Talia's hospital room was warm, softly lit, and filled with the quiet coos of her newborn twins. Luna and Zane, wrapped snugly in pastel blankets, lay peacefully beside her. She should have been basking in the moment, tears of joy, quiet bonding, Mia's happy laughter. Instead, her heart thundered with disbelief.
The door burst open.
She jumped.
There he was.
Ethan Wolfe. Tall, dark, furious. A sheet of paper clutched in his hand like a sword, his eyes locked on hers with a mix of shock, triumph, and something else she couldn't place.
"You had my kids," he said hoarsely. "You belong to me now."
Mia's jaw dropped. "Wait, what?!"
Talia blinked, her heart flipping over as if someone had grabbed her emotions and thrown them against the wall.
"Excuse me?" she asked, voice sharp. "You vanish after one night, and now, now, you show up? With paperwork? Claiming ownership like this is a business deal?"
Ethan looked toward the babies, his features softening for a fleeting moment before he returned to her. "I didn't know. Not until now. I.."
"You're lying!" she snapped, voice cracking. "I spent months alone. Sick, scared, working like crazy so I could prepare for *our* kids. Where were you when I couldn't sleep? When I thought I'd lose them?"
"I tried to find you," he said tightly. "I swear. I never stopped looking."
Talia clenched her fists. "You don't get to just walk in here and demand anything. You don't get to claim me. You weren't here when it mattered."
Ethan stepped closer, his voice dropping. "But I'm here now. And I'm not leaving."
The room was silent...tension thick as thunderclouds.
Mia gently touched Talia's shoulder. "Babe… maybe let's breathe, yeah? For the twins?"
Talia's eyes shimmered. Not with relief. Not with love. But anger. Exhaustion. Fear.
She turned away from Ethan, reaching for Luna.
"You don't get to force your way into our lives," she whispered. "I don't care what your test says. These babies are mine."
Behind her, Ethan stood still. Watching. Waiting.
Knowing this battle was just beginning.
Talia didn't look at him again.
She couldn't.
Her fingers trembled as she cradled Luna against her chest, the weight of her tiny daughter grounding her emotions like nothing else could. Zane let out a soft whimper, and Mia quickly rocked the little bassinet with a gentle hand.
"I'm not doing this with you, Ethan," Talia said, her voice quiet but firm. "You don't get to come in here throwing around ownership like you bought shares in my life."
"I'm not trying to buy anything," Ethan said, his tone rough. "I'm here to claim responsibility."
Talia turned slowly. "Responsibility? You didn't even leave a name, Ethan. Not a damn phone number. Just a memory and a child growing inside me."
He stepped forward. "I didn't know you were pregnant. If I had...."
"Don't," she cut him off, eyes sharp. "Just don't. You could've tried harder."
"I did," he insisted. "I hired a private investigator. I searched records, events, anything that could lead to you."
"And still… you show up the moment I give birth. How convenient."
Ethan exhaled hard, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Look, I get it. You're angry. You have every right to be. But I'm not here to fight."
"Could've fooled me," Mia mumbled from the corner, arms crossed, eyes narrowed.
Talia shot her a look and Mia held up her hands. "Sorry. Couldn't help myself."
Ethan's gaze dropped to the twins, his features softening again. "They're mine. Our children. I won't walk away from them."
"I never asked you to," Talia replied.
There was a beat of silence.
Then Ethan said something that made her stomach knot.
"I've already made arrangements."
Talia frowned. "What do you mean?"
"I bought a house. One with a nursery. Security. Full-time help. It's close to my offices, and it's safe. We'll move there once you're discharged."
Mia choked. "We?"
Talia's lips parted, then closed, then parted again. "Excuse me?"
"You and the twins," Ethan said firmly. "I want you safe. Settled. With me."
"No."
"Talia..."
"No." She stood, despite the ache in her body. "You don't get to control this. This isn't your business deal to close, Ethan."
"I'm not negotiating," he replied coolly. "I'm being clear."
"Oh, you're being something alright."
"I'll provide everything you need," he said. "You won't have to work another day unless you want to. The babies will be protected. You'll be protected."
Mia stared at them both, wide-eyed. "This is so much more entertaining than the soap opera I was bingeing."
Talia ignored her.
Her voice was colder now. "Let me tell you how this works, Mr. CEO. You don't make decisions for me. I don't care how rich or sorry you are."
"I'm not leaving them," he said again. "Or you."
"You left me the moment you disappeared from that hotel room," she said through gritted teeth. "You lost your say then."
The door creaked as the nurse stepped in.
"Miss James? The pediatrician is here to check on the twins."
Talia nodded stiffly.
Ethan stepped back.
Talia shot him one last glare. "You want to be part of their lives? Prove it. Don't just throw money and orders. Be there. But don't ever assume you own us."
She turned away again, tears burning her eyes.
This wasn't how she imagined motherhood.
Certainly not how she imagined seeing him again.
But if Ethan Wolfe thought she'd be some kept woman in a mansion he controlled, he was about to learn just how wrong he was.
And maybe, just maybe, he'd learn what real love..real family..meant.