CHAPTER 54

AVA'S POV.

As the weeks passed, I became increasingly drawn to Mark’s effort to win my heart and prove to himself that he would be a good father to Kenny and Kendall.

He attended every school event, helped with homework, and even took up cooking to ensure we had family dinners together.

His constant presence in our lives has become a routine, a comfortable one.

Gradually, I found myself looking forward to his visits, feeling a warmth and sense of security I hadn't felt in years.

He took me on numerous dates that I have completely lost count of, each more captivating than the last one we went on.

Then he didn't fail to spend the weekend back in the house, taking the kids to the park to play with them and caring for them with so much attention that was both surprising and heartwarming.

If I were to judge him for all that he has been doing, I would say he has solidly proven himself to be a good father.

He helped Kenny, who is always in need of help, with his school project and listened intently to Kendall's endless stories about her paintings.

It was very obvious that he was doing great as a father.

Every time I watched him interact with the kids, I felt more convinced that he would be a wonderful father.

The kids adored him so much that he never got any breathing space whenever he was around, as they always had a tale to fill him with, and slowly, against my better judgment, I was beginning to feel each brick of the wall I had surrounded my heart with falling off one at a time, and I was starting to develop feelings for him.

It was a strange sensation, letting the walls I had built around start to crumble, as it has been years and no one has ever been able to penetrate that barrier, but Mark’s sincerity and persistence were almost impossible to ignore.

Tonight was one of those nights where Mark planned out something special for us, and I was excitedly looking forward to another evening of laughter and endless chats about work, dreams, and goals.

As I stood in front of my dressing mirror, applying the final touches to my makeup, feeling an intense surge of happiness.

A feeling that had become more dominant in my life since Mark stepped into the equation.

I was thinking of the surprise he must have prepared for our date tonight when my phone rang.

It was Jane.

“Hey, what is it?” I asked as I picked up the phone.

“You have to come downstairs now, ma'am,” Jane said, her voice wrapped in panic.

“Why? What is happening?”

“You need to see this by yourself, ma'am; please hurry,” Jane added cryptically before ending the call.

Abandoning my makeup, I stormed out of my room and headed straight downstairs.

My mind was on the kids, wondering if something was wrong with any of them.

A thousand thoughts swirled in my head, each more alarming than the last.

Had Kenny hurt himself playing?

Was Kendall feeling sick again?

The possibility of something being wrong with either of them made my heart pound harder with every step.

But when I got to the living room, it was just Jane standing in the middle of the spacious place; the kids were nowhere around her.

“Where are the kids?” I asked, confused, my eyes sweeping the entire length of the living room.

“They are fast asleep in their room,” Jane answered.

“This... this isn't about them,” she quickly added.

“Then what is it?” I asked with my brows furrowed, still trying to understand why she would call me out of my room with so much urgency in her voice like the house was on fire or something was wrong with the kids.

Jane stretched out her hand to me with a brown envelope in it.

“The courier just dropped it; it is addressed to you,” she said.

With my curiosity crippling me, I slowly took the envelope from her and opened it, wondering what it might be and who it was from, as I wasn't expecting any message from anyone.

My breath instantly caught in my throat as I read the content.

It was a legal document from the court informing me that Mark had filed for custody of the twins.

The words of the letter gradually turned blurry as tears filled my eyes.

I couldn't believe what I was reading. “Mark is filing for custody?” I whispered inquisitively, still trying to grasp the unbelievable situation I had just found myself in.

“I’m so sorry, ma'am.” Jane, who has moved from being more than a maid to me to one of my closest friends, said, her voice quiet.

“I don't know what hurts right now, if it is the fact that Mark has gone behind my back to file for custody or the fact that he is accusing me of being an unfit mother, claiming the children are weak because of their omega mother.” I blurted out as the tears rolled freely down my cheeks.

It all felt like a joke to me, a cruel, heartless one but the legal stamp at the end of the letter confirms its legitimacy.

“I am so sorry that this is happening, ma'am; maybe there is some sort of mistake somewhere, or perhaps someone is probably playing a wild prank on you.”

Jane said soothingly, her voice filled with sympathy.

I sank into the nearest chair as my wobbling feet couldn't support me any longer.

The world seemed like it was tilting on its axis as my head spun endlessly, and I felt a wave of betrayal and hurt washing off me.

Mark has been so caring; was he pretending all along? How could he do this to me?

To us?

“Why would he do this to me?” I cried, bringing my head into my shaky palms.

“He had been so good to the kids; he had been so good to me, and I thought...” My voice trailed off as a sob, jerking vehemently.

“I thought we were building something.” I managed to say.

Jane kneeled beside me, taking my hand in her palms.

“Maybe something is going on that we don't know about.” She said.

“Something like what?” I asked confused.