Side Story 1

Jaselyn’s POV

Exhausted didn’t even begin to cover how I felt. I was beyond it. No, it was more like EXHAUSTED in capital letters, underlined and bold. It had been a few days since Luka and Mika were born, and though I’d prepared myself for the sleepless nights and constant feeding, nothing could have readied me for the complete overwhelm of being a new mother to two newborns at the same time.

Rion helped as much as he could. He was always there, doing everything in his power to make things easier for me. But there was only so much even he could do. There were things I had to handle myself—breastfeeding, comforting them when they both decided to cry at the same time, managing the constant pain in my body that hadn’t fully recovered from the trauma of childbirth.

Luka was a good feeder. He latched on almost immediately, eager to nurse, but Mika wasn’t doing as well. He struggled with breastfeeding, and that meant more time spent trying to get him to eat, more time stressing about whether he was getting enough. I was sore all over—my breasts hurt from feeding and the constant leaking, I was still bleeding, and I had to wear pads all the time. The cramps came and went, and every muscle in my body felt like it had been stretched too far and was now snapping back painfully.

My boobs felt like they were on fire, swollen and sore, my body ached all over, and my hormones were a rollercoaster ride I couldn’t seem to control. The intrusive thoughts came at the most unexpected moments—telling me I wasn’t doing enough, that I wasn’t a good mother. That I had failed Celio once, and I’d probably fail these boys too.

And then there were the moments when Luka and Mika would both cry at the same time. Their little faces scrunched up, tiny fists shaking as they wailed, their voices rising and blending together into a cacophony of need that sent my nerves into overdrive. I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know how to comfort both of them at once, and it felt like I was drowning in their cries, my own helplessness suffocating me.

Larose was on her honeymoon with Lian, and Luna Daryna pitched in when she could, but she was elderly and could only do so much. I was alone in this, trying to keep it together, trying to be strong for my boys, but it was so hard.

One particularly tough afternoon, when Luka had been crying non-stop for hours and Mika refused to latch, it all became too much. I was holding both of them, trying to soothe them, rocking them back and forth while my body screamed for rest. But nothing was working. Their cries only grew louder, piercing through the quiet of the palace.

I could feel the panic rising in my chest, my heart pounding, the tears pricking at my eyes. "Why won’t you stop?" I whispered, my voice trembling. "What do you need? Please, tell me what you need."

But they just kept crying, their little faces red with frustration, and I felt like the worst mother in the world. My own tears started falling, and before I knew it, I was sobbing. “I can’t… I can’t do this. I’m not good at this.”

I didn’t hear Rion come in. I was too overwhelmed by the noise, the exhaustion, and my own doubts. It wasn’t until his arms wrapped around me from behind, steady and warm, that I even realized he was there.

“Jas,” he whispered, his voice filled with concern. “It’s okay. You’re doing your best.”

I shook my head, the sobs coming harder now. “No, I’m not. They won’t stop crying, and I don’t know what to do. I’m a terrible mother, Rion. I can’t even make my own babies happy.”

Rion gently pried Luka and Mika from my arms, cradling them both effortlessly as he rocked them. His presence alone seemed to calm them down a little, their cries quieting to soft whimpers. He looked at me with such tenderness, it broke my heart.

“You’re not a terrible mother,” he said softly, kissing my forehead. “You’re an incredible mother. You’ve just had a rough start, that’s all.”

“But I don’t know what to do!” I cried, wiping my tears. “I can’t get them to stop, and I can’t even think straight anymore. Everything hurts, and I feel so useless.”

Rion shook his head, his eyes filled with understanding. “You’ve been through so much already, Jaselyn. You’re still healing from giving birth. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed. But you’re not alone in this. I’m here, and I’m going to help.”

He handed me a tissue, wiping away my tears. “How about this? I’ll take care of the boys for the rest of the day. You go shower, eat something, and rest. I’ll handle everything.”

I looked at him, hesitating. “But—”

“No buts,” Rion said firmly, placing a soft kiss on my lips. “You need a break. Please, for me?”

I nodded slowly, the exhaustion weighing heavily on me. “Okay. But if they start crying again—”

“I’ll handle it,” he said, smiling. “You don’t need to worry.”

Reluctantly, I let him take over. I headed to the shower, letting the hot water wash over me, easing the tension in my muscles. Afterward, I ate a light meal that Rion had left for me on the bedside table. My body was so sore, my mind so tired, but I could feel the stress slowly ebbing away.

When I woke up, hours later, I found an envelope on the bed. My name was written on it in Rion’s familiar handwriting. Confused, I opened it and pulled out a note.

Follow the rose petals.

I looked around and saw a trail of rose petals leading out of the bedroom. Curiosity piqued, I followed them, wondering what Rion had planned.

The trail led to the balcony, and when I stepped outside, I gasped. Rion had set up a beautiful dinner under the stars. A small table was set with candles, and soft music played in the background. The sight of it all left me speechless.

“Rion…” I breathed, my heart swelling.

He appeared from behind the balcony door, smiling warmly. “Surprise.”

“Where are the twins?” I asked, scanning the area for them.

“Don’t worry,” he said, taking my hand and guiding me to the table. “I’ve got it handled. Tonight is just about you.”

I sat down, still in awe of what he’d done. “Did you… do all of this yourself?”

He grinned sheepishly. “I did. And I even cooked.”

I blinked in surprise. “You cooked?”

He laughed. “Yeah. I know you probably didn’t think I could, but I had to give it a shot. I don’t do it often because I don’t think I’m that great, but I put a lot of love into this. I hope it tastes decent.”

I took a bite of the meal he’d prepared, and to my surprise, it was delicious. “Rion, this is amazing! You’re a great cook.”

He looked at me with mock seriousness. “Okay, I have to confess. I had a little help from Mum.”

I laughed, feeling the weight of the day lift off my shoulders. “That explains it.” He smiled sheepishly.

We ate together, the atmosphere relaxed and intimate. After dinner, Rion stood and extended his hand to me. “Dance with me?”