"I found the person who could be the one who got you pregnant."
For the next few seconds, silence filled the line. Amala said nothing more, and Lola’s grip on the phone tightened as her shoulders stiffened.
When Lola first learned she was pregnant, she had tried to piece together the hows, the whens, the wheres. There was no way she could simply be pregnant out of nowhere. But with limited resources back then, how could she uncover who might have done something so horrible to her in a foreign country?
It wasn’t that she had given up. She had only delayed the search because of the pregnancy. After losing her child, she thought of resuming it—partly to distract herself—but life had always seemed to be set on extra-hard mode for her. Detours kept piling up. Only now, with the resources she finally had, could she restart the search.
All she wanted was to know what had happened to her six years ago.
So she wouldn’t have to live forever wondering how she got pregnant and what exactly had been done to her.
Lola thought she was ready for anything. But now, with Amala’s report—what should have been good news—her mind went blank.
"Lola, are you there?" Amala’s voice broke the silence.
"Uh—" Lola cleared her throat. "Mhm. Still here."
"What do you want me to do with him?"
Lola’s lips pressed together, her head bowing low. "Where is he now?"
"He’s currently in Novera."
"Send me his address." Lola drew a deep breath. "And his files."
"You’re going to deal with him yourself?"
"Amala, he got me pregnant." Her voice hardened into a scowl. "Don’t you think if anyone should deal with him, it should be me?"
Amala was silent for a moment. "Alright. If that’s all, then I’ll arrive soon."
"Don’t worry about it," Lola said, rocking her head to and fro. "Take your time. I’m okay here."
"I know you are."
A bitter, forced smile flickered across Lola’s lips before she ended the call.
The moment it disconnected, she gripped the edge of the vanity mirror. Even seated, her knees shook. Cold sweat dampened her back and forehead, her fingers cold as a whirlwind of emotions bubbled in her chest.
"It’s okay," she whispered to herself, eyes closing. "It might not be that bad."
She nodded to herself, knuckles whitening as her grip on the table tightened. But even as she repeated the words, her body trembled uncontrollably. Covering her mouth, the knots in her stomach twisted tighter. At the peak of her stress, she bolted from the walk-in closet to the bathroom and threw up.
"Hah..." She wiped her mouth with the back of her trembling hand, then lifted her gaze to the mirror.
Her eyes were rimmed red, a thin layer of tears glistening as her reflection revealed the tremor shaking her entire body.
You said you’d be fine, she thought, bracing herself against the sink.
"But... look at you."
The truth was, Lola didn’t even know why she was reacting this way. Was it because the man—the only person tied to her lost child—was so close now? Or because she feared finally discovering what had happened to her? What had he done to her?
"It’s alright," she whispered under her breath. "You’re going to be fine, Lola."
*****
The next day...
The twins sat in the car with their father on the way to school. While they played together, Atlas sat quietly, eyes on the passing scenery, but his mind elsewhere.
This morning, nothing seemed unusual.
Lola had shared breakfast with them and even sent them off with a smile. But something about her felt off. She hid it well, but Atlas still noticed.
I wonder what she’s up to now.
"Father Sir, are you fantasizing about our mommy?" Chacha’s sudden question snapped him from his thoughts.
Atlas slowly shifted his gaze toward his children.
"Are you planning your next move?" Second tilted his head. "Having Uncle Baby around isn’t working anymore. Mommy doesn’t get jealous of him."
"I have an idea!" Chacha chirped, raising a little finger. "Father Sir, want to hear it?"
"Later." He reached out to pat their heads, then withdrew. "We’re almost at your school."
"Do we need another proposal plan?"
"No."
I don’t even need your help, he thought. Still, his children made an excellent cover to secure his spot in the penthouse.
"I told you, don’t worry about her and me," he said coolly, giving them a knowing look. "She has a huge crush on me. It’s not that hard."
The twins leaned back, eyes narrowing suspiciously. Then they asked in unison:
"Father Sir, are you saying our mommy is easy?"
"..." Atlas blinked, staring at his two little buns. "Say that to her, and we’ll have a problem."
Both children instinctively bit their tongues, abandoning the idea of repeating it later. Normally, they loved picking up lines from adult conversations to use later, but clearly, this wasn’t one of those times.
"The two of you... have you noticed anything wrong with her?" he asked after a pause.
Chacha and Second tilted their heads, rubbing their little round chins. A moment later, they shook their heads and turned back to him.
"Father Sir, do you think something’s bothering her again?" Chacha asked.
"Is it her family?" Second followed quickly. "Do you want us to go tell them to stop stressing Mommy?"
"No need for that." Atlas hummed, his fingers tapping the door handle. "Don’t bother. I’ll figure it out myself."
The twins looked at each other before setting their round eyes back to their father.
****
At the same time, in the penthouse...
"Sis, I’m back!" Slater hopped into the living area where Lola was supposed to be waiting for him.
Earlier, he had begged her to take him along, and when she finally agreed, he had darted off to his room to get changed. But alas...
"Sis?" Slater called out, glancing around the living area as his steps slowed. "Sis?"
He checked the kitchen, the family room, her bedroom, and even the restroom. By the time he circled back to the living area, realization hit him like a truck.
"She—" he gasped. "She left!"
Panic surged through his chest, only to spot a small note on the coffee table.
It read:
[I have some very personal matters to attend to today. Have fun on your day off, though.]