toward the sound of their voices.

Sure enough, Jayden and Jayla were running toward her, identical smiles lighting up their faces.

"What happened? Why are you two here? How did you find me?" Vivienne asked, crouching down to their level, worry creeping into her voice.

Like any overprotective mother, she quickly checked them over, relieved to see they seemed unharmed.

"We told the woman outside that we’re your children," Jayla, the chatterbox, began. "And we told her your name and that you’re a brain doctor."

"And she told us you were here," Jayden added.

"Mummy, we almost had an accident," Jayden said, his voice filled with worry.

"An accident?" Vivienne’s heart skipped a beat.

She had paid a small fortune to the daycare to ensure her children’s safety, yet somehow, they had managed to sneak out and nearly gotten into an accident.

This was just wonderful.

"How did you get out of daycare? Was anyone with you?" Vivienne asked.

"We snuck out to get ice cream at the mall. Sorry, Mummy," Jayden apologized, pouting.

Vivienne sighed deeply.

"Don’t ever do that again, alright? Do you know how serious an accident can be?" she scolded them, trying to hide her fear.

"Okay, Mummy. We’re sorry," they both said in unison.

She would never be able to forgive herself if something had happened to them.

"I’m a superhero, Mummy," Jayla announced proudly. "It was like an action movie. He came and saved us, but the car hit him."

"Who’s that?!" Vivienne asked, her anxiety rising again.

"We don’t know him," Jayden answered. "But he’s tall and handsome. That’s him, Mummy!" He pointed behind Vivienne.

Vivienne turned around and saw Magnus approaching them, supported by a pair of crutches.