Soon, our peace was done.
After all, the three people at the center of this chaotic love story were public figures.
My mother, Aurora Drayke, wasn't just a former tech prodigy—she was a self-made millionaire, a public speaker, and the founder of a successful consulting firm specializing in risk assessment. She had graced the "Women in Tech to Watch" lists, given public talks, and refused to let any man—especially my father—define her.
My father, Dorian Ashford, was the face of a vast corporate empire, the heir to old-money royalty, and a carefully polished figurehead. His cousins dabbled in politics. His suits cost more than most people's rent. He had been in the public eye since he was a child.
And Caelum, of course—wild child turned tech billionaire. Famous for extreme sports, viral stunts, and a face that could crash an app server. His entire life was a curated blend of chaos and brilliance, all shared on social media.
Not to mention—they were insanely attractive. All three of them. It was unfair, really.
So when the news broke that Aurora had given birth to twins with two different fathers, the press did what it always does:
It exploded.
Paparazzi staked out our gate.
Drones buzzed the sky.
Phones rang day and night.
Even from the nursery, I could hear the chaos—and I was furious no one had brought popcorn.
The house turned into a crisis center. My mother stopped breastfeeding and started pumping to free up time for damage control.
I missed her. But thankfully, the staff were gossipy, so I got the full story secondhand:
Both fathers had rushed in. Lawyers arrived. PR teams were deployed. Private investigators were hired to trace the leak.
Eventually, after hours of bickering and zero progress, my mother kicked both men out of the meeting.
She came into the nursery crying.
She picked me and Liliane up and just held us. It was the first time I'd seen her look completely overwhelmed.
I felt... bad for her. So I reached out with my tiny baby hand and brushed away one of her tears.
She blinked, surprised, and then laughed.
"Sometimes I feel like you're an old person in a baby body."
I looked at her and said,
"Go go ga ga."
She laughed harder and hugged me tighter.
Liliane, ever the angel, continued sleeping peacefully in her crib.
Then— a knock at the door .
Both men stood there, looking sheepish.
Dorian began,
"We've decided that our arguing led nowhere. I'm willing to collaborate with him."
Caelum added,
"I'm also willing to work with this asshole."
Aurora and Dorian snapped in unison,
"Language!"
Aurora covered my ears.
"There's a baby here."
Caelum snorted.
"It's not like she understands us."
I looked at him with deadpan baby eyes and began planning my revenge. When I start talking, I'm going to repeat every bad word he's ever said in front of me—at the worst possible time.
I smiled. Sweetly. Evilly.
Aurora tried to put me down to rejoin the meeting, but I whimpered and clung to her. She was weak to my act.
Next thing I knew, I was in the meeting room, seated in her lap like a smug little spy.
They all looked surprisingly good for people neck-deep in scandal. Dorian's shirt sleeves were rolled up, his collar undone, giving him that accidental heartthrob vibe. Caelum wore a perfectly fitted racer jacket. And my mother—floral dress, regal posture—looked like a princess in the middle of a courtroom drama.
Dorian started,
"We've already sent investigators to the hospital and birthing center. We believe the leak came from there."
Caelum nodded.
"That's where we did the DNA testing. And we all stayed there."
Dorian continued,
"We've also prepared a draft of a public statement—if you'd like to read and approve it."
Aurora took the paper, read one line, and ripped it in half.
"No. We're not feeding those vultures. I'm not speaking about my girls to the media. My daughters have my last name—the one I chose as an adult when I freed myself from my parents' abuse. You may be listed on the birth certificates, but the world doesn't need to know a damn thing about them."
Caelum raised a brow.
"So we're just sperm donors now?"
I giggled. Everyone turned to look at me.
Dorian frowned.
"She laughs at the strangest things."
I busied myself playing with my fingers, still giggling.
Aurora shrugged.
"Honestly? Maybe we should say that. It might shut people up."
Caelum grinned.
"Or we go with the threesome angle. That'd explain the twins."
I laughed again.
Dorian glared at him.
"Can you not say things like that in front of my daughter?"
Before Caelum could snap back, Dorian's phone rang.
He answered it, went pale, and then looked up slowly.
"We know who leaked the story. It was Julia."
Everyone gasped.
Aurora blinked—then suddenly burst out laughing.
"So it was your girlfriend again."
Dorian bit back,
"She's not my girlfriend. Just an ex."
Aurora rolled her eyes.
"Whatever she is, fix it. Because if Julia is still in your life, you're not getting near Selene."
Caelum looked delighted to not be the current problem.
"She's right. Clean up your mess, or stay away."
Dorian gave him a look that said I will murder you in your sleep.
Then he kissed my forehead and muttered,
"I'm going to fix this."
He grabbed his jacket off the chair and left like a man on a mission.
Caelum cracked his knuckles.
"I'll handle the press. I have favors I can call in. And I'm going to check the legality of the drones."
Aurora raised a brow.
"Now you care about legality? After you shot them down?"
Yes, apparently, he had taken a rifle and played skeet with press drones.
"I heard crying when the cameras dropped," he said proudly. "It was fun."
Aurora sighed.
"And if that doesn't work?"
"Then I'll buy all the land around your house and turn it into private property."
Knowing this world? He absolutely could.
The next morning, peace returned.
Caelum had cleared out the paparazzi. Dorian returned, triumphant.
"Julia was arrested. The police found evidence she accessed medical records. Even more in her apartment—stalking, hacking, you name it."
We were all gathered at the dining table. Liliane and I sat in our high chairs, being spoon-fed mashed vegetables by our nannies.
My mother insisted we start eating at the table with everyone. "It's important they learn how to join family meals," she said.
Liliane was making faces at her food, giggling as she mashed it everywhere.
I, on the other hand, grabbed the spoon and tried to feed myself.
The adults laughed.
"My Selene is so independent," Dorian said proudly.
Caelum rolled his eyes.
"She's just making a mess. Look at Lily. Adorable with food all over her cheeks."
Great. Now she's Lily.
My father refused to give me a nickname. "Selene is too beautiful to shorten," he said.
He was right.
Aurora beamed.
"Both my daughters are adorable."
The men nodded.
Then Aurora's assistant entered the room and whispered something in her ear.
Aurora's smile vanished.
"WHAT?"
She looked at Caelum, eyes wide.
"Your father is suing me. Do you know anything about this?"
Everyone froze.
Even I dropped my spoon mid-air.
Caelum stood, furious.
"What the hell? What is he suing you for?"
Aurora said flatly,
"Custody. He's suing me for Lily's custody."
And just like that, the next episode of our family soap opera had begun.