Chapter 70


    Time flew quickly. In just a wink, Serene had celebrated the twin’s second Birthday. Unlike their first


    where her parents and the Lewis’s flew over to celebrate, this time she wanted to have a simple


    celebration with just the three of them.


    She opted to take the children to the zoo. Her toddlers enjoyed the trip. Each animal fascinated them.


    Since they’ve just been learning about animal sounds, they imitated the roars and hisses of the animals


    they saw. At the end of the trip, Serene pushed the cart of her babies as they soundly slept.


    Life had been good to her since she left Coast City. She started her career in art and thankfully, her


    pieces got sold and sheter on afforded to open her own gallery. She gained some poprity and had


    quite a following. In the art world, she’s known as Felicity Pax — her children’s name.


    Business back home had also flourished. With the help of Al, they could venture into canning business,


    allowing their fishing business to have a stable partner. The fishing business had also ventured


    internationally, supplying top of the line seafood to restaurants.


    Her friend Mary’s business likewise grew. From swimwear, sheunched lingerie, and now poised to


    hop into haute couture. It’s just sad that Mary still pursued her initial n to break up with Dn in


    order to protect her and the twins, despite her opposition.


    Each season, Mary would feature her paintings as exclusive prints for her collections. They fed in each


    other’s poprity.


    Mary had been urging her to return to Hyacinth Bay to put up a gallery. However, she’s hesitant


    because Justin could find out about the twins. Mary said that thest ce Justin would look for her


    was his own backyard.


    Arriving at the t, Serene ced the twins in the middle of the bed. They looked so peaceful in their


    sleep. Their chubby cheeks rosy, and their long curlyshes looked like tiny fans on their faces. The


    more she looked at them, the more she saw Justin in them.


    Felicity is Justin’s feminine version except for her eyes, which she got from her. As for Pax, he’s


    Justin’s replica. Even his demeanor was his. She stroked her children’s hair and nted a kiss on their


    forehead.


    Looking at them, she still could not believe how much they’ve grown. She gave birth to them pre-


    maturely because of theplications of her pregnancy. At 33 weeks of her gestation, her doctor


    advised her to stop injecting blood thinners for her not to suffer hemorrhage when she gives birth.


    However, a week after stopping the medication, her water bag broke, and she delivered them through


    normal delivery.


    Because they were just 34 weeks when they were born, they stayed in the NICU for more than a week.


    They were so tiny. It scared her to hold them because she felt she might break them. Now, they’ve


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    grown up and no one could tell they were preemies.


    A smile broke on her lips at the sight of her children. Three years ago, she left Coast City with a broken


    heart. She wanted to forget Justin and focus on her children. But each day she spent with them, the


    more she’s reminded of him.


    She faced her easel and continued to paint. She had gained some fame in the art world, particrly for


    her realistic paintings. They hardly looked like paintings, but more like erged photographs. She


    captured each detail perfectly; one could feel like they’re transported in a world she created.


    Apart from her realistic paintings, she continued to work on her patterns and prints that Mary would


    typically use for her clothing line.


    She looked at the painting that she finallypleted. An invisible hand gripped her heart. She painted


    the corner of her studio in Justin’s vi from memory. The window showed the setting sun from the


    horizon and a reflection of a man walking out of the room. In the foreground is arge bean bag where


    a catzily slept. This was her memory of their happy times together before he cut her off from his life.


    She sighed. That was all in the past. She had long epted that she and Justin were just passersby in


    each other’s life. Perhaps to teach a lesson to make one a better person. In her case, Justin gave her


    two beautiful reasons to continue living. It no longer mattered they did not end up together.


    She just finished cleaning up when her cellphone rang disying Carol’s name in the caller ID. It’s


    midnight in Coast City, why is her mother calling?


    “Mom?”


    “Sh-Shen…” Carol’s voice broke and let out a sob.


    “Mom, what’s wrong?” Serene asked, sounding distressed.


    “It’s your Dad. He’s had a stroke and is in the hospital now.” Carol finally let go of her sobs and cried


    her heart out. Serene felt constricted in her chest. She needed to go home. There’s no way she’s


    staying abroad when her father has fallen ill. Carol needed her.


    She gave Al a call to inform him she’d be going back home. Albert had been the brains behind her


    departure in Coast City. He deliberately asked them to go to Los Angeles and from there, a car took


    them to a smaller air strip where a private ne chartered them to New York. Justin could turn over Los


    Angeles and he would not see her and her children there.


    Now that she needed to return home, she sought Al’s help again for a strategy on how he can enter the


    country without registering in Justin’s radar.


    They spoke for at least half an hour, then Serene packed hers and her children’s belongings. She felt


    she needed to stay longer in Coast City, so she also called the gallery to inform them of her actions.


    After settling everything, she slept beside her children. She needed the rest and the energy because


    tomorrow’s going to be a long day for her.