Chapter 356

Olivia

Nathan was busy fawning over the twins when he suddenly sighed, checking his watch. “Man, it’s getting late. I’ve gotta get back to work, Liv.”

I nodded. “Of course. I’ll be home waiting for you later.”

“I promise I won’t be late tonight,” he whispered, pulling me close, his eyes filled with sincerity. “Not like last night. Okay?”

I couldn’t help it. A small smile crossed my lips, and I nodded, tilting my head back to allow Nathan to kiss me. “Okay.”

He leaned down to kiss me, his hands looping through my hair and cupping the back of my neck. Even after all this time, our kisses still felt electric. I hoped it would always be like this.

When he pulled away, he then bent to coo at Elliot and Aurora, who were bundled up in their stroller. They were both getting fussy, and I knew it was time for a good nap. Maybe one for me, too.

“Be good for mommy, okay?” Nathan cooed.

“Alright,” I said, smiling as he kissed the twins. “I’ll see you later.”

“Love you,” he said as he backed away, already pulling out his phone to no doubt check emails.

“Love you too,” I said, but he was already wrapped up in a conversation, pushing through the heavy Council doors.

I turned the stroller around and began to walk down the grand hallway, its walls adorned with historical paintings depicting the founding of our pack. The twins were restless, their little hands reaching out to grab anything within reach. It was a short walk from the Council chamber to the main exit, but it felt longer than usual today.

As I rounded a corner, my thoughts interrupted by the ruckus the twins were making, I bumped into a familiar figure.

“Edward,” I said, almost out of breath.

He looked a bit shocked for a moment, his hand slipping something into his pocket quickly. It all happened so fast that I wasn’t sure if I had actually seen it or not.

Then, my amulet seemed to vibrate, a gentle hum against my skin, but it stopped as quickly as it started. I touched it subconsciously, confused. Was I imagining things? Surely I was, because it was motionless now.

“Olivia,” he said, a little breathless himself. “Heading out already?”

“The twins need to head home for their nap,” I replied, still trying to make sense of the amulet’s strange behavior.

Edward leaned down to look at Elliot and Aurora. “Hello, little ones. Having a fun day out?”

The twins seemed to like Edward, giggling as he made funny faces at them. I had to admit, it was endearing to watch.

“Thank you for letting me help out this morning, Olivia,” Edward said as he straightened up. “It meant a lot to me.”

His words puzzled me. I was the one who should be thanking him. After all, he had offered to help me with the twins despite the fact that I had been nothing but cold toward him for the past week.

“Actually, Edward, I should be thanking you. You were a huge help today when I really needed it.”

He paused and looked at me, his eyes inscrutable for a moment before they softened. “Well, we’re all family, aren’t we? And family helps each other.”

“True,” I said, though his words made me uneasy for reasons I still couldn’t quite pinpoint.

Edward gave me a strange smile, something about it unsettling, but I couldn’t put my finger on why. “I’ll see you later, Olivia. And you too, little ones,” he said, waving at the twins.

“Yeah. See you,” I managed to say as he walked away, his steps echoing down the hall.

I stood there for a moment, watching him as he turned the corner and disappeared from sight. My fingers were still clutching the amulet around my neck, its earlier vibration still on my mind. I tried to shake the feeling off, attributing it to stress or fatigue.

And yet the air felt thick, and I felt out of breath.

…

The aroma of spaghetti and meatballs filled the dining room that evening as we sat down for dinner.

Nathan had helped me cook tonight, something he enjoyed doing when he had the time. Elliot and Aurora were seated in their highchairs, eagerly gnawing on soft breadsticks. Across from me sat Edward, his eyes thoughtful, as if he was contemplating a difficult puzzle.

“Olivia, this sauce is divine,” he said, twirling his spaghetti around his fork.

“The credit goes to Nathan,” I replied, not taking my eyes off the twins as I spooned some applesauce onto their trays.

“I do make a mean marinara,” Nathan boasted, his eyes meeting mine for a second, full of warmth.

The conversation lulled for a moment, each of us lost in our own world. Nathan was the first to break the silence. “So, Edward, any updates on your housing situation?”

Edward put down his fork, looked at Nathan, and then at me. “Ah, yes. Actually, that’s what I wanted to talk to you both about. I found a house today.”

Relief washed over me. Not that Edward living with us had been a total disaster, but his presence had definitely thrown me off. It had only been a week, and I was already craving my sanctuary.

“That’s fantastic, Edward!” Nathan exclaimed. “Where is it? Is it nearby?”

“It’s just a few miles away. A cozy two-bedroom place. The owner is a nice elderly woman who seems fond of plants and pets. I’m moving tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow? That’s soon,” I said, a bit taken aback by the swiftness of it all.

Edward nodded. “Yes, the house is move-in ready, and it seems the sooner I settle, the better for everyone.”

Nathan seemed genuinely pleased. “That’s great, Edward. Really. You deserve to have your own space.”

“And what about us?” Edward suddenly turned his gaze toward me. “May I still come and visit, perhaps babysit Elliot and Aurora sometimes? I’ve grown quite fond of them, you know.”

His words hung in the air, heavy and unexpected. My eyes instinctively moved towards Nathan, who was looking at me with an expression that was hard to read but tinged with hope.

Was he really hoping I would say yes? The room felt smaller, the walls closing in, and my stomach churned as though I had just swallowed a ball of lead.

Babysitting was one thing, but this felt like something more. Was I ready for Edward to be a part of our children’s lives in such a personal way? The thoughts raced through my mind, each one more conflicting than the last.

“I… um,”I stammered, searching for the right words. “Well, I mean, it’s not like we can’t use the extra help, especially with me being pregnant and all.”

Edward looked relieved but kept his eyes on me, as if waiting for formal confirmation.

Nathan chimed in, “I think it would be a great help, Olivia. Edward’s good with them.”

I finally exhaled, not realizing I’d been holding my breath. “Okay, Edward, that sounds like a plan. You can come and visit the kids.”

Edward’s eyes lit up, but he contained his excitement, nodding respectfully. “Thank you, Olivia. You won’t regret it.”