Love Game With The Rebel Billionaire

"No! That's my masterpiece! Why would you take it off?" she protested. "You're so mean, brother!"

Thunder was born a few minutes before Chiara, so she calls him her older brother even though they're twins-a fraternal pair.

I knelt down and placed a hand on Chiara's head. She's sensitive. She might think we don't like her "masterpiece" since we've been teasing her.

Her eyes were already welling up, though she was trying hard not to cry in front of her brother.

"Chiara, listen," I said, cupping her cheeks. "Do you see your brother's hair? If it falls out, you'll lose a brother."

"Will he disappear? That's great!"

I blinked twice. At that moment, I saw myself in her. The same feeling I get every time I take a life-that's what I saw in my daughter.

I froze, unable to react. Is this how my past haunts me?

"Chiara!" I shouted her name, but she just grinned and grabbed my hand.

"Just kidding, Mom," she said quickly before looking at Thunder, her brows furrowed. "Come here, ugly. Let me take off my beautiful creation." She rolled her eyes. THE HOUSE I built has three floors.

The first floor contains the living room and dining area. The second floor houses their bedrooms, the maid's quarters, and my room, while the third floor has their playroom and the rooftop. That's where we often eat and play when I have time to stay here.

They were playing while I sat on the couch, resting for a bit. I hadn't had much sleep-just a short nap before coming here. But I don't mind sacrificing sleep if it means I get to see them.

I opened my eyes and saw they were still engrossed in their games. If there's one thing my twins agree on, it's playing with robot cars and action figures. Chiara was the more competitive one, pretending to attack Thunder's action figure. "Your powers are no match for me, big brother!" she declared with a mischievous laugh.

I shook my head. If she grows up to be feisty, I won't be surprised. I closed my eyes again, hoping to sneak in a quick nap, knowing I might not get another chance soon.

But I opened them again when someone sat beside me.

"Why haven't you visited us for so long, Mom?"

It was Thunder. He had left Chiara to play by herself and came to sit beside me.

"Mom's been busy. I needed to take care of some things." I adjusted my seat and faced him. "How are you and Chiara? How's school?"

"We're fine," he answered promptly, sounding mature beyond his age. "We just miss you a lot. As for school, we're managing, even with homeschooling."

I nodded, gently ruffling his hair.

"By the way, what are those 'things' you're taking care of, Mom? Can we help?" he asked seriously, making me pause mid-ruffle.

I haven't been the most hands-on parent, but I've made sure they understand why I'm doing all this-to protect them. Chiara is too young to fully grasp it.

What I don't understand is how mature Thunder is for his age. Sometimes, I talk to him about things regarding the house more than I do with Darcy, our maid.

His life, like mine, has forced him to grow up too quickly.

"Thunder... it's not the right time for you to worry about those things. All you need to do is focus on your studies, okay?" I told him. "Is homeschooling hard? You know you can study abroad if you-"

"If studying abroad means we'll rarely see you, then we'd rather stay here."

That's why they came back. My chest ached at Thunder's words. I'm their mother, yet they're the ones making sacrifices to be with me.

"Should I call Darcy now? She's upstairs. She knew you'd come but is still scared of you," he said, pointing to the second floor.

No wonder she didn't come out, even though she knew I was here. It wasn't intentional, but I had once terrified her because of something that happened to Thunder. He got a minor burn on his arm during one of my visits.

I had assumed it was due to her negligence, but it turned out Chiara was the culprit. While playing, they spilled some hot milk, which splashed on Thunder. That incident taught me to ask questions before overreacting. "I already apologized," I said defensively.

"But the pain you caused her stays the same."

That was the last thing Thunder said before heading upstairs.

The fear will never fade.

He was referring to Darcy, but it felt like those words were for me, too.

As much as I wanted to hire more maids and caretakers for them, Darcy is the only person I trust when it comes to my children. I can't bring myself to hire anyone else. That's why she receives a salary from me that's far more than she'd earn anywhere else.

Also, they're incredibly safe here. That's why I haven't bothered hiring security guards. Only I and one other person I trust are able to enter the house. The gates are password-protected, and I chose iris recognition because it's the most secure option I could think of.

Just in case, Darcy can press a button in either Thunder's or Chiara's room to signal an emergency or danger, and either I or someone else will immediately come to their aid.

"Sapphire." Someone called my name as they entered the room.

"Finnick," I responded, calling him back. "How long have you been there?"

I thought he was taking a break after his mission, which is why I told him to go home. I didn't expect him to come here instead.

"I was just getting some fresh air outside," he replied. "Do you have a plan?"

I suddenly remembered what he asked me yesterday during the mission. It's why he's sure I won't act without thinking things through. He knows I have children to protect. I can't afford to die recklessly.

To be honest, though, my actions yesterday were rash. If Ash hadn't been there, I might have died.

That's also why Finnick is so curious about my past-because he knows parts of it. Especially now that he's met the reckless Ash, who acts as if nothing bad ever happened to us.

"As long as I'm here, nothing will happen to your twins," he said coldly before heading back outside.

I think he's giving us some privacy, just like he's always done before.

I may not have many people I trust, but I'm grateful that, even in this cruel world, there are still a few I can count on.